Name Origins

[Fyxe]

[size=1][color=slategray]This came up the other day when I learned that there had never been a recorded person named "Wendy" before the book [B]Peter Pan[/B] was written. James M. Barrie had, in fact, made up the name exclusively for his story.
So this little piece of information started to make me wonder about other name origins.

What do you know about your name? What language did it come from, what does it mean? Also, does this name meaning fit your personality at all? I suppose that is the purpose of this thread. Tell whatever you know. And maybe there is a certain name's history that caught your interest, feel free to discuss that as well.

As for mine, Claire, it originates from the Greek and Latin languages. In general, it means bright, smart. Or shining and clear. Something like that.
I'm not so sure how that would fit me. I guess most people would consider me smart, but that's about it. Unless being extremely pale counts as being "shining and clear." :P Haha. Because I'm no social butterfly if we are talking personality-wise.[/color][/size]

[Albert Flasher]

[COLOR=Sienna]My full name is James-Alexander Kilpatrick Baillie.

James is Latin, and one of the meanings is "Usurper."

Alexander is Greek, and it means "Protector of Mankind."

Kilpatrick is Irish and from what I've been told it means "Patrick's Wood." Which I find funny.

Baillie I'm not so sure of. I assume my ancestors were bailers and they were given the name Baillie.

So let's re-cap: I'm a usurper who protects mankind, lives in Patrick's Wood, and bails hay for a living. Funtastic.[/COLOR]

[pooperson]

[QUOTE=Bláse][size=1][color=slategray]
What do you know about your name? What language did it come from, what does it mean? Also, does this name meaning fit your personality at all? I suppose that is the purpose of this thread. Tell whatever you know. And maybe there is a certain name's history that caught your interest, feel free to discuss that as well.[/color][/size][/QUOTE]
My name is Marta. Martha without the H. It is originated from several languages, but the one I choose to explain with is Latvian. Latvia is in Baltic Europe, North of Lithuania & West of Russia, and my dad's whole side of the family is from there. But I digress. "Marta" can come from two sources -- Martha or Mara. Martha means "lady", & Mara means "bitter". Opposite-like, huh?
Well, to be quite honest, I believe that my name itself does fit me. I mean, c'mon. "Marta" is a pretty weird name -- pretty uncommon. As am I. I honestly can not think of ANYBODY like me, personality-wise.
As for the meanings? I do believe they fit me, to an extent. I have a hard time trusting people & am sometimes cynical [[bitter]], but I like to dress up & be classy [[lady]].
That's about all!

[Kredion]

well my names goes back quite a bit....

Dustin stands for..From a surname which was derived from the Old Norse given name Þórsteinn or TORSTEN

which i looked into and got...From the Old Norse name Þórsteinn, which meant "Thor's stone" from the name of the Norse god Þórr or Thor combined with steinn "stone".

looking into Thor got me...From the Old Norse Þórr meaning "thunder". Thor was the Norse god of strength, thunder and war, the son of Odin. He was armed with a hammer called Mjolnir, and wore an enchanted belt which doubled his strength.

so my first name goes from english to swedish and danish to norse or viking mythology

whoa what a trip that means it goes back at least 800 years....

[Shinmaru]

From [url=http://www.behindthename.com/][b]Behind the Name.com[/b][/url]:

[quote]MICHAEL
Gender: Masculine

Usage: English, German, Czech, Biblical

Pronounced: MIE-kul [key]

From the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Mika'el) which meant "who is like God?". This is the name of one of the seven archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies, and thus is considered the patron saint of soldiers. This was also the name of nine Byzantine emperors and a czar of Russia. Other more modern bearers of this name include the 19th-century chemist/physicist Michael Faraday and basketball player Michael Jordan.[/quote]

That looks pretty accurate to me; it does a nice job of underscoring how awesome I am. "Who is like God?" I am, of course. The only archangel actually [i]identified[/i] as an archangel in the Bible? Damn right. Take that, Gabriel, Raphael, and all of you other losers!! And not only am I the leader of heaven's armies, but I'm also a god of basketball [i]and[/i] gambling.

