Q, you have correctly stated what I was trying to say.

And I am also suggesting these points:

1. Different languages have the personal names which are spelled the same or very much alike but have different meanings

2. A "prefix" such as "de" should not be interpreted as 'of' just because it means that in Spanish or some other language.


3. Some contemporary "made up" personal names have no established meaning

4. Names that are spelled the same or similarly may be pronounced differently depending on cultural customs

5. Particular cultures have sound preferences. Some of these sound
preferences may change over time and some may stay the same for a long time

6. African Americans {and other people} use certain formulaic approaches to create variants of existing names or entirely new names

7. A person may 'borrow' the meaning of a similar spelled name to develope & reinforce self-esteem

8. A person may create a meaning for a name to help develope and reinforce positive self-esteem

9. Making up personal names is a creative activity that is accessible to most people.

****

I look forward to reading more about naming practices around the world.


Ms. Azizi