Discover What Your Name Means Day is celebrated on the Wednesday of the first full week of March, and this year, it takes place on March 5. As the name implies, Discover What Your Name Means Day is a day to find out the true meaning of your name. There are so many names in the world, each of them beautiful and unique, and you deserve to know why yours is special. Your name can reveal a lot about your culture or family history. Whatever the case may be, celebrate Discover Your Name Day by doing some research into the meaning of your name. You might be surprised by what you find.
History of Discover What Your Name Means Day
Discover What Your Name Means Day, also called Learn What Your Name Means Day is a day to find out what your name means, learn the story behind it, and then celebrate the name. The day was founded in 1997 by Jerry Hills, an American onomastician. This special day is celebrated on Wednesday during the first full week of March.
Other events of Celebrate Your Name Week include Name Tag Day, Namesake Day, Name Fun Facts Day, Unique Names Day, Middle Name Day, and Genealogy Day.
Jerry Hills created the holiday as part of C.Y.N.W. to get more people to learn about and appreciate their beautiful and unique names. Jerry Hills got curious about names when a child with the same name as his got killed in his city. Jerry’s website, Jerry Jill Present Names, has become very popular and is even accepted by the public broadcasting service. It was because of this website and its mission that Hills created the holiday.
Naming traditions differ, but a person’s name can have many stories to tell. A person can learn about family history, lineage, ancestral heritage, and culture by doing a little research on their first name or surname. A name that might not seem unique or special could become so if the owner understood the history behind it. Hill wanted people to know this, and this is the spirit in which Discover What Your Name Means Day is to be celebrated.
Discover What Your Name Means Day timeline
Namesake Day is created to celebrate shared names.
Jerry Hills creates the holiday week celebrating names.
The man with the longest name in the world dies the same week Celebrate Your Name Week is created.
The Jerry Hills Presents Names website is created to provide information about names.
Discover What Your Name Means Day FAQs
What if I don’t like my name?
If you don’t like your name after researching its history, you can go by a middle name or a nickname. Alternatively, you could choose a whole new name that holds more meaning to you. If you want to go further, you can change your name legally.
Where can I find the meaning of my name?
The first source to go to when searching for the meaning of your name is your parents or other family friends. If your name was given to you by your parents, there’s a good chance they know the meaning of the name. If they don’t, you can conduct some research of your own, starting with a simple Google search.
What is a name day?
A name day is a day associated with the feast day of the saint a person. It is typically celebrated by Christians, particularly in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, where people are named after a saint.
Discover What Your Name Means Day Activities
Ask questions
This is where you drill your parents or certain family members with questions regarding your name. Get a pen and notepad and ask questions about what your name is, why it was given to you, and if it has special relevance to your parents.
Love your name
Once you know the meaning of your name, you can begin showing it love. Your name is yours, and now that you know its meaning, you can truly appreciate it. If you do not like the meaning of your name, you can give yourself another name that has a more relevant meaning to you.
Use the hashtag #discoverwhatyournamemeansday
What’s in a name if you don’t tell the whole world about it? Celebrate Discover What Your Name Means Day by sharing the meaning of your name, the history behind it, and other facts that make it special.
5 Fun Facts About Names
Longest male name
A German-born American has a name with 747 characters, the longest for a man.
Longest birth certificate
Rhoshandiatellyneshiaunneveshenk Koyaanisquatsiuth had a name so long that her birth certificate was two feet long.
Spelling of Christophpher
After fighting for nine years, a Swedish woman finally won the right to call her son ‘Christophpher’ rather than Christopher.
Namesake meeting
In 2005, Martha Stewart gathered 164 people also named Martha Stewart, creating a world record for most people gathered with the same name.
L.A. isn’t just Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a short form for El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles (Town of the Queen of Angels), which is the full name of the city.
Why We Love Discover What Your Name Means Day
It reminds us that we’re special
Names can be an important part of our identities, and knowing the meaning of your name can make you feel very special. Sometimes, a name can affirm personality traits or provide guidance.
It gives us pride
Knowing the meaning of your name can bring a true feeling of pride. It provides confidence and lets us own our names with pride, especially for people who have names they get mocked for.
It teaches us about our history
Names are often rooted in culture, religion, history, or family heritage. Discover What Your Name Means Day lets us learn more about who we are and where we came from.
Discover What Your Name Means Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | March 9 | Wednesday |
| 2023 | March 8 | Wednesday |
| 2024 | March 6 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | March 5 | Wednesday |
| 2026 | March 4 | Wednesday |
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