Names They Have No Meaning

Names really don’t mean that much to me. I mean, no one gets to choose their name, and when it is chosen for you, you don’t even have a personality! Hell, some say, “oh he looks like such a so and so.” I find that rather insulting when directed towards me. “Are you saying I look like little ink designs with meaning only to a small population of understanders?” “Gee thanks, you too.”

Jonathan. To me, it’s too common, but I guess despite how little names mean, it fits me pretty well. A late-blooming deep red apple. The color associated with evil love, like blood. It’s deep and meaningful with a long history like a 47’ Château Margot, just right at the moment, but it will surely cork soon. It all came out of the Old Testament; Jonathan saved David’s life and was known for manliness and generosity. In Hebrew it means, “Gift from God.” I’m not so sure I’m a gift from god, but there are surely other meanings. It means the dice rolling in Vegas, so smooth but sophisticated like a con-artist’s secret code. Maybe it means latitude and longitude, after all it is over the world in every language, each with a unique pronunciation. Somewhere its got to mean chocolate, dark chocolate specifically. No less than 76% cacao, and Belgian.

The name has obviously stood the test of time. For the past couple thousand years people have been being called it, so its not that surprising that so many great people have been known by it. Jonathan Swift for one, the rebellious political writer, with a personality just like me. Always going against the system. And there’s the great book, “Jonathan Livingston Seagull,” also just like me. Curious about everything and ready for an adventure.

Like I said, Jonathan is just too common. Too common for a person like me. “Jono joe with a mouth like an O,” was where my true name came out of. Jono, not John, Johnny or Yoni, a little more quirky and interesting but with all the same roots. Yeah, names might not mean very much to me but now that I think about it, the next time someone tells me that I look just like a Jonathan, I’ll take it as a compliment.