“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.” —Proverbs: 22:1
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One morning, the social media became alive when a person was called by a waiter “Sir.” The person hated the word because the word should be “Ma’am.” For two hours, the waiter stood for two hours and was lectured about the proper way of calling them.
My take on this. The waiter was just true to himself. He believed the person was a male and so he called the person “Sir.” The person wanted to be called “Ma’am,” because he was wearing make-up and was donning a female dress.
The person believes and thinks she is a woman – and that’s her right. But the waiter thinks otherwise – and that’s his right, too. She should not force the waiter her opinion of herself; the latter may not believe who or what she thinks she is. Not all Filipinos believe what she believes.
It’s not just about education or informing the people. A lot of people think God created only two beings: male and female. That’s the universal fact.
This brings us to the subject of names. Someone wrote: “Names are whispers of the soul, revealing our deepest desires and aspirations. In the realm of names, uniqueness is a precious gift. Our names are doors to opportunity, giving us a chance to make our mark on the world. Names are the embers that keep our memories alive. A good name is a crown worn with integrity and honor.”
I love reading Reader’s Digest. Perhaps one of the most read columns of the internationally-known magazine is “Laughter: The Best Medicine.” Here’s one of the memorable entries I have read:
And it came to pass that three people (a pastor, a priest and a lawyer) died on the same day and their souls went to heaven. However, before they could enter heaven, each had to answer a question from Saint Peter.
“What is the name of the British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage?” Saint Peter asked the pastor.
The pastor answered, “I have seen the movie three times and I know the answer. It’s Titanic.”
To the priest, Saint Peter inquired, “Of the estimated 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, how many people died when it sank?”
“More than 1,500 perished,” the priest replied without much ado.
Saint Peter then faced the lawyer and asked, “Name all those who died.”
Names are not numbers. Ever wonder why typhoons – also known as hurricanes and cyclones – have names instead of numbers? “To keep the killing personal,” answered George Carlin in Brain Droppings. “No one cares about a bunch of people killed by a number. ‘200 Dead as Number Three Slams Ashore’ is not as nearly as interesting a headline as ‘Charlie Kills 200.’ Death is much more satisfying and entertaining if you personalize it.”
In the novel, The Devil’s Arithmetic, Jane Yolen pointed it out, too. “You are a name, not a number,” she wrote. “Never forget that name, whatever they tell you here.”
“There is everything in a name,” pointed out George Ade. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet but would not cost half as much during the winter months.” Mark Twain contradicts. Said he: “Names are not always what they seem. The common Welsh name Bzjxxllwcp is pronounced Jackson.”
On permitting Samuel Goldfish to change his name to Samuel Goldwyn, Judge Learned Hand penned: “A self-made man may prefer a self-made name.” William Hazlitt stated, “A nickname is the hardest stone that the devil can throw at a man.”
In all languages, certain names are traditionally used to designate men and others are used for women; several English names, such as Evelyn or Leslie, can be used for either sex. Names in themselves have no psychological significance, unless one associates a memorable experience with someone of a particular name.
Given names, known among English-speaking people variously as first names, forenames, or Christian or baptismal names, existed before surnames. Christian influence on first names has been especially strong. In some countries, Brazil, for example, a child must be given an appropriate Christian name before he or she can be issued a birth certificate.
Modern names often are derived from sources such as the names of the months (April, May, June), precious stones (Ruby), popular contemporary personalities (Jose, Bonifacio), flowers (Sampaguita), places (Luzviminda for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao), or figures in classical legend (Diana, Jason). New names are frequently coined from the names of the father and mother (Danele from Daniel and Elena).
Some people change their names or surnames. For instance, you probably wouldn’t recognize Charlton Carter, would you? But as Charlton Heston, you will remember him as one of Hollywood’s best-known actors, noted for his portrayals of epic heroes in large-scale historical dramas like Ten Commandments and Ben-Hur (for which he won an Oscar for Best Actor). Actually, he took the name “Heston” as his screen surname after his mother’s maiden name.
Most Filipinos are known by our first names (for instance, my friends call me Henry and not Lito). However, there are some instances where people are more popular using their middle names. Our former president Cory Aquino is known as Corazon instead of her first name, Maria.
To end today’s column, allow me to quote the words of Jerry Spinelli in Stargirl: “Every name is real. That’s the nature of names.”
