What’s i
n a name? What do your first, middle, and last names mean? The study of names, or anthroponymy, can be rather interesting. If you have ever had to pick a name for a child, you know how much effort goes into choosing a name. You might ask will that name sound well with his or her last name? What would be his or her nickname? Is there someone in your past that might cause you not to want to call your child by that name?
The most popular names in recent years have been Jacob, Ethan, Michael, Joshua, William, and Alexander for boys and Olivia, Abigail, Emily, Madison, and Isabella for girls. If we turn the clock back to 1900, the most popular names in the United States were John, William, James, and George for boys and Mary, Helen, Margaret, and Anna for girls.
Do you like your name? Some people do, and some don’t. Some people name their children or businesses after themselves, while others change their names and would rather be known by different names.
No one likes being called insulting names. Remember the saying: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me?” Fatty, four eyes, dummy, airhead, bozo, and dingbat are not very flattering names. These are names no one should be called.
There is a man in the Bible who had a very interesting name, and he made certain he lived up to it. The man was Nabal. He was a very rich man with thousands of goats and sheep and a very attractive wife named Abigail. AShe was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband . . . was surly and mean in his dealings@ (25:3).
Nabal’s farm became a popular stopover for David and his band of warriors who were constantly running from King Saul. Because David’s men helped protect Nabal=s land, David asked for a small kindness from Nabal. David sent a note to Nabal and said, “Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them” (25:8).
Nabal answered, “Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?” (25:11).
This answer did not sit well with David, so he decided to retaliate. But when Abigail heard about David’s plans, she quickly ran to him and implored him to stop. “May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name,” she begged (25:25). David listened, and he spared Nabal.
Abigail returned to her husband, wanting to tell him of David=s kindness, but she found her husband deep in a drunken stupor, so she waited until the next morning to tell him the news. When Nabal finally was told of David’s plans, “his heart failed him and he became like a stone” (25:37). That’s the last we hear of the man who lived up to his name.
What’s in a name? When we get to heaven, we will see our names written in God’s ledger. What a thrill that will be! Can you imagine what it will be like to see your name written in the blood of the Lamb? “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Perhaps already today we could all do well to change our names to Believer, Redeemed, Forgiven, Saved, and Follower. These are the names that suit us best. These are the names our heavenly Father gives us. These are the names we can be proud of every day of our lives.
Names are important. Just ask Nabal, the man whose name literally meant “fool”!
I am Jesus’ little lamb, ever glad at heart I am;
For my Shepherd gently guides me, knows my need, and well provides me,
Loves me every day the same, even calls me by my name!
(from “I Am Jesus’ Little Lamb”)
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