Best name ever, pretty easily. Sorry to outshine all of you so badly.

EDIT: And that bit about J.M. Barrie inventing the name "Wendy" for [i]Peter Pan[/i] isn't exactly true. He popularized the name, no doubt, but the name was actually in use before Barrie published his play (albeit very limited use).

[Latharix_sama]

[SIZE=1]My name is Catherine.

It's another form of the name Katherine. It comes from the Greek name Aikaterine. The etymology is debated: it could derive from the earlier Greek name Hekaterine, which came from Hekateros, "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess Hecate; it could be related to the Greek word aikia, "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". The Romans associated it with Greek katharos, "pure" and changed their spelling from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this.

Today, if I was to look up Catherine, I would most likely come up with that meaning, "pure".

I'm...not pure. xD So...no, this name doesn't really fit me. I still like it, though. <3

-dances- I've had all that information saved on Word for years!!

EDIT: Hmmm....now that I think about it...aikia (torture) is totally me. 'Cause, I'm such a bother to be with. xD[/SIZE]

[Andy]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]ANDREW
Gender: Masculine

Usage: English, Biblical

Pronounced: AN-droo [key]

From the Greek name Ανδρεας (Andreas), which derives from ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive ανδρος (andros) "of a man"). In the New Testament the apostle Andrew was the brother of the apostle Simon Peter. According to legend he was crucified on an X-shaped cross, and he is the patron saint of Scotland, Russia, and Greece. This was also the name of kings of Hungary.

Yep, but just call me Andy, and if you ever call me by my actual name, I'll hurt you. So thats about all I know about my name. P.S. Thanks Shinamru fo rthe link^^[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[TheShinje]

[color=crimson] Interesting, most interesting.[/Gavin]
Zachariah is the name of a biblical prophet, and a bilbical book, which is pretty cool. It's acutal meaning is "The Lord has remembered." So yeah, the Lord has remembered me.

Zachariah is also one of the most apocalyptic of the books found in the Bible, so booyah. I'm the end of the world, baby![/color]

[Boo]

[size=1]My name is Boris. So what we did was google the words [i]Name[/i] and [I]Translator[/i]. Skip all the elf name generators and click on the first normal name translator. Result for the name 'Boris':

[indent][b]BORISLAV[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b] Masculine
[b]Usage:[/b] Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian
[b]Other Scripts:[/b] Борислав (Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian)

[i]Means "fame in battle" from the Slavic element bor "battle" combined with slav "glory"[/i].[/indent]

Google really is awesome.[/size]

[Claire]

[QUOTE=Bláse][size=1][color=slategray]As for mine, Claire, it originates from the Greek and Latin languages. In general, it means bright, smart. Or shining and clear. Something like that.
I'm not so sure how that would fit me. I guess most people would consider me smart, but that's about it. Unless being extremely pale counts as being "shining and clear." :P Haha. Because I'm no social butterfly if we are talking personality-wise.[/color][/size][/QUOTE]
[FONT=Arial]
I'm shocked that someone else has the same name that I do. Seriously, I was the only Claire in my entire middle school, and now in a high school of maybe 2350 students, I'm one of two (or at least such was the case last year). I'm really glad that it's such an uncommon name that I'm usually the only one, but it's kind of plain. If I think of my name being on a playbill or in credits, it doesn't seem to fit. Maybe it's just because of my stupid last name, but Claire is just kind of bleh. (That's why I used to be called Amelia, don'tchaknow).

As for the deeper parts of it, it seems you and I are similar. I guess I'm supposed to be smart; I'm in all honors classes, as well as AP World History (which is supposed to be similar to a college course or something). I guess intelligence and will-to-do-things are different, though, eh? I'm seriously lacking in that last part. I've also gotten some pretty nice reviews of my acting and writing, so I guess that could be considered "shining" in some peoples eyes. As for clear, I think I'm sometimes hard to understand, due to my random nature and complete ability to manipulate the English language (and apathy to the fact that "I just lol-ed all over the floor" is not an appropriate substitute for laughter).
[SIZE=1]
I've also got super pale skin. We're some silly vampires, us Clurrs.[/SIZE]

EDIT.
[quote name='"Boo"']Skip all the elf name generators[/quote]

But how will the elves be able to respond to this thread?![/FONT]

[musical_kitten]

I went and used the link that Shinmaru supplied (thank you) and got what I expected.

