Logan: Name given to pay respect

By: Logan Roth

In life, from the moment you are born, your name is a part of you. Imagine walking down a street and you see a friend; without the definitive nature of your name, you would not be able to address that person. I have never been opposed to my name, and have always appreciated it. However, growing up, I always questioned how I got it. Logan, a gender-neutral name, originated in Scotland and loosely translates to “small hollow.” Personally, I would not align with this translation of my name. My feelings are not impacted by it, but the meaning of my name definitely surprised me. At first, the name was used as a surname, but as time went on, it was used more and more as a first name, (Bradley). In the early 1900s, for boys, the name Logan was around the 501th most popular name. In 2017, its popularity rose greatly as it got all the way up to 5th place. Today, Logan is the 17th most popular name to name your baby boy. Conversely, on the other hand, for girls, the name only started to become popular in 1988 when it was around the 766th most popular name. While the name Logan never peaked its popularity for girls more than it did for boys, its popularity sparked in 1996 as the 257th most popular name. Today, Logan resides as the 317th most popular name to give your baby girl, (Mom Loves Best). 

I got this name as homage to my grandfather, Lawrence Roth. So, I feel proud and happy to be a Roth man with a first name that begins with L. My entire life, I have always felt and understood this. My grandfather, although I never met him, was a quality man. A doctor, a lover of his family, and a hard worker. I hope to maintain these values through my name, and allow his legacy to live on through myself. I was always going to be named with the letter L, my parents told me I was almost a Landon. However, I feel like Logan fits me. 

A popular movie called Wolverine has a main character named Logan. Growing up, people would call me Wolverine as a joke. Funnily enough, sitting in my English class as a University of Michigan Wolverine, this connection is hilarious. 

To conclude, the name Logan inspires me to be the best version of myself that I can be. I was named Logan for a reason. Everyday I wake up, I strive to keep alive my grandfather’s legacy through the nature of my name. No matter who calls on me, I feel confident, happy, and connected to my name. 

Works Cited 

Bradley, Sarah. “What Does the Name Logan Mean?” Verywell Family, Verywell Family, 22 Aug. 2021, https://www.verywellfamily.com/logan-name-meaning-origin-popularity-5186140

Mom Loves Best. “Logan Name Meaning (Origin, Popularity & Nicknames).” Mom Loves Best, Mom Loves Best, 23 Sept. 2022, https://momlovesbest.com/logan-name-meaning.