Whats in a name?
@silenciobarnes (249)
United States
January 18, 2007 6:16am CST
If I was called by any other name, would I be just as sweet?
Some cultures believe that names have power and to know someone's true name is to have power over that person. In the hood (you know, the urban ghettos) people go by tag names and pseudonyms. They do not want you saying their government names (as we call our real names) in public. Therefore, names bear a certain stigma. They are means to power over others.
But thats not the question.
The question is this: If you were given a different name, would you be a different person. Do you think that your name sums you up and may well even define you as a person?
There are people that say that your name can tell almost everything about who you are.
Any thoughts?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
29 Jan 07
When I started my own business, I more or less reinvented myself and I began to use a nickname that only a few family members used for me. I actually never gave it a lot of thought, the new name just seemed "right" for the new business.
1 person likes this
@silenciobarnes (249)
• United States
14 May 07
I couldn't start a business using the nicknames I got...they just wouldn't be appropriate. But that expands this discussion beyond just people as well. If your business was called anything else would it be the same business.
I mean, I'm sure you would probably operate it the same but would it still have the same vibe? If you understand what I'm saying.
@ronita34 (3922)
• Canada
18 Jan 07
I actually have never thought of this previously. I think that i would be the same person though for sure. My name is Ronita which is somewhat different and i love my name i really do. However i get called Ronnie about 99 % of the time it is easier for some people to pronounce and i am a big Tom Boy and i don't think that i will ever grow out of that.
@silenciobarnes (249)
• United States
28 Jan 07
Ronita do you know what your name means? Is it a derivative of Ron Rhonda or Veronica or from the Hebrew Ron or Ronit?
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
11 May 07
My name means "white wave" and it's Welsh. I have no idea what that means. If I was a different name - yeah I'd probably be a little different. I think that subconsciously we live up to the labels put upon us to an extent. Plus there have been studies done on people with different names and how thier personalities are. People with certain names or more prone to being picked on... people with certain names are more prone to having a good attitude. At least that's what the study found.
I wonder what this means for kids with unique names that the parents made up - which seems to be happening more and more often. If your name has no meaning, what does that mean for you?
1 person likes this
@sunshinecup (7871)
•
18 Jan 07
Well I think subconsciously we do try to live up to our name, I have anyway. Mine name means, warrior and I have known that since I was a child. At times I have kept that in mind when dealing with tough situations when I had nothing else for support. I reckon if they gave me a name of a weaker standing, it could have affected my approach or decisions in many situations. However, I am glad my name is what it is and I wouldn’t change it.
As for knowing someone’s true name and having power over them, I think only in cases, they have a truly goofy name or a name they are very embarrassed of. At that point I could see having power over them :-)
1 person likes this
@silenciobarnes (249)
• United States
28 Jan 07
Do you think that people who do not know the true meanings of their names would still behave in a manner suggestive of it. If your name meant warrior but you didn't know, do you think that you would have made the same decisons?