ASHLEY
-Gender: Masculine and Feminine
-Usage: English
-Pronounced: ASH-lee
From a surname which was originally derived from a place name which meant "ash tree clearing" in Old English.

Usually when I go to type up my name under some "What does your name mean?" related site, I usually get something along the lines of "Ash Tree."

Using [url]www.babynames.com:[/url]

ASHLEY
-Either m or f
-English
-From the Ash tree field

So, in conclusion, I am either an ash tree, or was an ash tree, or am from an ash tree. Yay.

I also noticed that whenever you go to these sites, there are always some names that you never have heard of before. Would you name your baby girl "Arkansas"?

[Jokopoko]

[size=1][color=teal]I've always thought my name was awesome, so you may all share in it, just not my last name ^_~.

[QUOTE][b]WILLIAM

Gender:[/b] Masculine
[b]Usage:[/b] English

[b]Pronounced:[/b] WIL-ee-am, WIL-yam
From the Germanic name Wilhelm, which was composed of the elements wil "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection". The name was introduced to Britain by the Normans. It has belonged to several rulers of England, Prussia, and Germany, including William the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England. Another famous bearer was William Tell, a legendary 14th-century hero from Switzerland. In the literary world it has been borne by dramatist William Shakespeare and poet William Blake, as well as contemporary authors William Faulkner and William S. Burroughs.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE][b]JOHN

Gender:[/b] Masculine
[b]Usage:[/b] English, Biblical

[b]Pronounced:[/b] JAHN
English form of Iohannes, which was the Latin form of the Greek name Ιωαννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan) meaning "YAHWEH is gracious". This name owes its consistent popularity to two New Testament characters, both highly revered as saints. The first was John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus Christ and a victim of beheading by Herod Antipas. The second was the apostle John, also supposedly the author of the fourth Gospel and Revelation. The name has been borne by 23 popes, as well as kings of England, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and France. It was also borne by the poet John Milton and the philosopher John Locke.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE][b]CARTER

Gender:[/b] Masculine
[b]Usage:[/b] English

Pronounced: KAHR-tur
From a surname which meant "one who uses a cart" in Middle English.[/QUOTE]
And they be my first name and two middle names, bask in their reflected glory![/color][/size]

[Guest Kanda34]

[COLOR=Magenta]my name angelina means small angel isnt it like greek or something i have no idea[/COLOR] :animecry:

[Aaryanna]

[COLOR=SeaGreen]Well my real name probably fits me the least since I?m not into anything religious:

[INDENT]Bethany
[B]Gender: [/B]Feminine
[B]Usage: [/B]English, Biblical
[B]Other Scripts: [/B](Hebrew)
[B]Pronounced: [/B]BETH-a-nee
Means "house of figs" in Hebrew, from a biblical place name. In the New Testament Bethany was the town where Lazarus lived.[/INDENT]

And my user name doesn?t really fit me either, I just think it?s pretty. That and it?s my dogs name. ^_^
[INDENT]Aaryanna
Combination of Aaron and Anna. Given the meaning holy beauty by the parents who created it[/INDENT]
So they don?t really fit my personality at all. Though if you were to go by my mom?s personality when considering my name, well she is religious so perhaps it?s more of a reflection of her seeing that she and my dad chose it. ^_^[quote name='Retribution][size=1']My full name is Alexander Joseph Ivey.[/size][/quote]Hehe, we named our cat Alexander. ^_~ Since I thought Aaryanna and Alexander sounded nice together. But since he turned out to be the type of cat that chews on everything, including power cords we nicknamed him Lucifer as well as he?s quite the devilish cat! ^_~[/COLOR]

[Ikillion]

[COLOR=#99121c][SIZE=1][FONT=Comic Sans MS]Wooow so intresting, the only thing that I really know about my name is that it was the first Book in the New Testament. Lets see what the internets has to say on it.

