The Meaning of Your Name
Names are powerful. When we are still in the womb, our parents or caregivers begin to get an idea of who we are or who we might become. They begin to imagine us. This is captured in the ritual of choosing a name.
Whenever I talk with expecting parents, I ask them about the names they are choosing between and what the names mean. I ask them about what resonates with them? I sometimes ask friends, family members, and colleagues this too. It can be an insightful process.
Thinking about our name is important. It is something that uniquely belongs to us. There is a psychological explanation of this called the "cocktail party effect" which underlines the importance of our name. We can be in a crowded and loud room. If someone 40 feet away mentions our name we immediately hear it and can focus in on what is being said. Our names are that powerful.
Names have meaning to us personally too. We can, in some ways, choose what our name means (and the same applies to those of you who have chosen your name). The brain processes over 950 billion bites/units of information a day. Proactively thinking about our name can help us with the story we tell about ourselves. Here is how you do it:
1. Write down your first, middle, and last name. (Your chosen name is good, too!)
2. Google or ask AI what each name means.
3. Organize them into a sentence or a sequence that makes the most sense to you.
4. Reflect on the meaning of your name in the past and what it means for your story going forward.
We are big on anonymity here so don't share your real name, but feel free to share the gist or the meaning of your name, what it means to you, and how it influences your sense of past and the future.
I'll start. Here are my elements or name blocks (I can rearrange them):
-a secluded narrow valley - connection to the land, peaceful
-lion strong
-navigator
Here is my meaning: I'm a strong navigator with a connection to the land that lives in a secluded valley. That actually fits! I am mostly a monk living close to nature in the trees. I work with you all to navigate the Good Ship 7 Cups (sometimes through treacherous waters).
I've probably done this exercise with a couple of dozen people. Part of it is the meaning is loose or ambiguous enough that it can be used pretty flexibly; and part of it is that it also "just fits" the person some of the time in an unexpected way.
Again, if comfortable share your reaction to this exercise in general sense. Please don't share your real name. And, thankfully, multiple names can share the same meaning, so it isn't super obvious how to decode things. Bonus points - ask your family members or friends and share what they feel/experience in the exercise.
@GlenM I love mine, it means peaceful💗
@GlenM
My first name is Audrey, and it means noble strength
@tryinglittleaudrey
The name Audrey means ''noble strength '' deriving from an Old English name
It gained prominence in England due to Saint Etheldreda, an East Anglian princess.
@tryinglittleaudrey it sure is a beautiful-sounding and meaningful name 🥰
My name means
Embodiment of inner beauty and thoughts
Spiritually grounded and sovereign woman
Ancestral lineage and community roots
@roopynaut thank God🤧, a three-part name.I was nervous to share mine😁, it's in four parts though😅
@GlenM
first part of my name means the blessed one,the second means steadfast or capable,and the third part means powerfull ruler and the last means the leader🥰
@curiousbookishness combine and you will get the combo🥰
"A praised and honorable man, strong through trials, respected and powerful, from a lineage of leadership."
Wow, that is beautiful!
@roopynaut people with beautiful soul have beautiful thoughts and beautiful remarks🥰.
thanks lots of hugs 🥲😊😊
@GlenM
we due to belief go by the Hebrew meaning of our first name there other meanings all seem to relate back to the lily flower our first name is a family name on our dad side our grandma had same first name others had like variations of the name too not sure how far back it goes
The name Lily is beautiful and elegant, often associated with purity and beauty. In Hebrew, the name’s meaning is linked to the delicate flower, which symbolizes innocence and renewal. Derived from the Hebrew word “שָׁשַׁן” (Shoshan), it is a name that evokes feelings of grace and love. The Greeks also have a similar flower, the “lily,” which has its roots in mythology. Lilies were sacred to the ancient Greeks, representing purity and divine beauty.
we not think it bad sharing first name due to many have same first name for years you did not hear it much but we see it coming back now
@stormieandpaws
That’s really beautiful🥰. I love how deeply rooted your name is in family, faith, and symbolism. The connection to the lily—especially its meaning of purity, renewal, and grace—feels incredibly meaningful, and it’s special that the name has been carried through generations. It’s lovely to see it coming back into use and continuing its story🥰
I have one aunt from my mother side I call lily😊
@curiousbookishness
thank you we love it a biblical name a lot too even if now most the family not really follow that just knowing how special the name is we find it very interesting that in old times babies were not given their name until 8 to 10 days old as names have deep meaning so they prayed about what to name a child that very touching to us
cool that you have a lily in your family too
@stormieandpaws
yeah its the reason for mine to.🥰 we also name them after taking alot of things into concideration.
like we first of all dont name the same one as one already present in the family as far as the children of the father's cusin even😅
name that is respectful of our religion.
