| Behind every name is an interesting meaning and origin. | | | | names, such as Elvis or Sting; and there are the |
| If you study a bit names and their meaning and the | | | | high-pressured, you-must-name him after so-and-so |
| people with those same names, you are likely find | | | | names, so the parakeet gets stuck with Polly and the |
| patterns and consistencies between the names and | | | | lizard is named after uncle Lou. (I once had an ex |
| the personalities. | | | | whose new girlfriend named their newly acquired pit |
| It may be a far-reaching effort, some say, to attach | | | | bull after me. At first I seethed at the insult, but realized |
| such importance to the meaning of names. But we | | | | she must be that intimidated by the memories of me |
| spend many a pregnant, anticipatory hour poring over | | | | still floating in their home and, besides, she would have |
| name books, lists, and websites devoted to finding the | | | | to be reminded of the great one every damned time |
| perfect moniker for our precious-thing-to-be. | | | | she called that dog to dinner.) |
| That's the first name, of course. Given names, more | | | | So much for the rationale of naming. It's pretty clear |
| tethered to named one's genealogy or limited to the | | | | that naming and names are important in all cultures |
| parents' last names, leave little room for creativity, | | | | (one of the few enduring universals we can boast of |
| needing little generating besides whether or not to take | | | | sharing with the world). On to the actual names and |
| the father's last name, the step father's last name, the | | | | their meanings: a number of devoted scholars and |
| mother's maiden given name, or both parents' names in | | | | others have researched and developed databases for |
| a hybrid combo. | | | | us to find what we are looking for - be it a new name |
| But for those that already exist - if, say, you want to | | | | for the soon to be born (if he/she isn't getting saddled |
| know the meaning of your own name - there are only | | | | with a family member's already used Ethyl or Fred) or |
| a couple of contingencies to keep in mind when it | | | | the etymology (history and definition) of an already |
| comes to proper (or common, for that matter) nouns. | | | | existing title. |
| The meaning of names is rooted in a sensory | | | | Here are a few of the top sites, those that students, |
| description or descriptiveness and in that which is being | | | | parents, and the curious swear by: |
| referred to, that which is being named. For example, | | | | covers etymology of first names of numerous ethnic |
| think about when your kid got that new kitty or puppy. | | | | origins. |
| He/she either considered appearance, and used a | | | | While Behind the Names does, too, nameseekers.co.uk |
| descriptive word as the pet's new handle (Fluffy, Buffy, | | | | has a hearty database for last names in their Surname |
| Snowball, Spot), or took into account the way the new | | | | Meanings section. |
| creature behaved, subscribing a personality trait name | | | | And has quite a lengthy links page with many links to |
| (Dum-dum, Sparky, Skip). | | | | many names and their meaning - in case you are |
| Then again, there are the likeness names, wherein the | | | | looking for a more obscure definition. |
| cat is now called Panther; and there are the homage | | | | |