[INDENT]MATTHEW
Gender: Masculine

Usage: English, Biblical

Pronounced: MATH-yoo

English form of Ματθαιος (Matthaios), which was a Greek form of the Hebrew name מַתִּתְיָהוּ (Mattityahu) which meant "gift of YAHWEH". Saint Matthew, also called Levi, was one of the twelve apostles (a tax collector). He was supposedly the author of the first Gospel in the New Testament. [/INDENT]

Ohh look at that, I was a saint in some other kind of life, I knew it was Hebrew though since one of my jewish friends does always tease me about it. Yet that really doesn't discribe me at all, espically the Tax collector part.

Yet I am sure that there is another Matthew around here...somewhere..[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Xra]

[font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2]Jokopoko, you stole my name! :P

So, middle and last:
[quote][/size][/color][/font][font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2][b]JOSEPH[/b][/size][/color][/font][color=Blue] [/color][font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2][b]Gender:[/b] [/size][/color][/font][font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2]Masculine[/size][/color][/font][color=Blue]

[/color] [font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2][b]Usage:[/b] [/size][/color][/font][font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2][url="http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/eng.php"]English[/url], [url="http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/fre.php"]French[/url], [url="http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/bibl.php"]Biblical[/url][/size][/color][/font][color=Blue]

[/color] [font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2][b]Pronounced:[/b] [/size][/color][/font][font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2]JO-sef [b](English)[/b], zho-ZEF [b](French)[/b] [url="http://www.behindthename.com/pronunciation.php"][key][/url][/size][/color][/font][color=Blue]

[/color] [font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2] From the Latin [i]Iosephus[/i], which was from the Greek [i][url="http://www.behindthename.com/support/transcribe.php?type=GR&target=Iwshp%5Eos"]Ιωσηφος[/url] (Iosephos)[/i], which was from the Hebrew name [i][url="http://www.behindthename.com/support/transcribe.php?type=HB&target=Ywosep"]יוֹסֵף[/url] (Yosef)[/i] meaning "he will add". In the Old Testament Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob. Because he was the favourite of his father, his older brothers sent him to Egypt and told their father that he had died. In Egypt, Joseph became an advisor to the pharaoh, and was eventually reconciled with his brothers when they came to Egypt during a famine. This is the name of two characters in the New Testament: Joseph the husband of Mary and Joseph of Arimathea. Also, rulers of the Holy Roman Empire have had this name.[/quote]And the closest thing to Abeel is:
[quote][/size][/color][/font][font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2][b]ABEL[/b][/size][/color][/font][color=Blue] [/color][font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2][b]Gender:[/b] [/size][/color][/font][font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2]Masculine[/size][/color][/font][color=Blue]

[/color] [font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2][b]Usage:[/b] [/size][/color][/font][font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2][url="http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/eng.php"]English[/url], [url="http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/fre.php"]French[/url], [url="http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/spa.php"]Spanish[/url], [url="http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/por.php"]Portuguese[/url], [url="http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/bibl.php"]Biblical[/url][/size][/color][/font][color=Blue]

[/color] [font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2][b]Pronounced:[/b] [/size][/color][/font][font=Verdana][color=Blue][size=2]AY-bul [b](English)[/b], ah-BEL [b](Spanish)[/b] [url="http://www.behindthename.com/pronunciation.php"][key][/url][/size][/color][/font][color=Blue]

[/color] [font=Verdana][size=2][color=Blue] From the Hebrew name [i][url="http://www.behindthename.com/support/transcribe.php?type=HB&target=He%5Ebe%5El"]הֶבֶל[/url] (Hevel)[/i] or [i][url="http://www.behindthename.com/support/transcribe.php?type=HB&target=Habe%5El"]הָבֶל[/url] (Havel)[/i] which meant "breath". In the Old Testament he was the second son of Adam and Eve, murdered out of envy by his brother Cain.[/quote]Ahah. I bring the breath of the protector... I [i]am[/i] the protector! Do not worry, citizens... I am here to protect you![/color]
[/size][/font]

