What's in a Name, You Ask?

“Jason scratched his head.” You named him Festus? You know that in Latin, ‘Festus’ means ‘happy’? You want us to ride off to save the world on Happy the Dragon? Rick Riordan, The Lost Hero

My nephew and his wife are expecting their first child, my first grand-nephew and my parents’ first great-grandchild. The excitement is palpable, and conversations naturally centre on this forthcoming event, making me reflect on how names carry deep personal and cultural meaning that resonate with us all. 

When we were pregnant, we followed traditional family naming practices, like using the mother's or father’s name first, then grandparents', which highlights how cultural traditions shape identity and can be confusing over generations.

For this reason, there are many Timothys, Johns, Marthas, and Elizabeths in our family. I have a cousin named Quintus, as he’s the fifth Matthys Johannes in my mother’s family, and his son is proudly carrying on the tradition.  My husband's brother was almost named Quintus, too.

― Bob Marley “Bob Marley isn’t my name; I don’t even know my name yet”.

“There are women named Faith, Hope, Joy, and Prudence. Why not Despair, Guilt, Rage, and Grief? It seems only right. 'Tom, I'd like you to meet the girl of my dreams, Tragedy.' These days, Trajedi.” George Carlin, Brain Droppings

Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan

A fictional account in Marlo Morgan's Mutant Message Down Under conveys a powerful message about living in harmony and the significance of real names, illustrating how names reflect cultural identity and connection to the land.

Last week, my daughter reached out with genuine curiosity, asking if I knew what her name meant, which made me reflect on how names carry personal and cultural stories that matter deeply.

Her message was as follows:

“Fact for the day: Meaning of Lise – “God is my oath” variant of Elizabeth (which is my second name) meaning “God’s promise”, “God’s satisfaction” or “God’s PERFECTION” I’m phenomenal!”

That she is.

I wrote back and said that when I was 17, I knew that I would have a daughter and that her name would be Elizabeth, and when I realised that my name was a derivative of Martha, I decided on Marthine.

I do believe a name is one of the defining contributors to a child’s personality. I hope that my children feel a sense of belonging and history with their names, encouraging readers to consider how their own names shape their identities and lives. 

I Googled her name, and this is what I found:

"You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see a return on your giving. You have executive ability; you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest, and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama, or science.

You desire to inspire and lead to control others' affairs. You are giving, courageous, bold, action-oriented, energetic, and strong-willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents."  

P.S. To favourite nephew, this comes from your favourite aunt. Remember to play your cards right. You never know what could happen... believe me buddy, the cards were heavily stacked against you being who you are, you should've been a Montgomery Humphrey 10th,  so thank your Papa and Mama for sticking by their guns when naming you, also thank those very stars because you could've been Mauritius, or Port Louis, put one and one together,  there's a very famous Paris and Kimberley, but, grande horreur it could've been Wel Hung (Chinese is fashionable) or something like Simba, you're a "born free" aren't you?

Update: my nephew has a brood of four or five children now; none have family names, and that’s fine too. The eldest is a tween now, runs like the wind, and speaks American. He’s a red-blooded Dakotan who has never been to Africa and knows nothing of his forebears. That is the way of the world.