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31days

Day 30- Surname: What’s in a Name? #write31days 2014

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Term of the day: surname: family name; a name one shares with members of the same lineage.

Thoughts:

Many people in America have last names they were never meant to have. Back in the day, many immigrants were given more English sounding names when they came into this county and there were the trails and issues of slavery and Asian workers on the railroad and in gold mining. To think that many of the names people have today were forced upon their ancestors makes me wonder why people still use them. The answer isn’t a complicated one though. Generation after generation of using and spreading a common name breeds tradition, loyalty, and connection.

Knowing where and how your last name came about can lead you on a path to discovering your family’s history. Some people will have a much easier go at it than others, but with time and effort, most lineages can be figured out, discovered, and explored.

Name of the day: Lucy.

Breakdown and meaning:

Lucy in generations past has been a common pet name for Lucille, but these days it stands alone. Lucille is derived from either “Lucia” or “Lucyna” with English, Polish, and Italian origins that mean similar things. This next part will sound off-putting, but let me explain.

Both “Lucia” and “Lucyna” are female names derived from “Lucifer” which means “light bearer”. If you know your angelic history, this angel was once the most beautiful and favored of all and a beacon of light, that is before its fall. So in essence, Lucy means “Lucifer” or more acceptingly “light bearer” or “bringer of light”. It is actually a very good name to give a little girl and it has a sweet sound to it.

In my up and coming romance, It’s Like the Full Moon, Lucy is an important character who offers guidance and a bit of comic relief. She’s one of my favorite characters written so far.

Well, that’s it for Day 30. 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 29- First Name: What’s in a Name? #write31days 2014

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Term of the day: first name: individual proper names; names given by parents or guardians to distinguish charges or siblings; given name.

Thoughts:

Let’s just be honest. Unless you have a famous family name or surname that you just love to flaunt, you prefer being called by your first name. While there is a time and place for me to be addressed as Mrs. Thomas, I always feel more comfortable when people call me Toinette. However, I don’t like it when a child calls me by my first name. That’s not how I was raised and not how I roll…Sorry for the rant.

What’s so funny to me about first names is that people tend to either love their name or hate it. Some dislike their names so much that they have them legally changed when they turn eighteen. Then there are those celebrities and special individuals who only use one name to identify themselves. It’s not like anyone has thought, “Cher who?” So I guess that works.

Sometimes I wonder, though, about the names parents give their kids. I get it that sometimes they are trying to be clever, but sometimes I think they are punishing the kid for no reason.

Name of the day: Lisa.

Breakdown and meaning:

Would ever think there was a relation between Lisa and Elizabeth? When I think of pet names for Elizabeth, I usually think of Beth or Liz. In actually Lisa is derived from Elizabeth. With Hebrew, English, and German origins, the name means “devoted to God”.

Lisa is a major character in my up-coming romance, It’s Like the Full Moon. She’s Rebecca’s best friend and the source big drama, but with the best intentions. I can’t wait to share her story.

Well, that’s it for Day 29. 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 28- Spiritual/Religious Names: What’s in a Name? #write31days 2014

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Term of the day: spiritual/religious names: name given or derived from religious or spiritual texts and practices.

Thoughts:

I’m not going back at this point to see how many names I’ve talked about already that either mean or are derived from the names of Greek gods, angels, and or pertaining to God. What I want to talk about today are names that are given based on spiritual or religious practices and beliefs.

Many native tribes, from all over the world, perform rites of passage at birth and then again at puberty. The names are given based on how a child handles or survives their trails and by spiritual interpretation. I was once given the tribal name of “smiling fury” by a Native American guide who worked at an animal preserve. The name is obviously a pet name, but he said he gave it me to because I always smiled while making bullies cry. I was really good at standing up for other kids when I was younger…Sorry for the tangent.

Let’s take a quick look at Catholic naming rituals. I always thought it was cool that my Catholic friends were given a saint’s name or saint’s day at their christenings. Obviously I don’t know the details about it, but it’s still pretty cool.

There are other instances I could mention here about the use and practices of religious and spiritual practices to give names, but I think you already get the idea.

Name of the day: Chandler.

Breakdown and meaning:

Chandler has both English and French origins that both mean “candle maker”. In my Eternal Curse Series, Chandler is the surname of supportive family, one to which my already mentioned, Jack, character is a member of. They appear in the second book, EC: Battleground and serve an important and lasting purpose.

Well, that’s it for Day 28. 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