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 Darren or a Hersi or a Samuel, Issis or a Gio?
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.
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 Darren or a Hersi or a Samuel, Issis or a Gio?
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 not named after anyone in my family, probably because the majority of them have weird Albanian names that no one in America can pronounce correctly. I am the first and only Jessica in all of my family. If I was named after someone, I would definitely feel the need to act a certain way, uphold certain standards. I would not want to be a disgrace to the name that belonged to the person I was named after.
ReplyDeleteMy mom told me that one day, her and my grandma were watching a show called “Beautiful” and one of the characters was named Jessica. At that moment, my mom realized she loved the name Jessica, and the actress that was named Jessica in the movie was apparently very beautiful. So, I guess you could say I was named after an actress.
I do not LOVE my name because I feel that it is way too common, however I would not want a different name. I feel like if I had a more complicated or rare name, I would get very annoyed when people mispronounced it all the time. I don’t think I would change my name because I am already use to it, and my mom gave me that name so in a way, it is special to me. I do think that if I was named something else, I would probably act the same unless I was named after a family member, then I would force myself to have the same interests as them.
When I looked it up, it said my name was first used in a Shakespeare play, “The Merchant of Venice.” Now that I know that, I kind of like my name even more knowing that someone as famous as Shakespeare used my name in one of his plays.
Luckily, no one mispronounces my first name. Almost everyone calls me Jess, though. I do not mind it because it is very close to my actual name, and I do not expect everyone to say three syllables every single time they address me. All in all, I am pleased with my name. There is just something about the way these 7 letters are arranged that I never get tired of hearing.
In Vietnam, I am not sure if I was named after a family member. Nothing was ever said about my Vietnamese name, where I got it or where it came from. I’ll never know if I was named after someone special or if my name has any meaning to it but that’s okay. In America, I am the only person in my family with the name CeCelia. There was no one worthy enough for me to be named after so my parents gave me a name no one ever fricken heard of. Nevertheless, I like being the only CeCelia in my life. I can leave my own legacy behind if one of my cousins or friends ever wanted to name their child after.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t get my name in the most glamorous fashion. I didn’t have an American name right away, my parents waited until they saw me to name me. They wanted a perfect name. But after a week and no name, they were getting frustrated. Until one day my mom got my name by listening to a co-worker trying to reach a woman named CeCe. She perked up, eyeing her co-worker until she got off the phone. My mom asked her co-worker what her real name was, and she answered CeCelia. My mom went home to my other mom and they finally agreed. So, in the grand scheme of things, my parents got my name by eavesdropping on a client at their work. Told ya it wasn’t glamorous.
I used to hate my name as a kid because it was so uncommon and unheard of, but now I love it. It’s so timeless and fits me at any age. There are some names that sound weird when you’re young but suits you when you’re older and vice versa but I don’t think that works for my name. CeCelia sounds beautiful no matter the age. I’m happy I wasn’t named Sage (first runner up name), I don’t think I would’ve been a good Sage. I am a good CeCelia and I am happy with my name.
My name is a rollercoaster of origins. Let’s begin: Cecelia is a variation of Cecilia. Cecilia is the feminine version of Cecil. Cecil is derived from Caecilius which means ‘blind’ in Latin. So if you got lost, CeCelia is Latin for ‘blind’. Pretty sure my parents named me for how beautiful my name sounds, not the meaning. If they did it for meaning and haven’t told me in 17 years, that’s cruel of them.
CeCe has been my nickname for as long as I could remember. I don’t get mad because I am so used to people calling me CeCe. I don’t mind people calling me CeCelia, it’s just weird for people to say it because I’m not used to it. My mom calls me CeCelia and so does my guidance counselor. The only time I get angry about my name is when they pronounce it wrong. Cecily, Celia. Makes me so mad. People get CeCe wrong and I don’t understand how. It’s usually Sissy or Stacey which I don’t understand how they get. I also hate it when people spell it wrong. Cecilia is the traditional way but I don’t have the traditional way so it takes people getting used to when they first meet me.
