What's In a Name
I was thinking about names the other day, because it is something I tend to think about every so often. I went to school with twin girls named Misty and Summer.
Their last name? Weathers. True Story. Names are fun.
Shakespeare, through the voice of Juliet, asked us to consider: "What's in a name?" Well, what is?
How many of you were named for other people, specifically, family members?
Does being named after a beloved relative heap unfair pressure on you to be a certain way--act a certain way--love certain things--just because the person you're named after did?
What about those of you who were named for favorite actors or actresses, literary characters or anything that your parents thought was cool at the time?
Do you love your name? Does it suit you? Would you change it if you could? To what?
Do you ever think you might be a different person if you were named something else?
Do you know the origin of your name? How did you come to be a Jameel or a Madisen or a Hannah or a Sherif, Precious or a Aryel?
For example, my name is Cassandra, which comes from Greek Tragedy, Agamemmnon by Aeschylus, but my mother and father didn't know that. So, I have no idea really, where they got it from, but I often wonder if I would be a completely different person if my name was something simple like Lisa or Diane or something like that. My personality seems suitable for my name, but what if it weren't my name, ya know?
When other people shorten your name does it make you angry? What about when people mispronounce it?
There are a lot of questions here--make sure you hit all of them.
Their last name? Weathers. True Story. Names are fun.
Shakespeare, through the voice of Juliet, asked us to consider: "What's in a name?" Well, what is?
How many of you were named for other people, specifically, family members?
Does being named after a beloved relative heap unfair pressure on you to be a certain way--act a certain way--love certain things--just because the person you're named after did?
What about those of you who were named for favorite actors or actresses, literary characters or anything that your parents thought was cool at the time?
Do you love your name? Does it suit you? Would you change it if you could? To what?
Do you ever think you might be a different person if you were named something else?
Do you know the origin of your name? How did you come to be a Jameel or a Madisen or a Hannah or a Sherif, Precious or a Aryel?
For example, my name is Cassandra, which comes from Greek Tragedy, Agamemmnon by Aeschylus, but my mother and father didn't know that. So, I have no idea really, where they got it from, but I often wonder if I would be a completely different person if my name was something simple like Lisa or Diane or something like that. My personality seems suitable for my name, but what if it weren't my name, ya know?
When other people shorten your name does it make you angry? What about when people mispronounce it?
There are a lot of questions here--make sure you hit all of them.
I was name after Lucy, from Narnia, the youngest of the children. My mom never really told me why. I’m indifferent about my name. I also don’t know if it suits me, but it’s something I’m just used to. When I was younger I hated my name (my sister was named Alita Sachiko and I thought that was cool) I thought my name was bland. I never had another name in mind; just didn’t want mine. I think I would’ve been a little different. Everyone called me “Lucy the Elephant” so I probably would be more confident if I had a different name. Maybe less weight conscious. The origin of my name is Narnia for my mom, but my teacher told me that St. Lucy was the saint of light. When my name is shortened to “Luc” I don’t mine. When I’m called “Lu” or “Lulu” it drives me crazy. My name has been mispronounced a few times; it doesn’t bother me. “Lucky” was one of the mistakes that stuck and a few people call me that.
