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