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The Significance of Common Names
The Significance of Common Names
By Grace Elizabeth Marshall
In my birth year, 2004, the name Grace was at its peak as the most popular girl's name, along with the name Elizabeth (Plant). My name is Grace, and my middle name is Elizabeth: two names that have remained in the top 50 popular girls' names in the United States (Babycenter). When growing up, I was so envious of my cousins who had unique names in Ojibwe, like Miskomin, Bineshiinh, and Nimkee, which had special meanings and displayed their Native American identity. Even in my rural school, I had to put my first AND last name on my paper because there were multiple Graces. (I know I was really struggling.) I always pressed my parents on why they gave me such common names when they could have named me LITERALLY anything else.
Grace comes from Latin origin, meaning “goodness” and “generosity.” In Greek mythology, Grace refers to the three Graces, the goddesses of charm, beauty, and creativity (Heger).
The definition of Grace is “simple elegance or refinement of movement,” and the name is known as a “virtue name” introduced by Puritans in the 16th century (Heger). The name Elizabeth comes from Hebrew origin, defined as “God is my oath” and the Hebrew words shava (oath) and el (God) (Yip). The name Elizabeth was introduced in the Old Testament and mentioned as the wife of Aaron (Yip). Elizabeth also is Mary's sister and mother of John the Baptist (Yip). The two names of Grace and Elizabeth have no origins in Native American languages and have huge biblical meanings, but my parents are not religious at all, so why would they give me these “unique” names?
I've always felt my name never represented my Native American identity as how it did for my cousins. Their names were original and had a special meaning, as I felt mine wasn't given much thought. Upon further research within my family, this name was chosen with a purpose. My dad chose my name and said he liked the sound of Grace Elizabeth; it was easy and went together smoothly. My dad got these names from his two neurodivergent sisters, who he was meant to protect the most out of all his siblings. Being I was his first and only daughter, the names Grace and Elizabeth reminded him of the people he swore to protect, as he would continue to keep the promise and protect me. When learning this, I realized the great significance of my name and its meaning to my dad, that he chose these particular names to emphasize something important to him. Knowing this strengthened my connection with my dad, helped me appreciate, and gave me a personal connection to my name. Despite my name not reflecting my Native American identity to others, it still holds great significance to me as it represents my personal identity and unique bond with my dad. Though my name is less original than my cousins, at least every time I walk into a souvenir shop, I can always find my name.
Work Cited
BabyCenter. “Elizabeth - Baby Girl Name Meaning, Origin, and Popularity.” BabyCenter, 2023, https://www.babycenter.com/baby-names/details/elizabeth-1509#popularity-over-time. Accessed Mar 28. 2023
Heger, Erin. “Grace - Baby Girl Name Meaning, Origin, and Popularity.” BabyCenter, 2023, https://www.babycenter.com/baby-names/details/grace-1898#grace-in-pop-culture. Accessed Mar 28. 2023
Plant, Renee. “What Does the Name Grace Mean?” Verywell Family, Verywell Family, 27 Sept.2021, https://www.verywellfamily.com/grace-name-meaning-5115850. Accessed Mar 28.2023
Yip, Vicky. “What Does the Name Elizabeth Mean?” Verywell Family, Verywell Family, 8 Mar. 2023, https://www.verywellfamily.com/elizabeth-name-meaning-origin-popularity-5115683. Accessed Mar 28. 2023
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