Love

LOVE

Love

Within us, it is the greatest lighthouse we can have,
the current that pushes us to the shores of peace, to find the best in others.

Outside of ourselves, love is the measurement of growth that longs to find someone or something that sustains us long-term. And when two love terminals connect, they chug along life’s journey enjoying scenic routes and weathering rough tracks.

Love, man.

It hopes. It knows that life will get better if we keep putting one foot in front of the other. It trusts. It trusts, but it’s not gullible. It questions . Love seeks to keep us going. It gives us our life’s purpose, understanding, and wisdom. In its wisdom, it makes us wise.

As much as we can fear the unknown, love calls us to look past that fear and move on.

As rational as love can be, we may become irrational when love feels like it has left us.

But be strong, as love is our strength, our protector, our courage to keep us afloat.

Love lets me love my people enough to want the best for them by helping them to see the best in themselves.

Love wants me to see past the hatred of others and melt away the grizzle that has hardened their hearts.

Love is the key that unlocks chains, breaks down walls, and causes the mighty to come to their senses.

It grows, but doesn’t waver.

It runs, but never tires.

It molds you in to who you are, and nestles you to rest.

As deep as love can be engrained in us, let it bloom above as a pretty flower, soar high as an eagle, and rise boldly as the sun.

And, at the end of our days, may love set as gracefully as the evening sun, and brighten the moon and twinkle stars on the darkest nights.

Yes, love, let it begin with me, and Haley comet for generations to come.

It’s a beautiful thing.

Some of My Favorite Girl/Boy Names

There are some names with very deep meanings that I have fallen in love with, from all kinds of cultures. I guess that’s part of why I love names: some cultures have such a connection to them. Having a list of names from other cultures helps me feel connected to them, you know? Like, seriously, I will have a “DUDE!” moment behind reading someone’s name. An “A-HA!” moment.

At any rate, I hope you enjoy this list of names. :D I have other names, but I figured it’d be easier to list by category. :D

“It’s not what you are called, it is what you answer to.” Answer to hope, love, faith, purpose, positivity, creativity, healing. “Let the weak say I am strong.” :)

Names are/were taken from:

55,000+ Baby Names by Bruce Lansky, 2005, Meadowbrook Press

The Best Baby Names in the World by JM Congemy, 2007, Harper

These are girl/boy names. While girls and boys can use these names, more likely than not, these are girls' names. 

GIRL/BOY (GIRL-DOMINANT)

Ebony: a hard, dark wood (Greek) (g/b)

Simran: absorbed in God (Sikh) (g/b)

Chinue: God’s blessing (Nigeria) (CHIH-noo-eh) (g/b)

Simone: he heard (French) (g/b)

Kenna: beautiful (Irish) (g/b)

Afton: from Afton, England (English) (g/b)

Bailey: bailiff (English) (g/b)

Manpreet: mindful of love (Punjabi) (g/b)

Tatum: cheerful (English) (g/b)

Sydney: from Saint-Denis, France (g/b)

Darby: free (Irish); deer estate (Scandinavian) (g/b)

Cherokee: people of a different speech (Cherokee) (g/b)

Alma: learned (Arabic); soul (Latin) (g/b)

Bronwyn: white breasted (Welsh) (g/b)

Carmen: song (Latin) (g/b)

Ciara: black (Irish) (g/b)

Deja: before (French) (g/b)

Déja: before (French) (g/b)

Marion: bitter (French) (g/b)

Alisha: truthful (Greek); noble (German); See Alicia (g/b)

Alicia: truthful (Greek); noble (German) (g/b)

Kennedy: helmeted chief (g/b)

Some of My Favorite Boy/Girl Names

There are some names with very deep meanings that I have fallen in love with, from all kinds of cultures. I guess that’s part of why I love names: some cultures have such a connection to them. Having a list of names from other cultures helps me feel connected to them, you know? Like, seriously, I will have a “DUDE!” moment behind reading someone’s name. An “A-HA!” moment.

At any rate, I hope you enjoy this list of names. :D I have other names, but I figured it’d be easier to list by category. :D

“It’s not what you are called, it is what you answer to.” Answer to hope, love, faith, purpose, positivity, creativity, healing. “Let the weak say I am strong.” :)

Names are/were taken from:

55,000+ Baby Names by Bruce Lansky, 2005, Meadowbrook Press

The Best Baby Names in the World by JM Congemy, 2007, Harper

These are boy/girl names, where boys or girls can have the name, but, more likely than not, it is a boys' name.

