What's in a name?

This is the end of the first week of my birthday month. It has been  productive week! I've been able to start packing and I took 5 trash bags full of "stuff" to Community Care last evening! I've packed all of my tea pots, and several boxes of books.

Tuesday evening I took supper out to the farm to eat with my Mom and Dad. This is something we started doing several months ago and I really enjoy it. I have found that if I need to miss a Tuesday night "supper at the farm" they aren't very happy with me! 

After my parent's first met Randy, my Mom had a hard time remembering his name. She kept calling him Dan! It became a joke and now she just calls him any name that comes to mind and she always laughs when she says the name. Tuesday he was Jimmy. - I've told Randy not to feel bad, she often forgets the grand kids names, too!! but then again, I get them mixed up myself sometimes!

I'm not sure young parent's realize the importance of the names they bestow upon their children. There has been much research done on naming children. There are lists of baby names. Names that supposedly strengthen the national economy, names that make outstanding children and believe it or not - evil baby names! Children with certain names do better in school than others! I'm surprised all children aren't named those few "good" names!

I did a little research on my own and found out this information on the first name of Randy: 

• creates a shrewd, aggressive, business nature, intent on personal gain.
• The desires for independence and financial success have been strong motivating forces from early in his life
• He is capable of logical and analytical thinking along practical business lines, and could excel in financial fields, law or politics
• His judgment is seldom swayed through his feelings
• this name creates the urge to be a leader and organizer.

Continuing in my research I discovered that this information on my first name Brenda:

• it gives me a responsible, self-sufficient, and dependable nature.
• if given the opportunity I will do well in business developing leadership, administrative and managing abilities. 
• appreciates quality in all things, desires to be prosperous
• does not like to relinquish control , doesn't readily accept advice :)
• has a strong, determined nature and must be careful not to dominate or interfere in the lives of others in your desire to be helpful  (hope my kids don't comment on this one!!)  
• this name makes me too forceful at times, limiting the natural feminine qualities of tenderness and tack

You can enter your name at this free website to get info on your name:

http://www.kabalarians.com/cfm/what-does-my-name-mean.cfm

The Bible stresses the importance of names. Names are so important that God named many of the people - He told parents what names to use and many times changed names during their lives. Many names reflect faith, gratitude to God, and many have prophetic significance.

Then of course from Shakespeare's famous play Romeo and Juliet, 1600:

JULIET:
      'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
      Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
      What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
      Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
      Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
      What's in a name? that which we call a rose
      By any other name would smell as sweet;
      So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
      Retain that dear perfection which he owes
      Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
      And for that name which is no part of thee
      Take all myself.

What matters is what something is, not what it's called. 

So do names really matter? 

You are still you.

Or are you - you because of your name?

 Roses from Randy - or Dan - or Jimmy :)