What's in a Name? The Hidden Influence of a Child's Name

Shakespeare once asked, "What's in a name?" Turns out, a lot more than we know.

Names play a profound role in shaping a child's identity. From the moment a child is given the gift of their name, they begin to receive messages—not just from family, but from the broader society—about who they are and what they might become. 

There have been many studies done in the fields of psychology and sociology on this very subject. Here are a few key ways names influence identity:

1. Cultural and Familial Heritage:
   A name often carries the weight of family history and cultural traditions. It connects children to their ancestry and can instill a sense of pride and belonging, grounding them in a larger story. Name Stories® feature the linguistic origin of names as well as their cultural heritage.  

2. Self-Perception:
   A name is one of the first labels a child hears about themselves. Over time, this label can shape how they see themselves and their potential. Positive associations with a name can boost self-esteem and Name Stories® are written with this in mind. 

3. Social Identity:
   Names can influence first impressions and affect how peers and teachers perceive a child. In many cases, this early social interaction sets the stage for a child’s social identity and can influence their interactions, opportunities, and even career choices later in life. Name Stories® believes every bearer should confidently wear their name with pride.

4. Individual Uniqueness:
   A unique or carefully chosen name can empower a child to stand out and embrace their individuality. Name Stories® offers over 5,000 names: rare and unique spellings, modern inventions and obscure gems.

Overall, the naming process is a powerful act that not only labels a child but also shapes their narrative and connection to the world around them.

My name is Julie, and I am the founder of Name Stories®. My mom told me she picked out my name way before I was even born. She decided on my name when she was a little girl, because she loved her friend Julie Green. "When I grow up and have a baby girl," she told her six-year-old self, "I will name her Julie." That was how my name was chosen. It was always going to be Julie.

As a young girl in grade school, I remember being fascinated by my name, and those of my peers. My love of names was later expressed by using a heart to dot my ‘i’ or adding a ‘t’ at the end, pretending my name was really Juliet. Like every little girl, I went through periods of wishing my name was Jennifer, Heather or Kimberly. I doodled my name in a million different schoolgirl fonts. I paired it with every boy’s name I loved. I pictured it on a marquee.

But once I discovered it had its own origin, meaning and story – wow. From that point on, the name Julie truly and completely belonged to me. Youthful and Divine. That’s exactly how my name made me feel.

Name Stories® was founded with the soul mission to enlighten and empower as many name bearers as possible, but especially children. To celebrate not just the act of naming by loving parents, but to tell the stories behind these names that have been so thoughtfully chosen. Each name has a beginning, a linguistic origin (etymology) and a meaning, and each name travels through history with purpose. Names manage to survive the test of time for specific reasons, allowing them to endure so they remain available to us today. I wanted to tell these stories.

We choose names for a variety of reasons: to honor ancestors and family tradition, for cultural or religious significance, because of trends and popularity, for meaning and symbolism, to reflect nature and beauty, for uniqueness and originality, for phonetic appeal and aesthetic sound, after role models, artists, authors or leaders we admire or to blend cultural backgrounds.

Whatever our reasons, a name is an underpinning of a child's self-concept, essential to their formation of personal identities and development of self-esteem. Name Stories® provide a sense of the past as well as aspirations for the future. 

Shakespeare also once said: "Good name in man and woman is the immediate jewel of their souls."

Photo Credit goes to a happy Name Stories® customer and loving mother of Levi: @nextplaywithmrs.j