I’ve been thinking about [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] a lot, and he’s been growing on me so very much… and I could use the perspective of some others who share my faith especially (though anyone is welcome to chime in!).
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In general, I’ve taken a stance on mythological names that I personally am not interested in using them, unless I have an alternate association with the name (for example, [name_f]Iris[/name_f] I would use because my grandmother loved irises!). [name_f][/name_f] I enjoy quite a few mythology names, but probably wouldn’t use them. [name_f][/name_f] For me, it doesn’t make sense to honor a religion I don’t believe in over the [name_m]God[/name_m] I love.
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For years, honestly, I hated [name_m]Atlas[/name_m], but I love traveling, some of my best memories are on adventures here or there with different friends and family—and it’s started taking on this meaning of travel and adventure and family. [name_f][/name_f] I’ve been seriously considering [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] [name_m]Maximilian[/name_m], or something like [name_m]Sampson[/name_m] [name_m]Atlas[/name_m], etc. [name_f][/name_f] Would love to know your thoughts on whether you’d feel comfortable using [name_m]Atlas[/name_m]? [name_f][/name_f] At this point it almost seems more like a word name than a name from mythology, but it would be valuable for me to hear others’ thoughts.
As a Catholic, I completely get what you mean. I’m the exact same way. Given the name’s connection to travel for you, maybe you could use it not for the mythological character, but for the dictionary meaning of “a collection of maps”?
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I would check with your local priest/pastor, but I think as long as you aren’t naming the baby after a dark entity, it should be fine? Especially as a middle name. You could pair it with a Biblical name, too, or something that has a tie to the faith.
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I like to add at least one name with ties to the Bible/saints/titles of the [name_m]Blessed[/name_m] Virgin Mary/etc. (Stellamaris is one of The [name_m]Blessed[/name_m] Virgin’s titles, for example, meaning “star of the sea.” I also like [name_f]Vesper[/name_f] in reference to the evening prayers.) Not that you HAVE to do that, of course, but just giving you some ideas in case doing something like that would help you feel better about using [name_m]Atlas[/name_m]. It’s a handsome name!
I feel the same about most mythological names. For example, I love the look and sound of [name_m]Endymion[/name_m], but just feel like it would be really hard to redeem, because of its very specific ties to just one story.
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I think [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] definitely has more potential, though, especially with your personal associations with it as a word name. It has more than one well-known meaning, and it seems to suit you, so I would say go for it
I can totally get behind your approach, especially with [name_f]Iris[/name_f] (and I think most people would think of the flower first anyway).
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Especially with [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] though, it’s the other way around for me: Being named after a collection of maps is awkward, might as well be named Dictionary or Lexicon. Thinking of it as a name with Millennia of history and ignoring the usage as a word, I actually quite like it – although I still wouldn’t use it.
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I don’t know if this is helpful to you at all. In the end, it matters how you[name_f][/name_f] feel about the name.
We are a Christian family and our daughter’s name is Persephone. We love the sound and the springtime symbolism. I don’t see the mythology as an issue. To me, it’s no different to calling your daughter Aurora because you love fairytales. It’s a made up person in a story. I don’t think you’re being sacrilegious by using names that are featured in mythology.
I’m a [name_m]Christian[/name_m] named [name_f]Diana[/name_f] which, of course, is also the name of the [name_m]Roman[/name_m] [name_f]Goddess[/name_f] of hunting. I do not have any issues myself over mythological names. They are old names from relious beliefs or stories long before Christianity even existed. Of course, if it bothers you don’t use it. But my mother chose [name_f]Diana[/name_f] and she is a [name_m]Christian[/name_m] herself. She liked its meaning. It has nothing to do with anything else. I think a name is a name. I don’t think many people would assume or even think about you honouring another religion or belief system. I really don’t think [name_m]God[/name_m] would be offended in any way either. There are probably millions in [name_f]Heaven[/name_f] who have or had names from mythological sources. Choose the name you love without guilt.
I think you can take a nuanced approach. The way I see it, names are a package deal and most come with a mix of positives, negatives and neutral qualities. You weigh up those qualities according to your values and preferences. It’s a process for both your mind and your heart. If a name is particularly complex or has contrasting qualities, it can take time to see everything clearly.
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I think a name’s beauty sometimes comes from it’s meaning or personal connection, while other times, it’s more about the vibe or imagery. Sometimes it’s simply the sound and form alone. There isn’t an inherent hierarchy of one being better than another, but it can have a layering effect, adding reasons to use a name, or adding fullness to your love of a name.
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I also think it’s worth considering how you may feel sharing your son’s name with others if you did name him [name_m]Atlas[/name_m]. Would you feel any hesitation or reluctance to talk about his name with others who share your faith? Would another name story feel more representative of you and your family? As I’ve said before, our favourite names can reveal different sides to us. [name_m]Atlas[/name_m], as a symbol of your travels and adventuring spirit, doesn’t necessarily need to compete with your faith identity. However, you may find it doesn’t hold the same weight as some of your other choices.