My full name is Hersiddhiba which is the name of one of the Indian Goddesses. It’s spelled differently than the Goddesses name, but it’s said the same way. The “ba” isn’t really apart of the name, it’s there for cultural purposes because my family’s ancestors were once royalty.Nobody in my family has the same name, but I think somewhere in India I have a uncle who’s first half is very similar to mine. I don’t think of it as a Goddesses name so I don’t have any pressure of acting like one, but every now and than i’ll get something super expensive jewelry or like royalty looking clothes and someone in the family will say “her names Hersiddhi, she should get treated like this.” It’s funny though because than it sounds like i’m being worshipped in a way.
ReplyDeleteI don’t love my name, that’s why I go by “Hersi” because my kindergarten teacher told me that’s what she would call me since it was too long and I ended up using that. I don’t think my name suits me, I don’t live like a Goddess so I don’t know why I’d be named after one, but I think at this point I grew into my name. I wouldn’t change it if I had the chance, mostly because I don’t know what I’d change it to. I don’t think I’d be a different person if my first name were different, but if my last name weren’t “Jadav” I would definitely be able to make more decisions on my own because I wouldn’t be “royalty.” I don’t know what my name means, but google told me it means independent, forthright, and have a practical nature. Google also said “You desire to work on your own or to occupy positions of authority where you have opportunities to organize an area of interest and where your decisions are heeded.You want to be successful financially and have an interest in investments and stocks.Being consistent and stable in your nature, you are decisive, capable, and efficient, though not always tactful in expressing your opinions.Your appreciation of art and music is focused around how to make these activities into viable financial opportunities.At times, you create misunderstandings with others as it is not easy for you to be diplomatic.” I guess hats partially right, but my parents don’t know my name means all that just like me.
I don’t get mad when my name is shortened to hersi bc that’s understandable, but when people call me “hers” I get super annoyed, depending on the person. I’ll be like was it really that hard to pronounce the “i” in my name? I don’t get mad like I used to when people mispronounce it because i’m used to it. I hate when people try to say every damn letter in my name too because it sounds super weird if you try to pronounce “hersiddhiba.”
My full name is Bernice Miandabu Ntambwe.
ReplyDeleteMy middle name is after my grandmother on my dad’s side. Although she is still in Congo, I’ve never met her. Hence, I don’t feel as pressured to love certain things or act a certain way because I don’t really know her compared to the way I know my grandmother on my mom’s side. I do believe, however, that there is pressure to be like the person you were named after, especially with my parents who expect me to be all perfect. My last name is obviously after my father. In my family, actually two people are named Bernice. I was the first, and the second is my 14-year-old cousin Bernice who lives in South Africa. I still have no idea why we both have the same first name, but I’m pretty sure she was named after me (But still though, why? Lol!).
Since Congolese parents usually name their kids with a French/Biblical first name and Congolese/tribal middle name and surname, at least people can pronounce my first name (Well, most people at least). My last name, on the other hand, is what people screw up all the time. I hated when teachers stumbled while taking attendance or when I got called down to the office on the intercoms and they messed it up horribly. Eventually, I understood why people mispronounce it and I got used to it (because how many people in the entire school have/ can correctly pronounce the last name,“Ntambwe”?), so I’m not as mad now as I once was. Knowing that people would screw it up, I, growing up until now, I never dared to tell people my middle name. I did once though in second grade when everyone responded, “Huh?? That’s weird!” After that, if they asked, I’d shorten it to “Mia” .
I was actually supposed to be named Célina! My parents had settled on Célina as my name after rejecting other ideas (Ex. I could have been named Raïssa, too, but my dad rejected it). The reason I was named Bernice was because of the meaning. Apparently, my mom was looking through a baby name book and came across “Bernice”, which is French/Greek/Biblical meaning “Bringer of Victory”. Then, she asked my dad, “What about Bernice? She should bring us Victory!” He liked it, so here I am.
My middle and last names are both in Tshiluba, my tribal language.
"Miandabu" means “problematic”. I hated my middle name because of this meaning, and I asked my parents, “Why??” They actually didn’t know, but it sounded nice to them and is my grandmother’s name.
"Ntambwe" means…”lion”!
I’ve always loved my name Bernice. I love the meaning, the spelling, both pronunciations (in French and in English), and I love the fact that it’s not very common compared to other names. However, I didn’t like my middle name and my last name because of their meanings and how I’d get teased for it. When I was 8, I used to say that when I get older, I’ll legally change it. Then, I realized that it is what it is and I should accept it. Then, I came with a different interpretation for my names: I bring victory over my problems because I am fierce like a lioness. I know, that might sound crazy to most people, but whatever! I also now love the fact that I have two names that display my heritage.
