Friday, August 22, 2008

On the topic of names:

I named Dustin as a fluke. I was young, 19, and wanted something a bit different but that I wouldn't have to spell out for people (grow up as Marie Suzanne Breton and that will be well appreciated). Bill named Brian, and I couldn't talk him into anything else. But by the time Brian was 2 years old, and Dustin was 4, Dustin came home from preschool with a paper, "Where did your name come from?"

I begged Mother Google for help, and she came through.

Dustin: of German origin, it means a valiant fighter. One thing Dustin is proving to be is valiant, and one who will speak up for what his beliefs are.

Brian: Celtic meaning is Hill, Noble or ascending. But I prefer the Welsh meaning, STRONG. Have you met my son? It FITS!

I was pregnant at the time, and scoured the baby websites to make sure my name of choice had a good meaning. Success!

Michael: Hebrew origin, meaning who resembles God, or who is like God. You can't get a much more tender and sweet boy as him.

Bill's turn to name the last one, and while I refused to commit at first (it sounded SO Saved by the Bell), one look at the baby name sights and I was converted.

Zachary: the only one that is a derivation, from the Hebrew Zachariah. It means God remembered. Yeah. The reason these old, decrepit parents ventured into the Baby business this one last time is because God told us too. And lo and behold, every time we look in his sweet face, God is remembered!

And for kicks, let's look at Mom and Dad, shall we?

William: The German it means determined guardian, or Resolute protector, in French it means determined protector. My husband is nothing if not a protector.

Marie: French derived from the Hebrew name Mary, which means bitter, or "sea of bitterness".

Hm.

I always thought it meant mother. Which would have fit and sounded nicer, 'cuz I try to mother the whole darn world.

But, yeah, bitter is a nail on the head too, I suppose. Although my parent's felt they should name me after my great-grandmother, I don't think they looked up the meaning. But I'm not bitter...

...uh, yeah.

3 comments:

Nicki said...

I love it! I laughed so hard I cried. Now I'd better go pee too.

Anonymous said...

What great-grandmother were you named after? News to me! We did not look up the meaning of your name. Your father and I could not agree on a name (we were expecting a boy and had only boy names picked out - back in the dark ages before they told you ahead of time what the sex of the baby was) and they wouldn't let us take you home from the hospital (less than 24 hours old) without a name. We struggled (metaphorically, not physically) both liked Marie, it has a nice ring to it and is not common for a first name - Voila, you were named! I don't think you have a bitter bone in your body. Now that I think about it, maybe it should have been MY name. Love you. Mom
P.S. re the previous post - I counted, you were within the word limit - nice poem.

Trooper Thorn said...

And what's with all the Braydon's and Tiffany's? If it's not in the Bible, it's not a name!