That’s Not My Name!

　　Do you know the meaning of your name? Do you think you have the characteristics of what your name means? For example, the name Arthur means "noble" and "courageous". One meaning of Michael is "humble". Some names are self-explanatory like Joy, Leaf, King, Violet, Dawn and Sunny, whereas other names have meanings that are not so obvious. Did you know that Ryan means "little king"? Did you know that Andrew means"brave" and "manly"? Phoebe is the name of a Greek moon goddess which means "the shining one". Wayne means "craftsman" or "wagon driver". Kiko comes from Japanese origins and can mean "be glad","cute","rejoicing child" or "hope". Crystal, as a name for a child, was originally used in Greece and it can mean "like glass","clear" or "chosen one".

　　Many names have nicknames. Nicknames of Stephanie are Stef, Steffie and Stevie which all mean "crowned in victory". Vivi is a nickname of Vivian; both mean "lively". Some nicknames that are easy to see for Elizabeth are Liz, Eliza, Beth, Betty, Liza and Lizzy while others are not so forthcoming like Libby, Izzy, Elsie and Birdie. But all of these names for Elizabeth have the root meaning of "My God is plentiful" and "consecrated to God". Edward, which means "wealthy guardian", has the nicknames of Ed, Ted, Eddy, Ward, Ned and Neddy.

　　Some names have changed over time but they still have the same original meaning. John means "God has been gracious". Jack has the same meaning of John. Why? Well, John became Johnkin which became Jankin which was followed by Jackin and finally is now Jack.

　　A name can be popular in many languages. For example Lucy in English, which means "light", is spelled Lucyna in Polish, Lucia in Spanish, Lucianna in Italian and Lucille in French. Some names are even borrowed from good words in the language itself. For example, if you want to call someone beautiful in Spanish you can call them linda! Maybe you know the meaning of your name and that is why you chose it. Maybe you like the way that your name sounds. Maybe you even chose your English name because it sounds like your Chinese name. Regardless of the reason that you chose your name, have a look online to see what your name means. Try this website:http://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/search/

　　The names given to us by our parents are usually full of hope and aspirations for our future. In life, our friends or our peers can try to give us negative or discouraging labels like "Stupid" or "Lazy". Do you deserve that label? Or can you say, "That's not my name!"

　　This article was inspired by the song I hear every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 10:28 am for morning exercises called, "That's Not My Name." This song was written by the British duo called The Ting Tings which was released on 28 May 2007.