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Joined: Oct 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400 |
I've always thought it's curious how english speakers handle names. We "import" Leon as a name-- which is just the french for lion-- but it very rare for english names to be animal names-- or other "natural words" - there are some Glen, Forrest, Rose, Daisy, Opal, but in many other languages, names are often just that, natural words.
Still most of us have names that have a meaning-- Helen is origanally from the greek (duh!), and meant (a source of ) Light-- Similar to the helio-- but the original word had a clear meaning of be light (like the sun) but definately not the sun... ( an other source said it was definately from the word for "light- house" )
Some names are made up-- Wendy was never a name before the "peter pan " books-- and others (and a AWAD "name" made me think of this) are so old, that they are found on heirogliphics from ancient egypt!
So i have two questions: why don't we use natural words as names (Why am I helen and not "lighthouse"?) and what natural words (like glen -- have become common names in your culture?)
I notice plants, flowers and gems are much more common as names than animals or geographic features-- Glen is a real exceptions.. there are many more Ruby's, Opal's and Beryl's than Glens -- and i don't know any River's (except the actor River Pheonix) or Stream's or Hill's (except last names). --We have our Rhu here-- and i know, Rose's, Daisy's, Violet's, Iris's, Lily's, but who knows a Carrot-- or Peach's, or Rhubarb? why aren't these names of people?
And what is the source of your real (or AWAD) name? What does it mean? Why did you choose it? and would you consider it a name for you self, your children, or your grandchildren?
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Joined: Feb 2001
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member
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member
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 116 |
And what is the source of your real (or AWAD) name? What does it mean? Why did you choose it? and would you consider it a name for you self, your children, or your grandchildren?Per your private request and the note above from your posting... YES, I do know the origin of my name... though, technically, my name is Suzanne - named for one grandmother (Susie) and one greatgrandmother (Susannah)... having lived in Israel for the better part of the past 20 years, I'm used to the name Shoshannah now and really love it! By the way, the name 'Susannah' also appears in the New Testament (Gospel of Luke chapter 8, verse 3)... but the most interesting story about the name I heard from the cab driver who drove me to Kennedy Airport waaaaaay back in 1979 when I was on my way to Israel for the very first time... he asked where I was going and I said Israel (he got so excited, he almost ran off the road...) and then asked my name, so I said "Shoshannah" and again, he almost ran off the road. Then, his voice got very quiet and sweet sounding and he asked if I knew what the name meant. I said, well, I think it's a 'rose'. "Oh yes," he replied, "but more than that. It's in a special old Jewish prayer which goes something like this: the Shoshannah is the most beautiful flower in the all the earth, the one that stands out from among the thorns and to which, all other flowers are drawn." You can imagine how that made ME feel! When I decided to register for this board (the ONLY one I'm on currently), I tried to think of the name I wanted to use and since more and more, as I live here in Jerusalem, Israel, I FEEL like my name is Shoshannah (instead of Suzanne), that seemed the most likely choice. In fact, my family name is Pomeranz... which has no real origin, except that it does sound a bit like the area my father's family was from (in the old old country - the Austro-Hungarian Empire... and as far as we know my greatgrandfather did NOT have a family name - the family lived in a little shtetel like "Anatevka" in "Fiddler on the Roof" and my greatgrandfather was known as "Natan of Pokrovicz"), but it also comes from the word "pomegranate" and so I'm thinking about just changing the whole thing from Suzanne Pomeranz (in English) to the Hebrew equivalent which would be "Shoshannah Rimon"... whaddayathink? Shoshannah/Suzanne... oh, and just like I am NOT a Sue or Susie or Susan, I am also NOT a Shosh or Shoshi... ( okay? s'all right )
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Joined: Feb 2001
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journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 52 |
of troy... My name des are initials for "dark eyed sentimentalist". In the 1940's someone gave me a dictionary inscribed "to our DES" with a drawing of a martini glass! This was to "read" on the train I was boarding in Philadelphia going back to Indianapolis! I guess I am still a sentimentalist! Hope others submit info about their names on this board!
