Pronounced "Day-Don".

Up until 10 grade, I never really appreciated my first name, Dedan. I was always known as "Kevin". It was easier to pronounce, and it was a popular name. Still to this day, I have seperate groups of friends who call me by both names.

Pops gave me a book to read titled "Histories of the Hanged: The Dirty War In Kenya and the End of Empire" in which I learned a lot more of the leader I was named after- Dedan Kimathi.

"Kenya's own nationalist writers, among them some of his closest comrades...cannot agree whether Kimathi should be lauded as a noble, brave, and unswerving leader who inspired others, or pilloried as a brutal, hard-bitten, ruthless thug who became increasingly psychotic as the fearful isolation of the forest ate into his soul. What we know of his life is difficult to disentanlge from the propaganda: the British did all they could to besmirch his reputation and, in reaction, his Kenyan biographers have tended to gloss over anything might compromise his heroic status. Kimathi's myth remains potent in Kenya today; his name, more than anyone else's, is synonymous with the struggle for freedom. He his unquestionably the herioc figure of the Mau Mau rebellion."

I feel inspired/pressured to live up to his name and I think I'm on the right path to do so. I've always wanted to name my first son Dedan.

The correct pronunciation of my name is "DAY-DON" and only my family knows this. The most common pronunciation is "Deee-Dan" (hence the nickname/screenname "dedantheman") and sometimes I hear "Deee-Don". I used to introduce myself as Kevin but I grew to embrace the history and image of having the unique name of a heroic figure.

Dedan Kevin Hedrick. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people say "Hendricks"or "Hendrick". Like at the bank. The teller at the window sees my ATM card, I.D., and the check I want to deposit all saying "HEDRICK" but they always end up saying something like "Have a good day, Mr. Hendricks!" wtf?