Names

I've noticed a lot of blogs talking about "Celebrate Your Name" week.

I looked up my name at Behind the Name and found out that it was a variant of Joan. So I looked up Joan and found out the following:

"Medieval English form of Johanne, an Old French feminine form of Iohannes (see JOHN). This was the usual English feminine form of John in the Middle Ages, but it was surpassed in popularity by Jane in the 17th century.

This name (in various spellings) has been common among European royalty, being borne by ruling queens of Naples, Navarre and Castile. Another famous bearer was Joan of Arc, a patron saint of France (where she is known as Jeanne d'Arc). She was a 15th-century peasant girl who, after claiming she heard messages from God, was given leadership of the French army. She defeated the English in the battle of Orléans but was eventually captured and burned at the stake."

So, taking my lead from Sheri at the Educated Genealogist, I found out the hidden meaning in my name.

"Extremely intelligent in thought and deed you are gifted at communication and finding practical applications for your ideas. You are strong willed and ambitious and need to have passion, freedom and adventure in your life. Always willing to help others your warm, honest and loyal nature ensures that you are loved by all. It is likely that you will achieve a great deal of success and recognition in life."

I've been interested in the meaning of names for a while - mainly due to the fact that I've had to name 2 children in the last couple of years. I found it quite a responsibility but both of them really suit the names that we eventually chose.