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ReplyDeleteI wasn't named after anyone or anything: when I was born, my mother asked my father for some female Vietnamese names, so my father decided on Myphuong. Of course, every new person who pronounces it the first time without knowing how pronounces it incorrectly. People usually spell it wrong, too, putting the o first, or mostly just completely unsure of how to spell it at all. I remember when I first moved here in 8th grade, for the longest time they screwed my first name up and thought it was two separate names, My Phuong (ugh, god). My full name, Myphuong Thi Nguyen, means "American Flower" in English. Someone once told me that my name sounded like a foreign wine?? The thing is, though, literally nobody calls me by my real name. My own family either calls me Lan (pronounced lawn - also Vietnamese nickname) or Maymay. My Best Friend calls me Lan (we're on good terms again), and my boyfriend and other friends call me May. I also want to point out my last name, Nguyen, ISN'T pronounced Neejyen or something, it's pronounced Gwen. That's because there's Southern and Northern Vietnamese, and my half Vietnamese side is Southern Vietnamese, so it's the true Vietnamese pronunciation. My middle name, Thi, is pronounced like the letter t, "tee". Having a name like this can get annoying at times, but I don't blame people because of the pronunciation. Some of my friends don't even know my real first name because I just said, "Hey, I'm May." While on the topic, just saying, I'm not full-blooded Vietnamese, nor am I Caucasian. My father is 100% Southern Vietnamese, my mother is Welsh, French, and Native American. I'm not HALF white, because Native Americans aren't white. I'm just a mixture of a bunch of different things, I suppose. Only my little sister Thu and I (pronounced kind of like doo, but with a hint of a "th" in the beginning) have Vietnamese last names. My other siblings have all American names.
My parents were at acme while my mother was pregnant with me and the cashier had the name "Arielle" which they have heard from the little mermaid being "Ariel". However my parents liked the name it wasn't unique enough so they changed the spelling to be "Aryel" and both of my sisters names also have a Y in the middle and start with a vowel. (Eryka and Imyah) I love my name because it is unique to me and I couldn't imagine having a different name because then I would not be the same person I am today so I would not change it, I do think your name helps shape your character in one way or another. I do not like when people shorten my name because I feel like "Ary" (air-e) does not suit my personality. Now the name Ariel Means "lion of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare used it as the name of a spirit in his play 'The Tempest' (1611), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. However my name is Aryel and honestly has no background meaning and I am the only person I have ever seen spell their name the same way I do.
ReplyDeleteI was always curious as to why my parents named me Phoebe. Like it’s unique, not basic like “Britney” (no offence to all the Britney's in the world). I asked my mother one time and she just said “because I liked it”. That never answered my question, but I guess that’s all I would get. I wonder if she named me after Phoebe Buffay from Friends. I wouldn’t mind it since that is one of my favorite shows and Phoebe is really funny. I like my name a lot because it suits me as a person. When I think of Phoebe I think of a person with a bubbly, crazy personality that is also down to Earth, like me ! I cannot imagine being named anything else. If I were named something else I feel like I would act the same. A name doesn’t change who you are as a person… that’s just weird. I do however have a favorite name that I would want to name my child and that is Domenica. When I was at a field hockey camp there was a girl named Domenica and I just thought that name was so pretty. Like for some reason I LOVE that name!
ReplyDeleteI always find it interesting to learn where different names originate. Phoebe is the feminine form of the greek Phoibos which means “bright one”. Phoebe is also the moon personified! I find that pretty cool because I always loved the moon.
Don’t even get me started on nicknames or how people want to spell my name! I get called; Pheebs, P-BO, Pho-Eby, Pheebster, Pheeble, so on and so forth. I don’t really get angry at people because I don’t mind. I actually like to be called by my nicknames because it’s like the person is more connected to you (in a way). On the other hand what I absolutely HATE it when someone pronounces my name Ph-O-Be! I honestly hate that name and get so embarrassed when people call me that.
My mother wanted her only child named after his father: Carlos. But my grandmother on my father’s side wanted my name to have the name of my grandfather who had passed long ago: E. (Will explain why I am not writing the full name later) So I was then named Carlos E. Lescano. It just so worked out coincidently that my father’s name is also Carlos E. Lescano. But even more coincidently my grandfather’s first name wasn’t even E. It was his middle name. But his entire family called him E. instead of his first name… Carlos. Full name: Carlos E. Lescano. Hahaaa. Oh and also before I was born, my half brother was born named, you guessed it, Carlos Lescano (But thankfully his middle name is Alberto).
ReplyDeleteMy father is a selfless, curious, and responsible man. And I am proud to hold his name. I want to be successful to make him and my mother proud of me because they have risked so much for me. My father told me my grandfather was a caring, loving family man who loved to dance at parties. He was a man my father looked up to. I’ve seen photos of him and when he was young and we are almost identical. Same exact smile too. (The chinky eyes!) All us Carlos’s share similar qualities and I think it fits me perfectly. I am proud to have this name.
