I’m super-excited to be working on a new Bible Study series called Namesake. This is the culmination of years of a minor-obsession I have with names in the Bible, where they come from, and how God often changes people’s names when He changes them. The series will start August 21 on Sunday mornings and Tuesday nights. I’ll put the complete schedule at the end of this post.
LaGrone X 3
All this thinking about names has me remembering the conversations we had when trying to find a name for Drew. For months it was hard to get the iHusband to be serious on this topic. I would throw out an idea and he would counter with: “How about Belteshazzar?” Funny? Yes. Helpful? Not so much.
When we finally got down to business, we decided to continue a little family tradition – just two generations running – of giving a kid his dad’s first name as his middle name. Drew’s name is Andrew James. His dad, Jim’s, is James Robert. His dad (Drew’s Pawpaw) is Robert Alan. You see how it works. It’s a way of embedding a little bit of history in a name. A subtle nod without going so far as: “Jim Junior.” LaGrone men tend to resemble one another anyway (those are some strong genes!), so naming him full-on after his dad would be just too confusing.
I grew up around quite a few guys named “Junior.” It took me a while as a kid to figure out that wasn’t their proper name, but a place-holder. A way to distinguish them from their male relative, usually their dad, for whom they were named. Some guys went by “Bobby” while their dad was Robert, or “Little Ken” when their dad was Kenneth. I even knew a few that were the third bearer of their given name. John Tristan Alexander III went by “Tripp.” Norton Barrett Hargis III was “Tres.” Clever.
My favorite, though, is one of my father-in-law’s cousins. Named “John” after his father, from an early age he was simply called “Ditto.”
Ditto. That’s really what these families are saying when they give a child the same name as one of their parents or relatives. Ditto. Repeat. Do it again. You give someone the name of another person because you want them to emulate the qualities that make that person great. You want them to grow up to be, not a copy of that person, but a reflection of their strengths.
No one ever names their child after someone who really hurt them, or annoyed them, or gave them the creeps. That’s one of the issues expectant parents face when they begin the tough task of agreeing on a name for their baby-to-be. One prospective parent likes the name Sydney. The other dated a Sydney who broke his heart, so that’s out. One likes Lucas. The other remembers back to Kindergarten, where little Lucas ate paste and smelled funny. No chance for that one. This gets especially complicated when your spouse has been a teacher (like mine) and hundreds of names are already ruined by little punks from classrooms past.
When you share a name with someone, you want the commonality to mean a resemblance of sorts. For the namesake to share more than just initials. To grow up into a likeness that the original can be proud of.
When you pray, pray in my name, Jesus said.
I’ve been wrestling lately with what Jesus really meant by that. I’m pretty sure it’s not some kind of spiritual credit card where we can charge up what we want, like: Just put it on my Father’s tab.
I think it might be closer to: Take my name. Call yourself after me.
Be my namesake. Let your prayers be my prayers. Your actions be like my actions.
Ditto.
That’s a tougher one than just ordering up the prayers I want and naming Jesus as a kind of magic word at the end. Abracadabra… In Jesus’ name! Instead, while I’m praying I’m supposed to check my motivations, survey my heart. What do these prayers say about me? If I’m growing into the name “Christian,” do my desires reflect the Christ at the center of that name?
I want to grow up to resemble that name that I’m praying in.
I hope Jesus is proud that he offered it to me in the first place.
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Namesake is a 6 session Bible Study series that I’m teaching this August and September at The Woodlands UMC. On Sunday mornings August 21, 28 and September 4 I’ll be preaching the 8:30, Harvest and 11:00 services, and then teaching again on the following Tuesday evenings at 7:00 (in the sanctuary) for Tuesday Teaching and Conversation. We’ll record those sessions on DVD to be used later in Bible Study format by other churches and groups. I’d love it if you’d join us for the launch and be in the “live studio audience” for the recording of this new series!
Do you have a story of someone who is named after someone else? How did names of people in your family or in your past influence your choice of names for your children?
I was named for my mother’s great-aunt Laura. I don’t know much about her, and Mom’s not here any more to ask, but my dominant memory of Aunt Laura is the time we went to her little country church, a white building on a high place along the road, and there was dinner on the grounds. It was a sunny day, the grounds were stippled in shadow from a few tall deciduous trees, everyone was eating at long picnic tables like people do in nostalgic commercials and magazine photos, thigh level was eye level for me, and when I dropped something # ice cream? # someone took care of me and got me another.
I was named after my great grandmother, my mother’s grandma. She was the first on my mother’s side to come to this country from Holland. My mother was never close to her own mother, but she was to her grandma. All these years, my mom thought her full name was Deanna (my parents changed the spelling trying to make sure it wasn’t mispronounced). Turns out it was short for something, Bernadine, maybe…I can’t quite remember, but I am very grateful that my mom didn’t know that 38 years ago!
Bernadine,
Oops – I meant Dena,
I love when women are named after family-members. Why should guys have all the fun?
Thanks for sharing this story. I, too, am glad you escaped being nicknamed ‘Bernie.’
