There are just over 1500 people named Itzel in the United States and two of them are at Armijo. The name is a version of the name of a Mayan goddess, Ixchel. She is said to represent a number of different things, but is most recognized for being “lady rainbow.”

Itzel Mejia Vazquez is a sophomore who knows that her name is something unique. “It’s not a common name because I’m not common,” she said. Her parents intended to give their children unique names. Her brother Elder is a junior at Armijo and she has two younger sisters as well. When her family was trying to name their first girl, her father didn’t know any other Itzels so he felt that it would be an unusual choice, something that would stand out. “If I could change my name, I’d most likely change it to Rain,” she said. “I don’t know how well it would fit but I really love the name.”

Itzel Birruete Zamora, on the other hand, was named after someone who was important to her mother during her pregnancy. She likes her name and would never consider a different one, “unless I found a really cool name, maybe,” she said. She is currently a junior while her younger brother Luis is a sophomore at Armijo. She has two other brothers who aren’t at Armijo yet.

Although the girls hadn’t met previously, they had very similar interests. They both like listening to alternative music, watching skating videos, and experimenting with make-up. After high school, Mejia would like to go to cosmetology school or produce music and Birruete is also interested in attending cosmetology school in San Francisco. They finally got the opportunity to meet and were surprised to find they had a lot more in common than expected.