Yolanda Ridge: Hello, my name is Yolanda Ridge. My first name is spelt with a D, Y-O-L-A-N-D-A, but pronounced without it. Yo-Lawn, like the grass outside a house, A, Yolanda. It was my mom who liked the name, but thought it sounded better without the D. It has no connection to my heritage, but since it's derived from the Spanish word for violet flower, people often assume I speak Spanish. Something I wish I could do, but can't. I also wish my parents had chosen a simpler name, or at least one that's pronounced the way it's spelt, but most of the time I like the name Yolanda because it's unique and it's mine.