Names and Naming

We all get to name something in our lifetime.  We can treat the occasion as a solemn duty, a mindless chore, or a chance to express our creativity or our sense of humor.  In any case, we seldom realize what power there is in naming something—in creating a string of syllables that others must use.  It is like inventing a new word for the language.  Even if the sounds and spelling are old, that new label you assign to someone or something gets a new definition, a new meaning for the people around you—and maybe, if fate dictates, for the whole world.


(Put your mouse cursor on the picture here and see the explosion of names.)

 


 

A Humorous Look at Names and Naming

Names List

Professional Sports Team Names — including Baseball, Football, Basketball, etc.

Baseball Team Names

Basketball Team Names

Football Team Names

Hockey Team Names

All Pro Team Names with Variable Sorting

College Team Names with Variable Sorting


Famous Dog Names — Dog movie stars, and other famous canines.

Famous Ship Names — A list of famous sailing vessels.

Famous Masked Heroes — What were they called during their day job?

Famous Streets, Roads and Byways — Street names that have become part of the language.

U.S. Presidents — A list of presidential facts you can sort on.   NEW 

The chemical elements — A list of the chemical elements, sortable.   NEW 


Street Name Generator — Want to invent a pastural name for a street?

Fictional Name Generator — Create your own fictional name

Indian Name Generator — Create your own fictional name

Common American Surnames — Comparison of occurrences between 1990 and 1790.

Children Surnames — Options for naming the kids.

Jack O’ Words — The name Jack is the most common first name found in English words.

Fun With Names — Ivan Itch and lots more.

Common Name Phrases — Many first names have become part of the English language.


Hair Raising Names — Barbers are great at creating pun-ishing names for their businesses.

Silly Business Names — Some clever business names aren’t so clever.

State Names — Origins and meanings of the American states.

Renaming the States — What if we could rename the States...


Famous Cowboy Names

  Famous Cowboy Names — Western movie stars

  Famous Cowboy Names — Western Characters of Film and TV

  Famous Cowboy Names — Legends of the Old West

Articles about Names

What is a Name? — That question is finally answered.

Benedict Arnold’s Infamous Brother — Why are some names stronger than others?

An Old Lady and a Mop — You don’t buy a good commercial name, you sell it.

God Bless Bjarnia — Surveying the names of states and cities in the United States.

Saks Fawn Creek Chase — The story of street names in the United States.

A Game with No Rules — A look at the game of naming sports teams.

You Are Not Your Name — Don’t take your personal name personally.

Surnames and Her-Names — The history and future of last names.

Cats and Dogs — How we name pets, boats, churches, newspapers and more.

Namely — Why is Jimmy Johnson so upset?

The Johnson Formula — How many people do you know? Try this.


Other Web Sites About Names

Meaning of Names — Offers a fun look at the etymology of common names including genealogy, lineage and origins.

Most Popular Boy and Girl Names — From The New Parents Guide.

Complete List of Pseudonyms — Real names of famouse people compiled by Mark Samwick.

The Etymology and History of First Names — by Mike Campbell.

College nicknames — Compiled by Adam Joshua Smargon.

Scientific Names — Doug Yanega's page.

Funny Thing About Names

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