If you had to change your name, what would your new name be?
By Jared Harding Wilson
That’s the prompt staring at me today, and it really got me thinking. For my entire life, I’ve mostly only gone by my given first name. It’s a name I like, even though it has certainly seen its share of minor battles. I can’t tell you how many times people have misspelled it or misheard it over the years.
And then there are the nicknames. I was never a fan of “Jerry”—though I suppose I could have used it as a shorthand for Jared if I’d really wanted to. Instead, other nicknames found me. Back in middle school when I ran track, my little brother used to call me “Jets.” For a while, I even went by “Harry,” which was spun out of my middle name.
Names carry immense weight. Beyond our everyday identities, there is a profound, beautiful symbolism in the new names received in LDS temples—reminders of identity, covenant, and a higher purpose.
But if I had to step away from my given name and choose a brand-new one for myself? I think I might choose Benjamin.
It’s a name that carries a fantastic amount of history and depth. In the Old Testament, Benjamin represents one of the twelve tribes of Israel. In the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin stands out as a powerful example of righteous leadership and service. Then you have brilliant historical figures like Benjamin Franklin.
Even the linguistic roots are fascinating. In Hebrew, the name has some beautiful meanings, including “son of the right hand” and “son of my old age.”
Those are all incredible connections, but if I’m being completely honest, my preference is much simpler: I just love how it sounds. It feels classic, grounded, and timeless.
And yes, if you were wondering, you could absolutely call me Ben.
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I would certainly choose a more exotic name than Janet, there is a preponderance of names beginning with J in my age group. My sister is called Jean. We gave our children biblical middle names that are also family, but Celtic first names connected to nobody in the family! It is quite a decision to make.
That’s awesome, Janet! I love the family stories! My dad’s parents whose names are Louis and Lois had four kids and started with Louis and Linda, and decided to keep the L tradition going with their next two, Larry, and Lonnie. Fun! 🤩
My grandmother Ellie was the fifth daughter and they all had five letter names beginning with E!
That is really cool! 😎 Not sure if you’re a fan of classical film, 🎥 but reminds me of the movie 🍿 Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and how the seven red headed brothers all had Biblical names in alphabetical order. When they got to F they named him Frank, short for frankincense! Fun! 🤩
Interesting read. Names are fascinating. I’ve wrestled, and at times, struggled with my name, both first and last, so I find your post insightful. I think nowadays it’s easier to have a different or less common name than when I was young. But I imagine even the John Smith’s of our world deal with this issue. Solid post. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Rainer! I appreciate the compliments! 👍😎
Ive had the same battles with my name. It’s different, French, hard to pronounce, and can be heard as a few different names, both face to face and over the phone. But it’s my name, it’s me, and I’m proud of it. 🙂
Love it! Thanks for sharing! And I agree! My name is my name and it’s not going anywhere. 👍😎
💯!
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Hi ben, interesting read. As a child, I wished I had a different first name. It was so uncommon that it always drew attention to me, and I never really liked that. But over time, I grew to appreciate it. It’s my grandfather’s name, a family tradition, and eventually it became part of who I am. Today, it makes me feel unique and special. Still, I often wonder whether I would have become a different person if I’d had a different name. I think, in some small way, I probably would have.
Completely valid! I think it’s interesting how names can shape us to a degree. At the end of the day, I’m super happy with my first name! My middle name came about because a family member passed away from my grandmother’s side right before I was born, and to bring her joy, my parents gave me her maiden name. As a kid, I didn’t know how I felt about having two surnames, but grew to love it!