What influence do names have on their bearers?
While studying Law, there was this course; Introduction to Common Law. It was a course that dwelt on the history of the British Common Law and he principle of Binding Precedents that dominated the English Law. There was one concept that caught my attention and it was the Ejusdem Generis Rule which meant that "A law is defined by the company it keeps" I've always loved this rule because it made me think of the proverb we had back at home that "Birds of the same feather flock together" I've watched people have strange names ranging from Hitler to Judas et al. I've never heard of a Jezebel though.
I've always wondered how names influenced the people unto whom they are bestowed. I contemplated and came to the conclusion that names are like beauty; they are in the hands of the hands of the beholders. Most names are like African Parents' Expectations - you need to live up to them. Only difference is that sometimes, you live up to them unknowingly. And other times, they influence you indirectly.
I've noticed two things. There are two types of people. Those who know what their names mean and those who don't know. For those who know, it leaves them with two options: to live up to the name's meaning or not to. But most of the times, they are forced to live up to their names when they find out what they mean. The second category of people are those who don't know what their names mean and don't live up to them consciously. Some people just live up to the prowess of a name they got without even knowing the meaning of the name or that they are. So I am still wondering if names have a direct influence on their bearers. And yes, I think they do.
The name "Emmanuel" or "Immanuel" means "God with us" and God's attributes are Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent. I'm not saying Emmanuels are all these but what I've noticed with most of them is that they are talented and intelligent. And those who aren't haven't yet discovered the meaning of their names, haven't started their purpose or are just the exceptional cases.
It was only some months beforey aunt died that I discovered that her name Petronella, means "Little Rock" And like her name says, she was the little rock that kept our family together. You could see how her death greatly touched a lot of people. And that's how I knew that some names, though strange, are purpose driven. My aunt's name is Stella and she is the star that illuminates our family. My mother's name is Rose, my aunt's Rosine, my Sister's Flora and like the flowers that they are they bring light to my life and the lives of all those who come near them.
Even in our mother tongues, most names have meanings and purposes. A name definitely defines the child's fate. A name like Conrad means bold counsel. And before I discovered it, I was always giving unsolicited advice to people that did come in handy after all. And after finding out what the name really meant, I thought to myself, "This is my purpose and I shouldn't falter in my duty" It is true that to every rule there is an exception, but mostly, a name has a direct influence on the person bearing it. So next time when naming your child, look up it's meaning and origin. It might influence the child in future directly or indirectly, positively or negatively.
