I have four names now. My first two names are mine from birth. They identify me as an individual. My third name ties me to my family and my heritage that I have through them. I am very proud of that heritage and name. It means a lot to me. And a year ago tomorrow I added my fourth name. It ties me to Brett and our family and future together. I’m proud of that name too.
Unfortunately a lot of places can’t understand a situation where someone would have more than three names, and it’s made for some interesting situations over the last year. Or, more specifically, they can understand two first names or two last names, but not two middle names. For example, the Red Cross thinks I’m some kind of weird Scottish person and have listed me as Lisa Mg Dennis.
I spent the first 31 years of my life spelling my last name to people. Or else correcting them when they said it wrong. (G makes the soft sound when followed by I or E except in a few rare occasions. Most people seem to not know this.) Children have always said my last name right, but adults rarely do. Since adding my fourth name people have been able to look at my last name and say it right the first time. Yea!
But there has been the odd time when I’ve had to spell it for someone. One of those times, as I finished, the person responded by saying, “Oh. Like the name.” Um. Yes. In fact, it is a name. So no matter how we spelled it, it would be “like the name.” Sometimes people’s thought processes (or lack thereof) confuses me.
Names are very interesting things. We all have one. How often have you thought about yours? Do you know where it came from? Do you know why your parents picked it? Do you know what it means? Do you know what it means to you?
I saw two articles this summer in the BBC about names, their popularity, origins, and meanings. What’s 1066 got to do with Baby Names? and What’s in a Name? Your Link to the Past. I find things like this fascinating.
One thing that’s made me laugh lately is people saying that they don’t want to give their child a “made up” name. Now, as a teacher, I appreciate parents who give their child a name I can pronounce on the first try. But at some point, all names were made up. Every word we say was a made up word at some point. What they’re really saying is they don’t want a recently made up name. Who’s to say that this century’s recently made up names won’t be next century’s old fashioned names though?
Another common trend is to use good “Biblical” names. As Brett and I were reading the books of Chronicles in the Old Testament this summer though we came across dozens of “good” Biblical names that nobody uses. I think we should give more of those a chance and be a bit bold and different. You know, the classic names like Ishi.
I am an educator and PhD. I quilt, belly dance, run, read, and try to grow things. I am a Mormon. I am infertile. I am a daughter, sister, aunt, grand-daughter, friend, wife, and mom.
Brett L. Dennis
Mama g
Giggles
AmandaStretch
I love learning about the meaning of names in the scriptures. It makes me mourn a little to realize that we don’t attach the same sort of significance to names. We don’t use them as tools of instruction or remembrance as they once were used (Isaiah’s sons, for example). It’s always been fascinating to me!
I think after the Mahershalalhashbaz experiment, societies of the world came to understand that having an overabundance of Mikes and Jennifers was better, even if less meaningful. :brett:
I’m one of those “no made-up names” people, and generally I mean by it exactly what you said: If the name isn’t in common use right now, it’s not a name I want to give my child. Names are not, in my opinion (humble or not) a place to get creative. My opinions on this were once much more… vehement than they are now, but I still occasionally come across a child whose name makes me want to go find his parents and punch them right in the throats, then revoke their right to pick names for children ever again.
Another recent trend that drives me absolutely bonkers is the intentional spelling of a common name in an unconventional way. For example, Lisa is a relatively common name. I want to claw through walls when I see it spelled “Lysa”, “Leesa”,”Leighsuh”, or “Leessa”. Or, Michael spelled “Mykal”,”Mychael”, etc. In my opinion, actually , the letter why should only ever exist as the last letter in a given name (no “Jym”s or “Aymee”s for me, thanks).
My opinions, any more, only really apply to what I’m willing to consider naming my own children, though occasionally (as I mentioned above) I see something that strikes me as so incredibly stupid that I have difficulty restraining myself, and my poor wife gets to listen to me grumble about it for a few hours. I definitely never apply my opinions to those from other cultures, unless it’s obvious they’re trying to appropriate a name commonly used in my own culture, with arbitrary modifications.
Michael, David, Emily, Lisa, Brett, George, Frank, Benjamin, and Sarah are all common, but (in my opinion very good) names, and I’m a cantankerous old curmudgeon who hopes they stay that way.
As far as number of names goes, both my daughters have two middle names. If they choose to maintain their maiden names when they get married, they’ll have 5 names. People give us funny looks about that, and for the first daughter, it was unplanned (result of some family drama at the last minute), we just decided to continue on with the plan.
Just like we’ll continue removing the third toe on the left foot of all our boys.
(just kidding)
Make that “the letter ‘y’ should”, rather than “the letter why should”. I can’t even blame that on autocorrect. -_-
I love that I’m named after not only a family member, but one I actually got to know and have a wonderful relationship with. Amanda ties me to my maternal family and Pilmer to my paternal family. I look forward to adding to them someday.