What's In A Name?

What's in a name?

Names and their meanings are important in our family.  I'm not really sure why.  It probably has to do with the importance of names in the Bible, or maybe it's because the person being named is stuck with it forever, or maybe they're not even that important, I've just always been interested in it.  Whatever the reason, I've always known all our names' meanings.  Now, people don't always reflect their name's meanings, I get that.  But in my family it did seem to go that way.

Paul (my dad): humble, small.  Now, the "small" part was always funny, because he's 6' 7''.  But he definitely is humble, and always puts others' needs before his own, willing to make himself "small".

Abigail (me): Father's joy.  When my mom was pregnant with me, I would go BANANAS if I heard my dad's voice.  I came into the world in love with him, and except for some hormone-fueled years there in the middle, that hasn't changed.

Jonathan (my brother): God has given. Which is funny, because we all were told we were getting a girl, and my parents didn't even have a boy name picked out, my dad gave the name to the nurse just as a backup, and... God gave us a boy!  Also, Jonathan in the Bible was the best friend anyone could've wished for, which has always been true of our Jonathan.

Stephen (my brother): Crown.  Also, his middle name is "Andrew", which means manly.  Stephen was born a little prince in our family, with everyone carrying him, reaching things for him, etc.  Also, he is now a junior at West Point.  So the manly thing is pretty accurate too, I'd say.

Daniel (my husband): (Only) God is my judge.  I'll just leave that there, lol.

Aidan Judson (our son): Aidan means little fire.  And he is just that.  Every time I wonder why he does the things he does, I remember what we named him.  Judson is Dan's middle name, and the family name that gets passed down on his side.  I love it!

??? (baby girl on the way)

So.  Clearly, we don't take names lightly in this family.  

As I've mentioned in a couple other places in my blog, strong female literary characters are what I feel shaped my childhood, and young girl-hood the most.  So, who do we go with?

Anne - with an E?  Jo from Little Women?  Elinor from Sense and Sensibility? Emma?  Laura (Ingalls Wilder)?  Hadassah from Mark of the Lion?

As I sat there thinking about who I would like my little girl to emulate most, I couldn't help but think of the woman who introduced me to all of my heroes.  My greatest hero, my mom.

Jocelyn.  

She grew up on a farm in North Dakota, in a family of Kathys, Nancys and Susans - an anomaly, a Jocelyn.  She had dreams to see the world.  She had/has style.  She has endured more heartache than a life should be able to hold, and yet has perpetual joy.  She has an infectious laugh, and can tell a story like no one can!  She loves fiercely (fierce being the opportune word - you get it whether you asked for it, or not, lol).  She bravely followed God's call on her life, and left the comfort of the known to live and raise her family in a new culture.  She is solid in her convictions.  She doesn't waver.  She is honest.  She is the absolute most creative person I, or anyone who knows her has ever seen.  She's an insane book-lover (like, read us all, out loud the entire Anne of Green Gables series, Narnia books, The Lord of the Rings, Little House on the Prairie and many others).  She has a tender heart.  She gives everything her all.  She tries new things.  She admits her fears, but faces them anyway.  She's my best friend.

She is everything anyone could hope and dream for their daughter.  There is no one else in the world I would want my daughter to be more like.

Jocelyn means "Joyful".  She is that, unfailingly.  It also means "one of the Goths".  A warrior.  An overcomer and overthrower.  

And so, there is no greater name, as far as I am concerned.

Jocelyn.