The Name Game

Most of us remember the song The Name Game by Shirley Ellis. It went to number 3 in late 1964.  YIKES, I was 12 (sigh).  I have 2 cross-stitch in heart frames with our girls' names & the meanings  -Amanda means "beloved", Abigail means "a father's joy."  What about nicknames - some endearing, some not so much?  Our grand-daughter Morgan is Mogo because that's how she said her own name. Donald was called Quack (thanks Tom Rhoades) in high school & Big D -which many of the girls' friends still call him.  As of late, he's called Grampa Dude.  Growing up, I was chided about being Indian (actually Dad's side is of Cherokee heritage) because my maiden is Redman.  My Mom told me, "Just tell them you were here when they arrived on the boat!"

In Biblical times names & their meanings meant a great deal.  Some were named in relation to the circumstances at the time.  Take Sarah, who was way past child bearing,  heard a man tell Abraham she would have a son the following year.  She laughed to herself but the Lord heard her.  Abraham named him Isaac which means laughter.  (Genesis 21:1-7)

Most parents, especially mothers, put much thought into what they will name their child.  I'm not sure many of us would want to be told what to name our child, yet there was a set of parents who were told exactly this.  They gave no argument. "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."  Matthew 1:21  I love the sound of His Name in Hebrew - Yeshua.  As the hymn says, "Jesus, Jesus, there's something about that Name."  Let us raise His Name up in praise so the world may know He came to save.