Tick the reasons for choosing a name that the article mentions. Put a cross (x) by the reasons the article doesn’t mention.
English Club
English, No. 2, p. 8
Names
INTRODUCTION
My name is...
The literature \ movie \ cartoon hero, starting with the same letter is…
CLASS SURVEY
NUMEROLOGY
Some people believe that Numerology shows people’s character. First, they find a number for every letter of the name, according to this chart.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
a b c d e f g h i
j k l m n o p q r
s t u v w x y z
Then they calculate a total ‘name number’ like this:
(Note: Margaret Thatcher = England’s first woman Prime Minister.)
M a r g a r e t t h a t c h e r
4+ 1+ 9+ 7+ 1+ 9+ 5+ 2 2+ 8+ 1+ 2+ 3+ 8+ 5+ 9
= 38 = 38
3+8=11 3+8=11
1+1=2 1+1=2
2+2=4
Finally, they find the meaning of that number, as given below.
Numerology
Each number from one to nine has its own meaning:
1. Like to command, reform, and dominate. More interested in career than home life. May find happiness in later life. Men are frightened of this kind of woman who often marries a weak, living man. Is practical, clever with money, and can change plans when necessary.
2. Likes to organize. Understands what people want. Emotional, intelligent and confident. Can be jealous and very religious. Prefers work to family, but may become a saint. Often has a career in literature or the arts.
3. Happy, easy to live with. Enjoys hard work. Can command without making people angry. Very successful at work and at home.
4. Wants to rule the world. Enjoys controlling people. Usually feels superior to husband or wife. Is not afraid of power.
5. Longs to help others. Has a warm heart. Is often unhappy at work and lets others take control. But is very good in work that helps other people.
6. Very relaxed. Does not get upset. Works easily with men or women. Makes good friends. May be a writer or an actor.
7. Rather passive. Dreams a lot instead of doing things. Often feels self-pity and makes his or her family angry.
8. Very clever, warm and generous. Popular at home and at work. May over-protect his or her children. Women of this type are both very feminine and very successful. May he a journalist, designer, or public speaker.
9. Either very clever or very silly with money. Full of energy. Often a good driver, sportsman, scientist or businessman. DISCUSSION SECTION
What’s in a name?
Work in small groups. Discuss the following questions.
a) What name would you give this baby girl?
b) What names do you like for a boy?
c) How did your parents choose your name?
Reading
What do you think the following famous people have in common? Read the article and find out.
a) Elton John + Marilyn Monroe
b) David Bowie + Demi Moore
c) Madonna + Bill Clinton
The Name Game
Your name is extremely important. It’s how you
identify yourself. It’s how other people identify you.
Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight. Can
you imagine someone famous with a name like that?
He had to change it. Marilyn Monroe sounds so much
more glamorous than Norma Jean Baker. So how do
parents make one of the most important decisions
in the lives of their children – giving them a name?
Some parents choose names because they are
fashionable. Other parents do the opposite and call
their children unusual names, or they even invent
names. Helen Petrie, a psychologist at Hertfordshire
University, says that people who choose unusual names
for their children want to show how special they are.
However, the children are not always very happy
with their parents’ choice. David Bowie’s son found the
name Zowie to embarrassing that he changed it so Joe.
I wonder if Bruce Willis and Demi Moore’s children feel
good about their names: Rummer Clenn, Scout LaRue
and Talulah Belle!
These day it’s fashionable to give your child the
name of a place that is important to you: Victoria (Posh
Spice) and David Backham decide to call their son
Brooklyn because they were in New York when they
discovered that Victoria was going to have a baby.
Madonna named her daughter Lourdes after the town
in France, and ex-US-president, Bill Clinton named his
daughter Chelsea after a part of
London that he and his wife liked.
Personally, I think it’s a good
idea to give children names of
famous people. Leonardo
Di Caprio was named
after the famous Italian painter, and Liam
Gallagher, singer with the band
Oasis, called his son Lennon
after his hero, John.
I wanted to call my first child
Elvis, and my husband wanted
to call him Pele. Fortunately she was
a girl, so we named her after my
favourite aunt – Blodwen.
Tick the reasons for choosing a name that the article mentions. Put a cross (x) by the reasons the article doesn’t mention.
a) because it sounds good
b) because its fashionable
c) because it sounds the same in two languages
d) because it unusual and original
e) because it’s the name of a place
f) because it’s a religious name
g) because it’s the name of a famous person
h) because it’s the name of another member of the family