Is that so wrong? In a world consumed by fear and anxiety, it might be just the recipe.

It’s ironic since my name already sounds like the word itself. I’ve been associated with the term on many occasions. So naturally, I’m drawn to give this concept further thought.

The definition and how we use the word.

When you look it up, Cambridge Dictionary says: „too willing to believe that someone is telling the truth, that people’s intentions in general are good, or that life is simple and fair.“

Wow. That’s not a great place to start. Can I give this little gem a makeover?
I’ll certainly try.

But let’s start with the obvious: Being called naive is no compliment.

What it suggests is that you’ve lost a certain grasp of reality. It also often implies that it’s not really your fault—especially when people say it about you behind your back: „Oh you know, she’s just a bit naive.“ It almost sounds like an excuse not to be taken seriously. It suggests you haven’t been fucked over enough yet to understand just how appalling the whole world is.

Merriam-Webster’s definition offers something better: as in ‚innocent.‘ I like that. Because having an innocent take on life is how I see naive. It’s the nice way. It’s resisting the common ‚grown-up‘ thing—becoming cynical (or sinister). Just the part about ‚lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment‘? I’d like to distance that from the word. I know, I know, this isn’t how it’s done.

Can I choose to be naive in the sense of staying hopeful and open despite knowing how harsh the world can be?

Let’s just think about naive as a chosen way of life. As something you want to be, something you pursue—while knowing it has its risks. Obviously nobody wants to fall prey to criminal minds or people who take advantage of your innocent, kind nature.

Maybe what I’m really looking for is a new name. Deliberately optimistic? Informed hopefulness? It’s just a shame neither fits quite as perfectly into my own name. Then again, maybe that’s the point. I’m stuck with „naive“ whether I like it or not—literally. So why not own it? Not the version that means I’m clueless or easy to fool, but the version that means I refuse to let the world make me hard. Call it naive if you want.

I’ll take it as a compliment.