What’s in a name ?

The ceremonial naming of a child and welcoming into a family is firmly entrenched in cultures old and new. A name often defines who you are. It links the child with its family and their cultural background, symbolically affirming the child’s arrival as a valued addition to the family and, also society.

“A name is about the most personal thing you can give a child. It is worth thinking about what the name should be. One day, you can be sure that your child will ask you why you chose it.”    - Emily Wood

I have used this verse and quote many times and it is more important today than ever before as we prepare as a family for the arrival of our first granddaughter, now more than ever it is very personal. The process for naming this child has been highlighted by the vast choices of names and meanings of names. My daughter and son in law have decided that their daughters name is of vast importance and should not only sound right but have meaning or basis in folklore or mythology. At present there are several names on the table, my personal favourite is Nakita, who was the Greek Goddess of Victory or Bridget meaning power, strength and virtue, and in mythology was the goddess of fire, wisdom and poetry. Come December we will know their final decision - so excited to welcome the new addition.

All this talk of naming a child got me thinking about my own name, so I rang my father and asked him why I had been named Bronwyn. His answer was simple- because your mother and I liked it, and he said with some hesitation, to save you from being called Henrietta or Wilhelmina as your grandmothers would have chosen! My maternal grandfather had decided for short he would nickname me Wynnie as a shortened version of Bronwyn but my parents were having none of that, they informed the family that my nic name would be Ronnie, and Ronnie it is to this day. All these years of wondering about my name finally solved with one phone call!

So what are the stories of your naming or that of your children’s or your children’s children ? It could make for an interesting family conversation! These conversations create the basis for the folklore of your family and the stories you hand down to your children and granchildren. They are the conversations spoken with love and laughter at time ( I’m thanking my parents right now that they didn’t allow my grandmothers to name me) over cake, coffee and tea when the family has gathered.