I know that several beliefs hold that there is great importance in bestowing a name, that a name is to be chosen as a sort of prophecy of one's future. A person's name was, in times past, something chosen with great care, and was a source of personal power. It was a great offense to "take someone's name in vain", and a person's name was considered to hold that person's identity.
What do you think? Do you think a person's name has a bearing on a person's life? Do you think that your name is significant as a personal expression of identity? If you have children, did you put much thought into the choosing of their name(s)? Did you choose the name out of the hopes of what sort of person the child might be, or to continue a family tradition, or for what reason?
Do you know the meaning of your name? Is the meaning of your name important to you?
My name, Jack, is a form of the name John, and means "God is gracious", by the way...
2007-12-11 18:30:42 · 13 answers · asked by Jack B, goodbye, Yahoo! 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think that choosing a child's name is more important than some young parents realize. I know my given name means "Victorious," and has come to my mind at times when things seemed dismal. My son's name in Gaelic translates roughly to "Laughing Boy Soldier," and I have reminded him of this recently, because he has a battle ahead. I remember agonizing over a name each time I was pregnant. My sister is the family historian, and has been learning the Cherokee language for the past few years. Eagle Woman is phonetically Aguaya Awahali, actually very soft and pretty when my sister pronounces it correctly, but it is a good name. My daughter named her youngest son Jack, not John, in spite of opposition from his father who thought they should go with John. She is a bit strong willed, from her father's side! lol
Addition: I can't imagine myself as a Mandy or Suzy, though there is nothing wrong with those names. I named one daughter Piper, and she wears it well.
2007-12-11 19:00:52 · answer #1 · answered by One Wing Eagle Woman 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I pretty much doubt the spiritual signifigance. But naming appears to be in important cultural ritual (less so nowadays).
If you look at my name...
Now, there's a language thing, but you could translate my first name as Mike... Which looks to be the short form of Michael... and apparently michael is sometimes taken to mean "god's chosen", as in the angel...
My middle name tanslates to, well, "Christian" to be completely honest...
Oh, and we have one of those family names that are used as given names.. and that'd tanslate to "Benedict"... That'd be something like "anointed", if I'm not mistaken.
So, no... I find it hard to imagine that combination would have meaning in my life.. I just blame the parents for bad taste in names :)
Anyone see the irony in my name?
2007-12-11 19:09:52 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely. Name is bound up with Identity. When you know someone, to evoke their name is to conjure up the very essence of who they are. We largely miss this aspect of name-giving in modern life.
I don't know honestly to what extent the name then carries over to someone's sense of identity later in life. But I'm sure it contributes something. As far as my name - I know the meaning, but it's the family tradition (again the sense of identity) that makes it important to me.
Peace to you.
2007-12-11 18:48:50 · answer #3 · answered by Orpheus Rising 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Jack the name Jon/John also means god's gracious gift. Guess our parents were smart people.
2007-12-11 20:06:38 · answer #4 · answered by Gawdless Heathen 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think so. My mother had this crazy idea of naming her kids from the place where they were born. I was born in San Francisco (I'm lucky I wasn't born in Fresno...). However, now in Greece I had to be renamed a proper Orthodox name (to get married in an Orthodox church you have to be baptized), so I was renamed Alexandra. It means Defender of Men. I don't know what Francesca means.
2007-12-11 19:02:01 · answer #5 · answered by Starjumper the R&S Cow 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I believe the only importance in names is the social aspect to that name. There is no devinity in a name.
2007-12-11 18:40:26 · answer #6 · answered by 12th 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Only insofar that people respond differently to different names; this has an effect on the one that is named, which has an effect on other people in turn and so on.
2007-12-11 18:46:37 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
My name is Michael, which means "close to God". Honestly I was named for Michael sr., my dad.
My middle name is Samuel, and my parents told me they dedicated me to God, like Samuel in the Bible.
That always stuck in my mind, and I always tried to be good!
2007-12-11 21:52:05 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. One interesting way to find out a names significance is Numerology.
2007-12-11 18:35:16 · answer #9 · answered by sparkee 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
In biblical times, a person's name actually described them. Things are different today.
2007-12-11 18:34:26 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