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Day 7- Brand: What’s in a Name? #write31days 2014

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Term of the day: brand: a distinguishable mark; to distinguish with a mark or words.

Thoughts:

There are so many concepts and ideas surrounding the subject of branding, unfortunately many of them are not good. I won’t go into a long draw-out debate about slavery, but branding was taken to a whole new level during that tragic time of U.S. history. Needless to say, not all brands have to be physical or visual marks. Sometime a name is all that’s need to convey the meaning and essence of a complete entity. When that happens, it’s a sure sign that someone truly understands the power of branding.

You don’t have to see the golden arches to know what I’m referring to, but when you imagine them and actually see them, I bet it makes you hungry for fries and burger. And what about that name, McDonald’s? I don’t think anyone has said, “I don’t like McDonald’s” and then there was a debate about who or what McDonald’s is.

Names, images, and even descriptions can be brands. As a writer, I’ve been told and taught that I too  can become a brand. I’m still leery, but steady working on it. I just don’t know how often one truly becomes a “Martha Stewart” or a “Tyler Perry”. Like them or not, these names, these people, have become more than who they are and what they do. They are brands.

Name of the day: Rebecca Tinsdale.

Breakdown and meaning:

With Hebrew origins, Rebecca means “servant of God” or “knotted cord/strong”; the name also means captivating. I like the name Rebecca because it is commonly shortened to “Becca” as a pet/nickname, but that’s a topic for another day. Rebecca is the name of the main character in my upcoming romance, It’s Like the Full Moon, though this isn’t a traditional romance.

Then there’s the name Tinsdale, similar to Tisdale, but not as popular. I originally picked the name because I liked the sound of it.  In my search I found that Tinsdale was associate with fine craftsmanship and some type of, what I assume is, a purification process called Tinsdale Argar Base. I guess I should have paid more attention in chemistry class; I could be totally wrong about this. Also, I did find in my research another use of the full name, Rebecca Tinsdale, in a romance from the mid-90s. While my character is in no way associated with that one, I like the idea that this character’s name is unique, although, not completely original.

Well, that’s it for Day 7. See you tomorrow.

Go back to the beginning to see all the posts in this series.

Outside of my own personal search throughout the years, basic meanings and definitions of the terms used here can be found at the following websites: http://www.meaning-of-names.com/, Google search http://en.wikipedia.org/, and  http://dictionary.reference.com/.

Learn more here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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31days

Day 6- Character: What’s in a Name? #write31days 2014

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Term of the day: character: reputation; quality or level of morality or ethics.

Thoughts:

There are certain names that automatically bring forth the idea of a particular character trait. Some people have become so famous or infamous that their names are now associated with character traits in others. To be called the Gandhi of your time would suggest that you are an honest, fair, and peaceful person willing to sacrifice for the peace and freedoms of others. To suffer the Napoleon syndrome could mean a variety of things, but ultimately, you are smaller than your ego and perhaps you are taking things too far.

Character is important and impactful. Sometimes the name you are given can shape your character and sometimes it can be an obstacle to rise above.  Icabod, derived from the Hebrew Ichabod is not necessary a name with great character implied. The name means “woe to God”, “the glory of Israel is gone” and “son with no family or god”.  This may be why more people haven’t been name this as of late, but not everyone does their research. Thanks to the popularity of the new “Sleep Hallow” TV show, in about five years I’m sure there will be quite a few Icabods starting kindergarten.

Name of the day: Abraham Kingston.

Breakdown and meaning:

Abraham is another strong name with Hebrew origins. The name means “exalted father” or “father of nations”. I guess President Lincoln’s parents had done their research before naming him, but they probably didn’t realize what a blessing and calling they had placed on their new-born son at the time. Abraham is not only the name of one of the U.S. “founding fathers”, but is also the name of a pivotal personality in the history of the three major monotheistic religions.

The name Kingston is something I just like the sound of. It, for obvious reasons, makes me think of island life, but it also makes me think of royalty, European influence, and something grand. The name actually means “from the king’s village or estate” and has English origins. Kingston is typically used as a boys first name, but I’ve used it as a surname which was popularized in the U.S.

Abraham Kingston is a major character in the first book of my Eternal Curse Series. With an Italian mother and an English father, both immigrants, Abraham’s name is a melding of his two cultures.

Well, that’s it for Day 6. See you tomorrow.

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Go back to the beginning to see all the posts in this series.

Outside of my own personal search throughout the years, basic meanings and definitions of the terms used here can be found at the following websites: http://www.meaning-of-names.com/, Google search http://en.wikipedia.org/, and  http://dictionary.reference.com/.

Learn more here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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31days

Day 5- Namesake: What’s in a Name? #write31days 2014

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Term of the day: namesake: a person or thing named after another person or thing and vice versa.

Thoughts:

This is a concept I can relate to since part of my name comes from the names of other people close to me. The idea of namesake has many layers to me. To give someone or something your name is to endorse it and put it in line with your character and being. To have the name of someone else is to be influenced and or covered by that person with or without ever having known them. There’s power in a name and the giving of one. Ultimately, the idea of namesake makes me think of a love that is easy to accept, but difficult to understand.

Name of the day: Mira Brown.

Breakdown and meaning:

Mira is an easy one to figure out. Mira is derived from miracle and means miraculous. I also like the fact that Mira is the name of the first discovered variant star. I’m not going to explain what that is right now, but to me, Mira is very much like a bright shining star…And who is she?

Well, Mira is the heroine in my Eternal Curse Series. So, let’s take a look at her last name.

Brown is obviously a color, but perhaps it’s a bit more than that. With English origins meaning a descendent of Brun or of one with a dark complexion, there’s no major stretch in the meaning of this name. Fortunately there are many people around the world today with the name Brown whose skin has nothing to do with it. Oddly enough, Mira is a black/African character, though her name came from a non-black family.

Well, that’s it for Day 5. See you tomorrow.

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Go back to the beginning to see all the posts in this series.

Outside of my own personal search throughout the years, basic meanings and definitions of the terms used here can be found at the following websites: http://www.meaning-of-names.com/, Google search http://en.wikipedia.org/, and  http://dictionary.reference.com/.

Learn more here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords