My Name, Angela, Other People's Names and What They Tell You

 

The Name Angela

My name, my first name, Angela, is Greek for messenger. Is this appropriate? I deliver messages at Toastmasters International club meetings. My messages are about languages and speaking good English. I also deliver other people's messages in the form of quotations.

My mother called me Angela because she thought I was angelic. She did not know that the world angel means messenger. She just thought it was a pretty name. When I introduce myself, I try to help people to remember my name by saying that I am angelic. Occasionally, especially if they say they have heard the name before, I mention the actress Angela Lansbury, who is not related to me, but, I say, "she does wonderful publicty for our name!' I also mention books I have written, such as Wedding Speeches & Toasts. (That allows me to lead the conversation into my latest book on Improve your English, add alliteration.)

How To Remember Names

Telling people a story about your name helps people to remember your name. If you can hear the story about somebody else's name, that can help you remember it. When I am told that somebody's name means something long and complicated in a language I don't know, such as Sanskrit, or Tagalog, I must admit I soon forget it. 

What is the remedy? However, you can use the system of repeating somebody's name, or paraphrasing what they told you. If you can say their name three times during the course of the conversation, that helps implant it in your brain.

Name Meanings - Polyglots

On a Facebook Polyglots page I asked about name meanings in languages. Most people talked about their own name. One person suggested that my family name, Lansbury, could be from the German words for lance and store. Store in this context means put away and lock up, rather than the modern American sense of sell in a shop. So the combination of the two words, and German language likes unhyphenated compound words, means a weapons store, or a person who lived near one. 

Christmas and Roma Names

A Facebook friend said this of her name:

Chandani Natalia

My full romano nav(*) is Natalia Chandani Rashni e Jannaki e Phurdjaki e Panieske e Bannake -- Natalia (a European-compatible name, meaning "born around Christmas", which I was), Chandani (moonlight), Priestess/magic-worker (a high status title), [daughter] of Janna (matronym), of the [clan of] the Bridge of the Water of the Bann [a toponym, as Roma clan names often are].

(*) By tradition, Roma have at least two and often more names: a romano nav for use among our own people; a gàdjikano nav for use with outsiders; if they have been initiated to any magical role (as I have), a garado nav (secret name); and often also a bango nav, a kind of nickname.

Useful Glossary On Name Words

anonymous - without a name, usually because the author is unknown, or because an author does not want to reveal their identity (for example an anonymous letter)

matronym - mother's name

patronym - father's name

toponym - placenames, names derived from the location, where the person is living, or was living when born or before emigrating

Name Terms & Synonyms

AKA, also known as

Alias - name hiding your identity (foreign, related to the word alien)

Birth Name

Christian name, First name, Given Name, Hebrew Name

Clan Name, Family Name, Last Name, Second Name, Surname,

Maiden Name

Married name

Middle Name, Second Name

Nickname

Nom de plume (French for pen name)

Pen name (name used by author for writing articles and books)

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Given_names