Ramblings: First Names

I'll put you on the spot. If you were to name a child, what name would you choose and why?

As I walked up to the cashier today at Papa Murphy's, I noticed her name tag. At first, I thought it said 'Dreamer'. Then, 'December'. But no, it was 'Deamber'. So, do you say that Dee Amber? Or Deem Bur? Or Deemer (silent 'b')? I didn't ask. But it did get me to thinking... Why do people choose the names they choose?

Time for Wikipedia... Up first, Romeo and Juliet. Say it with me now: 'What's in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.' Did that help? Well, I think it means that names refer to people but can't particularly describe them. Good segue...

Bertrand Russell. Oh dear. Names can (1) describe and/or (2) refer. Well, that's not so bad. Russell said that names really should be used as reference only, but he admitted that English intertwines the reference and description too often. Let us take an example. Johnson. Son of John. Description of the fact that the person is the son of some person named John. And yet the name itself refers to that person named Johnson. Okay, okay... too much. I'll move on.

Then there was this guy named Kripke. He said something of import about the issue. And if you want to now what, I suggest reading the Wikipedia article about names. I think we have enough of a start.

So names can describe or refer. Good to know. What would you want a name to do? If you subscribe to Russell's theory, you should choose a name you like, a name that will refer to another without describing that person. Halnos. Qipterene. Vorox. Good, solid non-descriptive names. Problem: as soon as Halnos starts for the Oklahoma City Thunder and wins his first dunk contest, there'll be a Halnos dunk. Followed by the Halnos line of shoes and underwear and flying cars. Then all sorts of moms and dads will want their kids' names to be Halnos. Then you have Halnos Johnson and Halnos Smith and Halnos McCreedy and Halnos Gutierrez. The name thus becomes referential but also descriptive. I called him Halnos because of the guy on the Thunder. Did you see how he dunks? So, the kid named Halnos now has a reference name but also a name described as the same as that of a great slam dunker. Maybe this kid Halnos will be a great slam dunker too. Those are big shoes to fill... literally and figuratively.

And yet that's what most of the world's people do. They describe another human being with a given name. In Ghana, many of the children receive their first name based on the day on which they were born. Kofi Annan. Born on a Friday. And thus Kofi. In Jewish tradition, children are named for those who have died. If they are named for someone who's alive, it is said the angel of death might make a mistake and take the younger rather than the older. Freaky. Even 50 Cent. Yes, it really means something. Curtis James Jackson III took the name as a metaphor for change. 'The name was derived from Kelvin Martin, a 1980s Brooklyn robber known as "50 Cent". Jackson chose the name "because it says everything I want it to say. I'm the same kind of person 50 Cent was. I provide for myself by any means".' (50 Cent, Wikipedia)

So what of it, readers? What do you choose? Do you go with Russell and stick with the likes of Beezenarl and Deamber or do you go with the flow and choose Muhammad, Rachel, or Pedro? A tough choice.

I, for one, have names chosen. Gabriel Joseph - a powerful archangel and the father of Christ (as well as my partner's name). And Jada Nicole - because I like 'em. One of each. Now you choose.