Your thoughts on meaning!

[name_m]Hi[/name_m] all!!

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about the way I relate to the meaning of names, and I’m really curious about how others feel about this, so I thought I’d make a sort of survey! If anyone has any other thoughts on this, I’d love to hear them!!

  1. When you hear a new name, do you look into the meaning? [name_u]Or[/name_u] do you mostly research the meanings of names you already love?
  2. Is there a name that you love almost only because of its meaning?
  3. Is there a name that you love despite having a meaning you don’t like?
  4. Is there a name that’s taken on a meaning completely different than its etymological meaning because of a connection in your life?
  5. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you prefer names with obvious meanings (like virtue names), or prefer names that for most people won’t have anything tied to them?
  6. Does the meaning of a name have an effect on the energy you get from it (what type of person you could see it on, etc)?
  7. How would meaning play into naming an actual child?

[name_u]Peace[/name_u]!

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  1. When I hear a new name I like, I look up the meaning on Nameberry.
  2. Not really. A good meaning can make a name I like into a name I love, but if I just hate the sound or the association or something, a positive meaning isn’t going to help that.
  3. Lola
  4. I’m sure there is, but I can’t really think of one right now.
  5. I like both of those types of names.
  6. Not really.
  7. I would be much more likely to choose a name with a positive meaning for an actual child.
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  1. Not really! I know the meanings of most of my favorite names but I usually don’t find myself looking up meanings. I’m usually more curious about origin and usage of new names.
  2. Nope!
  3. [name_f]My[/name_f] own name’s meaning isn’t great, but I really love my name! So negative name meanings don’t affect me much
  4. Not that I can think of
  5. Usually I prefer names that don’t have anything clearly tied to them, and I’m generally not a big word name fan - although there are exceptions (I’ve always liked [name_f]Hope[/name_f] and [name_f]Joy[/name_f], for example)
  6. No, I don’t think so
  7. I don’t think it would matter much to me. I do like when a name has a positive meaning, but I don’t think a negative meaning would make me less likely to use a name I love
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  1. Mostly the first. I always do a quick check for the etymological meaning of names plus any associations that are new to me or that I just don’t know (usually on Behind the Name). [name_f]My[/name_f] favourites are mostly relatively straight forward in terms of meaning, so I don’t do much more extensive research (although maybe I should, there are some I’d like to clarify).

  2. Mot the only reason I love it, but I was first drawn to [name_f]Calista[/name_f], because of the meaning.

  3. [name_m]Ptolemy[/name_m]. I hate the meaning (aggressive, warlike), but adore the name so much I can overlook it.

  4. I don’t really think so. I’m lucky that I haven’t come across many people with the names I like haha.

  5. I like straight forward, positive meanings like ‘strong’ or ‘happy’, but not as obvious as virtue names. I prefer the subtlety of a nice sounding name that happens to have an appealing meaning.

  6. Not really. How a name sounds and other associations tend to contribute much more to the vibe of a name for me.

  7. For me the literal meaning of a name is like a really nice bonus that can endear me to a name, but it’s not the deciding factor. A bad meaning alone won’t put me off a name, and a fantastic meaning isn’t enough to make me love a name, if I dislike other elements. I also don’t think the literal meaning of a name will inherently influence a person’s character. The main reason I really enjoy the meanings of names is that it was a factor in how I was named, and I love the sentiment behind it. I did not in fact grow up to be a beautiful princess, but that’s how my parents saw me, and I’ll hold that forever in my name. It’s about the thought that went into it. The meaning behind the meaning, if that makes sense :sweat_smile:.

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I am a dedicated name nerd and if I don’t know the meaning of a name I come across I will look it up.
I have been in love with the name [name_f]Hepzibah[/name_f] for years because of its meaning ‘My [name_u]Delight[/name_u] is in Her’. I doubt if I would like the name otherwise. But I think the meaning is so beautiful it is very high up on my list of favourite names.
I love [name_f]Rachael[/name_f], but am not so keen on the meaning of ‘ewe’ or ‘female sheep’.
[name_f]Molly[/name_f] was my late Nan’s name and one of its suggested meanings is ‘bitter’, but for me the name conjurs up images of a kind and very generous lady.
I do prefer names with positive meanings. I think that is because I am a name nerd and will always find out what a name means.
I don’t tend to imagine what a person with the name might be like, though.
Meaning is highly important to me, and so I would pay particular attention to it when naming a child, or even a pet!

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When you hear a new name, do you look into the meaning? [name_u]Or[/name_u] do you mostly research the meanings of names you already love?

Yes, I always like to do a bit of research into a new name/new love, and finding out the meaning is part of that :slight_smile:

Is there a name that you love almost only because of its meaning?

