Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life.
—
Last week, while at the homeschool convention in Memphis, I was reminded of the value of our names. We read in Isaiah 43:1 that we are called or summoned by name. Our name is important to us and can influence our identity. It can influence our security, too. And, our belonging. Would you believe our name can even influence our purpose and competence?
If you’ve never told your children why you named them what you did, please share your story. Knowing is better than not knowing. Don’t assume the story wouldn’t bless them. It could increase their hope in their purpose and in their tomorrows.
If you didn’t have a solid reason then, are you glad with the name now? Have you found out what it means and shared that with your child? I encourage you to.
If you can’t ask your parents about your name’s origin, look up its meaning yourself. Ask an older relative if they might know anything. Make up a story! I met Vanderly and she didn’t know anything about her name. After I suggested she make up a story, her husband announced, “I think it means full of beauty and strength.” Vanderly smiled broadly.
I saw my friend, Jay, at last week’s convention. When he introduced me to his son, he explained that he and his wife named him Jamison. Although it’s pronounced with a short i sound, it means “Jay my son.” You should have seen Jamison’s face when his dad told me that. I could feel, and almost see, the connection between the two of them. Jamison doesn’t need to wonder if he was wanted or if his parents wanted a girl instead.
Another one of my favorite name stories is about my friend Laurie. Her given name is Laurel and she’s named after a laurel bush that grew outside the cabin where her parents honeymooned. Imagine how she felt when she was first told her parents were thinking of her as their marriage began. Security, identity, and belonging were affected for sure. Purpose and competence may have been, too, as Laurie has always wanted to live up to her parents’ hopes and expectations.
My niece is named after my mom and me. Her given name is Kathryn Arlene Koch. ‘Kathryn” means “pure one.” I can remember eating dinner with her and our family when she was about 5 or 6 years old. While she was playing with her food rather than eating it, I jokingly asked “You’re the pure one?” She smiled and immediately stopped what she was doing. It’s as if she wanted to live up to her name’s meaning. Purpose.
By the way, although you might not believe me if you know me, I was not named after the Chatty Kathy doll. I was named after my mom’s Great Aunt. What’s your story? I’d love to know. There’s a comment box below.
My name is a version of Guenivere and means “White Wave”. Waves (and Guenivere) are not known for their constancy. Waxing and Waning….flowing in and flowing out. And truly, I am well-named. I am at peace with that and I love my name, however, I look forward to receiving the white stone with a new name on it when I get to heaven.
My sons are Daniel Brandon”God is my Judge/from the lighted hill” (middle name for my beloved older brother)
Andrew Lewis “Strong, Manly/ Courageous Warrior” (middle name for CS Lewis)
Benjamin Isaac “Son of my Strength/Laughter”
Joshua Dawson “God Saves” and his middle name is for Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators.
Benjamin Isaac “Son of my Strength/Laughter
Jennifer,
Thanks for taking the time to tell me about your name. I’m glad you’re happy with it. That’s so important. Of course, looking forward to the future is good, too.
I love the thoughtful names you gave your sons. Strong identity and security, belonging, purpose, and competence! Well done!
Kathy
My name means “Truthful” … It’s amazing how I have grown into the name as I get older. There are probably those who wish I wasn’t quite as brutally honest and transparent.
Allison,
Thanks for sharing. I didn’t know that about your name. A friend with the same name also fits it very well. Interesting!
