What Does Your Name Mean to You?

Names are a fascinating topic/concept, no matter where you are in the world, your culture, your background or any other kind of identifier, your name will mean something. Your name will mean something to the people around you, to the people that know you and the people that don’t. Your name will mean something to your culture, maybe even your religion. But most importantly, it’ll mean something to you.

Names, by their very nature are incredibly potent. They seep into every facet of your life and into every crack and crevice around you. The are explicitly used in fiction and fantasy to provide impact and meaning. In the real world they very much do the same. Your name can come to symbolise who you are, what you stand for and your beliefs. In some cultures your are named to specifically extoll certain characteristics or traits, you in essence become your name.

The reasons behind the formation of your name, are more often then not fascinating, if not just a little bit interesting. Inquiring into the meaning of my own name for example brought out things I never new about my own family’s relationships and history. Aside from that, the greater context and meaning of your name can provide you with an excellent story or read in and of itself. So I implore you to go out there and seek the meaning of your name, to better understand yourself and to better understand the world!