respectful to the child and his family
etc etc
@stormieandpaws
Do you have a nickname you like to go by?🥰
Mine is mishi🥰 given by my aunt because my hairs were curly and looked like the hairs of an actress
7cup freinds call me boo or booky
@curiousbookishness
part of our user name is from a native American name we was given as a teen from a friend that was native American that name id stormchild so we for years online have went by stormie the paws part was added due to alters as a group go by paws so that why this user name
the nick names given by family were not nice at all friends offline never really had a nick not many friends even when younger
as a child seeing we looked like a boy after we had hair cut due to a fire that only got our hair some called us billy the kid from old western movie we even fooled ones in cub scout lol got away with that until pants ripped playing baseball was mad as we only needed one more patch too
so mostly stormie sometimes child of light
@stormieandpaws
Can I call you Noor🥰
@stormieandpaws
That makes sense—‘Stormchild’ and ‘Stormie’ are chosen names with real meaning🥰. I like how your username reflects different parts of you. Would it be okay if I called you Nur/Noor, meaning ‘the light,’ or do you prefer Stormie🥰
@curiousbookishness
thank you we like stormie the best as it reminds of the native american friend and him seeing what really is he did not know about our abuse at all but he said he saw the storm though our eyes the meaning he gave us for the name stormchild was child within the storms of life but not taken over by the storms of life he said he could see we was a over comer he also told us whatever was the storm he know we would over come it he told us lot more but at the time we did not understand what he was saying but now we do
that also why we say the window to the soul is the eyes we now can look at photo of our childhood and see that before the trigger warning sexual abuse by brother you can see like a spark in our eyes but after the abuse happened for first time the spark is gone like eyes turn darker
@stormieandpaws
Stormie really does sound special🥰. What your friend saw — the storm through your eyes — feels incredibly true and wise. Stormchild is a beautiful name: someone shaped by storms, but never owned by them. An overcomer.
The way you describe the eyes makes so much sense. Eyes really do hold our stories. That spark you talk about — even if it dimmed for a time — wasn’t destroyed. It was protected, waiting. And the fact that you can see, understand, and name it now shows just how strong and aware you are.🙃
You’ve been through storms, but you’re still here, still seeing, still becoming. That matters more than words can say 💖💖
@curiousbookishness
thanks we come to see the storms of life what molds us into who we be now someone asked us if we could go back change our past what would we change we told them nothing as if one changes the past they not be who they be today also they not have touched the lives they have by what happened in the past too so even when things hard and unfair they still molding us into who we be also in our story others who we will touch and help too
so yes the ones who can overcome the storms not be taken over by them become more and more aware of the truth within them molding them to be better people if they allow them too
eyes hold a lot within them
@stormieandpaws
I love the way you can describe your feelings so openly. It’s something I wish I was better at. I usually keep things inside, so seeing you express yourself like that really means a lot to me.🥰
@curiousbookishness
we still learning about emotions and how to voice them some days we find it hard other days we find it easier we was emotionally numb a long long time just earlier this year we started not being emotionally numb it scary at times as now when have flashback the emotions are connecting to them so we believe over time you to can express your too but take work to do it and at time risk too
@stormieandpaws
yeah you are totally right, it does take time, and the risk you mentioned is that I am not good at sharing or expressing my real feelings. For which I admire your tendency to express so beautifully 🥰
My first name means wisdom, my first middle name means bright meadow, my second middle name means pearl in Latin and symbolises purity, and my last name means either someone living by a brook or an agent.
@tealFarm3753
Yes!!!!! Another four part name fella🥰
@GlenM
I am named after our family deity and I believe her power flows in me directly through the name. it connects to many women in my family who once lived on this earth and shared my name. I feel connected to a whole tribe of people from where I hail from
Legacy, so powerful.
@GlenM
I'll keep it simple. My parents ran out of imagination when i appeared. If i was a boy i'd be named after my dad. And if a girl, named after my mum.
My name is a fictional one created by RD Blackmore for his novel.
Then you name was created with a lot of imagination. 💗I bet it’s wonderful.
@hopefulavory
That's very kind of you to say so. Surprisingly, i've always been content with my name.
My 1st name meaning wisdom, 2nd or middle name meaning warrior and my last or maiden name mean flavourful.
@hopefulavory
thats a very beautiful name🥰
Thank you 🙏
In the past I actually didn’t like my name, I sure didn’t feel or believe any form of wisdom was in me. As I matured, people thought some of the things I had to say held some form of weight. 💕 bless their heart.
I have battled an unknown illness, My GP said ovarian cancer. I said nope! Not from a place of denial, I just knew somehow the diagnosis was off and many oncologist agreed. I was comfortable with whatever outcome could be expected at that point the situation was labeled as an enigma. A doctor reached out saying they could help and they did. Through monitored fasting at the hospital for what seemed like many months I was sent home. This happened many years ago. I wasn’t much of a warrior then. But since, I have learned it’s important to be an advocate for self and others.
Flavourful (or spicy) I have come to recognize, might be my ability to blend in, to be comfortable in a space dancing or remaining silent and I have the desire to help others to do the same, just be comfortable o content (of course when the moment calls for it).
I am hoping for a future where I truly develop all the skills and attributes of a high quality listener. As our world transforms more compassionate listeners may be needed.
Thank you for asking Glen.
Wishing Everyone peace to joy.
🙂🌻
@hopefulavory
Thank you for sharing this. There’s a quiet wisdom in trusting your own knowing, especially when things didn’t feel right. What you went through clearly shaped your strength and your commitment to advocating for yourself and others.
I love how you describe being “flavourful” — knowing when to step in, when to be still, and helping others feel comfortable just being. That kind of presence is a gift.
I truly admire the grace, self-awareness, and compassion you carry so naturally. 💕
hugs🥰
My name comes from Arabic roots and is deeply connected to water.
It generally means a place where water is found 💧—a point of nourishment and relief 🤍.
It also represents a resting stop for travelers 🧭—not a destination, but a pause where people can breathe.
At its core, it signifies a source or spring 🌱, offering comfort when it’s needed most.
As a thalassophile, I’ve always felt drawn to water for its openness and life—the way it holds space without asking questions.
And as a Scorpio ♏, a water sign, I carry emotional awareness and intuition in a way that’s warm, expressive, and people-centered.
The meaning of my name deeply resonates with who I am. 🌊✨
@SafeEmbrace