I’m not sure - I think I have to love the sound too tbh

Is there a name that you love despite having a meaning you don’t like?

I love [name_f]Saskia[/name_f], but find ‘Saxon’ less appealing as a meaning - same with [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] - ‘blind’. There are probably others that I can’t think of right now.

Is there a name that’s taken on a meaning completely different than its etymological meaning because of a connection in your life?

Not that I can think of

Do you prefer names with obvious meanings (like virtue names), or prefer names that for most people won’t have anything tied to them?

I think the latter normally - like having something to discover when you research the name? But then there are plenty of words names I like too

Does the meaning of a name have an effect on the energy you get from it (what type of person you could see it on, etc)?

Sometimes - like the joyful meanings of [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] and [name_m]Isaac[/name_m] definitely influence how I see them

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When you hear a new name, do you look into the meaning? [name_u]Or[/name_u] do you mostly research the meanings of names you already love?

I always look up the meaning of a new name, together with it’s origin (if I’m not sure)

Is there a name that you love almost only because of its meaning?

[name_u]Gefen[/name_u] would fall into this category. I don’t hate the sound of it, of course, but the meaning and imagery are the only things I actually love about this name. And also [name_f]Hrafntinna[/name_f].

Is there a name that you love despite having a meaning you don’t like?

For some reason I love the sound and look of [name_f]Obedience[/name_f].

Is there a name that’s taken on a meaning completely different than its etymological meaning because of a connection in your life?

I don’t think so?

[name_f]Do[/name_f] you prefer names with obvious meanings (like virtue names), or prefer names that for most people won’t have anything tied to them?

I have a soft spot for virtue names and Icelandic nature / word names, but I also love names with a less obvious meaning.

Does the meaning of a name have an effect on the energy you get from it (what type of person you could see it on, etc)?

Not really, except in some obvious cases like [name_f]Joy[/name_f] or [name_u]Simcha[/name_u].

How would meaning play into naming an actual child?

When naming my children, personal significance has always been more important to me than literal meaning. We did take it into consideration, of course. And often the personal significance was tied to the meaning.

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  1. When i hear/see a new name, the first thing i do is find the meaning!

  2. I love the name [name_f]Eilonwy[/name_f], especially for its meaning. [name_u]River[/name_u] melody is just dreamy.

  3. I think [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] is gorgeous but it’s a shame that it means blind.

  4. I actually haven’t really thought about this! Everyone that is close to me, their names mean something special and i have a different connection to their names that just the meaning!

  5. I usually prefer names where most people would not know the meaning just by hearing it. However i do speak Latin, so most Latin names have obvious meanings to me. I know some Greek too, so it’s the same for some Greek names.

  6. Yes definitely. Names like [name_f]Reverie[/name_f], [name_f]Fauna[/name_f] and [name_u]Aubrey[/name_u] all feel whimsical and warm to hear. On the other hand, names like [name_f]Ottoline[/name_f], [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] and [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] all feel steady and grounded.

  7. Meanings of names mean a lot to me, i would love to honour someone close to me by using a name with the same meaning as theirs. I also love names that relate to nature as i feel very connected with it. Meaning isn’t everything but for me it plays a big part✨

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  1. When you hear a new name, do you look into the meaning? [name_u]Or[/name_u] do you mostly research the meanings of names you already love?

I find names I like first, then I look at the meaning. If it’s a negative meaning, I’d pause to consider the name again, but mostly names I like are based on their sound. A positive meaning could also push that name from being a like, to a love.

  1. Is there a name that you love almost only because of its meaning?

[name_f]Apricity[/name_f]

  1. Is there a name that you love despite having a meaning you don’t like?

[name_f]Lilith[/name_f]

  1. Is there a name that’s taken on a meaning completely different than its etymological meaning because of a connection in your life?

I don’t think so?

  1. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you prefer names with obvious meanings (like virtue names), or prefer names that for most people won’t have anything tied to them?

This is mood dependent. Sometimes I like doing the research and other times I like an obvious meaning.

  1. Does the meaning of a name have an effect on the energy you get from it (what type of person you could see it on, etc)?

No, I think this is based on how the name sounds and people I’ve met with those names.

  1. How would meaning play into naming an actual child?

I would avoid a negative meaning, but other than that the meaning doesn’t really come into play for me.

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When you hear a new name, do you look into the meaning? [name_u]Or[/name_u] do you mostly research the meanings of names you already love?

Yes, I’ll try to find out the meaning of a name that’s new-to-me most of the time. Some names I’ve loved since pre-internet-in-my-hand I don’t know the meaning of!

Is there a name that you love almost only because of its meaning?

