Note: In order to purchase a name analysis from me, simply click the “name analysis” circular button above. You’ll be taken to a PayPal page which will ask you for the amount you wish to donate, and the Item name. You can put the name(s) you want analyzed in the Item box, or simply use the contact form on this site to let me know what you’d like. Thank you!

Why do you have your name?

Your parents may have given you your name for any number of reasons — it could have been a traditional family name, there could have been a particular meaning or heritage they wanted to pass on, maybe there was someone who meant a lot to them — a friend, a relative — that they wanted to honor, or perhaps they simply liked the sound of it in the book of baby names.

Regardless, your name has a significance beyond that: it is a prime example of a “meaningful coincidence”, an instance of synchronicity, a spiritual snapshot of your life’s trajectory.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean that your birth name is your true, spiritual name. Maybe it is — and that’s great. But perhaps you’ve always felt drawn to some other name; or you’ve gone through a number of nicknames in your life, each of which fit you for a while and then fell away; or maybe you’re still searching for that perfect name. Your names are of spiritual significance; an analysis of them can show you new perspectives on your life’s journey.

Names have been important in human society since the most ancient of times — probably since we first began to speak. In almost every society, names have deep spiritual significance. Consider the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois):

“When a person died, everyone who had similar names gave them up until a period of mourning was completed. Later, if another person was adopted into the clan, he was often given the name of the deceased person whose place he took…. A person was never addressed by his name during conversation; when speaking about a person, especially to a relative, the name was only used if he could not otherwise be clearly identified by terms of relation or the context of the discussion.” –Haudenosaunee tradition.

There are three parts of a word that can be examined for meaning. First is the basic meaning of the word itself; if your name is Leaf, then leaves are important spiritual objects. But another is the history of the word: the fact that in the most ancient times, leaf was a verb meaning “to break off, to peel off” points to a different aspect of “leafness”: the separation, the division from the whole. And finally there is the raw sound of the word, the basic flow of energy within it, and the meaning that implies: the phonosemantics. For Leaf, the energy is light, filling space, enduring, with a stamina that leads to release and freedom.

Combining these three parts is more art than science, and perhaps different aspects will resonate more or less with you in different parts of your life. Consider yourself as a trajectory of energy — over your whole life, over the past year, over a single day. Take the name as a lens of purpose through which you view your time on earth. For Leaf, the overall picture is one of spreading out, separating from a source, reaching further, achieving freedom. Ask yourself how this is reflected in your life.

I’ve given you all the tools to do this yourself. Everything you need to find out the history and meaning of your name is to be found in the links in and around this site. But maybe you’d like a little help. I can give you the benefit of my experience and knowledge as a linguist and a spiritual searcher. and another person’s perspective. If you’re interested, all you have to do is donate – any amount, whatever you feel is fair and within your means.

I believe our names reflect both our character and our purpose in life. For a donation of your choice, I’ll give you a complete etymological analysis and phonosemantic reading — a full historical and spiritual assessment.

Every name means something. What about yours?