The meaning of the name really matters to me. I keep finding names I love but don’t love the meaning. [name]How[/name] much do you take that into consideration? Did you find I name you loved but hated the meaning?
I’m with you. Meaning is essential to me.
Most people won’t negate a name simply because of its meaning, but I’m one of the few that will.
If the meaning is just kind of neutral it doesn’t bother me, but I will pick a name with a strong positive meaning over one with a so-so meaning any day.
The one way that I can bypass a meaning I dislike is if the name has some other significance to me, like family names. [name]Calvin[/name] is a family name that has a horrible meaning, but I would consider using it as a middle because it’s my father-in-law’s name.
I’m more about the history behind the name vs the actual meaning of a name. Fro instance, [name]Geoffrey[/name] - [name]Love[/name] that it’s related to [name]Chaucer[/name]. [name]Do[/name] I care that it means “pledge of peace?” Doesn’t really faze me.
That’s not to say there aren’t some names that are a big no-no for me. Anything related to the Devil turns my stomach. Also names like [name]Coco[/name], that means vagina for instance in another language.
I also I have mixed feelings about naming a baby after someone that is still alive vs. dead family members. Also, someone from another posting mentioned that in some cultures that it’s not wise to name someone after someone who is still alive b/c death might confuse the wrong family member, and take the child.
Basically choosing a name is about choosing something that you and your partner [name]LOVE[/name] since you will be saying numerous times a day for the rest of your life. Also, you want a name that is not going to hinder their future, you want them to have every opportunity to prosper. 
I hope that helps!!
P.S. Something else to take into account is the literal versus the social meaning.
Ex.
[name]Adolph[/name] means “[name]Noble[/name] wolf,” but no one in their right might would use it due to the social context.
Or
[name]Paris[/name] – great place name, wonderful literary history, but probably tainted for a few years at least by the socialite association.
Adds a whole new level of complication to the discussion of meaning doesn’t it!
[name]How[/name] much does meaning matter to me? Hmm… it’s fairly important, but the names that I’ll choose won’t depend completely on it. For example, I like [name]Claudia[/name], but the definition, “lame”? Not so much. Meanwhile, I think that “victorious” is a great meaning, but it won’t make me like the name [name]Eunice[/name]. Ironically, my screen name means “blind”… If I had to choose between two names that I loved, I’d pick the one with the better meaning, so if [name]Beatrix[/name] (“she who brings happiness”) and [name]Penelope[/name] (“duck”) were against each other, I’d choose [name]Beatrix[/name].
Have I found a name I loved with a meaning I hated? Not exactly… The closest example that I can think of is [name]Lilith[/name]. I do like the sound, but the associations and the meaning, “ghost, night monster”, make it entirely unusable for me.
I agree, if a name has a bad meaning but personal significance, I’ll be okay with it. “Bitter” isn’t the best definition, but I have nothing but positive associations with with all the Marias, [name]Maries[/name], and [name]Marys[/name] I know (then again, that isn’t the best example; [name]Maria[/name]/[name]Marie[/name]/[name]Mary[/name]'s meaning is still debated…).
You should do a lot of research before you discount the meaning of a name.
For example, [name]Beatrice[/name] and [name]Penelope[/name] were mentioned. According to behind the name.com
[name]Beatrix[/name]: Probably from Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name Viator which meant “voyager, traveller”. It was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin beatus “blessed”.
[name]Penelope[/name]: Possibly derived from Greek ??? (penelops), a type of duck. Alternatively it could be related to ??? (pene) “threads, weft”.
You also have to take into account that similar names in different cultures have very different meanings. My daughter is [name]Lea[/name], which is usually considered a form of [name]Leah[/name], “weary” but in Hawaiian there’s a goddess [name]Lea[/name], who taught men to make the first canoes, and it can also be a feminization of "lion’. [name]Do[/name] your own research - don’t always believe what every name book tells you!
Sorry! The only research I did was on Nameberry… (If it matters at all, I still kind of prefer [name]Beatrix[/name]'s meaning…) 
I don’t worry about the meanings unless it is one I particularly find unflatering…[name]Portia[/name] is a lovely name but it can mean pig/hog so I had to rule it out. On the other hand I’m willing to overlook a name not flowing perfectly if the meaning is important to me.
Meaning is important to me. I love love love the name [name]Elsa[/name] but won’t be using it because its meaning is too religious for us.
Well, after liking “[name]Michael[/name]” for rather a long time I got around to cheching the meaning (literally a few minutes ago) and I’m slightly disstressed to find it means “who is like god”, since I’m not particularly religious.
Does that put me off the name? no, it doesn’t.
[name]Even[/name] if there might once have been meaning to the name I think we have progressed so far that we shouldn’t worry about it.
Yes, you might not want to call your son something with the meaning"Antichrist", but most of those meanings are outdated.
That being said, it’s nice to have a name with a beautiful meaning, but it’s not the meaning you’re known for, it’s the actual name.