This is a note that although my 15-year-old disciple, Misha, calls me Naia for a very specific reason, and that although you may see variations of this used in deliberately vague references to me (i.e. in fiction written by friends to obscure the inspiration), Naia is only for Misha to use interpersonally. My name is three syllables. It is unalterable. It should never be modified. Only three people in the entire world can call me Naia: my own mother (though she doesn’t and it would be strange), my 15-year-old disciple Misha, and the man I happen to marry. My closest friends don’t even call me Naia. My own children wouldn’t call me Naia. In fact, no one is actually supposed to even know it exists.

It is of extraordinary intimacy, and is never to be uttered audibly or in writing except to me in the circumstances described.