I would never change my name, but if I had no choice I would choose Vincenzo. That name is awesome. It’s a sexy name you can’t even lie.
I don’t really believe in the whole your-name-dictates-your-personality thing so I don’t really think I would be any different with another name except couldn’t tell people I share my name with my dad, my brother and my grandfather. It’d be pretty weird if I had a white name though.
Precious Elizabeth White. My dad gave me my whole name and when i ask him about my name he always tells me that " it means of great value, and that's what you mean to me". I know kind of cheesy- but when he says that to me I don't wish my name was any different. Then I would ask about my middle name and he would tell me " that is your great grandmother's name , and she was one of my favorite people in the whole world." That also makes me feel so special because he named me after his favorite person , and it feels like even though i don't know her personally i still have a piece of her, a piece that he gave and trusted me with. I don't mind if my name is shortened. People change my name in different ways all the time, i think what they come up with is pretty funny. But i would never change my name at all , I happen to love it a lot.
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ReplyDeleteJameel Jadon Muhammad, originally my name was supposed to be Jadon Jameel White, since White was my mom’s last name, but my father persuaded her to name me Jameel, taking the a’s out of his name(Jamaal) and replacing them with e’s, he didn’t want me to be known as Jamaal junior, and I muhammad was his last name. I don’t love or hate my first name, but I do not favor my last name. The last name muhammad carries to much stigma in America, people ask me if I’m Muslim and that answer is no, I don’t want to have to get special plane tickets because of a last name I didn’t choose, and that my father also planned on changing. Nicknames don’t bother me I sorta like that. I don’t think you can really match a name, with a certain personality, unless you believe in stereotypes then hearing the name Jameel you might expect a big black guy to walk up to you(lmao).
It’s crazy to think that one decision your parents make can determine your personality and outlook. My name doesn’t have any significance (for reference: Katelyn Marie DeFrancisco is my full name). However I did inherit my middle name. Fun fact, I am the seventh generation “Marie”. My mom’s middle name is Marie, my grandmother’s middle name is Marie, her mother's middle name was Marie, etc.
ReplyDeleteAs far as my first name, I’m not named after anyone, it doesn’t have any meaning. My parents just simply liked Katelyn over there other options. And there were MANY options. Their plan was to have a Darren and a Daniella however my dad’s best friend’s wife was pregnant at the same time as my mom, gave birth before her and took the name Darren. Another consideration they had was popularity. They didn’t want kids who share the same name with five other people in school, therefore they chose Kyle for my brother. Little did they know that that name was a trend that year and my brother knows about another dozen Kyles near his age. When they found out an angel would be coming along four years later, the female name list grew lengthy. Emily, Ashley, Taylor, Kayla, Samantha, and Jordan were the main ones (I just asked my mom and she listed them as I typed haha). I couldn’t imagine me being any of those names except for maybe an Ashley. I like that name. Although they had all these names, they really wanted to keep with a “K” name. My mom liked “Katie” but decided on Katelyn because I have a list of names to go by: Katelyn, Katie, Kate, Kat, Kay. I mainly go by Kate (to my teachers), Katie (to my friends), and Katelyn (to people I don’t care for or don’t know).
I personally love my name however do wish I had a more unique name. Katelyn is so common that there’s a billion and one ways to spell it. However I feel like it suits me, spelling and all. I know for a fact if I was an Ashley, I’d be a different person. There’s more sass in that name.
Since my name is so basic, no one really mispronounces it. I get a little annoyed when people I know misspell it though. Especially “Katy”, when a substitute writes me a pass I always say “Katie. K-A-T-I-E” because it annoys me that much.
What’s in a name? What’s in a name is the true meaning of what your name stands for and or represents.
ReplyDeleteI was named after one of my dad’s great friends.
No being named after someone does not put on great pressure on me at all or make me do the things that the person I was named byed liked to do.
