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Help[Opinions] Re: Timarete
in reply to a message by Wordsmith
I like the sound, but the meaning scared me away.
I like feminine Tim* names in general.
I'd put it with Georgia, Susan, or Clare, of your combos.
I like feminine Tim* names in general.
I'd put it with Georgia, Susan, or Clare, of your combos.
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Replies
Why did the meaning scare you away? Just curious...
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Excellence seems like a synonym for superiority, supremacy, perfection. Would I want to tell a kid to honor those things? Not really, that'd seem high pressure and elitist. Would I want to encounter someone who was honoring those things? Not really. And I wouldn't like it as the meaning of my own name.
I know there's a more positive, balanced interpretation, but that's not how I react to it.
I know there's a more positive, balanced interpretation, but that's not how I react to it.
This message was edited 11/14/2023, 10:43 AM
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This is a good point. I think some kids might feel pressured by such a meaning. But, they might be inspired by it as well! I remember seeing an interview with Aaliyah once, where she said she was inspired by the meaning of her own name, she was proud of it and strove to live the meaning every day.
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Yeah, I know it can be positive, in that I don't react so negatively to pure, sublime, high, beauty, wealth as meanings, and I don't think excellence is a bad thing.
But with "honoring excellence" (or Excellence, which appeared in one of the Missouri name lists Viatrix has been posting)...I am not comforted by thinking of it as personal or aspirational or mystical the way I would be for those other examples. I guess it doesn't seem like a value or innate quality to me; it's more like a manufactured result of good/bad values or other qualities, so seems relatively empty (but again, I realize it doesn't have to be). I'm probably sensitive to it because my name means "victory"...I feel like that's annoyingly competitive but at least can be personal as in overcoming setbacks, yet it's more like an outcome and doesn't feel like a true value/quality/inspiration (whereas sublime seems like something innately inspiring).
But with "honoring excellence" (or Excellence, which appeared in one of the Missouri name lists Viatrix has been posting)...I am not comforted by thinking of it as personal or aspirational or mystical the way I would be for those other examples. I guess it doesn't seem like a value or innate quality to me; it's more like a manufactured result of good/bad values or other qualities, so seems relatively empty (but again, I realize it doesn't have to be). I'm probably sensitive to it because my name means "victory"...I feel like that's annoyingly competitive but at least can be personal as in overcoming setbacks, yet it's more like an outcome and doesn't feel like a true value/quality/inspiration (whereas sublime seems like something innately inspiring).
This message was edited 11/14/2023, 12:23 PM
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So interesting! I associate "excellence" with greatness in one's chosen field, but I totally understand your response.
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