What's in a Name?

My sister and I often discussed all the names we had as top picks for our kids…this is when we were about eight. Luckily my hubby and I had nine months to discuss (argue) about what we would name our kids. And with our second we never knew what she was going to be until the moment she came flying (literally) out. As Americans we generally go for names that ‘sound nice’. We want to make sure the initials don’t spell some bad word. We think of all the things kids could possibly say to make fun of our kids’ name. Then, the name is decided.

In the Arab/Eastern world, name picking is much more focused on the meaning of the name. Think of all those Old Testament passages about the names and their meaning. I always felt bad for that guy whose name meant ‘he brought his mother pain in child birth’. If I named my kids according to their births, they both would have swear words for names!

I have a horrible name for the Middle East. I have never been able to find the official meaning of my name. Remember those inspirational cards that have your name and meaning? Most names had great descriptions like ‘strength’, ‘truth’, ‘loyalty’. Well, mine was always along the lines of ‘from Lindens Isle’, one even said ‘from the Island of Serpents’. Basically I was named after an island that was apparently filled with snakes. Not a good omen.

After we moved in, my neighbor and I were getting to know each other. She was having a very hard time with my name. I said it over and over. I spelled it in Arabic. Then she asked me the dreaded question…’what does it mean?’ I had two options: tell her my mom picked it from a soap opera (ie: bottomless pit of Western immorality) because she liked the sound of it OR tell her it means she lives next door to a lady from an island filled with snakes. Good grief. Maybe the snakes’ venom had medicinal purposes?

My husband’s name said just right in Arabic means ‘shut up!’

“Hi! What is your name?"

“SHUT UP! And this is my wife…snake lady. We are your new neighbors!”