babynames | (no subject)

Hey, I'm Jana. I had a few questions about names that I need some opinions on.

I really like the name Cassandra but from what I've seen it means "doom." I can't name any future kids Cassandra after finding out the meaning. I love the sound of Elias but I am not religious at all and the meaning is very much so. Are meanings of names important to you when you choose a name for your child? If not, do you just not research the name or do you find out what it means and then disregard it?

Also, I have a few names I am in love with (Blythe, Mitra, Caleb, etc.) but who remind me of people in my past. I don't necessarily want those people to think I'm naming my future kids after them (especially since they are pretty uncommon), but I also don't want to shy away from them just because someone I know has that name. Would naming them the same thing as friends, coworkers, or past acquaintances be a bad idea? If you do go about naming your kid one of those names, how would you explain it the person with the same name?

Thanks!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I wouldn't say it means "doom", but the name is mostly associated with Cassandra from the Trojan War, who kept warning everyone that Bad Things Were Coming - but she was condemnned to be ignored or disregarded because she had offended Apollo. His punishment was to give her the ability to know the future, but not to be believed.

If you really like the name, I would say go with it - probably the worst that's going to happen is when people literate enough to know the story encounter her, there's some teasing.

DV

The thing about Cassandra was also that she ONLY could foresee bad things that were to occure. She couldnt see good things, so that is part of the curse too.

Personaly I dont like the name and I wouldnt use a name with a meaning I didnt like.

Hardly anyone thinks about the meaning of names...I mean, it's one thing if that's really important to you, but most people won't even think about the meaning when they see it. I love both names and if you like them, you should use them. Even if you're not religious, Elias is a beautiful name. Besides, there aren't many names that DON'T have a religious meaning.

Same with the names that have belonged to people in your past. If you're honoring them, that's great, but if you're not, you should still use them if you like them. Most people probably won't think about it at all.

And if someone asks, just tell them you liked the name even before you met them.

About giving your child the name of someone you knew:

When you name a child something, it becomes theirs. I'm sure that you won't even think about the person you know who has that name anymore. I wouldn't worry about it.

If you feel really awkward bumping into a co-worker/an ex/a former friend and telling them that your child has the same name they do, you could always smile and make up a story that it's in honour of your or your husband's relative/friend who happens to have that name too.

According to my baby name book which just happens to be sitting next to me, Cassandra is greek and means Helper of man. I guess you could say that means doom, but the name iteself does not lol.

from behindthename.com: From the Greek Κασσανδρα (Kassandra), which possibly meant "shining upon man", derived from κεκασμαι (kekasmai) "to shine" and ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive ανδρος (andros)).

(deleted comment)

Lmao, dishwasher. Ah. That'd go great with my kids fridge and stove...

Are meanings of names important to you when you choose a name for your child? If not, do you just not research the name or do you find out what it means and then disregard it?
If the meaning is obvious or loaded, that might make me think twice. For example, I'm not at all religious, so I probably wouldn't name a child Faith; there's no disputing what that means. On the other hand, having taking lots of Latin, I know that Cecilia means "blind," but the general public is probably not as likely to know that, so I'd be less iffy about using it.

Would naming them the same thing as friends, coworkers, or past acquaintances be a bad idea? If you do go about naming your kid one of those names, how would you explain it the person with the same name?
I don't think it's a problem, unless the name is really unusual or you've made it clear that you've only liked the name since meeting that person. If your child does meet that person, treat it like no big deal; most people aren't going to say, "Oh, look, you named your baby after me/him/her!" Unless the person is an ex, in which case that might be a bit awkward.

I don't think meanings are important. To me, if it's a nice meaning, it's a bonus. If it's a not-nice meaning, I don't care. lol

Like others have said, the name Cassandra doesn't really mean doom, that's basically just a connotation that not many people know anymore (goodness, what's happening to classical education in schools these days?), so I wouldn't worry too much about that if you really like it.

For me, meanings are quite important. I mean, most names started off meaning something for a reason, didn't they? So why should that be totally disregarded? Especially names that originally came from words.

As for Elias, well... I always associate the name with Elias Howe who, in 1846, invented the sewing machine. Or claimed he did, anyway. I don't think it's a super religious name. It's not like Job or anything. Go for it if you think it's the one for you!

Do I care about meanings? Yes and no. For instance, I love the names "Gabrielle" and "Benjamin", but I am not religious at all. That certainly wouldn't stop me from using them. But names like Lydia, which means "to grieve", or Calvin ("bald") I have to pass on, despite really liking them.

I would probably just use those names regardless, if I liked them well enough. If anyone asked I would simply be honest with them - "hey, I like the name."

I'd look at the origin of the name meaning. Cassandra was a character in Greek mythology who had second-sight. She gets a bad rap because she foresaw a bunch of horrible things that were going to happen. I think that is where the meaning "doom" comes from. A "cassandra" has become synonomous with a wise woman, a soothsayer. I think that is nicer than thinking it meant "doom."

With the names/people in the past thing, my mother, when she was trying to get me to like the name Rachel and I wouldn't use it because I knew an awful person named Rachel, told me that once it's your kids name, you associate it with them, first.

I really do concider the names meaning. If it means something I dont care for I automaticaly throw the name aside. Maybe Im an odd bird, but I always liked knowing the meaning of names and picking one with a good meaning is important to me. For example my name means "appearance of God" and I hate it. I like the name itself, but the meaning ruins it. I wish I had been names something like Kathleen which means pure.

cassandra doesnt mean doom...in fact I have had the name for 22 years and have never heard that lol. it means helper of man and misbelieved by man...I have also heard it meant bit of sparkle but never ever doom

speaking as someone with that name I can tell you I am one of the few people that loves their name... I always have. I always loved that it meant helper of man. my mom made a good choice for me.