Abigail, Daniel, Isaiah, Aaliyah, Adel, Salma, Sasha, Ivan, Maria, Jose'...what do those have in common? They are some of the most popular baby names chosen for that precious bundle of joy. On the flip side are names such as this one woman posted on an internet chat board. Seems that the addled brained mother has named her daughters: Summer Skies, Autumn Night, April Showers, Spring Flower and now she wants a name of similar theme for her son. Come on folks! Have a wedding theme, birthday theme or a house plan theme, but please don't give your child a meaningless name that will haunt them the rest of their life.
Have you ever heard an Arabic name and wondered what it meant? Many of the names Arab parents chose, they do so for the meaning the name in Arabic stands for. A person's name is the very first impression given to another person, especially when given over the phone or computer. Regardless of political awareness, racial integration and understanding, a person's moniker, a.k.a. name, is a factor in determining an individuals standing in the world.
Imagine that you are the hiring manager for a prestigious firm that prides itself on the individuals that make up the corporation and reputation as an international firm. Two resumes come across your desk. One is from Amir and the other from Muffy. Slight preference might be given blindly to Amir over Muffy. Why would this be? The name that is taken seriously, not that Muffy is not a fine upstanding name but if this same corporation were dealing with representatives in Arabic countries, Amir might give a better image of professionalism. What does this example show? It hopefully makes you understand the importance of finding a name with meaning. An Arabic name speaks of meaning beyond the moment. Many of the definitions of a name in Arabic goes back centuries.
An Arabic name that seems to be popular for boys this year is Omar, meaning most high, first son, and long life. An Arabic name that is popular for girls Aliah and means highest social standing, exalted, and noble. These and many a name in Arabic, might seem hard to pronounce due to the unfamiliar syllables and strong intonations but the world is becoming smaller due to immigration, internet, and cross-cultural diversification so the need to learn about other ethnic groups is a wonderful opportunity for knowledge and understanding.
One Arabic name that is very familiar to most individuals is Muhammed. It is one of the most widely used first names in the entire world, and not just with parents of Arabic or Islamic descent. Muhammed is one of the few names Arab parents and other cultures see that crosses over into many different ethnic groups. Muhammed means revered.
My stance to the world is simple. If you don't want to go with the pack, the flow or whatever, then at least make sure the name makes sense and can be pronounced. Make sure the name flows when speaking and that the syllables and stresses fall into place. Linguistics is a complicated subject and shouldn't be delved into by just any Tom, Dick or Sunshine Moon Glow.