Walking in the Valley A bi-weekly column for those who live and walk in Silicon Valley by Barbara Dahlgren

What's in a Name? Column for the weeks of January 16-31, 2006

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When my 79 year old Aunt Pat (mom’s sister) died unexpectedly, I helped go through her things. Come to find out her name wasn’t really Pat. Originally it was Bessie Cookemboo. Yes, my mom’s maiden name was Cookemboo! But Aunt Pat evidently didn’t have a problem with that. However she hated the name Bessie after Little Jimmie Dickens recorded that popular hit “Bessie the Heifer the Queen of All the Cows.” Although she never did change anything legally, Bessie was out and Patsy was in, later to be shortened to Pat.

Now Aunt Pat was a highly intelligent person but going through her old documents we found she had a tendency to spell names several different ways. For example, when I was a teen her son (my cousin Gary who was a few years older than me) died in a car accident. I was close to Gary and mourned his loss greatly. Years later when my son was born I told Aunt Pat his middle name would be Gary’s middle name, Alan. She was pleased but informed me I was spelling it wrong. To name him after Gary it would have to be spelled Allen. So that’s what I did. When we found Gary’s birth certificate we found out it wasn’t Allen, it was Alan. In Aunt Pat’s old correspondence half the time she referred to him as Gary Allen and half the time she referred to him as Gary Alan. When we meet again in heaven I’m going to have a few questions for dear old Aunt Pat.

I guess it doesn’t matter in the scheme of things. As Shakespeare said, “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet." (Romeo and Juliet II, ii, 1-2) Alan or Allen doesn’t change the fact I’ve got a great kid. It’s sort of like the artist Prince who became the artist formerly known as Prince who is now Prince again, doesn’t change the music he produces.

However there is much to be said about names.

When immigrants first came to this country many changed their names. There were no rules about names so they altered them any way they wished. Maybe they would get rid of a pesky umlaut, shorten syllables, omit a few z’s, or adopt an English version and presto, chango! They had a new name that was easier to pronounce and perhaps increase job opportunities.

Increasing job opportunities might be what these movie stars had in mind when they changed their names: Danielovitch (Izzy) Demsky became Kirk Douglas, Thomas Mapother IV became Tom Cruise, Marion Morrison became John Wayne, Benjamin Kubelsky became Jack Benny, Archie Leach became Cary Grant, Muzyad Yakhoob became Danny Thomas, Bernie Swartz became Tony Curtis, and Doris Von Kappellof became Doris Day.

Then somewhere along the line celebrities did away with normal sounding names and decided to go for the unusual. Actual names of celebrity kids include: Pilot Inspector, Crumpet, Fuddy, Oriole, Dandelion, Denim, Story, Bamboo, Blanket, Fly, Daydreamer, Puma, Rumer, Zowie, Fifi Trixiebelle, Banjo, Audio Science, Speck Wildhorse, Banana, and Dixie Dot. These might be fine names if you are part of a circus but could pose a problem for young kids wanting to blend in at school when they hit fourth grade. Of course, Moon Unit and Dweezel have done okay for themselves and Apple is not sounding so bad to me anymore.

There are some “religious” name changes to be aware of, too. The first pope to c hange his name was John II in 533. His given name was Mercury, a pagan god. He decided that was inappropriate so changed it to John II. Each pope is now free to choose any name he wishes. Out of respect for the first pope's uniqueness, no other pope has chosen the name "Peter." And let’s not forget Material Girl Madonna who was inspired to be called Esther through her study of Jewish mysticism known as Kabbalah. Then there is Oprah. Her parents wanted to use the biblical name Orpah, but the midwife couldn't spell, so it became Oprah. Maybe that one doesn’t count.

Names were changed in Biblical times too. Abram became Abraham (Genesis 17:5), Saria became Sarah (Genesis 17:5), Jacob became Israel (Genesis 32:28), and Simon became Cephas or Peter (John 1:42). These were significant because they were done by God for a purpose. After Saul’s conversion, he changed his name to Paul (Acts 13:9).

So what’s in a name? It can carry on a family name such as the “o” or “mac” in an Irish name to indicate you’re the grandson of someone like O’Brian or MacDonald. It can tell what your family’s occupation might have been such as Miller, Cooper, or Smith. Jewish traditions name a child after family members such as a late uncle, grandfather, or a rabbi. Some feel the meaning of your name prophesies what you will become. But all in all a name is just a name………unless of course that name is JESUS.

The name of Jesus has deep meaning and profound significance for the whole world. When Mary was pregnant she and Joseph didn’t bop over to the bookstore to find the latest faddish name. The name of Jesus was chosen by God (Matthew 1:21) because it represents grace, love, forgiveness, faith, hope, salvation, and eternal life. Jesus fulfilled prophesies (Isaiah 9:6-7; Matthew 1:22-23). It is through the name of Jesus we have life (John 20:31) and our sins can be forgiven (Acts 2:38). Only through that name can we be saved (Acts 4:12)! And one day every knee will bow to that name ( Philippines 2:10)!

Be sure to visit this page often to read the next edition of Walking in the Valley. You can write to the author at bdahlgren@wcgsouthbay.org.