“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other
name would smell as sweet.”
Shakespeare has a point. But I have to respectfully
disagree, a little.
A name cannot change the characteristics of an object or
person, but it can affect others’ opinions and impressions about that object or
person.
For example, what if a rose was not called a rose, but
instead called a rilf.
“Yes, I’d like to order a dozen rilfs please.”
I don’t think so…
The point I’m trying to make is that names are important.
Doesn’t every parent spend hours and hours thinking about
potential names for their children before they’re born?
Names can often reflect someone’s personality or
disposition. That’s why picking just the right one is so important.
We were told before we arrived in this country that
eventually someone would give us a name in the language of the place we’re
living. We were told that the name could only come from a person born and
raised in this country, and that we were not allowed to decide the name
ourselves. A local person who knew us well would give us our name when the time
was right.
And like a child waiting eagerly all year for Christmas to
come, we waited to receive our names.
All of our American friends who live here had all been given
local names, and I loved asking them who gave them their names and what they
meant.
Throughout the year we’ve been living here, we asked some of
our local friends repeatedly if they would like to give us names, but no one
really ever wanted to.
We’ve been asked a few times to give English names to some
of our local friends, and it’s really hard. So I completely understand their
hesitation. A name lasts forever, right? So it’s got to be perfect.
Names in this country are even more important. Their names
all have special meanings, and they don’t have last names here. Only first
names. However, their first names might be three, four or even five words! We
have seriously struggled with people’s names here because they’re so hard to
remember.
Little Miá got her name pretty quickly after we arrived
here. She is so endearing to the local people, that she was easily and enthusiastically
named by one of our sweet “sisters-in-spirit” who we see regularly.
Miá was given the name သဲ သဲ which sounds like Thay Thay. It literally
means “I love you with all my liver.”
I know, I know.
In America we say, “I love you with all my heart.” But here, they love with
their liver.
Just trust me,
it’s a precious name which suits little Miá perfectly.
Almost everyone in our building knows little Thay Thay, and
anytime I go anywhere I always hear the question, “Where is Thay Thay?”
I love it.
The rest of us continued to wait for our local names…
The apartment where we live is above, what could best be
described as, a little mall. There is a grocery store, a few clothing shops, a
couple of small restaurants, a pharmacy, etc.
We inevitably go downstairs everyday to buy the food items
we need to cook with that day, but also we enjoy practicing our language with
the workers that we have come to know very well.
One day last week we were downstairs as usual chatting with
some of the workers. We were talking about how difficult it is to remember
their names when one of the ladies suggested that she would like to give us
local names. She said she already knew the perfect names for us and had picked
them out.
We were excited and happy to hear her say those words.
Like a cultural rite of passage, she bestowed us with our
new names and told us the meanings.
My name is ေမ ပု လဲ which sounds like May Buh’Lay. It means
something like “precious as a pearl.” I later learned that Western women are
also often given names of things that are white because of our white skin.
I like the name
because it reminds me so much of my beloved grandmother’s name: Mabel. I’ve
always loved her name.
My mother also
said that my local name is reminiscent of my maiden name: Marable.
I like it!
CJ’s name is…..
(drumroll please): ဦး ခန့္ ညား which sounds like Oooh Cant Nyah. You
will not be surprised to learn the meaning of his name.
It basically
means Mr. Handsome.
How perfect is
that?
He’s a little
embarrassed to tell other people his name, but I keep reminding him that it was
given to him by someone else and he didn’t decide it.
Hey, if the shoe
fits, wear it, right? :)
Zoë is still
waiting on her local name. Ironically, she’s the one with the most local
friends by far, but she’s still waiting.
It will come.
The best thing
about our new names is that it means we are just one more small step closer to
becoming immersed in the culture. We have come to love this country and the
people here so much. We want to be able to talk like they do. We want to
understand their values and their ideas. We want to be a part of their culture
as much as possible so that we can better share with them about our Father and
His love.
Hopefully in
sharing about our new names, we can share about His many names. We want to tell
them how to have their name put into the Lamb’s book of life.
I wonder which
name we’ll have listed there, our English name or our new local name?
I guess we’ll
just have to wait and see.
Anyone out there ever received a new name in a different language? I'd love to hear what it is, what it means and how you received it. Please share!
“…and at the sound
of (His name) every knee will bow….” the second chapter of Phil., the tenth
verse.
