for my parents choosing a name was a pretty important and pretty tricky thing to do.

you see they had to meet me before they could even think about naming me. then when they met me they really weren't sure quite what name would suit me!

in japan a name is made up of kanji (chinese characters). the characters have meaning and so a name means something very particular.

the tablet shows my mum's name, mari. mari is made up of 2 kanji 'ma' meaning true and 'ri' meaning logic. so my mum's name means true logic, or true thinking. it was a message from her parents to her.

I'm not really sure if she heeded their advice or not...anyway, my parents wanted me to have a kanji that suited my character and their view of the world.

they also wanted a name that would be easy for both sides of my family to say. i got many names, only for them to be taken away again.

mum and dad would sit there making funny noises at me and seeing if i could give them inspiration. well my job is eating and sleeping. it never said anything in my contract about giving myself a name, so i refused to help. well, the cheek of it.

they liked maya a lot, but the kanji for it just weren't right. then mum found a kanji and sound that seemed to suit me down to the ground.

aya means colourful.

the world is full of colour and variety and my parents think i will add my own little bit of colour to the world around me.

well the favourtie bit of colour i am adding to the world at the moment is green. i am really very good at mixing this colour. maybe i will be a master painter one day, although the works i am producing at the moment seem to be destined for the turner prize, or the laundry.

but it a way, life is all about colour and light. the kanji to the right is 'aya'. that's my name. suga aya.

aya means brightness and light - 'hikari'.

my mum and dad think i'm like a ray of light in their life. that's nice. i think they need some sunshine because the winter is coming.

i hope my light can make the house a little warmer, because it does get rather chilly in the evenings. sometimes my toes feel like they're going to fall off.

aya means beautiful - 'utsukushii'.

i'm really beginning to like this name now. not only will i be colourful and bright i will be beautiful too. with all these complimentary parts to my name, i wonder if there is also a reading of aya that means 'modest'.

well the truth is, i wouldn't be part japanese if this kanji didn't have some connection with my name.

aya also means a bit of a gambler - 'kinsen o kakeru shoubu goto'

well no-one's perfect and it looks like i've got a bit of the gambler in me. i'm sure i'll enjoy a quick flutter on the game - whatever it may be.

at the moment i spend my time betting how many cries it will take before someone comes and picks me up.