MISCELLANEOUS: WHAT'S IN A NAME?

A lot according to a group of rabbis whose avocation is to help people avoid naming a child an embarrassing name. They have ...

... put together a list of names they say should be off-limits to Jewish children -- including Ariel and Omri, the given names of Israel's prime minister and his eldest son.

A little political correctness me thinks. Actually no, there is a real though a seemingly silly reason ...

Uttering the name Ariel is problematic because it could beckon an angel namesake instead, drawing down his wrath, they caution.

Omri -- the name of an evil biblical king -- should be taboo because of the highly negative connotation.

I don't want to offend any of my Jewish friends by sounding flippant about this; to an Orthodox Jew things like this are extremely important and not to be treated lightly.

The rabbis' list, presented on an Internet site, http://www.moriya.org.il, also offers preferred names. Rabbis said they compiled the list in response to a flood of requests from parents concerned they may accidentally give their children names that could shame them for life.

I guess it wouldn't be too good to have a boy named Sue then?

According to Judaism, names are very important and each person's soul has a designated name, the Web site explains. The names follow people into their afterlife and, while waiting at the gates of heaven, people must give their names.

Israel's Interior Ministry has barred the names God, Hitler and Bin Laden from being registered in its population files, said Sabine Haddad, a spokeswoman for the Census Bureau.

I agree names are important, especially names such as Ossama Umamma. Check out the meaning of Old Testament names and see what I mean; or check out the thinking behind Native American names.

Bible; Christianity; Israel; Jews; Judaism; Old Testament; Rabbi