What's in a Name?

What’s in a Name?

In the Bible, names meant something. “Peter” meant “rock.” “Penuel” meant “face of God.” “Jabez” meant “he causes sorrow.” Some people translate “Jabez” to mean “pain.”

But, when you read a name in the Bible, just know it has some significance—and to understand the Bible better, it really does help to take the time to understand the meaning of people’s names, countries, and cities.

Well, an Orlando, Florida boy will have some ‘plaining to do when it comes to his name. the boy’s name, all 24-letters of it, will be Dixon and Willoughby Partin—before you question my ability to count, you have to include the “and” in his name!

Why the strange name? Simple. A hundred bucks worth of gasoline.

An Orlando radio station offered $100 worth of free gasoline to the listener with the most interesting item to trade. David Partin of Orlando offered the right to name his unborn son to a local radio station. Radio hosts Richard Dixon and J. Willoughby took Partin’s deal.

So, when the baby is born later this winter, he will be named “Dixon and Willoughby Partin.” When asked, David Partin’s girlfriend, Samantha Bailey, told the Orlando Sentinel that at least he will have an interesting story about how he got his name.

The two radio hosts are a little concerned that this will actually happen, so they don’t plan to hand over the card until they see the birth certificate.

Hmmm…giving the naming rights over to a couple of radio personalities? How dangerous is that? At least it wasn’t Howard Stern!

I’ve seen people willing to have companies’ names tattooed onto their forehead. When you watch a NASCAR event, you see company names all over the cars and uniforms of the drivers, and if you listen to them talk for more than ten seconds, you hear every sponsor’s name they can get in in those seconds.

But, to have your child named after a radio show? How ridiculous is that!

Choosing names is complicated and can take hours and hours to decide. There are family considerations to keep in mind. There are spelling implications and abbreviations to worry about. There are the “top 10” names to avoid. There are the names of former girlfriends and boyfriends to avoid.

I just wonder, will David and Samantha allow the radio station to pick their wedding date to happen before or after their baby is born? Careful Steve, you’re getting a little too judgmental here. Who said you have to be married to have a baby? No one, I suppose. Then again, who said the proud husband and wife should be the one to choose their baby’s name?