How important was the meaning of the name to you?

[Trillian]

Something in another thread got me thinking about this and I thought it would be interesting to find out whether the meaning of a name was important to you or if you chose a name based on the meaning of it.

[Party-of-five]

The meaning mean nothing to me, I chose DS name because he looked like a nathan and DH and I chose the girls name because we loved them and both agreed on them

[LimeSlice]

Very.

I won't choose a name that is "made up" or has no meaning, or if I don't like the meaning, even if I love the name, I won't use it.
Charlotte's name means "Little womanly one" and as soon as we met her, I knew it was perfect - suits her down to the ground.

I think it is really important to have something that can reflect their personality or purpose, and the meaning of their life's title is the outward projection of that.

[Nelle]

I thought a lot about the meanings of our kids names. They are meaningful to me, and I hope that one day they will be meaningful to them. That the meanings of their names will remind them of the things they remind me of.

ETA: I should clarify, after reading Traveller's post that that's what I meant by 'meaningful'. The actual meanings by definition are, to me, less important than what the names/words mean to dh and I. Perhaps 'reasons' is a better description - 'we called you this because we want you to remember this'.

[Traveller]

what mattered to us was the meaning of the names we chose in a family context. Most of our kids names are traditional from grandparents, and the others have a special meaning to us - Monty (from the Simpsons, which we love), Scarlett from my favourite book, and Andrew, patron saint of Scotland. Their actual meanings bore no relevance to us.

[Arimeh]

I don't think its that important. IMO (and only my opinion) I feel that if the meaning of their name is too much of a great thing - perhaps they will feel pressured to live up to that name - ITMS?

I can't remember what Aricyn's name means TBH, and Mehkelti doesn't have one. And Eden means place of paradise, which I hope she doesn't live up to that when she is a teenager with those teenage boys!!!

[~TT40~]

The meaning of the name is more important to me than the name its self. I don't have any babies yet, but I have already named all my future children, and all the names mean something/named after a person/character/have a story about it.

I love hearing why/how people got to the name they choose. I often ask new mums and dads the question.

[AnyDream]

I chose both my girl's name based on both the meaning of their names and also the resonance of the energy of the name. Their second names especially: DD1's middle name is Sophia, to bless her life with wisdom, and DD2's middle name is Hope, to bless her life with Hope for a better world.

[butterfly_warrior]

The meaning behind Sam's names was hugely important to us on so many levels. I can almost write a novel about why Sam is Sam!

Firstly... Our surname starts with M. Both DH and I had completely independently come up with the idea to name our boy Samuel and choose a middle name starting with A so that his initials would be the same as his nickname.

Secondly... The meaning of Samuel is "asked for". A biblical name, where Samuel was the son of a barren woman. The verse itself goes something like (completely from memory): in due time she gave birth to a son, calling him Samuel saying "I asked the Lord for him". Given our history of infertility and struggles to conceive it seemed fitting.

Sam's middle name is Angus. After we had agreed on Samuel it became a matter of choosing a middle name that we liked the sound of and had a meaning that meant something. After a particularly horrendous day of kicking me around before he was born it nearly became Aiden meaning "little fiery one", but we went with Angus - "chosen" and/or "possesses strength". That embryo was the one chosen as looking the best and the strongest and was therefore implanted. I have three different medical conditions which can lead to miscarriage so any baby of mine has a struggle right from the start, and that embryo, that child that is now Sam... it possessed strength!

To be honest - I'd never really thought much about the meanings of names given to children until one day I realised that the meanings of my names (my user name) reflected my journey through life.

BW

[~Kim~]

We didn't even look at the meaning when we named either of our kids.
We chose them because we loved them as much as we love our children.

[Rouge]

I think it's important. But I think also a word can have many meanings. What I mean is the name in question and it's true meaning I think is actually beautiful and it wouldn't stop me from choosing it (if it were me that is!). However if I chose a name that meant weakness or something negative or derogative etc I wouldn't use it.

[PumpkinZulu]

And Eden means place of paradise, which I hope she doesn't live up to that when she is a teenager with those teenage boys!!!

I'm really not sure. Ever since my dad passed I have known that our first born son will be Peter Mark (Peter for my dad, dad's middle name was also M, although it was Michael, and Mark for my uncle who has passed). But then for a girl, I'm not really hung up on meaning at all

[jesses_girl]

I chose it cause i liked it haha But his middle name is his great grandads name, he is also the first great grandchild that will be able to carry on the surname which his great grandad is very proud of. His name is apparently a po*n star? Didnt know that when i picked it lol wooops...

[LimeSlice]

I didn't realise there was a Jesse James pornstar... Before he was a porn star though he was an American Outlaw...And Jon Bon Jovi's son too

[allycat06]

I like to know the meaning behind a name but it isn't overly important to me. DS's name has a meaning, it's not particularly profound or anything, we just happened to like the name. Although if a name had a meaning I didn't like or stirred up negative connotations I probably wouldn't choose it for my child. Unfortunately DS shares his name with a particular alcoholic spirit which can be irritating as people often ask if that's what he is named after.....umm no I don't think so.

[allycat06]

I didn't realise there was a Jesse James pornstar... Before he was a porn star though he was an American Outlaw...And Jon Bon Jovi's son too

Also Sandra Bullock's philandering ex husband!

[Rouge]

LOL @ Jesse James being a pronstar.

Both of my children have names similar to celebrities/movie or tv series characters and they are not the reasons we chose our children's names but people do assume. But I do love my kids names so I wouldn't change them had I forseen others doing that, because I know those people will mean nothing in the future.

[feeb]

I picked names for pure reason I liked them, I don't even know what the boys names mean. ( I will go and look up now as you have me intrigued!)