What's In A Name?

Naming & its place in affirming boys

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Names Matter

Names matter.  There are not a lot of kids named Judas or Jezebel.  I don’t hear the name Adolf that often.  Some people choose names like ‘Trinity’, “Hope”, and “Faith”.  I don’t hear the name “Failure” or “Loser” that often.  Why do  you think that matters?

I have named two human beings in my life.  My sons, Benjamin Clair and Samuel Robert.  Benjamin means “Son of my Right Hand.”  I’ve always loved the spiritual image of the right hand.  During my “dark night of the soul,” I would regularly reach up into the air and grab hold of nothing with my right hand.  It was a ‘posture’ I assumed to show God I needed Him to help me up out of the miry clay.  The Bible makes reference to the ‘right hand of God’, but that is more of a directional inference.  That position, however, was a position of great honor.  In Genesis 35, Rachel dies giving birth to a son whom she named Ben-Oni, “son of my sorrow”.  But Jacob changed the name of the boy to Benjamin, son of my right hand.  It was a position of blessing and support.  In the story of Israel, Benjamin was always Jacob’s favorite son.

Samuel means “God Has Heard” and is a reminder of how Hannah begged God for a child, even in her old age.  God sent her Samuel and she dedicated him to the Lord.  Between the birth of our two sons, we lost a child at about three months into the pregnancy.  We were already older when we started having children and the possibility of not having another was hard to accept.

I can’t say that we chose the name “Samuel” for that reason, but it suits.  Robert was my father-in-law’s name.  Now that he is passed, it’s a sweet reminder of his life and influence.   Both names are strong, biblical, and masculine.  

Identity

The first thing about naming is that it has to do with identity.  I must admit, I wasn’t as intentional about this as I could have been or now wish I’d been.  We just liked the names and passing down family names seemed important to both my wife and me.    However, my son, Ben, has been very intentional about this and I believe it’s going to be very important in creating spiritual identity in his children.

I just came back from lunch with a friend and we were talking about this very subject.  She mentioned that people that are wistful in naming children are not considering the importance of their actions.  By naming based on identities or potential, you speak life into the child from the moment of birth.  My son, Ben, has established a wonderful pattern for this.  His three boys all have names that speak to their identity.  From birth, he and his wife have taken it upon themselves to speak life into their children starting with their names:

Koen Rayner

Koen is Dutch origin meaning bold and brave.  Rayner is of German origin, meaning “deciding warrior.”  From the very beginning of Koen’s life, his parents have planted the seeds of his identity and they affirm those regularly:  Wise and Courageous Warrior.

Malachi Emmit

Malachi is a name rooted in Hebrew.  It means “Messenger”.  Emmitt is a derivative of German and English words that mean universal; truth.  So, his name literally means ‘Messenger of Truth”.  We affirm these attributes in him regularly and call forth his potential, which begins with naming.

Silas Luke

Silas has Greek and Latin origins.  It’s meaning has to do with a daring explorer unfazed by the darkness of the forest.  I love that.  However, it was chosen because of the relationship between Silas and Paul in the Bible.  In 1 Peter 5:12, PETER calls Silas a ‘faithful brother’.  Luke is of Greek origin and means “light-giving.”  Being a third brother, Ben wanted to call into identity, one who would be a faithful brother to not just his siblings but to other Christian men.  The notion of ‘light’ would be a sign of wisdom.   

There was nothing random in the naming of these children.  Understanding that the power of naming calls forth identity is crucial to the mission of  affirmation.  It literally sets the process in motion.

You are a steward

This is a great place to insert the idea that while parents are tasked with raising children, their children belong to God.  So much goes wrong in parenting when we miss this point.  So, even while you are praying for your children before they are born, you should be seeking God’s wisdom and guidance in naming them.  You are a partner with God in this matter.  Make sure you’re talking to AND listening to God about their names.

It is interesting that we are given names at birth.  It seems obvious, doesn’t it?  Your name literally identifies you differently from others.  If your father wants to call YOU away from the group, he speaks YOUR name, not someone else.  I say this because Scripture makes several references to people’s names being changed once they come into relationship with GOD.  In the New Testament, we call this ‘rebirth’.  And, interestingly enough, the Bible says that those called by God to be justified, sanctified, and glorified have been given a NEW NAME.  Rev 2:17 says:

Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious, I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it. 

We will be given new names as part of our new identity in Christ.  We are new creatures. (2 Cor 5:17)  Why shouldn’t we have new names?  But this time, the One Who Knows Us will be doing the naming and it will be PRECISELY connected to our identities.

In the Old Testament there were many instances of this type of ‘renaming’.  Some of the more prominent included Abram/Abraham; Sarai/Sarah; Jacob/Israel; Simon/Peter; Saul/Paul.  Each time they were renamed, it signified identity.  For example, Abram means “Exalted Father”.  God changed his name to Abraham, which means “Father of Nations”, a more appropriate name to call forth his true identity in God’s plans and purposes.

Naming is also tied to authority.   Today, you would have to go through a legal process to change your name.  It would require an ‘authority’ above your own.  That is because your name identifies you in more ways that just potential.   

The Bible says,

“A good name is better than riches.”  (Proverbs 22:1) 

While a proverb like that is obviously connected to your reputation, it is always in the context of your name.  How many people try to change their names to distance themselves from a sordid past.  In today’s culture, people want to change their names because they want to change their (gender) identity.  Still, you have to go through legal channels to do that.  

When God created man, he gave him the name Adam, and one of the first jobs he gave Adam was to give names to everything put under his care.  Think of the joy you have in getting to ‘name’ a pet.  You regularly use that name to ‘command’ your pet.  It’s a sign of authority and despite PETA objections, it’s necessary.  An animal can’t name itself. 

I’m often reminded of children whose parents will use their full, given name when speaking firmly to a child.  “Jeffrey Clair Smith”, you come here right now.  You can almost hear the command, can’t you?  It’s because the author of the name carries author-ity.  Profound.

Intimacy

Lastly, naming is an act of intimacy.   Once again there are many instances in the Bible that demonstrate this.  People named God based on His relational acts in Scripture.  They experienced God in a certain way and named him accordingly.

In Genesis 16:14, when Hagar was wandering in the wilderness and near death, she gave a name to God when He rescued her. She called Him “The One Who Sees”.  Jehovah Rohi.

In 1 Samuel 17, David says that he stands against Goliath in the name of the God of the armies of Israel. This is Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts.

Abraham is given a ram in the thicket to replace the sacrifice he came to make on Mount Moriah.  He names God, Jehovah Jireh, The God Who Provides.

Moses lifts up the staff with the serpent on it in the wilderness and all who look upon it are healed.  He names God, Jehovah Rapha.

This list of exchanges and naming goes on throughout the Old Testament.  As God interacts with His people on a personal level, they name Him based on his acts and deeds.  This portrays an intimate God who is well acquainted with the plight of His people everywhere.

One of my favorite verses on the subject of naming and intimacy is Isaiah 43:1:

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.” 

When you name someone, it shows there is intimate knowledge — a relationship, and privilege.

In the previous article, we talked about the power of your words to call forth life or death.  The Bible reminds us that we will be judged for every idle word we speak.  The idea of naming is an extension of that concept to the nth power.  Use it for its intended purpose.  It is the launching pad for speaking life into all things.  

Train. Disciple. Encourage.