Yes! I never liked [name_u]Maxwell[/name_u], but since I learned it’s lovely nature meaning I’ve been really fond of it! [name_u]River[/name_u] associations are my favourite type of meanings, so [name_u]Maxwell[/name_u] became pretty much instantly loved when I learned!

Is there a name that you love despite having a meaning you don’t like?

[name_m]Plenty[/name_m]! [name_u]Gideon[/name_u], [name_f]Claudia[/name_f], [name_u]Courtney[/name_u], [name_m]Casimir[/name_m], [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] for example. As I am not naming any more children, I’ll blithely disregard a meaning if I otherwise like the name.

Is there a name that’s taken on a meaning completely different than its etymological meaning because of a connection in your life?

[name_u]River[/name_u] symbolism means a lot to me, so it’s importance goes beyond the literal. [name_u]River[/name_u], [name_m]Dacre[/name_m], [name_u]Beck[/name_u], [name_f]Rilla[/name_f], [name_u]Brooks[/name_u], [name_u]Douglas[/name_u], [name_m]Irving[/name_m] and the aforementioned [name_u]Maxwell[/name_u] are all super special. Also please see how a name came to mean gift to me in the tab below!

[name_f]Do[/name_f] you prefer names with obvious meanings (like virtue names), or prefer names that for most people won’t have anything tied to them?

It’s not a blanket preference but when I love a word name, I reeeeeally love a word name! E.g. [name_f]Faith[/name_f] (although I am not religious so I suppose meanings are always interpreted individually), [name_u]Peace[/name_u], [name_f]Hope[/name_f], [name_u]Starry[/name_u], [name_f]Amethyst[/name_f].

Does the meaning of a name have an effect on the energy you get from it (what type of person you could see it on, etc)?

Hmm, absolutely yes with word names and some particularly shiny meanings, such as [name_m]Isaac[/name_m]. Generally though, I think I’m good at seeing most names on most people and I don’t think a name is a personality predictor - life is too complex for that!

How would meaning play into naming an actual child?
I have named one child and this is how it went ~

putting this under a tab because of length!

I was looking at meanings on name websites. This was just over 20 years ago, I seem to remember being on babycentre.co.uk a lot! But I saw the name [name_u]Beck[/name_u] in the credits of a TV show. [name_f]My[/name_f] partner at the time immediately knew that this was the word for a little stream as it’s used in Northern [name_u]England[/name_u] where he was from. There are a loooot of place names here that contain ‘beck’. I liked the sound, but I adored the meaning. [name_u]Rivers[/name_u] have always been part of feelings of happiness, safety, solace and a sense of being connected to the planet/universe/something bigger than myself and my own little portion of experience.

Middle names were very differently chosen! I asked my two best friends to each give my son a middle name. One chose [name_u]Aidan[/name_u], which they gave me along with the meaning of ‘gift of God’ - more on that in a minute!! - and I didn’t mind the religious connection at all because, although I am not religious it is part of my culture. I was brought up in an evangelical christian household and using a name with a religious meaning felt as natural as participating in [name_u]Christmas[/name_u]. I hope that makes some sense.

I don’t need to tell the Berries that [name_u]Aidan[/name_u] does not mean gift of god! The fiery meaning is fairly at odds with [name_u]Beck[/name_u] :laughing: (Aden has religious connections via [name_u]Eden[/name_u], [name_u]Ayden[/name_u], [name_u]Adin[/name_u] and more!)

Anyway, the name [name_u]Aidan[/name_u] was a gift from my friend and [name_u]Beck[/name_u] is a gift to me so this meaning has stuck.

[name_f]My[/name_f] other friend chose another religious name, with a genuinely biblical meaning this time, although that wasn’t part of her decision in choosing it. I always forget the exact meaning! I feel like a terrible [name_u]Berry[/name_u] admitting that! Like, don’t delete my account :scream: :smile:

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• I will definitely research meaning when I come across a new favourite!
• I’d probably still love [name_f]Amy[/name_f] because of the best [name_m]Little[/name_m] Women sister, but the fact that she means ‘beloved’ really gives her the edge!
• [name_f]My[/name_f] adored Cecilia…
• I have a lot of Catholics in my life so I connect [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] to the patron saint of music more than to anything else.
• Funnily enough nope!
• Meaning is a factor I would consider (the negative meaning of my own name is something that has often irritated me) but I would use a name I really adored (Cecilia) despite a negative meaning. I would feel a little strange about giving my child a name with a very religious meaning in case they grew up to be an atheist? It’s the only reason I’d hesitate to use [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] or [name_f]Grace[/name_f].

