Woman, 30, Hid Her Fairytale-Inspired Name for Years After Being Teased as a Kid. Here’s Why She’s Finally Embracing It
Woman, 30, Hid Her Fairytale-Inspired Name for Years After Being Teased as a Kid. Here’s Why She’s Finally Embracing It
Toria SheffieldSat, June 6, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC
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A father holding his baby's feet (stock image)Credit: Getty -
Cinderella Kemunto Kidwell said she spent years hiding her fairytale-inspired name after being teased as a child
Now married and diving into creative work, Cinderella said she is proudly embracing her name
"I'm at the happily-ever-after part of the story," she said
A woman spent years hiding her fairytale-inspired name — but now she's ready to embrace it.
Cinderella Kemunto Kidwell said she was named after the beloved storybook character by her father, an English literature teacher, according to Today.com.
"Growing up, we were not very well off, and my dad is a big dreamer," Kidwell, 30, who was born and raised in Kenya, told the outlet.
However, she said sharing a name with one of the world's most recognizable fictional characters wasn't always easy.
"Kids would tease me at school," she recalled. "And I went from being proud of my name to embarrassed."
Kidwell said she eventually started asking friends and classmates to call her Cindy instead.
At 25, Kidwell decided to move from Kenya to the United States, leaving behind a successful career as a model, artist and makeup artist. She began working as a caregiver and house cleaner while attempting to build a new life.
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A father holding his baby's hand (stock image)Credit: Getty
The woman said she couldn't help but notice the similarities between herself and her namesake at that time of her life. "Wake up, clean the house, cook for them, draw with them, sing with them," she recalled.
The former Miss World Kenya Kisii County said she met her now-husband, Bradley Kidwell, in 2023, three years later. The pair were married within a year.
"My husband has always treated me like a queen," she told Today.com.
A dad holding his baby (stock image)Credit: Getty
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Kidwell, who has returned to creative pursuits as an online content creator, said she is done trying to hide her name.
"Now, I'm becoming proud of it," she explained. "I'm at the happily-ever-after part of the story. I keep on joking that I'm my own fairy godmother, because I transformed my own life."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
