Take a little time out to consider the value of your name, which is something we take for granted. Yet, your name is related to three things: ‘I Am, I Can and I Will’. Who and what you are, what you are capable of and what you will actually do. This article is all about how valuable you rate your name?

The Power of a Name

The power of a name is related to the use of our infinite imagination. Think of the name of someone you know, and your mind instantly conjures up the image and the relationship you have with that person. This can be the source of very strong emotions, particularly if there is a discomfort in the relationship, whether through a difference of opinion, or a death.

The Value of Your Name is Identity

The true value of your name is fundamental to your identity. Others identify you by that name, but it is also a significant part of how we see and feel about ourselves. Names provoke negative or positive emotions in us. Sit and call yourself by a different name for a moment and somehow it doesn’t feel right.

Some people hate their name, usually for reasons that are often difficult to articulate or understand. They may not like the way it sounds to them, makes them feel, or in their head it has negative connotations. At least they have the right to legally change their name if it is not for nefarious reasons.

Naming a Child

Some names evoke strong negative feelings in you, while you may associate feelings of calm with other names. Just the name of a bully from schooldays can create emotions in you and cause a problem when you meet others of the same name.

What does naming a child Sunday bring to your mind? So, naming a child is of utmost importance. Consider why we like to use parent’s or family names for our children. What were the reasons behind naming the baby girl Lilibet? I must admit I gave my second daughter the name of my mother-in-law in a deliberate attempt to build bridges, much to the horror of my mother. Later that daughter added my grandparent’s name to hers. What strange things we do to our children.

A Rose by any Other Name

Shakespeare’s Juliet says “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” If you were called any other name but what you have, you would still be who you are. Yet, we associate the identity of a person with their name, for that is how we perceive them.

We can change how people perceive us, by doing things that lose their trust. The commercial world knows the immense value of the asset known as a brand name. If you purchased a hamburger from McDonalds that made you very ill, you would always see the big “M” in a certain light. If a particular brand of car has numerous recalls, customers lose their confidence in that company, which instantly affects the company’s share price in a knock-on effect.

It is the same in human society. If a person consistently behaves badly, then that is how we perceive that person and their name. ‘Give a dog a bad name…..’ Countries and places take on certain connotations in our mind, because of what knowledge, or experience we have had with that name. We need to highly value and protect our personal ‘brand’.

Bad Versus Good

Facebook and social media were designed on the premise of a person’s name and is used to build social connections and networks. No longer does a person with a sales mentality have to go door-to-door, they just get hold of your email address, which becomes your online identity.

If you value your name, you will want others to feel your name stands for trustworthiness and dependability in the long term. We all make mistakes but that should not define who you are.

Get a bad name on social media and that becomes evergreen. Sadly, most people believe whatever they are fed on the Internet. How powerful is that? Gaslighting takes on an entirely new dimension.

The Value of a Name is its Legal Identity

Your name is your legal identity. Your name is registered by the government, from the moment you are born to the day you die. A person convicted in court has a legal identity that will always be connected with that conviction, whether it be right or wrong. It’s not just your fingerprint that points to your identity.

Your name is a valuable asset when it comes to property, inheritance and other legal matters. How many people have used a partner’s name for dodgy reasons? How many families have become permanently divided over the names in a will?

When someone steals your identity, they have stolen your name, with unstoppable domino effects. When someone hacks your bank account, it is the value of your name that is hacked, not just your assets. Your credit rating is linked firmly to your name.

The Value of Your Name in Ownership

Ownership is multifaceted and can be related from the ownership of a home, a car, or other physical items, to ownership of your actions. Ownership is also related to achievements, or failures. A well-chosen name can set a product above the others, or how that name becomes legendary. In the world of entertainment, a name is everything.

Surnames can relate to ownership within a family or clan, or be associated with a nationality. Australia officialdom has gone big on recognizing indigenous names to an area.

Conclusion

I began this article with the cryptic statement, that your name is related to three aspects: ‘I Am, I Can and I Will’. The theme that runs from the book of Genesis to Revelation is the name of God. It’s all about who He is, what He can do and what He will do and the fact that what He was yesterday, is today and will be tomorrow, never changes. This concept seems weird to us as we the constancy of change is the only reality we know. The name mankind has turned into a swear word, which should be a term of respect and awe.

Your name is significant and multifaceted, and is fundamental to your identity, both socially and culturally. How valuable do you rate your name? Ultimately though, it is only one factor to your identity, personality, character and capabilities, which are ever evolving. Treat it with real respect for the loss of a good name is often impossible to reclaim, as we are very unforgiving creatures, with long memories.

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