[Katana]

[size=1][color=royalblue]I'm glad to say that nobody's stolen my name(s) yet. =P

[QUOTE][size=1][b]GINGER[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b] Feminine
[b]Usage:[/b] English
[b]Pronounced:[/b] JIN-jur
Either a pet form of VIRGINIA, or else "ginger" from the English word for the spice or the reddish-brown colour[/size][/QUOTE]Whoo, I'm a spice! X3

Okay, I'm lieing, so we're off to my legal name..

[QUOTE][size=1][b]VIRGINIA[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b] Feminine
[b]Usage:[/b] English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Swedish, Romanian, Ancient Roman
[b]Pronounced:[/b] vur-JIN-ya (English), veer-JEE-nyah (Italian), beer-HEE-nyah (Spanish)
Feminine form of the Roman family name Virginius which was possibly derived from Latin virgo "maid, virgin". According to legend, she was a Roman woman killed by her father so as to keep her a virgin. Virginia, the American state, was originally named in honour of Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen.[/size][/QUOTE]So...I'm a spice that was killed by my father. Lovely.

Waaaay back when I was in CCD, we had to look up our saint's names. Mine turned out to be the Virgin Mary, so there's that as well.

I don't like the name Virginia. It's too stately for a hyperactive moron such as myself. Hence, whenever a peer calls me Virginia, I don't respond until they say Ginger. :3[/color][/size]

[Sangome]

[size=1]All I know about my name is that the spelling varies the definition.

According to what I've found, the name [b]Stacy[/b] is Greek, which means "ressurection".

But the way it's SUPPOSED to be spelled, [b]Stacey[/b], is English, and means "stable".

... O_o

Stable? If by "fidget and yell alot", then yeah, I'm stable. >_>[/size]

[Anakoni Stark]

[QUOTE]LEON
Gender: Masculine

Usage: English, German, Polish

Pronounced: lee-AHN

English, German and Polish form of LEO [Late Latin name meaning "lion", ultimately from Greek λεων (leon). This was the name of 13 popes and several Byzantine emperors. Another famous bearer was Leo Tolstoy, a Russia novelist whose works include 'War and Peace' and 'Anna Karenina'. Leo is also the name of a constellation and the fifth sign of the zodiac.]. A famous bearer was Leon Trotsky, a Russian Communist revolutionary. This is also the name of a region in Spain, though the etymology is unrelated. [/QUOTE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkRed] yup, I had to look up two defintions for my first name. [/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR]


[QUOTE]ALEXANDER
Gender: Masculine

Usage: English, German, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovak

Pronounced: al-eg-ZAN-dur

From the Greek name Αλεξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek αλεξω (alexo) "to defend, help" and ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive ανδρος (andros)). Alexander the Great, King of Macedon, is the most famous bearer of this name. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. This was also the name of emperors of Russia, kings of Scotland and Yugoslavia, and eight popes. Also, Sir Alexander MacKenzie was an explorer of the north and west of Canada in the 18th century.[/QUOTE]


[QUOTE] Fury [taken from anger]: is an emotional response to a grievance; real or imagined; past, present or future. Rage refers to an extreme degree of anger associated with a loss of calmness or discipline [/QUOTE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=New Times Roman][COLOR=DarkRed] Ok. to sum this all all up, I am: a guardian lion with anger issues..