I’m not really offended by people shortening my name. For instance, some people now sometimes call me “Bern”, which is funny to me so it’s okay. I don’t like being called “Bernie” though because it is a whole different meaning. My younger sister nicknames me “Bean” sometimes (which I was mad at when I was 10), my youngest sister calls me “B”, and my mom sometimes jokingly calls me “Bunny”. I also have other Congolese nicknames, like “YaYa” for instance which means “big sister” in Lingala.
DeleteI love the names Célina and Raïssa, so if I were to change my name, they would be my options. If I was Célina, I think that I would be a more outgoing and well-known version of myself. Raïssa is also a beautiful name, and it’s rare to find it (Raïssa means princess, thinker, rose, or relaxed). I would probably be different if I was named Raïssa, but I just I don’t really know how. I guess it would be in the same way as Célina. It’s just really weird and different to imagine if my name was Célina M. Ntambwe or Raïssa M. Ntambwe. I’m fine with Bernice. :)
ReplyDeleteI love names, so I love this question. I was not named after anyone- no one else in my family has the name of Taylor. I don't think there is any meaning behind my name- my parents simply just liked it. However, if I were to be named after a relative, I don't think I would feel pressured to meet standards. I think being named after a relative is just an honor- not an excuse for you to be the same person as the one you were named after. I feel indifferent about my name. I don't love it, but I also dont hate it. I feel as if it is too common. The one thing I don't like about it is that both genders use it. I have met boys named Taylor, and it makes me feel weird. I don't think I would change my name. Although it is not my favorite, and there are way better ones out there, I think it suits me pretty well. I dont think a name reflects your personality. You are given a name before you can walk and talk. We all (hopefully) are disciplined and shaped despite the name we have- that's just something extra. Therefore, I wouldn't be a different person if I had a different name. I researched that the name Taylor means “eternal beauty.” It comes from the English surname “tailor,” meaning “to cut.” I like when people shorten my name. Most people call me “T” or “Tay” or “Tails.” I don't mind having a nickname, considering I am someone who tends to shorten everyone’s name. I don't think anyone has ever mispronounced my name. It is a very simple and easy name, and pretty self-explanatory. If it was a hard name to pronounce, I would probably be tolerant of other people. I would try to have patience, but I understand why people lack it.
I never gave much thought when it came to my name. People would call “Brian” and I would respond. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t named after anyone or anything like that. There is no one in my family named Brian from what I know. I am the first of my kind. When it comes to whether or not I like my name I can easily say I do like it. I have no problem with my name but I do have two complaints. One people sometimes misspell my name as Brain. The fact that they misspell it completely blows my mind. I understand spelling it Bryan but people completely spell it as a different word all together. Two I wish there were better nicknames that came with the name Brian. I never really had a nickname until a few people started calling me “Bri” this year. Other than those two things I have been in content with the name Brian. I feel like my name suits me perfectly. Its a simple and easy name to pronounce and it’s short. I don’t know too many people with the name Brian so I can’t say it’s too generic either. If I were to change my name I don’t think I would. I would have rather been named after my dad but my brother beat me to the punch. If I had a different name I don’t think it would have changed who I am. I can’t see how being called something other than Brian would change who I am as a person. A name doesn’t define you as a person. The main purpose of a name is so there is something that people can call you and you know they are talking to you. When people shorten my name I don’t mind though I wouldn’t expect anyone to shorten it considering it’s already a short name. Like I said only this year have I heard people start to shorten my name a bit. No one really mispronounces my name. I don’t see how you can. It does annoy me when people misspell it though. I can’t see me being named anything else but Brian James Parks.
ReplyDeleteI was not named after a family member. My parents just liked the name Alexa and that was that. My parents were very picky when it came to choosing names for Taylor and I. Unlike Misty and Summer’s parents, mine wanted two completely different names, hence the different first letters and different number of syllables. Although I can’t relate to the possible pressure some may feel as a result of being named after a family member, if that were me I can’t imagine feeling that pressure. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think I’d be able to remind myself that I’m my own person despite having the same name as someone else.
