So… Where Did “Lola” Even Come From?

Yeah, I know—Lola doesn’t sound anything like Omayra. It’s not a nickname that naturally rolls off my full name, and there’s no deep cultural backstory either. Honestly? My mom just randomly called me that sometimes growing up. I don’t know why. She never explained it, but it stuck with me. There was something soft and playful about it that I liked.

Fast forward to online dating—I wasn’t about to throw my real name out there, so I went with Lola. It felt fun, flirty, and low-pressure. Then I gave the name to my Jeep (because if you know me, you know my Jeep needed a name and a whole personality).

Later, when I started working as an active listener and we weren’t allowed to use our real names, I figured, “Well, Lola’s already got a good track record—let’s go with that.” And the funny thing is… it fit. People connected with it, and it started to feel like this other version of me: strong, light-hearted, open, grounded.

So nope, Lola doesn’t come from Omayra. But it does come from all the different versions of me I’ve grown through. And now, she’s part of the story.