I really like to find out the origins of things, that is why I love history and mythology and literature; but, most of all, there is etymology, the origin of names, where the key to words and meanings lies. The first thing I do when I want information is to find out the meaning of the word.
Let's try an exercise with first names only (not nicknames, for now). There are many sites online you may use to find out the meaning of your name. Does your name have anything to do with you, your personality, your own self? Do you feel identified with it, or is it only your parents' choice? Would you like to change it? Why?
Well, let's check Alex the Great (who else?) : Alexander means defender of mankind . Uau! This guy was 100 per cent in everything, including the name. His second name was his father's name (it had to be like that then) : Philip means lover of horses. Uau again! Remember his horse Bucephalos?
Now let's go back to the humble mortals, like myself: my first name is Maria, a name that was almost compulsory in Portugal when I was born. If a female wasn't a Mary it was as if she was rejecting the protection of Our Lady. Anyway, I got my mother's name: Maria Luísa, she had got in part from hers, and so forth, in a long line of Luísas from Gallicia, Spain. Perhaps it was brought to the Peninsula by the French (Louis) or maybe the German original (Ludwig) stayed here since the time of Germanic rule, in the Dark Ages. Anyway, like most German names, it has to do with war. It means illustrious warrior, which is a sign of royalty somehow, because there seems to be a tradition all over the world to call illustrious to high nobility males. Yesterday, we heard the newly born heir of Japan's throne was given the name Hisahito, Hito meaning illustrious and being part of the names of the Japanese Emperors for a long time. On the contrary, for me, my name is a sign that true aristocracy is not made of persons of birth but of illustrious warriors.
My Portuguese father would have given me his mother's name, Sofia, which means wisdom, something I'm always in search of, but it looks like my mother knew too well of the hard battles a woman has to fight in life and chose her own name. I do thank her for the strong name I have. My choice would have been Sofia Luísa (the wisdom of the illustrious warrior) because that's my goal in life, and also because I don't like the name Maria at all (but as Mary had to stay, Sophie had to go). It means bitter and, unfortunately, my life has been pretty bitter so far. Nevertheless, it appears that the most ancient origin of the name means beloved. How did this happen, that a woman called beloved turns into one called bitter, so that beloved was overcome by bitter in tradition, I don't know. What I know is that after having learned all this, I'm a little less bitter about the name I rarely use, because I still believe love conquers all. Helás !