Kathy
Of course I love this post, Kathy! I could I not. A friend of mine once told me that it is a tradition among some orthodox Jews that the father of the child waits until the child is born to announce the childs name, and then whispers it in the ear of the child. The child is the first to hear it uttered. I have not researched this to know if it is correct, but I love the truths held in what my firend shared with me about this. My earthy father was mostly absent in my life emotionally. When he was present, my sensitive nature as a child put a wedge between us, and subsequently, I was unable to feel much connection with him, and still struggle with that connection today, even though he is no longer with us. But the result of that personal story is that God the ultimate Father continues to reveal to me, time after time, and grace after grace, His complete and full love for me, even despite my unfulfilled longings as a child. When I felt God was leading my wife and I to name our son “Jay-my-son”, not only did I feel it was specifially for him in affirming his existance as his earthly father’s son, but I also felt as though our Abba Father, Daddy God, was telling me on a personal level, that every time I said my son’s name, Jamison, I would be hearing my Heavnly Father reaffirm me as His child, and I would be reminded that my name before God is “Jay-my-son”. Words are so powerful! I feel so grateful to Daddy God for bringing you back into my life at this time, Kathy. God knew I needed to be reminded of the truths you have shared here in this post, along with God’s heart behind my son’s name, and God’s love for me. I have over the years at times, through a variety of struggles, lost sight of what I am sharing here, and have not always walked in these truths about our Father. I have been on this homeschool journey now for seven years with my boys, and have up until this year, never attended a homeschool convention, even though they have been in our city each year. The timing never seemed to fit and I just never made it. This year I felt compelled to go and felt even stronger that I must connect with you, Kathy. What’s even more interesting is that I feel very secure in how our homeschooling journey has evolved over the years and didn’t feel the need to purchase any particular homeschool resources at the convention even though I wandered through all the booths. When I finally found your booth … on the very last isle, I felt I had come home. Literally! My wife and I have been struggling lately in our home with finding a balance between correcting with love and have felt for sometime that we were landing most of the time on the side of criticizing without knowing how to change it. It wasn’t until I picked up your booklet and cd on “complimenting and correcting” and “fabulous feedback” that where we have been in error finally made sense. Your explanation of the the difference between criticism and correcting–the one being to point out an err vs. putting right an err–is profound and exactly what our hearts have been longing to hear. All this to say, that during my first visit to your booth over the weekend, I bought your book, and three cd’s. And do you know, that I was so blessed by the material in the booklet I just mentioned that I simply had to come back the next day, even though I didn’t plan to come back to the convention again, just to get my hands on a few more teachings of yours that are centered in things I believe we are all longing to hear from our Heavenly Father. Kathy, I can not tell you how beyond words I am at this moment in thanking God for you and your ministry. Some of the simple but profound truths you teach are exactly what my wife and I have been longing to hear … God’s words of affirmation for us … and how those words in our ears, and resounding in the ears of our children, have the power to positively recreate, affirm, and affect the future of our family and the budding life of our two boys. As you have so wisely said, our words either judge the past, our affect the future. I am so thankful for you my fellow sister in Christ, and so glad had our paths to cross once again. You are an amazing, thoughtful, wise, accepting, word-smart, interesting, joyfilled, strong, caring, affirming, tender-hearted, warrior! Our family loves you. God smiles on you!
Jay,
It’s rare that I’m speechless, but that’s how I’m reacting to your post. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how God works and I’m very grateful we’re reconnected. I’m honored to speak into your life. Truly! I’m very grateful for God meeting your needs and bringing healing to your life. Celebrating YOU now!
Kathy
Great article! My husband and I had a theology teacher in college who said “names are important” and told us when studying the Bible to always look out for names and their meanings, especially when they are changed. This caused us to put a lot of thought and prayer into naming our children and making sure they were meaningful. Our kids’ names mean “young warrior/God is my salvation”, “honorable/son”, “gift of God/who is like God?” and “noble beauty/grace”.
My mother told me I was named after a movie star! I have always loved my name. I love how it sounds, I love how it looks when “written” in my mom’s hand writing, and I love how it is diferent. Many times I have to repeat it with the emphasis on the pronounciation of “AHHHH”ndrea. My mom explained that she had a still born girl before me and that they saved the name “Andrea” because they wanted a daughter named Andrea. I do think it is a special name. I am going to remind my 84 year old mother that I do love my name. Thank you, to you for reminding that it is a great name!