ReplyDeleteI guess I don’t really have an opinion about my name. I don’t hate it, so that’s good. I’ve never been forced to think about whether or not I love it. I like it. I don’t know any Alexa’s, so I guess not a lot of other people love that name. Does it suit me? I don’t know. I feel like only someone else can answer that for me. I don’t think I would change my name if I could; not because I wouldn’t want to, but because I don’t know what I’d change it to. I’m a very indecisive person so I’d dwell on whether or not I chose the right name, probably for the whole rest of my life.I have grown up as Alexa, and I feel like changing my name will kinda erase how far I’ve come.
I don’t think I’d be a different person if I were named something else. I’m me, no matter the name. I believe my values would be the same, I don’t think my personality would be different, and I can’t imagine looking different because of a name. Names are just names. I’d still be who I am if I had a different title.
I literally have no idea what the origin of my name is. I do know that my name means the “defender of man”, but thats about it. However, I did just look it up and apparently “Alexa” is a shortened form of “Alexandra”, the female form of “Alexander”, who comes from the Greek Alexandros. You learn something new everyday I guess.
I don’t mind when others shorten my name. I like being called “Lex” or “Lexi”. I am soooooo used to being called the wrong name. I’m called Taylor everyday, so I’ve grown to not be bothered when my name is mispronounced. I understand some people may think it’s pronounced “Alexia”, even though there is no “i” in my name. Actually, I don’t understand at all, but I don’t get mad because at this point there’s so many other things I could argue about other than how my name is pronounced.
My first name isn't named after anyone however my middle name is. My middle name was named after my grandmother which was my dad's mom that passed away. I never got to meet her so I don't have much of an attachment to the name but it means a lot to my father. I never really dealt with pressure concerning it because my dad doesn't expect anything different from me just because I have the same name as his mom. If anything, I think it just makes him proud and it's a great way he can remember her legacy. My parents didn't name me after an actress or character. They named me from traditionally thinking of names and going with the one they liked the most. Nothing really influenced it. I love my name. It's a common name but it's still unique because it isn't written the way it's usually spelled. I have an "I" in my name and others usually spell it without one. I think it suits me, it's classy and unique just as I am. I don't think that if I was named differently I would be a different person. I'm proud of my name and I love it but I don't think if I had a different name I would be different. I don't think it really affects the person I am. The origin of my name came from my mom. She always loved that name so she decided to name me that and add the "I" so it can be different. It doesn't make me mad when people shorten my name because I've been use to it since I was young. When people mispronounce it does but I'm kind of used to it by now and I understand that the "I" can make you do that.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to my name I can honestly say that I really like it. Commonly boys are named after their father’s but I was named after my Dad’s father. I never got to meet him, but I heard all these great things about him and he sounded like a really good guy. Everybody always says I am just like him and it really sucks that I never got to meet him. Being named after Papa Lou doesn’t really give me unfair pressure to be like him, it only made me want to meet him more. I know I really would of liked him and I always feel like I missed out on a really great person. My name is my name though and nobody pressures me to be like my grandpa.
ReplyDeleteI really love my name and I feel like it suits me very well. I couldn’t see myself being named anything else because it would just feel weird. I would never change because it was the name I was given and I feel like it would be strange to change it. Being called something else but my name or my nicknames would just feel off.
If I was named something else I don’t really think that I’d be a different person. I just wouldn’t have as many nicknames, but I would still be the same person for the most part. A name is just a name and it doesn’t really change the way you act.
I don’t know the origin of my name and I never really gave much thought about it. It’s probably from the middle ages and a lot of royal people had the name Louis. They were pretty bad people so I don’t like to think about that, but I wasn’t named after them anyway.
Most people shorten my name and barely any people actually call me Louis. Most call me Lou or Louie and I’d rather be called that than Louis. I liked being called by my shortened name and nicknames because it’s more lighthearted and not as serious. I feel like when someone calls me Louis it’s like for something serious and formal. I always like to have fun and keep the mood happy and making up nicknames and stuff like that is fun. Nicknames are cool and give you that unique name that suits you and only you. They all have a cool origin story and are just fun to say. Like if someone calls me Lourod or Loucheech they have really known me for a long time. It’s like an inside joke because only you and the people that call you the nickname know where it came from.