Yes I love my name, does it suit me I’m not sure, If I had a choice to change it I would not change it.
If I was named someone else or had a different name no I don’t think I would be a different person unless the name was something that was culturally tied or a stereotype then maybe yeah.
I became a Sherif because I was named after my dad’s great friends who was really important to him and he decided to pass his name down on to me. Which was suppose to be Cherif but was a mistake at the hospital to Sherif which to me I like better.
When people shorten my name it doesn't make me angry and when they mispronounce it i’m cool with it.
How many people actually like their name? My name is Charlize Thea Snyder but to most I just go by Charlie. For some reason, my name is hard to say, its literally Char (like charcoal) and Leez (sounds like keys). i've probably heard a hundred different pronunciations of my name from, “Charlane, to Chuck”, it doesn’t bother me but i’m just used to it, my chemistry teacher, last year, asked if the “z” in my name is silent, and since then I’ve just been rolling with that reason. But I love my name, I think Charlie suits me. And It’s not everyday you see a girl with a boys name, but to me it proves I’m unique, also, with a nickname like Charlie it makes me feel more tomboy-ish. I’d never change my name but if i were to do so, my name would just be Charlie, but for now it’s a nickname and when I grow up and I’m involved in business I’ll probably like Charlize more.
ReplyDeleteAt first I was supposed to be a Catherine, then someone had already nicknamed me Chatty Cathy and my mom didn’t approve, so with a week left of her pregnancy I became Charlize, like the actress, as suggested from mu aunt. My name also comes from two important people in my life, my moms father, Charles and her step father Theodore. I had never met my moms dad but he plays such important roles to the way I live today, and my moms step dad, we all know he's my best friend. Being named after two people in my family doesn’t hold me to any expectation, I just believe it’s what makes me closest to my grandfather.
I don’t believe I was named after anyone. My middle name I think came from my grandmother but I am not exactly sure. I think that my brother Gabriel was named after the angel and his middle name froms from my mom’s side of the family. I know where everyone else’s name comes from except for mine. My name is alright it wouldn’t have been my first choice. I feel like everyone else in my house has very melodious name except me. Nicolas, Christopher, Gabriel,Elena and Juliana. I almost see my name as being hard. To me there is hard and soft names, some that roll off your tongue and others are almost harsh. Probably has to do with the constants. I guess the more I think about it the more I hate my name. No one cool or special had my name. There is no glow to my name in my opinion, as I look around the room and think of people’s names, I can see pictures In my head that go along with them. I don’t feel that with my name, I don’t see like a sun or a flower. I just see me. I am not sure if it suits me I feel like someone else would have to tell me that. If I could change it I might pick something more related to my ethnicity. Or something more graceful. I was almost named Christina and that would have been sweet. I feel like thats a very kind loving name. It would to me make me seem more graceful.“Common throughout Europe, Juliana is the Latin feminine form of Julianus, which is a derivative of Julius.” It means young one which is boring to be honest. But it can also mean “of a poem”, I like that one way better.
ReplyDeleteIn some conversations, I tend to always ask my mom why she named me Cayla, and why she even spelled it that way. Let’s face it, there’s probably about 10 ways to spell my name but my mom chose to spell it the way she did only because her name starts with a “C” as well. I did some quick research and the name Cayla means crown & laurel and in the year 2000, my birth year, there were an estimated 425 girls named Cayla; one of them being me. Since the spelling of my name isn’t your typical, I have yet to find a famous person who has the same name as me, spelling and all, but I know damn well that I’ll be the first one; I’m totally kidding btw. Growing up I used to hate my name, especially how it started with a “C” because it wasn’t the norm and people would still pronounce it wrong, how dumb do you have to be? Anyway, now I like my name and the spelling because it makes me feel some type of way that I’m the only Cayla in school. When people shorten my name I don’t mind it at all, I honestly like it, plus, 98% of the people who shorten my name are more than likely my teammates anyway, but even if you’re not feel free my dude. A lot of people have butchered my full name and honestly I’ve heard almost every mispronunciation; don’t even get me started because it lowkey pisses me off. Nonetheless, through my 17 years of life I have definitely learned to love my name and just cherish the unique spelling my parents; thanks mom and dad.