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I think you could put it on your list while you feel it out. It may be that in a year from now, you’ve moved on from [name_m]Atlas[/name_m]. [name_f]Or[/name_f] you may find, given the choice between [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] and a combination more centred on your faith, that [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] loses out. You may find your answer changes when a baby is on the way. So putting it on your list, trying it out, and considering it over time, all seem entirely reasonable since you’re not committing to using [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] right now. Eventually you’ll come to a point when you know if it feels right for you to use.
I share your concerns, and wouldn’t use [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] for the same reasons. I think it was one of the suggestions I made on your post for first names for [name_m]Maximilian[/name_m], and I think it SOUNDS super cool, and I know someone who has used [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] for their son, and I, too, have pleasant associations with atlases and traveling… But if you’re asking if the mythology is something people will think of, and if that would seem confusing to those who know your [name_m]Christian[/name_m] faith to be of deep importance to you, I think those inevitabilities might take it out of the running. At least, it we l would for me.
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Now. I agree with you about [name_f]Iris[/name_f] (I think of it almost purely as a floral name–I learned of the mythology much later). [name_f]Daphne[/name_f], [name_f]Diana[/name_f], Phoebe… all gorgeous, all have mythological associations, but I think they’re so diluted that most Christians wouldn’t think twice about using them. There are Biblical figures with mythological names. [name_f]My[/name_f] point is, there are grey areas here. Maybe [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] will someday be considered a grey area? But I’m not sure it is yet.
[name_m]Adler[/name_m] means “eagle”. Feels adventurous. There are Bible verses mentioning eagles. It sounds very similar to [name_m]Atlas[/name_m]. It’s a name I really like. [name_m]Just[/name_m] thought it was worth mentioning.
As a Greek [name_m]Christian[/name_m], I don’t understand the idea of equating the use of mythological names as somehow betraying your [name_m]God[/name_m] or your belief. Of course everyone is entitled to like and dislike any names they want, but I will be honest that the idea slightly rubs me the wrong way.
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Mythology isn’t worship. It’s a collection of folk stories, with great literary and cultural significance entirely outside of their religious context, and there’s a lot of merit in that. I think you can appreciate and honour the richness of a folk tradition of an ancient religion without sharing its beliefs. So of course I’d feel perfectly comfortable using it, I see nothing un-Christianlike about it! [name_m]Even[/name_m] ignoring the ability to appreciate the folk stories of another culture/religion, I mean, if saints themselves can have Greek mythology names (e.g. [name_m]Saint[/name_m] Dionysius) I don’t see why babies of Chrisrians couldn’t.
I’ve had the same dilemma regarding Atlas, and I’ve only recently felt comfortable adding it to my list. For me, several factors went into to this decision:
Firstly, the name does have associations outside the myth. People would likely think of the map more readily than the deity, which is helpful. Also, a child isn’t guaranteed to share my religious beliefs, so it may not make a difference one way or the other to them when they grow up. Likewise, I don’t conflate naming a child with necessarily believing in the origins of that name. For example, I wouldn’t expect a Holland to automatically have Dutch heritage or even necessarily have a specific connection to the country.
I wouldn’t name a child a name that bears any sort of expectations. Therefore, I wouldn’t allow my own religious beliefs to bar me from a name if I truly loved it. Names should be gifts, not demands, and Atlas would be a beautiful gift of a name.
I’m not [name_m]Christian[/name_m], so take this with that in mind. I love a mythological name, personally, but struggled to get on with [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] despite its slightly ‘Telegraph announcement’ appeal (normally a turn on for me!). I didn’t know why anyone would name a child after a figure who had to carry the literal weight of the world.
[name_f][/name_f][name_f][/name_f][name_f][/name_f]Then last week, I read this poem.[name_f][/name_f]
There is a kind of love called maintenance [name_f][/name_f]Which stores the WD40 and knows when to use it;
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Which checks the insurance, and doesn’t forget [name_f][/name_f]The milkman; which remembers to plant bulbs;
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Which answers letters; which knows the way [name_f][/name_f]The money goes; which deals with dentists
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And Road Fund Tax and meeting trains, [name_f][/name_f]And postcards to the lonely; which upholds
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The permanently rickety elaborate [name_f][/name_f]Structures of living, which is [name_m]Atlas[/name_m].
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And maintenance is the sensible side of love, [name_f][/name_f]Which knows what time and weather are doing [name_f][/name_f]To my brickwork; insulates my faulty wiring; [name_f][/name_f]Laughs at my dryrotten jokes; remembers [name_f][/name_f][name_f]My[/name_f] need for gloss and grouting; which keeps [name_f][/name_f][name_f]My[/name_f] suspect edifice upright in air, [name_f][/name_f]As [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] did the sky.
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UA Fanthorpe, from Safe as Houses[name_f][/name_f] (Peterloo Poets, 1995)
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And I instantly saw a side of it that I loved. [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] as a stalwart supporter, a constant love, a steadfast presence. I don’t think interpreting the myth in that way has to clash with religious values, at all.
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If none of that resonates, I do still think it’s totally valid to use [name_m]Atlas[/name_m] to represent a love of travel!
chef’s kiss