Name Interview: Allison Rivers Samson

My hubby recently forwarded me a recipe from VegNews Magazine. This site features amazing vegan and vegetarian dishes so I was excited to see the recipe, but what caught my attention, was the name of the person who wrote the article, Allison Rivers Samson.

It wasn’t long after that I decided to do a little research. According to my favorite name books, people with the name Allison are known to be a little spunky and highly creative. And my name books say they also like to devote themselves to good causes.

Allison Rivers Samson is not just a writer sharing tasty vegan recipes, she also runs her own business, Allison’s Gourmet, an organic bakery featuring vegan treats. That seems to fit the bill of someone devoted to good causes. I reached out to Allison and we jumped right in on the topic of names.

Name Interview: Allison Rivers Samson

What was your name when you were born?
Allison Lynn Rivers

Why did your parents pick this name?
My dad liked the name Allison (apparently, completely coincidentally, my mom’s maiden name was “Allinson”) and my mom chose Lynn.

Did you like your name as a child?
No, I didn’t really like my name as a child. I wanted to have a more common name. I never knew any other Allisons who were my age. In fact, I was probably 12 when I first heard another Allison’s mom calling her and was excited and surprised. Incidentally, a joke among us Allisons is to ask, “Do you spell it the right way?” since the most common variations are one “l” or two. Of course two is the right way!  I’ve seen some other crazy variants like Alisan and Alicean and then there are always those with the y’s instead of an i.

Have you ever changed your name?
I decided to go by my middle name, Lynn, in 4th grade because it was only 4 letters and I wanted a change. I went back to Allison shortly thereafter.

Have you ever gone by a nickname?
When I was little, my friends called me Al and when I was in my late teens, I went by Allie. It’s pretty much just Allison now, except for my family, who still often call me Allie.

What do you think of your name as an adult?
I love my name now!

If there were such a thing as an alternate universe and you could have a clone living there and no in this universe knew about her, what would you like her name to be?
Hmmmmm… what an interesting question! I’ve always loved the name Luna, because of my affinity with the moon.

Do you think your name (the one in this universe) has had any impact on your life? Has it helped you, hindered you or had no influence?
I’m not sure how my name has impacted my life. I haven’t really thought about it in that way. I’ve looked up its meaning, which is “Little Truthful One” and that certainly seems to fit. Also, someone once mentioned that it’s very close to “All is One.” I like that!

Do you find the topic of names interesting?
Yes.

What inspires you in your life?
Consciousness, kindness, love, compassion, and growth.

You have a business called Allison’s Gourmet. Tell me about that and how it feels to have a business with your name!
Allison’s Gourmet is one of my great passions. We are an online organic, vegan bakery and confectionary boutique and have been in business since 1997. Through AG, I get to share delicious sweets with wonderful people and spread love and joy all over the country, since we ship our goodies nationally. It’s been a tremendous honor to have the privilege of serving folks with high ethical standards and sophisticated palates, while caring for the animals and our planet.

You regularly write for VegNews magazine. Can you talk more about your writing and what inspires you to write vegetarian pieces?
I write a column for VegNews that’s called, “VeganizeIt!” in which I veganize comfort foods. For many years, I have been known for my sweets, but I hadn’t had an outlet for sharing my savory cooking except with folks who were nearby. It was with much glee that I accepted the offer to write this column and to my delight, I have had the opportunity to share my savory side with everyone. My most popular recipe to date is still my very first one, which I believe has actually developed somewhat of a cult following, even with omnis [omnivores], which is a great compliment. It’s soy- and nooch- (nutritional yeast) free Mac & Cheese.

My activism is my food, so sharing yumminess is my way of helping the trinity of animals, people, and planet. This is what inspires me. Every day.

Conclusion

Interestingly enough, it was that recipe for Allison’s Mac & Cheese that my hubby sent my way. I guess that makes us part of the Allison Vegan Cult!

This name interview is part of a series called, “Real People, Real Names,” a compendium of stories and pictures about people and their names. If you would like to be considered for this series, use the contact form on this site to reach me.