ReplyDeleteYou know when you get a standardized test and have to write your full name on it, well that's pretty much impossible for me to do sense in total there are 28 letters in my name(no that's not a typo there are 28 letters in my name). My name is Madisen Alexandra Zaleskiewicz. My first name doesn't have any special meaning behind it my dad would just rattle off names to my mom and whichever one didn’t remind her of a student and that she liked was my name. Though when it came time to decide how they wanted to spell my name my mom chose ‘en instead of ‘on because she thought it was more feminine. Now on to my middle name Alexandra my mom chose this name for me because it was strong, independent and said that's the type of women she wanted me to be. I love my name I think it encoumpuoses who I am though when I was younger I wanted to use my middle name instead so that my nickname could be Alex just like the girl from Wizards of Waverly Place. I don’t think I would be a different person if I had a different name I think that a name is just a label and that you can be whatever you want. As for nicknames it kinda gets confusing so here we go at swim everyone calls me Maddie, at school my teachers call me Madisen( besides bunje P.S. thank you) and my friends either call me Maddie or Madz and my family calls me Mermaid,Madisen and or my cousin katie calls me Mini Me since our dads are twins and we basically are too except the eleven year age difference. So yeah I have a ton of nicknames and I love them all because they all have meaning to me and as for mispronouncing my name which everyone dose to my last name I don’t mind as long as they try and aren't rude about it like I get it it's a long ass name but you can at least attempt it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger I never liked my name, I hated always having to spell it out numerous times and it just seemed like a burden that could’ve easily been avoided if I had a simple name. For the longest time I wished my name was Alex because 1) I’ve never been necessarily feminine and I felt that suited me and 2) I was obsessed with Wizards of Waverly Place. I’ve never known anyone with the same name as me until this year and I still have yet to find someone with it spelled the same way and for some reason it made me feel like an outcast for having, what I felt like was an odd name. My full name is supposed to be Seydi-Janee Justine Bennett but my parents messed up on my birth certificate so Janee is legally part of my middle name when all my life I’ve been told it’s my first name. My mom said she wanted to name me Seydi and my dad wanted to name me Janee or something like that which is how my informal first name came about. My middle name, Justine, is my maternal grandmother’s name whom I’ve always felt very close to despite a few occasions. I’ve never felt compelled or expected to like/want certain things because my grammy does. Although I do feel we are very similar, not so much now but her younger self compared to me. She kept to her circle but was down to get lit when the time came. That is until she had my mom at 19, then her life was about working and trying to get enough money to take care of her soon to be four kids but I plan on staying clear of that exact path. Throughout all my years in school, only about three teachers have read my name correctly on the first try and even after being corrected, I usually have to spell it for them over and over again before they actually remember. I don’t blame them for not remembering, I’m not the best with names either it just gets a little tiresome. For example if my name was Alex, it’s simple there’s pretty much one way of spelling it and not really a way to mispronounce it. Even if my name was spelled Sadie people would get what it is much more easily. But that’s not my name and I don’t even think that spelling fits my person let alone any other name fitting me like my own does. I’m not sure if it’s just because it’s happened so often or I really just don’t care but when people mispronounce/misspell my name it doesn’t necessarily bother me, if it happens over and over again with the same person it gets a little agitating but I try to understand where they’re coming from. As of now I wouldn’t change my name if I could but ask my 11 year old self and you’d get a completely different story.
