What’s in a name?

Naming a new human takes much thought and angst

Making lists of ‘for’, ‘maybe’, ‘against’

Sometimes the namee will declare you were wrong

And a nickname or a name change helps them to belong

Our name is our virtue, or so I’ve been told

We carry one with us from birth til we’re old

Our name may change as we develop and grow

It reflects who we are and what we know

Perhaps an event will shape a new name

When after the event we’re no longer the same

Or something deep within our being

Means a new name needs freeing

These feelings, so strong, are our sense of self

And aligning our truth is good for our health

The power of a name can not be denied

Behind a false name some people hide

To protect privacy a psuedonym used

Or as an escape for someone abused

Our true name remains even so

And those who love us will know

 

 

See also: What’s in a Name? (an article about How to Name a baby, the legal requirements and the opinions of others)