Thursday, November 8, 2007

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

I was reading in another blog today, Twas Brillig, where she was telling how she came about choosing her pen name. After making comment to her blog, I began clicking on some of her past posts, and found even more about the name she had chosen for her blog ID. She expressed how choosing the name had given her a bit of freedom of expression, using her own name had not afforded her. And also how she now truly identifies herself in this personage of Brillig. Go check out her site, she has some really good stuff, you'll enjoy!

And here I am, just a matter of a couple of weeks now, having taken on Wholly Burble. It is not the only name I’ve worked under that was not my christened name. And I’ve even managed to alter my everyday life name from my christened name, and made it my “legal” name.

In the Bible names MEAN something. When by faith Abram accepted God’s word for his life, God changed his name to Abraham--which then bespoke the very promise God had made to Abram. God had said He would make Abram father of many, that his descendants would be as many as the stars in the heavens and the grains of sand on the beach. So he changed his name to Abraham, meaning father of nations.

Having been raised in the church, and knowing this story most of my life, and having been a story teller and eventually a writer much of my life, names have always held a fascination for me. When I craft a story I realize what play a name is going to have for a character. When I used to do standup, I realized in a short time whether a name was intrinsically funny or a dud. All my life I’ve had a myriad of pets, and it was always a challenge to find the right name for that pet.

Now as I work to become an active member of this blogging community, I am fascinated at all the interesting names each blogger has come up with to express him/herself. And realizing that each and everyone of them is a story in itself--how the name was dreamt up, what meaning it holds for the individual, the images it brings to the front, how others react to the name, and then, how the name and the personage of the blogger evolves over time with its usage, I become even more intrigued.

I hope more of you decide to share how you came to your name, and what it has meant to you, and what you believe it is saying about you. That, I think, would make for some wonderful tales to tell. Later this week, I’ll share how Wholly Burble came into my life.

7 comments:

Brillig said...

Wow! Look! You're talking about me!

I guess you know my story now, so I won't tell you. But I do look forward to the WHOLE story about Wholly Burble (which ROCKS as a name, by the way!)

Jen said...

Fascinating post, WB! Interesting thoughts here.

Wholly Burble said...

jen, I'd like to hear how a2eatwrite came about--is it in older posts if I go back and look?

Sai Hijara - Ferraris said...

Hi there, interesting topic...i love butterflies...im fascinated by butterflies...i have a butterfly garden...so getting mariposa as a name it's a no brainer for me...lol

while others may view it differently, for me it's just the child/ girl in me fluttering around...

Wholly Burble said...

mariposa, Terrific! I think that's a wonderful story of how you got your name. And I like the idea of the "child/girl in me fluttering around . . ." What a marvelous image.

I have a friend who lives in Florida and began a butterfly garden earlier this year. She fills me in on her progress, and what she's learning from fellow butterfly gardeners--quite a bit to know, and she is thoroughly enjoying it.

Thanks for sharing!

Gunfighter said...

My nom de blog is all about what I do for a living.

It isn't creative, but it's kinda cool... innit?

Wholly Burble said...

GF--well, you are a cool dude, so you know, what can I say about what's in your name?

HOWEVER (yes, I always have something to say): I think that name has an impact (beyond a fort-four magnum, or is that forty-five, hum?, well forty-four, forty-five or forty-six, whatever it takes . . .).

When I hear Gunfighter, I get images of the old West, High Noon, Shootout at the OK Corral, etc. I see GOOD standing on one side, facing down EVIL--hopefully the sun is in "Evil's" eyes. No fear, no flinching, firm, resolute, no kidding!

Which brings me to your many blog entrances which have a no flinching, no compromise attitude. You see the situation, and face it down (excerpt:"and if you think it shouldn’t be happening in this country, it is your moral duty to oust all Republicans from elected office, at any level, throughout the United States." from the View from Here, as a case in point).

You keep shooting, there, Gunfighter--the name fits!