“What’s in a name?”

In this famous quote from Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet,” Juliet argues that a person’s name is not nearly as important as whom the person really is on the inside. While that is true, attempting to choose a name for a baby is a difficult task. There are many things to consider, such as popularity, origin, pronunciation, and family history, but one of the most important factors is its meaning. You can browse our website with more than 40000 name meanings to not only find a name for your baby but also find out the meaning of your own name, its origin, popularity, famous bearers, where it is used worldwide, countries and languages of use and other additional information.

Names and different Name Meanings

Even if parents choose a name simply because they like it, or because it is popular, at some point, their child will probably wonder, “What does my name mean?” Suppose a girl is given the name Delilah. It is not the most common name, but it sounds rather pretty. Imagine the day she tries to look up the meaning of her name. Depending on what source she uses, she will find out that it means poor, weak, languishing, or a flirt. Obviously, that could be rather discouraging to a young girl, but some other sources say that it means delicate or desirable. How can one name have such different, almost opposite meanings? This apparent contradiction occurs because names often evolve from different languages and mean different things depending on the country or region from which it originated.

Helga is an excellent example of how a name can mean different things throughout history. When most people in the United States of America hear this name today, they probably think if it in terms of Chris Browne’s comic strip “Hagar the Horrible,” so the meaning of the name Helga must be domineering, nagging, and ugly, right? That may be true today, but in the past it had nobler meanings in other countries. In Germany, it meant sacred or holy, and in Scandinavian countries, it meant prosperous or successful. This is just one example of how a name’s meaning may change throughout history.

Why we search for meaning in names ?

Names with diverse meanings in different countries

Names also have various meanings in different countries today. For instance, the name Oliver has Latin roots and means “olive tree.” That could be a good strong name for a young boy, but the name also has English roots with a very different meaning. Having a name that means “elf army” could result in a lot of unwanted teasing for a boy named Oliver.

Teasing is just one of the reasons that expecting parents should consider the meaning of their child’s name. The child will be stuck with that name forever, so it will be important to know why it was chosen. While having a name with a terrible meaning behind it does not mean that a child will be doomed to a life of misery, he or she will probably wonder where it came from in the first place. There are many things parents should notice before choosing a name and the truth is that all the parents want to find the perfect name for their baby.

Unique Name Meanings

In the past few years, there has been a growing trend of giving children unique and original names. While it can be special for a child to have a unique name, it must be tempered with a little bit of common sense. It may be exciting to have a name that is one-of-a-kind for a while, but it will become an annoyance if most people struggle pronouncing it, much less spelling it. Another common way of naming children, not exactly a trend since it has been around for centuries, is naming them after someone special, particularly parents or grandparents. This can be a great way to connect generations and deepen the meaning of a name in a particular family context. In most cases it is always nice to honor your ancestors by passing the name to the future generations unless it’s a name you hate or it has an awful meaning.

Celebrity Names Meanings

Of course, everyone is always interested in what names celebrity couples will choose for their children. Some seem to stay fairly conservative in their choice of names. Names like Rebecca and John sound pretty common to the average person. Other celebrities are a little more adventurous and pick names that one does not hear as much anymore. Older names like Evelyn (daughter of Bruce Willis and Emma Heming-Willis) have gained some popularity because of their new usage. Then there are the ones that no one can really make sense of, like Blue Ivy (daughter of Beyonce and Jay-Z). There must be some meaning behind it, but no one seems to know for sure what it is.

How does one answer Juliet’s question, “What’s in a name?” Obviously, an individual’s character is more important than his or her name, but names do have significance. So before choosing any name, consider the meaning carried with that name. Make sure you choose a name wisely and love it for the right meaning of it, or the personal meaning of the name to you.

With more than 40000 of boy and girl names, complete with name meanings, origins, popularity and additional information, you will find the perfect name and meaning. We also have categories of names for a more specific search or you can just read our other articles about baby names and parenting tips.

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