The following version of this poem was used to create this guide: Acevedo, Elizabeth. "A Daughter Named After Nina” from Poetry March 2021: Young People’s Poetry.

Note that parenthetical citations within the guide refer to the lines of the poem from which the quotations are taken.

“A Daughter Named After Nina” is a ten-line poem published for the first time in 2021 about a daughter’s complicated identity and desire to live up to the memory or legacy of her namesake, Nina. The young Nina is ultimately unsure whether her name will be a blessing to help her grow into who she wants to be, independent of others’ expectations, or whether it will be a burden. The poem highlights the importance of our names, our origins, and influences in our early years.