Mythogem # 1 - What’s In a Name?: The Power In Your Name

We identify ourselves by our names. When asked, “Who are you?” around the globe we automatically respond with our names as if that says it all. Indeed it does, as in each and every culture, our name gives others an impression of who we are, whether on a conscious or subconscious level. Our name is supposed to convey the message of completeness. It is as if when someone knows our names, they should know us. No one answers the question of ‘Who are you?’ by describing the characteristics that define self, or by stating how he or she thinks or feels. However, that is exactly what is hidden and can be revealed in our individual names.

— Sharón Lynn Wyeth, Author of Know the Name; Know the Person

Image courtesy of http://www.openplay.co.uk.

For this journal entry take the time to research and investigate the origin and meaning (etymology) of your name: What does your name mean, and what does that mean to/for you?

→    http://dictionary.reference.com/

→    http://www.etymonline.com/index.php

→    http://www.behindthename.com/

For instance, might you be able to narrate a short story about how your name reveals who you are, or share the story behind your naming?

Dream reader, Ariadne Green provides an insightful example of what this genre of expository narrative might look like: http://www.keen.com/documents/works/articles/spiritual/the-power-of-your-name.asp.

Even, beyond these factors, what has your name come to mean personally as a symbol of you? In the end, how will you make a name for yourself, and find yourself within your name?

Furthermore, as a result of magical thinking, “[c]hildren learn to associate their names with themselves and identify themselves by name. Thus we are our names”—an association we maintain throughout adulthood (“What Does My Name Mean? The real Power in a name”).

In addition, Ariadne Green provides a critical, cultural commentary regarding the meaning behind names:

I usually make it a point to ask each person I meet what their name means. Nine times out of ten, they give a clueless look and say something like, “Well, I don’t know.” Another common response is, “I read the meaning once, but I can’t remember it.” For most in this culture their name holds no power, no meaning and no value. (Green)

This reveals an important challenge for us to re-embrace the meaning of our name so that it once again regains power, meaning, and value. On the other hand, “[i]n some old cultures, you were given a child-name at birth, then later received your adult name when you were old enough” (Niizato). This mythical ritual, thus, acknowledges the transformation of one’s spirit with one’s name—a change in fate or destiny—such as with the biblical examples of Abram to Abraham, Simon to Peter, or Saul to Paul. To speak more literally, “[w]ords have the power we give them, without us to decipher and use the names they have no power. The same is true of the mystical languages, the only power they have is the power we give” (“Understanding the power of names – Excommunicate.Net”). Yet whether or not we believe that we give our names power or that our names already carry power, our names tell a story.

Additional Quotes for Reflection:

Words have meaning and names have power.

— Author Unknown

An object encounters its image, an object encounters its name. It may be that the image and the name of the object encounter each other.

— Rene Magritte, from “Words and Images”

The name is the thing, and the true name is the true thing. To speak the name is to control the thing.

— Ursula K. Le Guin, from the The Rule of Names

Source(s):

Green, Ariadne. “The Power of Your Name.” The Power of Your Name. Keen.com, 12 Oct. 2010. Web. 14 Sept. 2013.

Niizato, Hiroki. “The Power in a Name.” Hiroki Niizato Astrology — Be True to Yourself - Holistic Astrological Consultation. n.p., n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2013.

“Understanding the power of names – Excommunicate.Net.” Excommunicate.Net. excommunicate.net, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2013.

“What Does My Name Mean? The real Power in a name.” Looking for your Purpose in Life, the Meaning of a Name, Meaning of Baby Names, or how to Make a Name Change?. Kabalarian Philosophy, Society of Kabalarians, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2013.

*In no way do these sources reflect my own beliefs; they are only used to create multiple perspectives on the subject matter.