05/11/2025
I’ve just finished reading 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗞𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗽. This fiction book explores how a single decision about a name can lead to three entirely different lives. It got me thinking about names in two ways. The literal naming of a person and the labels we give ourselves.
When I was younger and wanted to be more confident or just better at something I would create a persona for myself and I had to have a different name. This was because it helped me to feel different and be different. Then fast forward to when my husband and I were naming our four children. We were mindful that their name might in some way, even subtly, shape how they see themselves and how the world meets them.
Often, we also choose additional names for ourselves. We might label ourselves “clumsy”, “incompetent”, “a failure”, “too much” or “not enough”. The names we give ourselves end up being brands that we carry.
The book and my own experiences have made me reflect on the following questions:
🤔 Can a name have such a powerful effect and hold on your life?
🤔Could give ourselves a different name that better reflects our potential rather than focusses on the negatives of the past?
🤔 How could labelling ourselves as "capable", "kind" or "resilient" shift how I move through the world and how the world sees me?
You may find it helpful to reflect or journal on the above questions. What name are you carrying around for yourself that us either serving you or holding you back?
And if you’re curious about how one name can ripple through a whole life and a family, I’d highly recommend The Names by Florence Knapp.
