“ . . . they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.’

In the Old Testament era, names were carefully chosen for their literal and symbolic meaning. For example, the name Zacharias meant “Yahweh Remembers” and the name Elizabeth meant “The Oath of God.” Both names referred to the covenant that God had formed with this devout, but now elderly couple. When their marriage was finally blessed with a son, God Himself named the boy John, which meant, “God is gracious.” The boy’s name would serve as a permanent reminder of his miraculous birth and as a sign that he was destined for greatness.

Likewise, many Christians name their children after Biblical figures or saints in the hope that they will be inspired to model their lives after the person whose name they bear. In fact, a name is a significant factor in shaping one’s personality, affecting how we act and how others react to us.

For many years, the name John was among the most popular names for a boy. Year after year, from the ‘50s through the ‘70s, it was always one of the top 3 names; but in the ‘80s it started to slip to number 7; in the ‘90s it fell to the 13th spot; and now it ranks 41st in popularity.

Today, many parents place greater emphasis on the cultural than on the spiritual meaning of a child’s name. They baptize their children in the names of actors, cars, clothing labels, fabrics, foods, liquor and other consumer products. Years from now, those children will be burdened with a name that has long since lost whatever significance (if any) it might have had.

Of course, parents are free to name their children after their favorite brand of cheese, if that’s what they prefer. But I can’t help wondering if there is something more to the shift away from the names of role models to names that simply sound good.  Without the names of role models to remind our children of their heritage and their family values, have we denied them part of their birthright?

A child's given name may be the first objective standard by which he or she is measured, but it's not the only one. In the course of our lives, we acquire nicknames from our loved ones. These special terms of endearment capture our most unique and appealing qualities. Our given name says who we are; our nickname says who we have become. Thus, John became known as John the Baptist in recognition of his unique role in salvation's history.

We have no say over our given name, but we do have something to say about what our loved ones call us. What nickname would you like Jesus to give to you?