Names and Naming

We all get to name something in our lifetime.  We can treat the occasion as a solemn duty, a mindless chore, or a chance to express our creativity or our sense of humor.  In any case, we seldom realize what power there is in naming something—in creating a string of syllables that others must use.  It is like inventing a new word for the language.  Even if the sounds and spelling are old, that new label you assign to someone or something gets a new definition, a new meaning for the people around you—and maybe, if fate dictates, for the whole world.


(Put your mouse cursor on the picture here and see the explosion of names.)

 


 

A Humorous Look at Names and Naming

Names List

Professional Sports Team Names — including Baseball, Football, Basketball, etc.

Baseball Team Names

Basketball Team Names

Football Team Names

Hockey Team Names

All Team Names with Variable Sorting


Famous Dog Names — Dog movie stars, and other famous canines.

Famous Ship Names — A list of famous sailing vessels.

Famous Masked Heroes — What were they called during their day job?

Famous Streets, Roads and Byways — Street names that have become part of the language.


Street Name Generator — Want to invent a pastural name for a street?

Fictional Name Generator — Create your own fictional name

Indian Name Generator — Create your own fictional name

Common American Surnames — Comparison of occurrences between 1990 and 1790.

Children Surnames — Options for naming the kids.

Jack O’ Words — The name Jack is the most common first name found in English words.

Fun With Names — Ivan Itch and lots more.

Common Name Phrases — Many first names have become part of the English language.


Hair Raising Names — Barbers are great at creating pun-ishing names for their businesses.

Silly Business Names — Some clever business names aren’t so clever.

State Names — Origins and meanings of the American states.

Renaming the States — What if we could rename the States...


Famous Cowboy Names

  Famous Cowboy Names — Western movie stars

  Famous Cowboy Names — Western Characters of Film and TV

  Famous Cowboy Names — Legends of the Old West

Articles about Names

What is a Name? — That question is finally answered.

Benedict Arnold’s Infamous Brother — Why are some names stronger than others?

An Old Lady and a Mop — You don’t buy a good commercial name, you sell it.

God Bless Bjarnia — Surveying the names of states and cities in the United States.

Saks Fawn Creek Chase — The story of street names in the United States.

A Game with No Rules — A look at the game of naming sports teams.

You Are Not Your Name — Don’t take your personal name personally.

Surnames and Her-Names — The history and future of last names.

Cats and Dogs — How we name pets, boats, churches, newspapers and more.

Namely — Why is Jimmy Johnson so upset?

The Johnson Formula — How many people do you know? Try this.


Other Web Sites About Names

Meaning of Names — Offers a fun look at the etymology of common names including genealogy, lineage and origins.

Most Popular Boy and Girl Names — From The New Parents Guide.

Complete List of Pseudonyms — Real names of famouse people compiled by Mark Samwick.

The Etymology and History of First Names — by Mike Campbell.

College nicknames — Compiled by Adam Joshua Smargon.

Scientific Names — Doug Yanega's page.

Funny Thing About Names

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