Anselm?

Boy Names
1

I came across this name today and immediately had this wonderful feeling about it. I’ve never had such a reaction to a name before-- it just gave me a sense of goodness and compassion, almost to the point of being sacred/holy. Think warm happy cats, a lion at peace beside the lamb. A medieval monastery in partial ruin, with blue sky taking the place of the elaborate carved ceiling, and (elm!) trees growing up all through the stones.

It was not brand new to me, but I couldn’t place any particularly strong associations, either. I figured I must know the name from literature, and it was causing me to think of a really wonderful character/author- much as I might react to Rumi or Aslan or whatever. A little while later, I’ve done some research, and I’m no closer to understanding [name_m]Anselm[/name_m]. It’s been worn by a pope and a couple of pretty saintly saints, but nothing stands out.

What kind of vibe do you get from [name_m]Anselm[/name_m]? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like it? Know it from anything?

Any MN ideas? I think [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]Anselm[/name_m] is wonderful, but I like [name_m]Anselm[/name_m] so much that I might actually want it to be first. While we’re at it, nickname ideas? I’m not great with NN’s, but I could maybe see [name_u]Seeley[/name_u] (another name, from a Yiddish root meaning blessed, happy; also close to [name_m]Seele[/name_m], the [name_m]German[/name_m] word for soul).

Note: [name_m]Anselm[/name_m] means “with divine protection.” I’m spiritual, but not really particularly religious in the sense of adhering strictly to one church; I’m still thinking about my place in all that. It’s very weird for me to have a reaction like this!

3

I agree. Generally, I’m not a fan of -lm names.

4

I always associate [name_m]Anselm[/name_m] with the [name_m]French[/name_m] song “La ferme du pere [name_m]Anselme[/name_m]”, which is a children’s song similar to “Old [name_m]MacDonald[/name_m]”. It’s not a bad association; in fact, I think it makes the name seem playful. Also, whenever I say this name in English, it makes me think “handsome”, which is a nice thing for a little boy. The first NN that came to mind for me would have been Selmy.

5

@tzolghadr and casilda: I can see that; -elm is a pretty unusual ending for a name, and it doesn’t roll off the tongue so very easily. [name_m]Ansel[/name_m] feels like an unfamiliar name to me, but I googled, and I know the work of [name_m]Ansel[/name_m] [name_m]Adams[/name_m]. Maybe my brain did a funny thing, and that’s where the connection comes from.

Another possibility: this morning I found a story ascribed to [name_m]Saint[/name_m] [name_m]Anselm[/name_m] of Canterbury, wherein he saves a rabbit being chased by some boys. My little bunny just had surgery and has been struggling to recover all week; I keep having dreams about predators and things trying to eat her. [name_m]Just[/name_m] yesterday she started showing improvement for the first time. Maybe I’d read or heard that story before, and it tied into the events so well that I got a very good feeling from [name_m]Anselm[/name_m].

So interesting, the subconscious factors that influence our reaction to names.

@logansmom: Thanks! That does make it feel more kid-friendly :slight_smile: I don’t think anyone around here would know that song, but we live on something of a farm, so it makes me smile.