Defined by Name?

"Because" is not really an answer.

WHY Does Richard mean strong or ruler?

What gives it that meaning?

Who was the First Richard? Are all other Richard's named for him. I don't speak any other language - is Richard old Hebrew for Strong?

Can I say, "Wow, those girders sure look Richard"?

It's a fun sport to look at people on TV and see how their surname matches their profession, eg John Green runs a nursery. Once you start looking it's quite frequent!!! An initial self identity is one of the important things we develop as kids, so it seems to make sense we'd attach meanings to how we and others label ourselves as being part of that. The subconscious might make the associations for us to some extent I'd bet - which might not help if you've got a dodgy name. For me it did have an influence, but not very large, albeit persistent.

In case you were wondering, I was not being serious because I find the whole concept of nameology, numerology and astrology to be a bunch of hocus pocus. The name I was given at birth has absolutely no bearing on the person I am.

As for "A Man Called Sue", I know three guys named Kim; one is a coward who sold me out to save his own skin; one is a bully who threatened to burn my house down; and one was the kindest and gentlest of men who made a community cry when he died of cancer.

JamesSand wrote: "Because" is not really an answer.

WHY Does Richard mean strong or ruler?

What gives it that meaning?

Who was the First Richard? Are all other Richard's named for him. I don't speak any other language - is Richard old Hebrew for Strong?

Can I say, "Wow, those girders sure look Richard"?

Because the name is derived from the Germanic elements "ric", which means power or rule or leader, and hart, which means brave or hardy or strong. The Normans first introduced this name to Britain and the Celts used it as a first or given name meaning "strong in rule". Three kings of England including Richard I the Lionheart had this name.

Does that answer your question?

Because the name is derived from the Germanic elements "ric", which means power or rule or leader, and hart, which means brave or hardy or strong. The Normans first introduced this name to Britain and the Celts used it as a first or given name meaning "strong in rule". Three kings of England including Richard I the Lionheart had this name.

Does that answer your question?

Not any more than someone quoting Star Wars explains Jediism

I don't speak Germanic, or Norman, and whilst I have a vague knowledge of English kings, the name Richard does not inherently carry that weight, and I doubt, were I to give it to my child, unless I went out of my way to tell them how it meant I wanted them to be strong leaders, would they be aware or, or care.

So, yes, fascinating history of ye olde words and "other dudes names richard" aside - I'm really not any closer to knowing why the name Richard means, well, anything, but in this case, Strong or Ruler.

Again, could just be a cultural mismatch, where I live, we name people so they are reasonably easy to communicate with and hope it can't be made to rhyme with something mean, in other cultures, maybe if they want a child who's good at keeping things off the ground, they'd name it "Table".

I suppose the right thing for me to do would be to get to understand those cultures.

Anyone named Table please PM me, you can come live at my place for a few weeks and I'll assess your ability to keep crap off the floor.

Table was my maternal grandmother's name. She was always drunk and only educated to the kindergarten. (Oh maybe another "German" word you don't understand?) Sorry. This is not a cultural mismatch, only one of a lack of understanding of basic grammar. I would bet my life your name would also fall into this category. The point is that names, many of which once carried great significance due to their origin and cultural assignment, have evolved over the centuries to mean quite different things, thus leaving us with the only conclusion possible, that a name cannot define us unless we allow it to.

Table was my maternal grandmother's name. She was always drunk and only educated to the kindergarten. (Oh maybe another "German" word you don't understand?) Sorry. This is not a cultural mismatch, only one of a lack of understanding of basic grammar. I would bet my life your name would also fall into this category. The point is that names, many of which once carried great significance due to their origin and cultural assignment, have evolved over the centuries to mean quite different things, thus leaving us with the only conclusion possible, that a name cannot define us unless we allow it to.

Which is more or less my point - The names don't mean squat - certainly in my culture, and apparently yours - so we can all agree (not that I have any expectation you're willing to agree to agree, although you might be willing to disagree that you're willing to agree to agree, but then we're in danger of becoming something out of a comedy skit)

If you're letting it define you, then you're the one determining the definition in the first place - What old matey in some other era in some other land felt the word meant is, for better or worse, completely irrelevant.

As far as I'm concerned, my name means "Five ten white guy" - in which case, my parents absolutely nailed it

I would say your name means "to many Fosters" but then again I don't have an issue with this as I don't belive in having to many fosters.

I would say your name means "to many Fosters" but then again I don't have an issue with this as I don't belive in having to many fosters.

If this is a multilayered reference to not knowing which one of the highschool football team is my father AND really bad export quality beer.

Then it's bloody brilliant.