The value of a good name is inestimable

Years ago, I remember hearing stories about people with “funny” names. There was “Flirt,” “Chicken,” “Bunny,” “Shed” and “Froggie.” There’s “Too tall,” “Tootie,” “Tater,” “Golly,” Turk” and “Basil.” Others include “Punkin’,” “Sweetie-pie,” “Sunny” and “Shorty.”

One man, when asked about the origin of the names, said: “Oh, it was just something we thought was funny and it stuck.”

Some names are because of physical characteristics — there’s “Rooster” and “Red” for red-headed people.

There was the man called Earl because when a relative was inebriated, he couldn’t say his real name and that name stuck.

Realizing those must be nicknames, questions arose as to how the names came about. Several people recalled that nicknames were quite prevalent in Pea Ridge years ago.

The stories, whether true or not, were quite interesting. Some were carryovers from childhood pranks or behaviors. For instance, Froggie, a man well into his 60s when I met him, was small of stature. As a child, he hopped about from seat to seat in the classroom and the teacher remarked that he hopped around just like a frog. The name stuck.

I met a man once at the mule jump and several people told me to ask him about his nickname given to him by Col. Negel Hall. Don Shockley was called Squirrel for his ability to climb trees, although the name has a different connotation to today’s youth.

At the early mule jumps, I remember hearing the men refer to one man as “Muleskinner.”

I have a cousin called Skeeter because he was so tiny when he was born that an older relative remarked that he was no bigger than a skeeter (mosquito, to you folks in the north). That man became a doctor and well respected within his community, but was still called Skeeter by family.

Names can be funny or painful. They can reveal, and even shape, character.

Scripture says: “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches…” Proverbs 22:1.

That proverb is for all that goes with the name, not just the name itself.

Sadly, I’ve heard parents call children derogatory names. Adults can greatly shape a child’s confidence or lack thereof by how they speak to them. It is wisest to deal with behavior, not personality, when correcting children.

When a child is caught telling an untruth, it is wise to counsel him about lies and truth, but not label him a liar. When a child makes a mistake, do not call him clumsy or stupid or deride his ability, commensurate with him and encourage him that with practice, he’ll do better.

One thing about parenting, our children will do things of which we disapprove, things we neither do nor condone, and yet we’ll feel guilty and worry about what others think when they do those things. It’s important to realize that each of us will answer for our choices, and our children will, too. We can not make every decision for them. We are called to properly teach and train them, but they will make their own decisions.

I know people who are ashamed of their name and are reluctant to tell their full given name to others. My first name is a threegeneration name handed down by my mother from her mother. I don’t use it, not necessarily by choice, but because my mother choose to call me by my middle name. As I’ve aged (hopefully matured), I’ve grown to appreciate the value of it. It’s funny of the three of us who carry the name, each of us pronounces it differently. My grandmother says hers with two syllables — Dorris; my mother says hers with one syllable combined with her middle name — DorsAnn (Dorris Ann), although she prefers to be called by the initials, D.A. I actually seldom say mine. I did not pass on the name, although I did pass on the initials D.A. to my sixth daughter.

I prayed mightily for each of my children’s names hoping the character quality inherent in each would inspire them.

Names are important — the names we’re given at birth, and the name we earn by our character. Although few actually change their birth name, we can affect the “name” or reputation we carry. We can also encourage others by names of endearment and words of encouragement.

Let’s consider that the next time we’re tempted to call someone names unkindly and find a way to encourage instead of demean.