December 23rd, 2025
“Madonna and Sleeping Child” - By Maureen Armendariz
What’s In a Name?
By Gabriella Wilke
So, what’s in a name? This is the question that animates the balcony scene in one of Shakespeare’s famous tragedies. From her tower, Juliet wonders aloud why we’re limited by our names. And not just Montague and Capulet, which draws inspiration from two political factions in 13th century Verona, Italy. She questions our first names too. To her mind, thou art thyself, regardless of the names chosen for us.
Names, in Shakespeare, seem to play a role in our destinies. The wrong name, we see, leads to a series of deaths for the crime of failing—or do I mean falling?—in love. But I’d question whether our lovers are truly doomed to suffer, or star-crossed. Shift your gaze and you might see something in the world around us.
I got a new appreciation for the etymology of names when I was asked to research my own for a class. While we typically used the Oxford English Dictionary for our etymologies, I had to look for mine in the library stacks. While my first name, Gabriella, is nearly self-explanatory, I learned the “ke,” in my last name is a diminutive, much like “y” is in English. But pronunciation can add another layer of meaning: will-kee.
In today’s reading, a lot of fuss is made about a name. Elizabeth is resolute: “He will be called John.” But the people around her have other ideas, insisting she must use a family name. When they find that she won’t change her mind, they turn to her husband Zechariah to make the decision for her, going so far as to bring him a tablet to inscribe the name in stone. For many couples, such interference is a familiar experience. And no less awkward.
What I find amazing in the Gospel story is that Zechariah, despite all the traditions of the time, stands with Elizabeth. But it’s important to remember the key thing that happens next: “Then fear came upon all their neighbors and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea.” Despite these wonderous beginnings, you might recall that their son is later served on a silver platter.
If this story is starting to feel pretty dark, it is, even for this time of year in my part of the world. So if you want my advice, young wanderers, I’d suggest we think less about destiny, and more about intention. To remember, in spite of everything, that John’s parents named him “graciousness.” As for our own names, well then here’s your directive: Go talk to your mother, Mary.
As for me, I continue to hold on to the promise Romeo makes us, spoken from below in the bescreen’d night: “Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptiz’d.” Maybe this time, we can protect them too.
Gabriella Wilke is the marketing and audience development director at Commonweal. She lives in central Minnesota with her husband and cat.
Maureen Armendariz is a painter, jewelry designer, urban homesteader, and homeschooling mom in Omaha, Nebraska.