Blessings,
~Jessica
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on my mom’s side, the men always had the same name, with just a Sr., Jr., the third, the fourth (I think 8 generations). But my uncle decided to change it, and instead of the Philip Henry, he decided to name his son Gary. When Gary had a son, guess what … Philip Henry. I have lost track of my cousin and his family, so I don’t know what Philip Henry named his son (or if he even has one). I guess my uncle was a troublemaker when it came to name traditions.
Arlene,
I love your uncle’s “troublemaker” title in the family. My family is all “J’s” for my dad’s and my generation. When it came time for us to name our son, some of my cousins were very unhappy that I would break that tradition. Sometimes you have to make your own rules!
~Jessica
I was a surprise baby. As in, my mom was pregnant with what she thought was one baby, but the day before we were born – surprise: it’s twins. Mom and Dad had one girl name picked out: Katherine Elizabeth – neither one in the family at all. That night they decided to split the name, so we’d each have at least one name. The next day, Dad added the middle names: Jeannette and Anne. Anne is my mom’s mom’s middle name, Jeanne is my mom’s middle name (carrying on the ‘Anne’) and Jeannette is my dad’s sister’s middle name (and, for me, carrying on the ‘Jeanne’ from my mom).
Katie,
What a great story! Are they still giving you a hard time about being a surprise? What a shock to come to the hospital expecting a baby and leave with two!
~Jessica
Our story is much like the one you have shared in terms of passing on a family name. However, my oldest actually has a complex story over his middle name(s). When he was born, my husband & I couldn’t decide if he should have a middle name from the paternal side or maternal side…so we gave him both (his father’s name and my grandfather’s name)!
Caden Nimish Haynes Oza
Filling in official documents made it a little challenging, but we managed. After my first husband/Caden’s dad passed away, and after I remarried, we changed both his middle name and my middle name to be our last name of Oza so we would share that part of our lives always… so he is now Caden Oza Kent and I am Susan Oza Kent. I am very proud that we are able to celebrate this part of our lives together through our name(s).
You and Caden definitely have a special story of getting new names. What a great way for him to share his family heritage from both families.
~Jessica
My grandmother’s name was Vonda Marie (so we thought). My Aunt named her daughter the middle name of Marie and my sister also has the middle name Marie after our grandmother. My grandmother started to showing signs of alzheimers in her 80’s. My mom was talking to her about something and said her name Vonda Marie. My grandmother said “My name is not Vonda Marie”. She was insistent. She said it is Vonda Mary. She never liked the name Mary. So we figured she changed her name to Marie on her own. We found an old Bible that belonged to her grandmother and sure enough the name is written in there Vonda Marye. No one ever knew this information until after my grandmother died. I think its funny that my cousin and my sister were named after my grandmother who made up a new name because she didn’t like her original one.
love the classroom reference! I, too, had many names ruined by cherubs from years past in my classes. We named our first two kids “normal” mainstream names that were special to us but not unique in any way. My oldest is Jacob and ocassionally someone will say, “how nice. That’s a popular name.” Thanks a lot. For our third, we decided to go out on a limb and name him Rhett. While he is a Rhett and nothing else would have ever fit him, it is super annoying when I tell people his name for the first time and they either say, “Brett?” or my favorite, “Rat?” Yes. I named my child Rat. Please! You really can’t win, I’ve decided, so go with what works for you!!
Maybe it’s a generational thing. I would recognize “Rhett” immediately from Gone with the Wind. And he’s not a Rat kind of kid at all!
I’m blessed to be named for 2 amazing Grandmothers Bertha Lois and Mamie Belle. I complained once about my name and my dear Mother started calling Bertha Belle. Needless to say I’m very happy with Lois Mamie. Then I married my amazing husband who’s Mother is also “Lois” so for most of the family I’m Lois Mamie and sometimes just Mamie.
We went with a new tradition in our family with our adopted children and that’s letting their birth families help determine their names. That’s pretty cool too because there were so many people who loved you enough to help pick your name. Our daughter’s name is a namesake for everyone of our neices and a friend. She loves that and they do too!
I am dealing with the power of a name right now. Our baby #3 still remain nameless. At times, I think her name might just be, “baby.” Both the other girls have such meaning behind their names and I do not want to pick some random meaningLESS name for this one. Regardless, my current approach is to work backwards…figure out what I want her name to mean or represent and then track down the name. I’ll keep you posted:)
I can’t wait to hear the name you choose for baby #3. I know it will be a special one. I’m thinking of telling the story of you and your sisters’ names in one of the Namesake talks. So unusual!
~Jessica
Bryce-
Hope u r well :+)
Randy’s family had a similar tradition – however, we chose to break it…Mortimer Drahn, Drahn Randall, Randall Lawrence…Nathan Lawrence – which then led to our “Four N’s – Nathan, Nora (named after my grandmother), Noble and Naomi. I love names – they are perfect and unique for each child. It’s funny how little things can influence your choice – former students, how many syllables, what the initials will look like…however, the most important name is Jesus – I thank God for that name each and every day!
Grew up in a family of “J’s” – so I love the “N’s.” Also, Noble is one of my all-time favorite names ever (and a pretty sweet kid, too).
Hey Jess,
Your post inspired me to tell one of my name stories on my blog. It’s too long to post here, but I thought you might like it.