[SIZE=2][FONT=New Times Roman][COLOR=DarkRed][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][EDIT] just for kicks I'll throw in my pseudonym:[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR]

[QUOTE]BRIAN
Gender: Masculine

Usage: Irish, English

Pronounced: BRIE-an

The meaning of this name is not known for certain but it is possibly related to the Old Celtic element bre meaning "hill", or by extension "high, noble".[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE]ALEXANDER
Gender: Masculine

Usage: English, German, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovak

Pronounced: al-eg-ZAN-dur

From the Greek name Αλεξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek αλεξω (alexo) "to defend, help" and ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive ανδρος (andros)). Alexander the Great, King of Macedon, is the most famous bearer of this name. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. This was also the name of emperors of Russia, kings of Scotland and Yugoslavia, and eight popes. Also, Sir Alexander MacKenzie was an explorer of the north and west of Canada in the 18th century.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE]WALKER
Gender: Masculine

Usage: English

Pronounced: WAWK-ur

From an occupational surname which meant "a fuller of cloth" in Old English.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkRed] my pseudonym in layman's terms translates to: a gurdian hill covered in cloth?

- Fury [/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[Disenchanted]

[SIZE=1][B]Amanda:[/B]
Gender: Feminine
Created in the 17th century by the playwright Colley Cibber, who based it on Latin amanda meaning "lovable". "worthy of being loved" [Variant of Miranda]
[B]Jayne:[/B]
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Hindu
Meaning: Victorious
[B]Crockett:[/B]Occupational name that describes someone carrying a shepherd's crook. Or a ?Crooked person? otherwise done I've something illegal. oooh!

My first name annoys me; it?s easy to make fun of. Not mentioning any names Random! I like my last name, although people tend to nick name me "Davy", especially adults, which sorta irritates me, depending on my mood. -_-;

I'm a loveable victorious shepherd that doesn't uphold the law. Whee! O_o colourful...[/SIZE]

[Guest -Yuna-]

My full name is Ami Elisebeth Mason-Green (argh i hate having a double barrel name, i cant wait til im married!!!)

Ami is French and means "beloved"
Elisebeth is Hebrew and means "Oath of God"

Oh dear i dont believe in god, now i have an oath to him!!!

Lol i dont like my name, its dull...

[PaganAngel]

Wheee! I love etymology!

Well, mine's easy, as it's an actual word in English: Bonnie. Means pretty. Scottish, from French "bon" meaning "good". My middle name's Josephine, the feminine form of Joseph. Easy. Let's see if I can find my last name, Slocum...

Heh. This is actually interesting. I learned that my ancestors were Quakers. I found a blog by an devoutly Anglican Slocum. Meanwhile, I'm PaganAngel. Ah, irony. And the etymology of the name... The [i]Sloe[/i] tree that grows in [i]Combes[/i] (valleys). Huh. Interesting. And I could really not care less.

[Ezekiel]

[SIZE=1]My name's [B]Jamie[/B], so here we go:

[INDENT]The boy's and girl's name Jamie is pronounced JAY-mee. It is of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is "he who supplants." Originally a pet form of James, now also used as a feminine form of James. [/INDENT]

I've never known another girl to be called Jamie with the spelling I have it. If it's a girl, they usually have the spelling Jaime, which is somehow more feminine. I dunno. But I like meh name. Teachers in school always ask me if it's shortened for something because "I thought that was a boys name", then they go on to quickly say "Oh, but it's very pretty!" when I tell that it's my full name. Sigh.

Surname! [B]Payne[/B]:

[INDENT]The English surname Payne is patronymic origin, being one of those names derived from the first name of the original bearer's father. The source of the name can be traced to the Old English word "paien", which was derived from the Latin word "paganus" meaning "rustic or countryman". It later also came to mean "heathen".[/INDENT]

I've actually never looked up my surname before, and it's really interesting. I always thought it was French. This site also tells me that the Payne motto on our crest is "[I]I would rather die than be dishonored[/I]." Awesome.[/SIZE]

[Sandy]

Meh, my name origins are boring. X/

[B]Sami[/B] (my first name) is a Finnish alteration of Samuel, from the Bible.

[B]Juhani[/B] (my second name) is a Finnish alteration of John, from the Bible.

[B]Hietanen[/B] (my last name) literally means "sandy" in Finnish. *points at his username*

So there. :P

I've always dreamed of having a unique name, but what can you do if you're born to an average family with everybody having common names? I wouldn't go as far as to change my name, though...

[DaSilva]

.deletion.