Reach for the Skye
Introducing my new(ish) nickname — and why I love it.
You may have noticed that I have begun to identify myself, here on Substack and elsewhere online, as Carl “Skye” McColman. Skye is a nickname that I began using, and sharing with friends and family, late last year. Now it’s time to share it with everyone.
Skye is Scottish, like my surname. It comes from the Isle of Skye, a place noted for its profound natural beauty, vast open spaces, and deep Celtic roots. It’s considered a unisex name, or as I prefer to think of it, a nonbinary name. Obviously, it’s a delicious pun with sky, which again touches on nature, and it also speaks to an enduring metaphor in both Christian mysticism and Buddhism: the calm, meditative, contemplative heart is like a beautiful, sunny sky.
Contemplative. Nonbinary. Celtic. Nature-inspired. Even friends who only know me casually can probably see why this name resonates so deeply with me.
My given name, Carl, remains my legal name, and it not in any way a “dead” name. All my books identify me as Carl, and I imagine that will be true of future books as well. The name Skye, for me, represents an expansion, not a transition.
If you interact with me in person or on Zoom, I hope you will address me as Skye — but it’s okay to call me Carl, too. I expect most people, especially anyone who’s known me for a while, will use both. Some of my friends are organically using both names when speaking to or about me, and that feels good and fine.
There’s lots more I want to say about Skye, so I’ll post something more in-depth later. For now: think of me, and address me, as Skye. Or as Carl. Or both. It’s all good.
