Tuesday, April 29, 2008

A Name is Just a Name, Right?

It shouldn't be that hard! Of course, this whole time we were so sure it was going to be a girl that we never even thought of what we would name a boy.

So my question is; does a name predict what kind of person your child will be? Are all David's "beloved?" Are all Brian's "noble?" Are all Kerri's "dark and mysterious?"

My name is Carolyn (even though I go by Carrie). It supposedly means "little womanly one." I am not really little. I would say I am a medium, athletic build. As for womanly, I guess you could say that, although I am and always was a tomboy. But, I definitely have my womanly characteristics.

As for personal experience, I have never met a Sara that I have liked. Babynames.com says that Sara means "princess," but in my experience there is a more derogatory expletive that comes to mind. By princess, I guess it could mean the overbearing, selfish, daddy's girl type - which could explain my feelings towards them as a whole. Maybe not all people have had the same experiences that I have. There are probably some really nice people out there named Sara. I just haven't met them. Maybe the majority of Sara's are not-so-nice people, but there are always a few who break the mold.

So if this is true, it makes our job as Super-Moms so much harder. It's NOT just a name. It's a precursor to the type of man or woman our little ones will develop into. I wonder which name means highly intellectual, kind-hearted, creative, noble, superstar athlete who loves his mommy more than the world?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Carrie...

I don’t think a name is just a name. Like all language, words (and names) are attached to connotations. They may not always be right, but they exist and they can be powerful.

So I would answer, yes, to your question of names playing a role in the development of a child. I think they can, especially if parents try to be extraordinarily unique. Kids will be teased because of their name, especially if it is easy pickins for bullies.

Look at Tom Cruise’s little girl. Suri.

Suri?

Wait until the other kids on the play ground get a hold of that one…

So yes, it is all on you to determine a name and therefore the destiny of your little boy.....

Pressure.

Ps. I love the name Sara.

Anonymous said...

Carrie-
Loved your comments and I also think there are certain names that leave a bad taste -maybe because there is someone in particular that you associate with the name-

Someone once argued they didn't like last names used as first names but I say as parents you have the right and the duty to pick something unique to your child or just a name that means something to you and your spouse.

I was named after two of my aunts,one I didn't particularly care about but it has given me a unique name and one that most people always remember-or maybe that is my unique personality

Debby Mayne said...

I'll never forget how much time and effort my husband and I put into naming our daughters. I'd pick one I liked, and he'd make a face. Or he'd like a name that reminded me of someone who annoyed me on the playground. It took months and long lists to come up with names we both liked. Not only do you have to find names with noble meanings, it has to go with your last name.

When I name characters in my books and short stories, I use a baby naming book I got from the grocery store and the CHARACTER NAMING SOURCEBOOK published by Writer's Digest. Some of my writer friends hang out at some of the name generators on the Web. You can come up with some doozies there! Here's one you can check out for fun when you have some time to kill and feel like laughing: http://languageisavirus.com/characternamegenerator.html.

Anonymous said...

Hey-

Long time no talk but you may want to consider Rachel's suggestion of Bartholomew Stalion since I didn't use it.

It's still up for grabs.

-Christina