Growing up in rural Ohio, Kamala Mohammed, also known as Kami, had a name that honored her father’s Trinidadian and Indian heritage. Her name was easily anglicized, but with the rise of Kamala Harris, the vice president and Democratic presidential nominee, Mohammed finds herself using her full name more often as people now recognize it. Initially skeptical of Harris’ political prospects, Mohammed was pleasantly surprised by the support and enthusiasm Harris received as a candidate.
As Harris aims to become the first woman of color to hold the presidency, she has focused on being a president for all Americans rather than emphasizing her identity. However, her background as the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants is apparent to others without her having to explicitly mention it. This is especially true for other women named Kamala living in the United States.
The name Kamala first appeared in the Social Security Administration’s baby name database in 1955, and peaked in 1964 with 105 babies named Kamala born that year. While the name’s popularity has decreased over the years, it experienced a slight resurgence recently. Kamala is also the Sanskrit word for lotus, symbolizing beauty and resilience in the face of adversity.
Women named Kamala have diverse stories behind their names. Kamala Venkatesh, named after Indian independence activist Kamala Nehru, drew parallels between her life and that of Harris’ mother, Shyamala Gopalan. Watching Harris’ rise in national politics, Venkatesh admired the unique situation of a woman named Kamala running for the presidency.
On the campaign trail, Harris has embraced her first name, with supporters waving signs bearing “KAMALA” and social media accounts adopting “Kamala HQ.” For women named Kamala like Kamala Avila-Salmon, seeing someone with their non-traditional name in the political spotlight is significant.
Women named Kamala often face mispronunciations of their name, with variations like Camilla and Carmela being common. Kamala Vanderkolk, who ran for state representative in Colorado, made buttons to explain the pronunciation of her name, similar to how Harris’ nieces taught the audience at the Democratic National Convention.
For women like Kamala Grasso, Harris’ candidacy resonates with their experiences of being held to higher standards in male-dominated fields. Despite the challenges, the increased recognition of the name Kamala due to Harris’ candidacy has empowered these women to use their real names more confidently in public.
Regardless of the election outcome, Harris’ candidacy has brought a newfound recognition and respect for the name Kamala, inspiring women with the name to embrace their identity with pride. The visibility and impact of a woman named Kamala running for the highest office in the country have left a lasting impression on those who share her name.