BOY/GIRL (BOY-DOMINANT)

Quenby: feminine (Scandinavian) (gn); woman’s estate (b/g)

Quentin: fifth (Latin); Queen’s town (English) (b/g)

Quinton: fifth (Latin); Queen’s Town (English) (b/g)

Quinn: queen (English, German) (b/g)

Quimby: woman’s estate (b/g)

Quinby: woman’s estate (Scandinavian) (b/g)

Quincy: fifth (Irish) (b/g)

Simcha: joyful (Hebrew) (b/g)

Curran: heroine (Irish) (b/g)

Curin: heroine (b/g)

Chandler: candle maker (Old English); moon (Hindi) (b/g)

Maverick: independent (American) (b/g)

Foluke: given to God; placed in God’s care (Nigeria) (fo-loo-kay) (b/g)

Dominique: belonging to the Lord (French) (b/g)

Simon: He heard (Hebrew) (b/g)

Bennett: little blessed one (Latin) (b/g)

Kellen: mighty warrior (Irish) (b/g)

Asa: born in the morning (Japanese); healer (b/g)

Connor: wise (Scottish); praised, exalted (Irish) (b/g)

Dane: bright as day; from Denmark (England) (b/g)

Chauncey: chancellor, church official (English) (b/g)

Clark: cleric, scholar (French) (b/g)

Colin: young cub; victory for the people (Greek) (b/g)

Callum: dove (Irish) (b/g)

Tate: cheerful (Greek) (b/g)

Wyatt: little warrior (French) (b/g)

Dalton: town in the valley (English) (b/g)

Willie: determined guardian (German) (b/g)

Logan: meadow (Irish) (b/g)

Marshall: caretaker of the horses; military title (French) (b/g)

Reese: enthusiastic; stream (b/g)

Sebastian: venerable (Greek); revered (Latin); respectful (b/g)

Sebastien: venerable; revered; respectful (b/g)

Weston: western town (English) (b/g)

Walker: cloth walker; cloth cleaner (English) (b/g)

Wesley: western meadow (English) (b/g)

Wesleyan: western meadow (b/g)

Xavier: bright (Arabic); owner of the new house (Basque) (b/g)

Drew: courageous, strong (Greek); descendant of Drusus, the strong one (Latin) (b/g)

Blaise: stammerer (Latin); flame; trail mark made on a tree (French) (b/g)

Cameron: crooked nose (Scottish) (b/g)

Ethan: strong; firm (Hebrew) (b/g)

Galen: healer, calm (Greek); little and lively (Irish) (b/g)

Carter: cart driver (English) (b/g)

Dane: bright as day; from Denmark (English) (b/g)

Destin: fate (French) (b/g)

Devin: poet (Irish) (b/g)

Dawson: child of David (English) (b/g)

Dayton: day town; bright, sunny town (English) (b/g)

Harrison: child of Harry (English) (b/g)

Shawn: God is gracious (b/g)

Mandeep: mind full of light (Punjabi) (b/g); enlightened (Punjabi) (gn)

Lakota: a tribal name (Dakota) (b/g)

Garrett: brave spearman (Irish) (b/g)

Garrick: oak spear (b/g)

Lincoln: settlement by the pool (English) (b/g)

Dembe: peace, peaceful (Uganda) (DHEM-bay) (b) (g)

Hunter: hunter (English) (b/g)

Some of My Favorite Gender-Neutral Names

There are some names with very deep meanings that I have fallen in love with, from all kinds of cultures. I guess that’s part of why I love names: some cultures have such a connection to them. Having a list of names from other cultures helps me feel connected to them, you know? Like, seriously, I will have a “DUDE!” moment behind reading someone’s name. An “A-HA!” moment.

