The Crib: A Blog for New Parents
Does Our Name Affect The Person We Become?
It happens to all of us I think, you see someone and think to yourself, “she just looks like a Lisa, or “I’ll bet his name is Scott”. And occasionally, that is the name they carry.
So is it a coincidence, or does a person sometimes grow to fit the name they were given? Did their parents look at them when they were born, and choose the name because the tiny person looked like a Scott, or a Lisa, or Kate, or James? More likely, the parents gave the baby the name because they hoped that someday that baby would exhibit traits associated with the name.
Most of the time, people’s names really do seem to fit their personality, good traits and bad ones. Whether they may want to admit it or not, lol.
For example, I looked up my own given name, which was Catherine Aimee Ruth Olson when I was born, and this is what I found. By the way, I have never liked my name, It always seemed to fancy for me, I never really thought that it fit me. But I am who I am, and apparently, I am who I’m supposed to be.
Catherine – English meaning, “pure” (that’s funny, but in some ways true)
Truth, and the search for personal truth is the hallmark of Catherine. (Honesty is the value that I most treasure)
Aimee – French meaning, “Beloved”, ( By the people who know me best, Isuppose)
She hides her true feelings on occasion (yes I do)
Fidelity and loyalty are the essence of Aimee (Way too much, and way too often when it wasn’t deserved, like my ex, for example, lol)
Ruth – English meaning, “Companion” (I do tend to stick by people)
Ruth can put on a show, and rise to the occasion (this is so truethat it is scary)
Her personal ethics and integrity are un-compromised (Sometimes, to the point that it hurts me more than it helps)
I guess that our name does affect who we become, whether our parents intended it or not, so when choosing the names for our children, how much will what we choose matter in the long run? That is a question that I found no answer for.
