What’s In A Name

This post was originally written several years ago and has been lightly edited for clarity and relevance. It reflects my thoughts and experiences from that season of life.

My husband and I have been blessed with three darling (yet very spunky) children. In the mix is our little girl, our Jellybean. I was talking with a friend recently about children’s names and their meanings, and it reminded me of how we came to choose our daughter’s name. In truth, God chose it for her.

In biblical times, choosing a name was pivotal. A name often reflected a child’s birth circumstances or heritage. I think of Isaac, born to Sarah at ninety years old, his name means “he laughs.”

I love telling the story of how we landed on our daughter’s name because, looking back, I can see how every detail was perfectly orchestrated.

It was a beautiful, sunny day, and I had a playdate planned with a friend. I gathered my very pregnant self and my three-year-old son, and we headed to the park. Our boys played on the playground while we sat beneath a shady tree and talked— mostly about pregnancy and the reality of expecting twins, which had been my primary topic of conversation for months. My friend was also expecting a baby boy a few months before the twins were due, so we had plenty to discuss.

That day, the conversation turned to baby names. She mentioned that if her son had been a girl, they would have named her Amelia. I made a quiet mental note. It was a beautiful name! Uncommon, a little old-fashioned, and strong. Our playdate ended, and the day carried on.

That evening, as my husband and I relaxed together, I told him about my day and said, “I heard a really pretty name we can add to our girl list.” Before I could say what it was, he jumped in and said, “I have a name for the girl list too. I met a court reporter the other day, and her name was Amelia.”

I burst out laughing. “I think we have our name.”

I told him about the conversation at the park, and we both knew, without hesitation, that our daughter would be named Amelia. Her name means industrious.

Industrious: diligent and hard-working.

Our little girl is nine years old now, and I can’t begin to tell you how perfectly her name fits her. She rarely sits still, comes up with a hundred ideas before the day is done, and is often eager to help around the house— well, not always. She is nine, after all.

Her heart is already tender toward God, and witnessing that has been one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. She can throw a fit like the best of them, but she also carries a depth beyond her years. She is curious about God and asks questions constantly. I’ve learned more from her nine years on this earth than I ever expected. Many times, I catch myself watching her quietly, wondering what God has planned for her future.

After reading this post, Amelia said to me,
“It’s weird how, as you grow, people’s names soak into them. It becomes them.”