What's in a Name . . .

 

According to this my Mermaid Name is "Reef Atlas."  Umm  . . . does anyone want to know the way to the nearest reef?  Don't ask me, I have no idea, lol.

All kidding aside, what is in a name? A name is something we all have and are given shortly after our birth. In these modern times, most people now the sex of the baby before it is born and have already had their child's name picked out well ahead of time.   

Most people put a lot of thought into what they decide to call their children. Giving a child a name is a very important decision. After all, it is a label that they will have to carry around with them for the rest of their lives . . .  others name their children stupid things  . . . especially celebrities. 

Some parents have been crass or unfeeling enough to give their children names that will make them the butt of jokes for the rest of their lives, like the farmer named Hogg who named his daughter Ima. A man in Minneapolis by the name of Legg named his two sons Harry and Seymour.

Some stupid celebrity's children's names:

Audio Science Clayton

North West

Tu Morrow

Spec Wildhorse Mellencamp

Diva Thin Muffin Zappa

Moon Unit Zappa

Blanket 

You get the idea.  What were they thinking?  

What's in a name?  That which we call a rose,

by any other name would smell as sweet.

~Shakespeare 

A person's name is the greatest connection to their own identity and individuality. Some might say it is the most important word in the world to that person. It is the one way we can easily get someone's attention. It is a sign of courtesy and a way of recognizing them.

Shakespeare was right when he wrote the above. A name does not change the qualities of the object being described by the name.  A name however can make all the difference in the world in a child's future. Given the wrong name, you could be setting them up for a lifetime of ridicule . . .  perhaps, but most certainly in Grade School where low levels of maturity mean that anyone different or with a "different" name will most certainly be targetted  with unwelcome attention of a very negative kind.

 

Names are important.  They define us in many ways. They are special and magical.  They are a very  important form of identification.  There are some names that are so associated with bad things, that people change them.  For instance . . .  who would want to be associated with the name Hitler or Manson, to name but two.

The history of names is so ancient that no one knows the beginning of the story. Since written history began, and as far back as oral history reaches, people have had names. Historically speaking,  most names appear to have had some sort of original meaning, usually descriptive, rather than being simply a pleasing collection of sounds. 

 

My first name is Marie, my second Alice, third Joan.  Almost all of the women in my family have a first name which is a derivative of Mary. This is a very catholic thing.  My name Marie Alice came from  my father's mother who was Marie Alice. Joan, apparently was the name of one of my father's old girlfriends. (Unsual choice to say the least.) 

Names are often carried on down through family.  My oldest son was named Anthony Lloyd, which was the  names of both his grandfathers.  I got more fanciful with my girls. Eileen Patricia . . .  Eileen was a name I had always loved. She was named after a girl I went to school with who was pretty and smart.  The Patricia was after my then husband's regiment in the army, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.  Amanda Mary-Elizabeth (our youngest daughter) got the name Amanda because the sone Mandy was very popular at the time and of course Mary and Elizabeth were both the first names of her two grandmothers.  My middle son, Douglas Alfred Macleod . . .  his first name was the first name of my ex's brother who had no sons, the first name of my late father-in-law and Macleod because my mother in law had once expressed to me how she would have loved to have given her sons her maiden name as one of their names.  My youngest, Bruce Vernon Mitchell . . . Bruce after my brother in law who had no sons of his own, Vernon after my mil's father and Mitchell because I liked it and had a huge crush on Mitch Blake from Another World at the time.   

 

Some people choose their children's names because of deep meaning  . . .  whole books have been written about the meanings of certain names.  With some it is obvious, but others not so obvious.  Such names can be projections of the hopes that parents have for their children and their children's fuures.  My daughter in law named both of her boys after angels, my other daughter in law gave her boys all names that started with the same letter, "J".  Love my angels and j-boys, and their names seem to suit them. My youngest daughter picked a very unusual name for her daughter. Maryn Grace, which interestingly enough sounds very similar to my mother's name, Mary Grace, although I am quite positive that is only co-incidence and not on purpose. Cameron David, I have no idea where that came from.  

My sister's grandchildren are Tristen, Atlas and Ivory Margaret.  My brother's daughter's each have two names, one to honor their Japanese heritage and the other biblical in nature.  

Names are important things.  They reflect ones culture, hopes, belief's . . . 

So what is your name and what does it mean?  Where did it come from?  I really would love to know! 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *All human wisdom is

summed up in these two words.

Wait and hope.

~Emily Dickenson•。★★ 。* 。 

  

In The English Kitchen today.  Millionaires' Shortbread.  So decadent!  These are actually surprisingly easy to make as well.

Have a lovely Sunday.  The sun is actually shining here at the  moment, but it is quite cold.  Don't forget! 

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And I do too!