What's In a Name
Posted Sat, 04/22/06
The other day I was looking for a definition for a specific name, and I came across this web site:
I wasn't looking for a "baby name," but the search engine at Babynamer gives the origins and definitions to most names. For example, I typed in my name "Deborah," and I was given the following:
Its source is Dvorah, a Hebrew name meaning "Bee." According to the Jewish scriptures, Deborah was one of the earliest judges, or leaders, of her people. Considered a divinely inspired prophetess, she mobilized the Jewish nation (which was only beginning to regard itself as such) to affirm its relationship to God and to resist the aggressions of the neighboring Canaanites.
In addition, an extended passage of the Book of Judges is attributed to her. Known as the "Song of Deborah," it is one of the most ancient examples of Hebrew poetry in existence. Scholars estimate that it dates from the 12th century B.C.
All I know is Mum named me after the actress Deborah Kerr. To give it an Irish sound, my father sometimes pronounces my name as "Deb-orr-ahh."
Most folks just call me Deb.
Babynamer may come in handy for future fictional characters…