Name Book

Dorothy Astoria

Description

Baby-naming has become an art form with parents today, but where do parents go to find names and their meanings? The Name Book offers particular inspiration to those who want more than just a list of popular names. From Aaron to Zoe, this useful book includes the cultural origin, the literal meaning, and the spiritual significance of more than 10,000 names. An appropriate verse of Scripture accompanies each name, offering parents a special way to bless their children.

Sujets

• List of most popular given names

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 01 novembre 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441202338
• Langue: English

Extrait

The Name Book Copyright 1982, 1997 Bethany House Publishers
Revised and updated by Christopher J. Soderstrom
Cover design by Dan Pitts
Scripture credits are noted .
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise-without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Published by Bethany House Publishers 11400 Hampshire Avenue South Minneapolis, Minnesota 55438 www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House publishers is a division of Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
E-book edition created 2011
ISBN 978-1-4412-0233-8
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
C NTENTS
What s in a Name?
The Deciding Factors
Guide to Using Name Listings
Alphabetical Listings of Names
List of Bible Names
Birthstones and Flowers
Heritage of Names
Our Favorite Girl Names
Our Favorite Boy Names
WHAT S IN A NAME
Names have been in existence as long as humanity. God created a timeless tradition when he gave Adam the first name, meaning formed of earth. In the same manner, humans have been handing out names since the beginning of recorded time.
But why names? Why not labels, symbols, or codes? Part of the answer is found in Genesis 1:27. So God created human beings in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female (NCV). If we were merely another species of God s creation, we would all have one name, such as lion, sparrow, or mole. But because we are a special and unparalleled creation-individuals-we each have a name.
Names are an integral part of who we are. While we are all intrinsically unique, names bestow upon us a tangible way to distinguish one another. God reveals this individuality in Isaiah 43:1 in saying, I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine (NRSV). The names we now bear have meaning to the Lord! Not only this, but in Revelation 2:17 He tells his children that He will give us a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it (NLT).
The evolution of names has been shaped by both religious and cultural influences. In ancient times people were generally given one name (called a given name ). This name often related to a circumstance surrounding a child s birth ( Moses, meaning drawn from the water ) or a trait that parents hoped a child would possess ( Salome, meaning peaceful ). Also, the name could be connected with a promise or an aspiration ( Isaac, meaning laughter ) or possibly a simple object ( Esther, meaning star ).
In latter ancient history, some utilization of second names (and third, and fourth, et al.) can be observed. These names were usually given to demonstrate a person s identification with a particular family and/or clan (Gaius Julius Caesar) or with a father (Simon bar-Jonah, with bar meaning son of ). This practice was carried into modern times through various tribal societies.
These additional names, however, were not commonplace in Western civilization until about 900 years ago (around A.D. 1100). At first, added names were taken only by the nobility. They became known as surnames, derived from the literal words sir names. This practice was gradually embraced by the common people over the centuries until, in 1465, KingEdward V of England delivered an edict requiring that surnames be adopteduniversally for identification purposes. He ordered that the names takenreflect the individual s identity, representing either a town, color, art, oroffice. Therefore, many new surnames came into being, such as Black,Smith, Miller, and Baker.
Over time, the means by which names were chosen and/or acquiredbroadened significantly. Some came from physical characteristics. Forexample, dark-haired Elizabeth became Elizabeth Browne, and blond Jamesbecame James White. Some also were formed by adding son to the father sname (Wilson, Carlson, Johnson, and Anderson). Others came about byadding prefixes meaning son to the father s name (Fitzpatrick, Fitzgerald,MacMurray, MacDonald, O Bannon, and O Shea). There were also manyother means of deriving and obtaining surnames.
The Church had an unparalleled influence over the choosing of namesin medieval times. In the twelfth century, it decreed that only childrennamed after saints and martyrs could be baptized. This was an attempt tostop the practice of naming children after pagan gods and entities. It wasrather effective, for a priest of the Church had to be present to officiateat a child s baptism and confirmation. Since these practices were generallybelieved to be integral to salvation, most people honored the edicts.Statistics show that the great majority of women at that time were namedMary, Ann, Elizabeth, or Catherine, while most men were named John,James, William, Charles, or George.
