A lot to a Name

There is a lot in a name. People always have stories about their names. It is usually stuff about whom they are named after specifically.

I am named after my Uncle Tim so I always tell stories about my Uncle Tim. It is usually the one where he lifted a hay bale that was so heavy it snapped a tendon in his arm so his muscle rolled up like a window shade. It is pretty cool because he can flex it and you can see all of the muscle bunched up at the top. I think that I tell it because maybe, just a little bit, it makes me tougher by association.

Here in the Marshall Islands it is no different. A lot of the names have a pretty good story behind it. My friend Katy has a pair of host-sisters that are named “Silver” and “Gold.” I guess that those names are pretty self explanatory. Everyone wants to get their hands on a little silver and gold. Or maybe I am wrong, maybe those names come from a song.

Then there is the guy who was named “C & T.” No on really knew what to make of that. “C & T,” huh? Finally, when he spelled it out, we found that “C & T” is actually “Sea and Tea.”

“Those were my parents’ two favorite things,” he said.

There is a girl here named “Mississippi River,” a girl here named “D-Daddy” and a boy named “Chuck Norris.” Those are all first names.

It got me to thinking about what it would be like if every kid in the world was named after their parent’s favorite things. There is a couple in my group who said that their kid would be named “Twizlers and Beer.” I think that my kid would be named “Banana Cream Pie” and his brother would be “John Steinbeck.”

My Dad would have a son named “Airplane,” my Mother would have a kid christened “Peach Candy” and my sister would have a daughter named “Forester” — which is her dog.

This new naming system would cut down on a lot of the nervousness of meeting your girlfriend’s parents. If she was named “Volunteering in an Orphanage,” then you would probably be OK, but if she was “Cocain,” then putting off the meet and greet might be a smart idea.

Another thing to consider is how people grow into their names. Think in your head and recall certain names and instantly someone you knew who had that name will pop up and that name will instantly denote his or her qualities.
For me, “Luke” means popular, “Chris” means nice and “Andrew” means athletic.

So what if your favorite candy was taffy, but then you started to meet a lot of “Taffy’s” who were really bad people — would you still like taffy?

My guess is no because there is a lot in a name and a person changes that name a lot or a little when they have it but it is never the same after someone has it.

Like “Adolf,” “Cher” and “Becks,” most names are loaded.

Anyway, I will just wait until I meet a kid named “Foreigner” or “Tall and White” and then I will get to know that family.

The love you give comes back in the end.
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