There are few "Suthrin" women around named Pansy! I just love AnnaStropic spelling of Southern! It is pretty accurate! Thanks Anna...
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Joined: Aug 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 |
In reply to:
oh, and just like I am NOT a Sue or Susie or Susan, I am also NOT a Shosh or Shoshi...(okay?s'all right)
I know exactly what you mean. Max's alter ego has a name of only two syllables, but he still hates having it contracted.  
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Names interest me very much, because there are stories behind so many of them. The little genealogy book I mentioned told me that my last name was originally "Hunte" meaning the same thing as "Hunter" but in a dialect spoken only in a small area close to north end of Channel, I forget its name. I wish I had known that when wiseguys asked me if it was originally "dog" in German.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981 |
Apparently it is possible to guess your age from your name.
Helen mentioned names from the natural world. In the UK if your name is Iris or Rose you are likely to be older than someone called Heather or Fern.
There are few young Ednas, Winnifreds, Ediths, Walters or Fredericks. Younger names seem to come in waves. We had a spell of Sharons and Kevins followed by Justins and Jasons followed by Kylies and Joshes but have now reverted to Charlies, Williams, Charlottes and Emmas.
Compared to the USA, we use relatively few names, apparently a huge percentage of boys are given names that are in the top ten for the year, a smaller proportion (but still a significant number) of girls are given names in the current top ten. Hence the ability to make a reasonable guess at the age of a person, given their name.
Celebs have had their own rules since Zowie Bowie, Fifi Trixibelle (Bob Geldof & Paula Yate's eldest) and now the Spice Girl offspring Brooklyn (good thing he wasn't conceived in Scunthorpe) and Phoenix, perhaps the UK equivalent of Chelsea.
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891 |
The same 'top ten' phenomena happens here. My son was baptized at the same time as four little girls (they baptize in batches here). All four girls were named Isabelle. When the priest came to Jonathan he said "and I baptize thee Isab.." A lucky, and quick "no, no Jonathan, he's the boy Jonathan" from me saved him from being called Isabelle. I guess it didn’t help that babies all get baptized in these white dresses – boys and girls.
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 85
journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 85 |
And what is the source of your real (or AWAD) name? What does it mean? Why did you choose it? and would you consider it a name for you self, your children, or your grandchildren? My proper name is Alida, which means "noble" in Dutch, "archaic" in German, and "winged" in Latin. It was also the name of an ancient city. I didn't like it as a kid, partially because no one could get it right when saying it, or spelling it. I've gotten Aleta, Alita, Allida, Alisha... and so on. I like it these days, since it is different, even if the mistakes haven't stopped happening. I wish I knew how people got from a meaning to a name, when the spelling isn't even a connection. If anyone knows, I'd like to know too. As for my account name, I found it a couple years ago when browsing Brewers Phrase and Fable for the hell of it. Conveniently, I'd just typed it out for someone else: The Seian Horse - A possession which invariably brought ill luck with it. Hence the Latin proverb "ille home habet equum Seianum". Cneius Seius had an Argive horse of the breed Diomed, of a bay colour and unsurpassing beauty, but it was fatal to its possessor. Seius was put to death by Mark Anthony. Its next owner, Cornelius Dolabella, who bought it for 100,000 sesterces, was killed in Syria during the civil wars. Caius Cassius, who next took possession of it, perished after the battle of Philippi by the very sword which stabbed Caesar. Antony had the horse next, and after the battle of Actium slew himself. Like the gold of Tolosa and Hermione's necklace, the Seian or Sejan horse was a fatal possession. The people were unlucky, but I'd say the horse was about as lucky as they get.  Ali
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460
addict
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addict
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460 |
I've always been fascinated by the name Rose of Sharon (given to a character in John Steinbeck's The grapes of wrath). Is this a common name in the US? And are there any other phrases used for names (excepting hyphenated names, of course)?
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Joined: Dec 2000
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Dec 2000
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In German you can be 'of' someone, so a man I know is, for example called..
Florian von Bechtolsheim
It is offen seen as an honour to have such a name, as it signifies noble heritage [wink at Alida]
von Betts
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