Who gave you your name (and I am talking about your individual name, not your family name)? Do you know why they chose this name for you? Does it have a particular meaning? Were you named after someone, or as a reminder of a special place/time/belief, or based on an honoured tradition, or was it just a name they liked the sound of? Is this the name you go by on a day to day basis, or have you adopted a nickname or alternative title along the way?

 

The giving of a name is not the same in every place or through history. It is a very personal thing for that individual, but it may also be a communal, formal and spiritual thing. Our name links us to the people and place that we come from, and may even symbolise something they hoped might be fulfilled in our future.

We see many many examples in the Bible of names having meanings:

His mother had named him Jabez [sounds like the word for pain/grief], saying, ‘I gave birth to him in pain’.  1 Chronicles 4:9

And Abraham gave the name Isaac [meaning laughter] to the son Sarah bore to him. Gen 21:3, Gen 17:17, 18:12

She [Pharaoh’s daughter] named him Moses [meaning drawn out] and explained, “I drew him out of the water. Ex 2:10

She [Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus [meaning the Lord saves], because he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

 

Using someone’s name shows that we see them, recognise them, value them, know them (or want to). Think about how impersonal it feels to just be referred to as he/she, or how uncomfortable it can be when someone forgets your name. Within the family of Christ, it is truly wonderful to refer to one another as brother or sister of course, but we shouldn’t overuse those terms to the exclusion of people’s given names. If someone’s name is not culturally or linguistically familiar to you, you may need to make a special effort to listen carefully and practice saying their name properly.  This attention shows that you want to honour their true name, that you care about them as an individual, and that their name is important enough to get it right!

“Our names matter. The world often revolves around minorities and majorities. The former are expected to fit in with the culture of the latter. One examples is that we are expected to make it easier for people around us by having an easier sounding name. Many years ago I (at that time a Muslim) and another Muslim colleague were told to come up with different names so as to make it easy for our majority colleagues. So, Khursheed (meaning the sun/brightness/light) became Ken and I had to be known as Kas (instead of Karamat, which means miracle). Similar minority/majority issues arise in churches too”. 

 

But does the name we were given at birth have any bearing on us being a follower of Jesus as an adult? I have heard stories of pain and disappointment from individuals who were encouraged by the local church to change the name they were given by their Muslim family when they became a follower of Jesus. There may have been genuinely caring reasons for suggesting this, but there are also other motivations which may be less well-rounded. Those believers of Muslim background strongly felt that there is nothing about their name that prevents them being a faithful follower of Christ and, in fact, may give them stronger opportunities for witness to Him with their ‘apparently Islamic name’.

“I want to be salt and light in my birth community, to continue to be part of my family. For me, God changes people's hearts, not their names. I also want to teach the church more about the Muslims around them, and how He loves them and wants them to come to Isa al Masih”.

 

In contrast, other individuals of Muslim background may have felt the reassurance of God to change their name to reflect their new identity. This may not have been done lightly, recognising the impact on family and community. Some may even have been prompted by God to adopt a new name, similar to these Biblical examples:

No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham [meaning father of many], for I have made you a father of many nations. Genesis 17:5

And I tell you that you are Peter [meaning rock], and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. Matt 16:18, Mark 3:16

 

And others where it is not clear how, but a new name becomes the accepted norm:

Then Saul [named after first King of Israel and meaning asked for], who was also called Paul [meaning small or humble], filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery!  Acts 13:9-10

 

So how much weight should we give to a name? The first King Saul may have been asked for by the people, but certainly did not fulfil everything they might have been hoping for. Delilah [meaning delicate or weak] was not held back from having a powerful impact because of her name. And Miriam [meaning rebellious]  was not entirely defined by her name, showing support and dedication at numerous times.

Maybe having a new name is important for some individuals to feel they can live in the fulness of what God was calling them to and to affirm their sense of belonging to a new family, or for those around them to recognise their new faith?

“I chose to use a pseudonym for some of my Christian writings and speaking appearances for reasons of security and to protect family members”.

“Some people have to change their name so that it is possible for them to get married to a Christian”.

 

Maybe for others the significance is in living fully for God with the name they already have? And perhaps even part of having the significanceof their new identity in Christ recognised by others?

“Not long ago, at a church conference a well-known white English-speaking Christian provided an example of what not to do in our diverse Christian family. He was reading a long passage from the Old Testament. He came to some difficult-to-pronounce names in the verses he was reading. At this point he announced to us all: 'I am not going to even try to say these bit-of-a-mouthful names.' At this point I and possibly others with non-English names were wondering whether he would do the same with us and our names”. 

 

Whichever the case – the decision to keep or change one’s name should be between the individual and God – with no pressure or expectation from others. Then let us all celebrate the glorious mix of names that make up our local fellowship and the global family of God – learning a few new ones as we get to know our brothers and sisters in Christ from across the nations and across the road!