No one really mispronounces my name because it is pretty easy to say. Except for the couple of substitutes that have called me the mom from Family Guy Lois. I don’t know how you can do that but some people have. Overall, I really love my name and all the nicknames that come with it; no other name would suit me better.
I was not named for someone else. I am glad I was not because it makes me unique in the sense that I get to be me, and when someone thinks of me or my name, I’m the only one that pops up in their head. I really do like my name. I think it does suit me, almost perfectly actually. I usually abbreviate it to Tobi, which I have no problems with because my full name, Oluwatobi, is more of a title anyway. So Tobi is what I expect people who know me to call me. My full name means God is Great in Yoruba, meaning the shortened version, Tobi, means Great. That’s really cool, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Mispronouncing my full name is guaranteed. I’ve just come to accept and expect people to mispronounce my name. It was always a source of embarrassment in the past, and I’d always feel my ears burning when it came time for role call. Nowadays I just accept it, listen to people joke about it, and move on. It is always extremely surprising whenever a substitute gets it correct, but that is rare. I do not think I would be a different person if I had a different name. Maybe I would stand out less if I had an American name, but I do not think my personality would change.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't named after anyone, whether it be family, actress, or fictional character. I really believe my mom just pulled my name out of thin air, but I like it for me. My name is not unique or anything, which is fine, I think I'd prefer a name that isn't too far out. But it's not too common that everyone you meet is named Kierston. For that reason, I like my name, that if you hear it you know it's me and you don't think of anyone else but me when you hear it. I think it suits me but I couldn't pin point why. It just feels like me, but I too wonder if my name was different would I be someone else or have different ideas morally, intellectually, etc. I believe the origin of my name actually comes from the Latin Christiana, which means a follower of Christ, but my name is spelled differently from the usual spelling. It doesn't bother me when people shorten my name, I grew up with my mom calling me Kierst and my sisters calling me Kier so I'm used to it. And mispronunciation is all too common for my names spelling so it doesnt bother me
ReplyDeleteI wasn't named after anything or anyone specific in my family. I get the question all the time that "is your name Hunter because you hunt"? The answer to that question is yes. Hunter is a name that I embrace and love because it is a direct name from my heritage. my whole family used to hunt and a lot of us still do today so it just fits me. I wouldn't consider changing my name because I really like it. If my name were changed I would be a different person because I wouldn't love the outdoors as much. I never found out the origin of my name but I know the exact reason I was named Hunter.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Riley Mark Hallock and my name is a little complex but not that much. Riley was brought up by my dad when my mother wanted to name me Ryan but my dad also wanted to keep the “lee” syllable in the family tradition. At first they decided to name me Ryan Lee Hallock however my dad had something happen to him when he was younger that he wanted to respect that situation so they decided to combine Ryan and Lee to make Riley. That respect thing my dad decided on was naming my middle name, Mark, after his brother who passed away from SIDS. So my first name has the “lee” and Mark for my dad’s side of the family tradition as well as his brother. Even though I am named after my passed uncle, I never met him nor has his name put unfair pressure on me to be like him. It’s just to honor him. Although my middle name has honor to it, I wish my name really was Ryan Lee Hallock or one of those two middle name mashups so I could be Ryan Lee Mark Hallock or whatever. I was continuously teased throughout school with kids constantly bickering at me that I have a girls name and so on, that’s the major reason why I want a name change and believe that my name doesn’t suit me. I always wondered what’d it be like to be called Ryan or something other than Riley. However, this did come true for me when in 5th grade, Hunter gave me the nickname of “Rizzi Fizzi” that I decided to shorten down to just “Riz”. I would prefer for people to call me Riz instead of Riley but it’s not that big of a deal. When people shorten my name to Ri (because that’s really all you can shorten it to) I don’t care because it’s easier for people to say and they don’t have to say the “girl’s name”. Overall, my name doesn’t bother me all the much except for the fact that I’m not named Ryan but it really isn’t a big deal.
ReplyDeleteI think names are completely irrelevant. My middle name is passed on from my great great grandmother. I think names have nothing to do with your personality or anything. I don’t believe that certain names suit people, I think that’s just something funny to say.
ReplyDelete