Different cultures use various methods or traditions to name their offspring. In any culture, what mother or father would not want to name their newborn? Nine months and even time thereafter is plenty of notice for parents to choose a suitable name for a boy or girl.
Given the father’s last name, what is a suitable first name?
Sometimes, children are named after the father, mother, a relative, or even a beloved friend.
There was no fuss or wrangling in choosing the names for my two children. I favored the letter C, the first letter in the word Christianity, and the name Christ. I selected the names Christoher and Cambria. The name Christopher is of Greek descent and derives from Christoforo, meaning “the bearer of Christ.”
Christopher is a great name to strive to represent and live up to!
Cambria, the name of my daughter, referred to Wales in ancient Roman times. The name is of Latin origin and holds great historical and cultural significance for the Welsh.
I chose the name Cambria from a book I was reading because of its melodic appeal. Cambria is not a common name but continues to be selected for its uniqueness and charm. Cambria means “the people.”
According to Google, the most common female name in America is Olivia, followed by Emma (second) and Amelia (third).
Olivia means “olive tree” and has Latin roots. The olive tree represents peace, harmony, wisdom, fertility, and blessings from God. The olive tree and olive oil are deeply rooted in spirituality and are frequently mentioned in the Bible.
Although the name Olivia is not a biblical name, the olive oil and the olive tree are associated with its significance.
In biblical times, a newborn’s name could be chosen by someone other than the parents, even before the child was born. There were instances of angels, neighbors, and prophets’ involvement in selecting babies’ names.
Whether named by a parent or some other means, biblical names have significant meanings. These meanings are often tied to prophecy, purpose, and even the nature of the child’s birth.
In Genesis 16:11, an angel directs Hagar, Sarai’s surrogate and Abram’s second wife, about her child. “And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shall bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael, because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.”
Verse 15 states that Abram named the child Ishmael as instructed by the angel to Hagar.
The name Ishmael means ‘God hears.’
What about Jacob’s wife, Rachael’s baby?
Genesis 35:18 states, “And it came to pass, as her soul [Rachael’s soul] was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni.”
Benoni means “son of my sorrow.”
Rachael named her son Benoni for the grief and pain she experienced during childbirth. There was no joy or sense of promise in this name, so Jacob renamed his son, Benjamin, which means “son of my right hand.”
In the Book of Ruth (Ruth 4:14-17), there is an intriguing story of neighbors naming Ruth’s newborn son. These women, who were Ruth and Naomi’s neighbors, praised God and proclaimed Ruth’s son as a “restorer” and a “nourisher” of Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi’s life.
“And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. And the women, her neighbors, gave it a name, saying, ‘” There is a son born to Naomi,'” and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.”
God not only named people through messages from angels, but the Bible states that God himself named some biblical newborns.
God not only named Adam, the first man, but also others, including renowned historical figures and lesser-known individuals.
God named Isaac (Genesis 17:19), the promised child to Sarah and Abraham, when they were in their old age. Issac means ‘he will laugh or “he will rejoice.”
God named Hosea’s daughter Lo-ruhamah (Hosea 1:6), which means “not having obtained mercy,” because God said He would not show mercy on Israel.
Do you have a suitable name, one that suits your character pretty well?
My first name is Betty. Betty is shortened from Elizabeth, which is of Greek origin and means “pledged to God” or “God is my oath.”
I hope you are happy and well.