For the most part, additional titles, known to us as middle names, werenot utilized until the eighteenth century. At this time, these new namesbecame a way of further distinguishing an individual and also of honoringdeceased relatives or admired persons. These, along with surnames, have emerged with ever-increasing importance as the earth s population has continued to geometrically increase.
While all names have both denotative (inherent) and connotative (implied) meaning(s), this is no longer as important to many parents who are choosing names for their child. Often a child is still named for a characteristic or place, but in many cases names are now selected for the way in which they commemorate someone or something, or simply on the basis of their own various aesthetic qualities.
When inherent meaning is important to prospective parents, names are normally chosen on the merits of their positive implications. Parents naming their daughter Cady often do so in the expectation and hope that she will be pure. In the same way, parents who choose Matthew for their son most likely consider him a gift of God.
So, what s in a name? Names are a celebration not only of our humanity, but also a reminder of our individuality-that we are uniquely made in the image of God. They are wonderful gifts, given second only to the gift of life itself-lasting testimonies to the beauty of personhood. Best of all, you now have the opportunity to make these choices for your child. Enjoy your quest.
THE DECIDING FACT RS
Associations
While particular names are given for many different reasons, three associations are of primary importance to most people. One, most children are in some way named after at least one relative. Two, they are often named in honor of historical figures and celebrities. Three, the majority of people in the Western hemisphere is named for biblical characters. Naturally, there is a great amount of overlap between these areas. For example, a baby named Joseph Lincoln Johnson could be named after both his grandfather Joseph and the Joseph of biblical renown, while also commemorating Abraham Lincoln.
Gender
While there seems to be a vast discrepancy in the ratio of male and female biblical names, since there are over 3,000 men listed in the Bible and less than 200 women, it s not as unequal as it might appear. Many of the male names recorded in the Scriptures are now used frequently for females, such as Ariel, Dara, Jada, Neriah, Reba, Susi, and Zina. In the same way, there are many names which were once considered to be exclusively for boys or girls that now are commonly used and considered appropriate for both sexes. Pay attention to name usage around you-you may have more options than you realized! Examples of gender-neutral monikers are: Adrian, Audrey, Courtney, Dana, Greer, Jamie, Kelly, Kevin, Lee, Lindsay, Madison, Robin, Sydney, Taylor, Terry, Tierney, and Tony. Even so, it is important to be mindful of the consequences of choosing a traditionally gender-specific name for a child of the opposite sex. Innovation is fun, but try to envision any possible disadvantages as well.
Characteristics
Children are frequently named in celebration of treasured ideals, or given names that intrinsically represent these characteristics (Charity, Hope, or Grace, for example). Also, some are named after commemorative circumstances surrounding the child s birth, such as Spring, Noel, or Joy. In addition, parents often give names which represent elements of character that it is hoped the child will possess. For instance, Ryan (meaning little ruler ), Alexis (meaning defender of mankind ), Katrina (meaning pure ), or Caleb (meaning bold ).
Nicknames
There are two important factors to consider regarding the use of shortened names. One, don t use a longer name that will likely be shortened to a name that is undesirable to you. That is to say, if you cringe at the thought of Josh or Ash, don t name your baby Joshua or Ashleigh. Other people will shorten it. Two, in most cases it s preferable to give your child the long version of the chosen name. Allison and Jacob can always be abbreviated by merely using Allie and Jake, if those are the names you happen to prefer. However, if you choose the nickname as the given name, you impose unnecessary limits. As your child matures he or she may desire to put aside the nickname in favor of the full name. This may be difficult if the legality of the situation hinders such change (like altering a birth certificate).
Acronyms
An acronym is a word formed from letters of a set of words that stands for the group of words as a whole (usually the first letter or letters). Some common examples are SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus), RADAR (RAdio Detection And Ranging), and PANIC (Parents Attempting to Name Imminent Children) (editor s creation). What is not commonly realized, however, is that often the set of names given to a person will lend itself to an acronym. This can be a