What’s in a name? Shakespeare’s Juliet seemed to think that names were of “little consequence” when it came to expressing true love. But for centuries before Shakespeare’s time, many cultures around the world held the naming process in high esteem.
The belief that names often symbolize a person’s character or determine their future is common in most countries. Nicknames are traditionally given that mirror personality or physical traits (although these are not always flattering).
Biblical names were often descriptive of a person and sometimes foretold their role in history. Think of Abraham (“father of many nations”) or Timothy (“honoring God”). Both Old and New Testaments are full of interesting and prophetic names. In the OT book of Ruth, Naomi’s sons’ names were Mahlon and Chilion, meaning “sickness or weakness” and “wasting or pining.” Considering they both passed at an early age, it makes me wonder “What on Earth was Naomi thinking?” Maybe they were both sickly as infants – I don’t know.
Other Biblical names were specifically given as a description of their birth circumstances or to point to their destinies – like Moses, which means “to draw out,” or Cephas, meaning “stone or rock” and Eve, which means “life.”
Names are fascinating and some people devote their lives to the study of names, or onomastics, which sounds pretty cool. I wonder what they would do with some of the monikers I heard growing up … not exactly actual names, but the nicknames they got stuck with. People were tagged with these handles for reasons unknown or long-forgotten. Some of them were self-explanatory, but some were just plain strange.
In our small rural community, we had a “Fattie Bass” and a “Fat Dyess,” but no one was offended – even the men who held those unfortunate titles. We also had a community store owner, a rather tall fellow, dubbed “Too High Cole.” (I was never sure if it was his height or his elevated store prices that engendered that nickname.)
Then there were our neighbors – “Splatter Waites” and “Booger Wilson,” older men who apparently carried those handles since childhood. I didn’t ask.
In our own family, we had a “Bozie” and a “Booker,” and in the larger community we had our own version of “Pigpen” that everyone called “Dirty Ray.” He was actually a most agreeable and honest fellow, he just looked, well, dirty all the time. Dad had a friend, a local contractor that seemed to know everything and everyone in town. You would see his old red Ford with its tell-tale black ladder rack everywhere you looked. He was dubbed “Highway Harvey.”
Another poor soul Dad knew fell off his roof while cleaning his gutters at the age of 90. After that, anytime someone did something considered risky, Dad would caution, “You don’t want to end up like Dead Ezell.” I guess we can’t escape labels, even when we’re gone.
I was thinking about the many ways our names affect us, for good or bad, when a quote from “To Kill A Mockingbird” came to mind. In it, Atticus Finch is talking to his daughter Scout: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” I suppose that is good advice for anyone.
I am guilty of hearing someone’s name and making a judgment, even before I meet them. Maybe we all do it on some level, even subconsciously. I guess it would be a good idea to consider that sometimes we can get stuck with a label, not of our own choosing, but it doesn’t have to define us. Names are an integral part of our person, but they don’t have to be a life sentence if we don’t like them.
I used to hate my name growing up and went by a nickname instead, but as I got older, I decided I liked it. I am very glad my parents chose it.
When anyone asks my name now, I say proudly, “Tamra!” When they ask what my name means, I put my hands over my head and turn them out and say with a smile “palm tree.” I think “being a tree” isn’t so bad – considering what it might have been.
Alphabet Soup
2 quarts chicken or beef broth
1 can corn, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch pieces
1 large white or sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon oil
1 stalk celery with leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ package of alphabet pasta, cooked according to directions
Cook pasta; drain, rinse and set aside. In large saucepan, sauté onion and celery in oil till softened, and then add the rest of ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook covered over medium heat until carrots and potatoes are done. Stir in pasta, cook for 3 more minutes, then serve.
