If you are an Atheist, do you have a Religous based Name?

Question

I think its quite odd that I'm highly non-religous, yet hava a religous based name *Ismail* {Muslim spelling of Ismael, son of Abraham or something like that...}

Does anyone else that is agnostic, atheistic, or non-religous find it Ironic if you have a religous name, like a biblical or islamic name?

PS do you know if there is any pronounciation difference between "Ismail" and "Ismael", I only ask cause I have a professor next semester with the later name, always wondered, I always just pronounced my name like its written (is-mail), not accentuating the "shh" noise. kindly help if you know, but the original question is a little more important

Answer 1

i'm an atheist and my name is God, but i haven't really had a problem with it.

Answer 2

I think it's more of a traditional thing that religious, like Spanish people taking both their mother's and fathers surnames.

As far as the religiousness of names goes, mine's the first human name in the Bible. Can't get more religious than that, cept maybe Jesus or Yahweh huh?

But yeah I don't have any alternative names that aren't just nicknames.

Answer 3

GREGORY

Gender: Masculine

Usage: English

Pronounced: GREG-or-ee [key]
From the Latin Gregorius, which was from the late Greek name Γρηγοριος (Gregorios), which was derived from γρηγορος (gregoros) meaning "watchful, alert". This was the name of several saints including three Fathers of the Church: Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus (3rd century), Saint Gregory of Nyssa, and Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (both 4th century). This was also the name of 16 popes, including Gregory I, who was known as Gregory the Great.

well actually, i'm told i was named for Gregory Peck. I can get behind that.

Answer 4

No. My name is a Celtic interpolation of a Greek word and has been a family name on my mother's side for many generations.

Answer 5

Yes.

I don't know if this is still followed.

But when I was a child it was a requirement / custom among Catholics, that a child's first, or middle name shoud be that of a saint or angel.

Answer 6

My given name means "Follower of Christ" but I'm the only one in my family who isn't Christian.

The Gods have a sense of humor. =)

Answer 7

I have two believe me.
Using two names is very common on Latin countries.

Is the decision of my parents.

Answer 8

Almost everybody has a name based on some religion or other.

Answer 9

My name is Ian. I think that is a kind of christian name, yet I am an atheist.

Answer 10

No clue... It's after an area in France... but whether *that* is religious, I neither know nor care.

Answer 11

"Benoit" means Blessed, which I guess is kinda religioug.

P.S. Reported for being a Leafs fan.