"What's in a name? that which we call a rose // by any other name would smell as sweet." Juliet's famous words capture more than her love for Romeo and her frustration with their taboo relationship. Juliet goes on to describe the difference between a person and that person's name; she argues that a person is not his or her name, bemoaning the fact that she is denied her love because of his name. Juliet is, simply put, saying that the man she loves is still the man she loves, regardless of his name. Juliet calls out the arbitrary side of names.
Yet we cannot deny that names do indeed carry weight and have meaning for each individual. Different names carry different connotations for different people: If I said the name Brittany, someone else is just as likely to think fondly of a sister or cousin as I am to think of a middle school classmate who was obsessed with fairies and thought herself to be a witch. Famous names also carry weight - if I said the name Donald, there is no confusion as to whom I am referring.
We have names to distinguish one person from another by identification. In this way, my older brother, Matt, is differentiated from my younger brother, Ben, even though both are the sons of our father. In elementary school, I had two Hannah's: Hannah O. and Hannah K. Likewise, I had four Kaitlyn's on my floor when I lived in the dorms, all with different spellings, yet we distinguished the four young women by employing last names, a nickname, and actually calling one of them Katelyn. We granted each a new name of sorts, which allowed us to separate out which young woman we were discussing.
Names, specifically first names, level the playing field and create more open relationships. I have had some professors who ask the class to call them by their first names; others mention their desire to be called "Dr. So and So" or "Prof Fill-In-The-Blank" or simply "Last Name." While some might argue (and I see their point), first names can also break down what should be formal relationships. Using a prefix before a name acknowledges the different levels of authority and seniority.
On the other hand, nicknames create yet another identity, one of camaraderie and playful intimacy. Shortening names accomplish similar relationships, as in calling Jessica "Jessi" or Samuel "Sam." Nicknames go even deeper than shortened names, adding another dimension to that person's identity. I had a friend who's rugby team called him "Gramps," while to everyone else, he was Chris. My younger brother attending high school with twins who went by "Sword" and "Razor." My high school and college friends invented the nickname "Denasaur" for me, a play on my first name.Some of my friends even add their interpretation of a pterodactyl after saying my nickname.
While nicknames are fun, prefixes are formal, and first names are friendly, one's name is still a part of that person. Yesterday, I volunteered for a local church's childcare program for kids with disabilities. I hung out with a little eight year old boy with mental and physical handicaps (I refrain from sharing his name to protect his privacy). Usually, the kids there don't know names, and certainly don't remember my name. Why should they? I watch them for three hours, once a month.
But this boy remembered my name. In fact, he called me "Miss Dena." When I realized that he addressed me personally, my heart melted. He remembered me; he knew who I was; he knew my name! Suddenly, I became a person, a friend, to this boy. As I thought about it later, that was the sweetest thing I heard yesterday: a little boy who loves Batman and knows who sewed the first American flag remembered my name.
His or her name is the sweetest sound a person can hear.
