How the British feel about the biblical names?

Question

In a British movie, I heard one female character said " I LOVE BIBLICAL NAMES"

BUT I cant's understand the culture since I'm the Oriental people.

i would like to know how the Western people feel when they hear about the biblical naems.

Jeannie1 · Accepted Answer

Personally I don't care whether a name is "biblical" or not.  It does not matter.   A name is only an identifying tag.

Cbsteh · Answer

I think it is not a case of Biblical names adopted by some Westerners only. People who follow the Christian faith strongly may be inclined to name their children from the Bible. For example, I know of Chinese church elder whose name is Moses.

Chris

Parading · Answer

I know the biblican names can be used in the Orienta countries as well. (not only in the Werstern countries) and people's opinion about it can be very various.

but I just want to know what the Western people think GENERALLY about biblical names and what image they come up with when they meet someone who have biblical names.

I'm studying english and I'm preparing to teach english to students
so the culture and the way of thinking of western people are very helpful to me.

Clive · Answer

Hi,
You might want to think about this.

Some biblical names are very common, eg John or Peter or Mary.

Others are very uncommon and seem unusual, at least in English, eg Nicodemus.

Best wishes, Clive

CalifJim · Answer

paradingi I would like to know how ~~the~~ Western people feel when they hear ~~about the biblical~~ ~~naems~~ Biblical names.

Ninety-nine percent of Western people are completely oblivious to the origin of names. In English-speaking countries they feel nothing at all concerning whether a name is Biblical or not.

For example, my name is James -- nickname Jim. I doubt that anyone I know considers it a Biblical name, even though it is one. More likely they think of it as the name of one of the kings of England, if they bother to think of it at all, which they don't.

CJ

Nona the brit · Answer

Yes it really depends on the name.

AS CJ says, some are very commonly used, and probably few people really connect them to the bible. They are just English names. James, John, Mark, Peter, Joshua, Sarah, Mary,Rebecca etc..very normal (even quite plain sounding) English names. In my immediate family we have a Hannah, a Nathan, a Matthew, a Piers (a form of Peter), but no-one in my family is religious. Most parents pick names because we like the sound of them rather than with much meaning in mind.

Other biblical names are not often used and sound a lot more 'exotic' to us...so I would imagine the parents were making some sort of a statement about their belief if they used one.

The only really odd biblical name I've come across was a lady I worked with who called her newborn son Jonah. It's an odd choice as it is considered a name for an unlucky person - someone who brings bad luck down on others. If you call someone 'a Jonah' you think they are bad luck. So..it was a bit strange to actually call a baby that.

Jeannie1 · Answer

nona the britIf you call someone 'a Jonah' you think they are bad luck. So..it was a bit strange to actually call a baby that.

but wasn't that to do with a whale? Moby ****? There is a biblical character called Jonus, who supposedly "ratted" on Jesus. Maybe there is a Jonah too, in the bible, I don't know. But back then, the names would have been Jewish or relating to the countries in the middle east where they lived, and what we use in English, is an angicised version. And I think most usage of such names, (but not saying all), is what is popular at the time. We go through phases when various names are popular. Once upon a time, "*******" was popular for a guy, but who would use that now? (no offence intended if anyone has this name). I don't know its origins, it is just an example of a phase.
But in Britain and in many other countries now, there are so many people from different backgrounds, so that there would be as many different reasons for picking any name. There is no "one" British view, and here on this forum you might only get a very small sample which is not anywhere near enough to base a general opinion on about "How the British feel..."

Clive · Answer

Hi,
Re Jonah
but wasn't that to do with a whale? Jonah was a character in the Bible who was swallowed by a whale.

Moby ****? That's what Melville called his whale.

There is a biblical character called Jonus, who supposedly "ratted" on Jesus. No, that was Judas.

Best wishes, Clive

Cbsteh · Answer

Clivebut wasn't that to do with a whale? Jonah was a character in the Bible who was swallowed by a whale.

Technically, it was a big fish, not stated specifically a whale.

Chris

How the British feel about the biblical names?

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