At any rate, I hope you enjoy this list of names. :D I have other names, but I figured it’d be easier to list by category. :D

“It’s not what you are called, it is what you answer to.” Answer to hope, love, faith, purpose, positivity, creativity, healing. “Let the weak say I am strong.” :)

Names are/were taken from:

55,000+ Baby Names by Bruce Lansky, 2005, Meadowbrook Press

The Best Baby Names in the World by JM Congemy, 2007, Harper

These names can be used by either boys or girls, which makes it all the more interesting to me. :D

GENDER-NEUTRAL

Quaashie: born on Sunday (Ghana) (KWA-shee) (gn)

Rida: favor (Arabic) (gn)

\Nuru: daylight (Swahili) (gn)

Amrit: Nectar (Sanskrit) (gn)

Skylar: sheltering (Dutch) (gn)

Quenby: feminine (Scandinavian) (gn); woman’s estate (b/g)

Hollis: near the holly bushes (English) (gn)

Sage: wise (English); an herb used to season (gn)

Kalama: torch (Hawaiian) (gn)

Chante: song (French) (gn)

Joelle: God is willing (Hebrew) (gn)

Jessie: wealthy; God is gracious (Hebrew) (gn)

Ganya: garden of the Lord (Hebrew); clever (Zulu) (gn)

Dominque: belonging to the Lord (French) (gn)

Elisha: consecrated to God (Hebrew); truthful (Greek); noble (German) (gn)

Krystian: Christian; follower of Christ (Greek) (gn)

Bebe: blessed, happy; bringer of joy; stranger, foreigner (Spanish) (see Beatrice, Barbara) (gn)

Jordan: descending (Hebrew) (gn)

Carlin: little champion (Irish) (gn)

Kalle: strong (Finnish) (gn)

Helki: touched (Native American) (gn)

Helkey: touched (Native American) (gn)

Karmel: garden, vineyard (Hebrew) (gn)

Mamo: saffron flower; yellow bird (Hawaiian) (gn)

Sying: star (Chinese) (gn)

Zakia: smart (Swahili); chaste (Arabic) (gn)

Gervaise: skilled with a spear (French) (gn)

Codi: cushion (English) (gn)

Kodi: cushion (English) (gn)

London: fortress of the moon; capital of England (English) (gn)

Sanyu: happiness (Uganda) (gn)

Jas: jasmine flower (American) (gn)

Jasmeet: jasmine flower (Persian) (gn)

Jaspreet: virtuous (Punjabi) (gn)

Manjot: light of the mind (Indian) (gn)

Gurjot: light of the guru (Sikh) (gn)

Mandeep: mind full of light (Punjabi) (b/g); enlightened (Punjabi) (gn)

Gurpreet: religion (Punjabi) (gn)

Gurjot: light of the guru (Sikh) (gn)

Oz: strength (Hebrew) (gn)

Karel: strong and manly (Czech) (gn)

Blair: plains dweller (Scottish) (gn)

Breck: freckled (Irish) (gn)

Darian: great (Irish) (gn)

Darrian: great (Irish) (gn)

Harley: meadow of the hare (English) (gn)

Blakely: dark meadow (English) (gn)

Yuki: snow (Japanese) (gn)

 Bela: white (Czech); bright (Hungarian) (gn); intelligent (Romania) (BEL-a) (b)

Jackie: supplanter, substitute; little Jacqui (American) (gn)

Jaylyn: jaybird; waterfall; pool below waterfall (English) (Jay + Lynn) (gn)

Jaylin: jaybird; waterfall; pool below waterfall (Jay + Lin) (gn)

Lulani: highest point of heaven (Polynesian) (gn)

Jody: praised (American) (gn)

Loris: thong (Latin); clown (Dutch); pale (Greek) (gn)

Nike: victorious (Greek) (gn)

Oba: chief ruler (Yoruba)

Padget: young assistant (French) (gn)

Pasha: sea (Greek) (gn)

Pat: nobleman (Latin) (gn)

Paxton: peaceful town (Latin) (gn)

Peyton: nobleman (Irish) (gn)

Sacha: defender of mankind (Russian) (gn)

Zephyr: west wind (Greek) (gn)

Sen: myth – magical forest elf that lives for 1000s of years (Japanese) (gn)

Shay: fairy place (Irish) (gn)

Sunny: bright, cheerful (English) (gn)

Starling: bird (English) (gn)

Addison: child of Adam (English) (gn)

Alva: white; light skinned (Latin, Spanish); elfin (English) (gn)

Bandi: prisoner (Punjabi) (gn)

Chi: younger generation (Chinese); personal guardian angel (Nigerian) (gn)