In a world where names often shape first impressions, the story of one individual, known online as Mr. Williamsprek, stands out for its uniqueness and the journey to understand it. Mr. Williamsprek was bullied for his name until this bullied man discovers meaning of his unusual name. Bullied for his unusual name, Tell, he recently delved into its meaning, an exploration that brought both humor and insight.
"School kids will use anything to take the p**s out of someone, even if their name sounds totally normal," reflects Mr. Williamsprek on his TikTok channel. The content creator, who grew up in North Indiana, has vivid memories of the teasing he endured because of his name.
“As a kid, I was a gay Puerto Rican living in North Indiana. Mike Pence was our governor; it was hard enough to be me. And then on top of that, my name was Tell. They called me Telly Tubby, they called me Tell the Tattletale, they sang ‘Go Tell it on the Mountain’ every time I walked by," he shares.
Despite the bullying, Mr. Williamsprek tried to stay positive. “But I always told myself ‘Tell don’t worry about, it’s unique, it’s you, it’s beautiful’,” he recounts.
His perspective on his name was a mix of resignation and pride, a balancing act many with unique names understand.
Tell Williams also known as Mr. Williamsprek on TikTok Mr. Williamsprek's curiosity about names began with his siblings. He discovered that his sister Amber's name means "jewel or golden color," while Natasha signifies "Christmas or born on Christmas."
Kimberly, another sister, has a name linked to "something about royalty or nature." He humorously adds, “I don’t know, it’s regal.”
In contrast, Mr. Williamsprek's name, Tell, stood out in its singularity. “It’s not short for anything, that’s it. Because my name’s like a word I never looked it up before, it’s a verb, sometimes it’s a noun,” he explains.
The moment of truth arrived when he finally looked up the meaning of his name. To his surprise, he found that Tell is of German origin, which he found "fine but confusing because we’re Puerto Rican." The revelation was unexpected: Tell means “to gorge, like to gorge on food.”
The discovery was met with mixed reactions online. Sympathetic users tried to comfort him, saying, “It’s gorge like short for gorgeous.” Another offered a different perspective: “Another meaning of Tell is of Slavic origin and means ‘bright or of the Sun, speaker of old stories and myths’.” Humor wasn't far behind, with one user jokingly commenting, “Parents: oh, he’s going to EAT.”
Mr. Williamsprek's story resonated with many, leading others to share the meanings of their names, including one user who humorously noted theirs means ‘HELMET’. His experience highlights the powerful role names play in our identities and social interactions.
The journey of Mr. Williamsprek, from being bullied for his name to embracing its uniqueness, is one of resilience. His story is a reminder that while names are a significant part of our identity, they do not define us entirely. In the end, it's the person behind the name that truly matters.