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  1. I think I care less about meaning than the majority of name nerds. I actually could not tell you the meanings of many of my favorite names, aside from the ones that are word names or have a very obvious etymology like [name_u]Quentin[/name_u]. I’m sometimes interested in name meanings out of curiosity and find it interesting if a name has a really unique etymology or origin, but it doesn’t factor much into my personal preference. So I might look it up especially if I’m curious about the origin, but in general it’s not something I focus on.

  2. No.

  3. Can’t think of any. None of the names I really like have a negative meaning as far as I am aware, though again I don’t know all the meanings of the names I like.

  4. [name_f]Pretty[/name_f] much every name! I care a lot more about context than literal meaning and a name’s history and associations are much more relevant to me.

  5. I do like a lot of word names, and generally the imagery associated with that word is part of the appeal of the name, but I also like a lot of names that wouldn’t have an obvious meaning to the average person. So I would say no preference.

  6. No, not really, except maybe for some word names. But even then, I’m not sure I would expect anything in particular from a [name_f]Violet[/name_f] or a [name_f]Faith[/name_f], either.

  7. For me, not much. (Of course, there are many different types of “meaning” aside from etymology, but this question is about etymological meaning, which I find largely irrelevant aside from word names).

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  1. When I hear a new name, I’ll sometimes look it up to get info on the origin or prn. I’ll find the meaning from there. I don’t specifically look for meanings unless it’s a crush. I mostly find the meaning of a name when I start loving it (If i find a name on nb and love it I also find the meaning)

  2. I don’t love names just because of its meaning. If a name has a lovely meaning, but a horrible sound, it’s a no.

  3. Emily’s meaning isn’t the nicest meaning, but the name is cute and doesn’t put me off. I don’t know any other names with negitive meanings (i forget the meaning shortly after learning it). If a name has a really bad meaning, it could put me off.

  4. No.

  5. I prefer the latter. [name_u]Honor[/name_u] names have a lot of expectancies and if the child doesn’t live up to it, it could be seen as ironic (Beloved being the most hated person in her town).

  6. I’m not sure how to say this. Mostly the vibes come from how the name sounds, but if the vibes aren’t strong, meanings can help. Some meanings have stronger vibes than others. Place names don’t have vibes relating to the place, and meanings relating to plants also mean nothing, as well as skintone/hair colours (In my opinion [name_f]Ebony[/name_f] is very bright as a name). The origin of a name has more influence than the meaning.

  7. I’m not naming children so I’ll go by other opinions. Some prefer to balance out bad meanings with something else that makes it positive (Rival+war=Rival of war meaning [name_u]Peace[/name_u], if I’m right).

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The first thing I do is look into the meaning!

I fall in love with names because of their sound more than anything else. I can’t think of one that I love just because of the meaning, but I don’t think I would like the name Akim nearly as much if it didn’t have a lot of family significance for me.

My own name, Christine! I chose it for myself and have mixed feelings about the meaning. I’m not a Christian and I don’t mind that the meaning doesn’t apply to me (and I do come from a Catholic background) but I get a lot of jokes that have to do with my name having an obvious religious connotation.

Almost all of the names on my list! (And I know we can say the same thing about some of our shared favorites!)

The name that first comes to mind for me is Afanasi, which used to be a name I thought sounded pretty in a “Russian names for boys” list, then became a nod to my great-grandparents’ love story through a Pushkin character, then became a nod to my own relationship when my partner gave me a story collection with a character named Afanasi on the day we met!

I prefer names with less obvious meanings, but an obvious meaning wouldn’t make me rule out a favorite name.

Yes, definitely!

I don’t plan to name any actual children, but if I did, I would probably use a naming custom where the first name is chosen by the parents and the subsequent names go down the patrilineal line—think “Joseph Jacob John” has a father named Jacob whose father is John. It would be important for me to choose a first name that has significance in my family, so that both sides are represented in the full name.

If I didn’t use this custom, I’d want a combo that had personal, family, and cultural significance for both parents. I wouldn’t take literal meaning into account, but a combo with a great combined meaning is always a bonus. I really like my combo Afanasi Umar—super literary and means “immortal life” !

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  1. When I come across a name, for example here on nameberry, that I’ve never heard before, I usually look it up and in doing so, find out the meaning. I don’t tend to look up names I already know and love.

  2. No, not really.

  3. I like [name_m]Phineas[/name_m], but when I originally looked up the meaning and saw it meant “mouth of the snake” I was a bit put off! But looking it up now, that meaning is contested.

  4. No

  5. I don’t tend to think too much about meanings (to the extent that I keep forgetting what my son’s name means). The name itself is more important.

  6. No

  7. Not a lot (see no. 5 above!)

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