ReplyDeleteI don’t believe a name changes who you are. I think you change who the name is and what it is. A name is special because it is always tied to an identity. People may think their name suits their personality or their look while others thing they connect more with some other name they find for one reason or another. Names always trigger something in our minds. There can be a dozen people you know with the same name, but there’s always that person with whatever name it is that pops into your head first. I know about 4 Veronicas, but MY Veronica is my beloved mommy. No matter the context, if I hear her name, it’s my mom that comes to mind first because Veronica is forever tied to her and her identity. As you know, my name is Brielle. At first I was supposed to be named Brielle Destiny Smith. Brielle is just what my sister thought of and everyone liked it. Destiny was because, “I was destined to be here”. The backstory for that is too long to explain today. Mom was in love with it, Brielle Destiny was perfect to her. Dad felt like he should have his name, Frank, somewhere in there. So out came Francesca. Brielle Francesca Smith is my government, and I think it’s nice. I don’t know, I never think about my name too much. But if you mispronounce Brielle I personally think you’re an idiot. You just sound dumb saying Bree-L-ee or Bry-L, am I right or am I right? I only have one shortened version of my name, Bre which is fine for anyone I know, but I have a lot of nicknames; I feel a certain way with each one. I don’t have a problem with Breezy or Breezy Flash at all. Anyone in the street can call me that because it’s sort of like a stage name that popped up one day and stuck. I love it. I do, however, get uncomfortable when people around my age or older call me Bre Bre because only the babies in my family call me that. It’s specifically reserved for them. I’m like that with Breeze too (The Breeze is different though. It’s like Breezy), only my dad and my niece can call me that. I’m probably more into my nicknames than my actual name since I choose nicknames. I’m not sure how to end this so that’s it.
ReplyDeleteCatherine Marie Parmenter. I was almost an Isabella but I’m kinda glad I’m not, I’m definitely a Catherine. My parents were never creative with names. Catherine is my mom’s mother who died of lung cancer and Marie is my other grandmother who is still living. My sister is Claire Marie, fun fact: we have the same initials and the same birthday only I’m five years older.
ReplyDeleteAs for my last name I kinda hate it. It’s just not glamorous yanno? On the bright side that can change when I find a really beautiful husband. My mom wants to change my last name to Parmenter - Vogel because now that my parents are divorced she hates that we share a name with my dad and not her. This caused a huge fight between my parents, because my mom is obsessed with the idea of changing our names. If anything I’d rather just leave my name be, changing it to have the whole hyphen doesn’t make it anymore glamorous.
So back to my first name.. I hate that it’s nine letters because standardized tests only give you eight little boxes for your first name and I found that somewhat insulting so I’d draw in another box to add that last “e” and then the test proctor would yell at me and make me erase it.
I like the name Catherine because it sounds very proper and elegant, I also love the French pronunciation. I have various nick names (although I don’t know why but I’m not aloud to be called Cathy) I have been Kit Cat, Kitty Cat, and Cat. I feel like I’m the movies Cat is always the crazy, outgoing friend and I feel like that accounts for my personality 50% if the time, then the other 50% I’m a Catherine who does ballet, if that makes any sense.
When I was younger I used to want to change my name to Stephanie because of the girl from Lazy Town with Pink hair. Although now, I couldn’t be happier with Catherine.
I was named after my great grandmother on my dad’s side, who lived to be 101. My mom was never close with her grandparents, but she had a great relationship with my dad’s grandmom. She gave me the middle name Elizabeth simply because she’s always loved the name. Being named after her does not put any pressure on me for the reason that I did not know her for long before she passed away.
ReplyDeleteI do love my name and if I could change it, I wouldn’t. I think my name suits me pretty well, even though I’ve been told that my sister and I’s names would fit each of us better if they were switched, her name being Hannah and my name being Emma. I don’t think her name would suit me, though. If I were named something else, I feel as though I would view myself differently and I feel that others would view me differently.
In the Old Testament, Hannah is the name of the wife of Elkanah. Her rival was Elkanah's other wife Peninnah, who had children while Hannah remained barren. After a blessing from Eli, she ending up becoming pregnant with Samuel. As an English name, Hannah was not regularly used until after the Protestant Reformation. The name Hannah also means “favor” and “grace”.
I love when people call me Nan or Nana or Hannah Banana; everything except Hannah Montana. People don’t mispronounce my first name often, just my last name.