What's in a Name?
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
~ Juliet {Romeo and Juliet | II, ii, 1-2}
What's in a name? Does a name have any meaning other than identifying its subject? To this I answer confidently, YES! A name has great meaning.
Many parents name their children for beloved family members or others they deeply respect. My Mom was named after her mother and my father, after a religious leader. My husband was named after his maternal grandfather, and our own sons were named after their Dad and paternal great-grandfather, respectively. My name was a combination of 'Jennifer' and 'Lee', and a loose interpretation of my paternal grandmother's name 'Genevieve', who was called 'Jennie'. To this day, my Mom most often calls me 'Jennie', as did many classmates during my school years. A friend of ours named all three of his sons after well-loved U.S. presidents who demonstrated exemplary character.
Then there are nicknames. My elementary school classmates nicknamed a very slender fellow student 'Boney', a heavy-set boy 'Slim', and a read-headed boy 'Fox'. My Dad carried the nickname 'Horsie' throughout his childhood and school years. My husband was dubbed 'Bozo' by his oldest brother because he is such a clown! We have always had nicknames for our own children, monikers that have changed over the years to reflect their ever-evolving traits.
In the 35+ years my husband and I have been together, he has bestowed upon me numerous nicknames which usually reflect either my character or how he views me. These nicknames have changed numerous times over the years, as he's seen fit, and have been as varied as my idiosyncrasies. To give a few examples, he has called me 'Precious', 'Pete' {a play on the 1980's Michael Jackson hit song "P.Y.T. [Pretty Young Thing]}, 'Lit' {short for 'Little'}, 'Queen', 'Dolly' {because I'm his doll-baby}, and most recently 'Spark' {short for 'Sparkle'}.
Throughout history and even today, members of some religious denominations are instructed to select a new name to demonstrate commitment to their chosen faith. Some take an additional name while retaining their given name, and others deny their given name all together.
According to Biblical history, it was common practice for Jews to be renamed by their captors. Under the order of King Nebuchadnezzar , 'Daniel' was renamed 'Belteshazzar'; 'Hananiah' was renamed 'Shadrach'; 'Mishael' was renamed 'Meshach', and 'Azariah' was renamed 'Abednego'.
We learn through Scripture that it was not unusual for the Lord Himself to assign a new name to those He appointed to His purpose. 'Abram' became 'Abraham', and his wife 'Sarai' became 'Sarah'; 'Simon' became 'Peter'; 'Saul' became 'Paul'; etc. I often wonder if the Lord assigns a new name to those who commit their lives to Christ, a name that is only visible to heavenly spirit-beings, and only revealed to us when we depart this earth. Perhaps when we get to Heaven, we will be called by a special name chosen by our Creator specifically for us!
When assigning a nickname, be kind in doing so. A nickname should never be demeaning or insulting. For example, most spouses would prefer 'Honey' or 'Sweetheart', to 'Battleaxe' or 'Ball and Chain'. Name-calling during heated disagreements is especially harmful to the marriage relationship, as are casually and carelessly lobbed put-downs and hurtful, back-handed remarks deliberately hurled in order to make a point. It is wise to hold the tongue lest reckless words cause injury.
What's in a name? With purposeful expression, a name holds the power to edify, to encourage, and to inspire, perhaps offer a constant reminder of an esteemed ancestor or historical figure we can seek to imitate, or maybe just reinforce how much we are loved.
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"Nicknames stick to people, and the most ridiculous are the most adhesive."
~ Thomas Chandler Haliburton