Names in the Giver

Many names in “The Giver” are well-known in our society. Take the name Gabriel as an example; it is a very well-known name in our world, and most of us may know someone named Gabriel. All names have a meaning behind them and come from different countries and cultures. The names in "The Giver" are quite ordinary and uninteresting, but they are also sophisticated in one way.

In "The Giver's" community, names are a very important aspect. Despite the fact that all new children are scheduled to be born, they all have a large celebration to commemorate their birth. Caleb was a toddler who drowned, and his younger brother was named in his honour. Later the mood was set quite low because everyone recalled the difficult period of grief. There are some names that should not be mentioned, such as Rosemary. Rosemary wanted to be released, and the community suffered as a result of the suffering she also felt.

Name Meanings of Important Characters

Let's begin with Jonas, the main character. Jonas, the name means Dove. The name comes from Hebrew, and in ancient Greece, birds were thought to be sent by gods as a sign to humanity. The only time a bird was mentioned in the novel was when Jonas and Gabriel stole him from out of the community and Gabriel mistakes a bird for a plane, maybe a dove.

Now, it’s time for Asher, Jonas’s friend. Asher is a Hebrew name that means "blessed" and "happy." Asher is described as a very active and joyful child. When he was offered a job, the elder commented on how enthusiastic he was and shared stories about him. Throughout the book, he is always very excited and enthusiastic.

Fiona, Jonas’s love interest, is a very kind and caring person. Her name means fair, pale and beautiful. Jonas described her as a very beautiful girl. Maybe her paleness can be linked to the bird that Jonas and Gabriel both saw when they left the community.

Gabriel or Gabe is only a baby but he still has a pretty big role in the book. The name means “God is my strength”. I don’t think that the meaning of the name has anything to do with the book but it could mean that Gabriel gets his strength from hope or that he could be a symbol of strength and hope.

Rosemary, the previous giver, had been released and left all the memories with the community. Rosemary is known as a herb but also known as “the dew of the sea”. In my opinion, the meaning of her name doesn’t relate to the book in any way.

Lily is Jonas’s younger sister, she is a chatterbox. Her name means purity and innocence. She is an impatient child with simple feelings. Throughout the book, she seems to be an innocent child. She could represent innocence and peace.

All the names in the book have a Hebrew meaning and they are very common. The main characters are typically matched with the meaning of their name. Maybe that’s not a coincidence and it’s somehow linked to the book. I think that it may have to do with where the community may be situated or what language they might speak.

My Name

My name was chosen by my Mom, she had a choice between 2 names which were Jasleen and Jaslyn. My name was originally picked by a book, but it hasn't been explained thoroughly to me. The book chose my name and it wasn’t given to me for a specific reason. Because of that, my name does not have a special meaning in my family. My name is apparently a gender-neutral name and it comes of Indian origin.

According to Baby Names, my name means “absorbed in a good reputation.” I feel that name does fit me because I rarely get into trouble and try to stay out of trouble. If I do get in trouble, it's usually for reasonable reasons.

I would not choose a different name for myself since it would be strange and I would be uncomfortable with a new name that people would address me as. If my Mom named me Jaslyn, I think it would make me different from the rest of my family because they all have conventional and cultural names, however, Jaslyn is not. My name is probably better for me because I'm used to it and it also fits me and my personality.