Thursday, November 4, 2010

Names and Stories

I was reflecting upon the concept of a name. This was brought on by a conversation I had with the person whom I mentioned in my last post. He demanded a codename - although I attempted to explain that I don't actually make use of code names per se. I genuinely use names that I call these people, all nicknames. 


But what is in a name (a rose by any other name might still smell as sweet)?


I just turned to my trusty friend Google, and apparently my name means 'noble' (and is a variation of Adelaide, which ironically was my great grandmother's name translated from Hungarian). I have no idea what point I'm making with this, however those of you who know me, feel free to jump in with a comment. 


There's a story behind so many of the names that I call people though. Here are a few for example. 
'Soccy' - this came about because he calls me Princess (how fitting considering my name apparently means noble). But Soccy comes from an abbreviation of Socrates, which is relevant because he studies Ancient Greek, and is as wise - in my eyes- as an ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates, for example. 


Another example is 'Status'. This is so because of a rather humorous story I told him some months back about someone's status. The name stuck in screaming it out across the yard as a memory booster whenever we saw each other. 


I think the names we give each other are important, as they do tell a story about a friendship, about a relationship, or a bond that is formed. 
I often wonder what drives parents to choose a name for their child (or even people for their pets). I have a cousin who goes by her middle name rather than her given name. Have you ever played the game where you tried to guess someone's name and said 'no, he doesn't look like a Bernard, more of a Manny' (and props if you get the Black Books reference there). What prompts that suggestion? 


Anyway, I'm going to attempt to write a history essay. God save us all. 

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