What’s In A Name?

Naming traditions differ around the world, some cultures and religions name after the living, others after those who have passed, some have different time frames wherein they announce a newborn baby’s name, and some have ceremonies where they name a baby. Regardless of one’s practices, there is a universal understanding that there is meaning behind a name. 

I have always found names fascinating and I love learning about the etymology of words and names as it provides meaning and sometimes, a little bit of history. I remember sitting around our dining room table after my grandfather’s passing. My Papa Bob’s last name is “Metz”, which I had always assumed was part of our German heritage. Our Rabbi, whose love of history my grandfather appreciated, told us that it is actually a city in France, where our family most likely came from. Obviously, I went straight to wikipedia to find out more about Metz and discovered that it is a city on the border of France, Germany, and Luxembourg.

While I was excited to learn something new about my family, I was also upset that I did not have an opportunity to speak with my grandfather about this and perhaps learn a little bit more about his family and their history, which is something I do not know much about. Since I try not to dwell on the past, I have decided to lean into our family names and learn more about the people we are named after and why we were given our names. 

As an Ashkenazi Jew, I have an English name and a Hebrew name. While I am not named after anyone in our family in English, I am named after my mother’s great-aunt Rose and bear the name “Ruchel” or “Rachel”, which means “ewe”. 

When my sister was pregnant with her son, there was no doubt that his Hebrew name would be “Simcha”, which translates to “joy” and perfectly describes my grandfather, Sy, and my nephew. My niece is named after my Papa Bob, with the middle name Ruby, and my grandma Marian with the Hebrew name “Mindl”. She is a true gem like my grandfather, and while she does not necessarily emulate the meaning of Mindl (peaceful in nature, restful), neither did Marian! 

A name can have many meanings to an individual and to those around them. My family calls me Andrea, my friends call me Ange, my niece and nephew call me Drea, and if I am ever called up to the Torah it is as Ruchel. Regardless, all of these names shape who I am and I am proud to carry on Rose’s name and forge my own identity.