Heartbroken over Paige

MamaSquishyB

DH and I are expecting #2 in September.  We find out the gender on Friday, but have been discussing names.  Paige is the only girl name we've agreed on so far, which is huge for us!  Unfortunately, I looked it up online and Paige means "little servant".  I'm not sure I could do that to my child, but I still love the name.  I'm feeling so torn and heartbroken that I can't use the name I love.

Would you name your child Paige, knowing what it means?

ElcaB

I wouldn't read much into this. If you like the name, keep it. It's not as if you said, "Hmmm, I want to choose a name that implies servitude. Oh, look! Paige means 'little servant'!" and went from there. 

I would definitely keep a name I love, even if it came with a not-so-great meaning. 

penelope4612

If you look elsewhere it also says "young helper" or "young child".  I'm sure this comes from the definition of page, which is:

1. 1a (1) :  a youth being trained for the medieval rank of knight and in the personal service of a knight (2) :  a youth attendant on a person of rank especially in the medieval periodb :  a boy serving as an honorary attendant at a formal function (as a wedding)

2. 2:  one employed to deliver messages, assist patrons, serve as a guide, or attend to similar duties

I personally wouldn't eliminate a name I loved over this.  I've never even looked up the definition of my name.

nanner26

I personally don't put any stock into what names mean. If you love the name that much, you should use it. 

Bringmemylongswordho

Take a break and see if the meaning still bugs you in a month.

The term "page" is still used occasionally as a job title.

joshua+rebecca11

Not a big deal to me, very few people will ask what the meaning is, and if they do, so what? It doesn't make your child a slave or anything. Just a pretty sounding name with an older meaning.  

PhoebeJune1984

I know a few Paige's (both adults, and children - first name or middle name), and I would have never known the meaning if you didn't put it in this post......so that goes to show that not everyone focuses on the meaning. I guess it just really depends on how much you love the name vs. how much you care about the meaning. 

neverblushed

penelope4612 said:

If you look elsewhere it also says "young helper" or "young child".  I'm sure this comes from the definition of page, which is:

1. 1a (1) :  a youth being trained for the medieval rank of knight and in the personal service of a knight (2) :  a youth attendant on a person of rank especially in the medieval periodb :  a boy serving as an honorary attendant at a formal function (as a wedding)

2. 2:  one employed to deliver messages, assist patrons, serve as a guide, or attend to similar duties

I personally wouldn't eliminate a name I loved over this.  I've never even looked up the definition of my name.

This.  The name doesn't really mean "servant."  A page was a young person of noble rank who went to live with another family and worked as an attendant.  A medieval page would have been a boy. Somewhere in the 20th Century, people started sticking an "i" in the middle to feminize it and using it as a girl's name.  I'm not sure if you can even count it as coming from the word "page" anymore.  In any case, a "page" would have been very different from a servant!

yogahh

I wouldn't worry about it. It's a name. It doesn't mean people will think of her as a servant. My name means honey bee... Not once have I stung though. 

lm45678

DH and I both love (and totally agree!) on Savannah if this LO is a girl.

It means "grassy plane" or something. I couldn't care less! I highly doubt people will google the meaning and judge her based on it.

Long story short: Paige is a great name, stick with it!

kmvisioli

Paige is a great name, and I wouldn't be concerned about the official meaning behind it.

theGDpaterfamilias

I agree with others who've pointed out the Page title as a probable origin. Nothing wrong with it. Think it over and if the meaning (which very few would ever know) bothers you then move on. My unwavering choice for a boy is Calvin and it means "bald". Who cares, it's a great name! Paige is a top 5 girl name for me, btw, because it makes me think of books.

breezycat

I seriously wouldn't worry about it at all. 

jenna8984

I really love the name Paige too. Sometimes it is hard to get past a meaning- I was considering the name Cameron and then when I looked it up it means "crooked nose". And for some reason I just could not get that out of my head! So I had to nix the name lol. Although the name we're going with quite biblical and we are not religious in the least, so I guess sometimes it just doesn't matter and you look past it!

yellowbean15

I'll echo everyone else and say it's not a big deal. I don't put much stock into name meaning. I don't even know what my son's name means actually....

kim1989

I think it's silly to rule out a name you like because of the meaning. I have no idea what my name means so it really doesn't matter. 
For the record we're having a girl and Paige is our front runner right now 

MamaSquishyB

Thanks for all your thoughts.  I'm not ready to rule out Paige yet, and in all my worrying, I've been able to add a few more names to our short list!

kmvisioli

@MamaSquishyB one thing I think every time I scroll past this thread is "if you are heartbroken (as title suggests) over letting it go, don't let it go."

MamaCoffin

It means little servant.... Not little slave. Personally I want my little girls to grow up with a servant's heart. The human race is way too selfish as a whole. 

SuperNerd42

jenmlangtake2 said:

It means little servant.... Not little slave. Personally I want my little girls to grow up with a servant's heart. The human race is way too selfish as a whole. 

Maybe it's just the phrasing, but this made me cringe. It is entirely possible to have a kind heart and be a helpful person without being a secondary. 

eta- OP I wouldn't worry about the origins/"meaning" of a name. I doubt many parents name their child Mason and expect him to literally be a mason!

MamaCoffin

SuperNerd42 said:

jenmlangtake2 said:

It means little servant.... Not little slave. Personally I want my little girls to grow up with a servant's heart. The human race is way too selfish as a whole. 

Maybe it's just the phrasing, but this made me cringe. It is entirely possible to have a kind heart and be a helpful person without being a secondary. 

eta- OP I wouldn't worry about the origins/"meaning" of a name. I doubt many parents name their child Mason and expect him to literally be a mason!

Why is a servant a "secondary"? A servant by definition is someone who is paid to do a job. 

I stand by my belief that speaking "servant" over your child every time you call their name isn't a bad thing. 

I'm sure you are SO much better than everyone else. 

Bringmemylongswordho

LoveLee85

Don't over think it! The name isn't my style but go for it. 

SuperNerd42

jenmlangtake2 said:

SuperNerd42 said:

Maybe it's just the phrasing, but this made me cringe. It is entirely possible to have a kind heart and be a helpful person without being a secondary. 

eta- OP I wouldn't worry about the origins/"meaning" of a name. I doubt many parents name their child Mason and expect him to literally be a mason!

Why is a servant a "secondary"? A servant by definition is someone who is paid to do a job. 

I stand by my belief that speaking "servant" over your child every time you call their name isn't a bad thing. 

I'm sure you are SO much better than everyone else. 

You're thinking of employees- servants are inherently underneath someone else. To be servile, subservient, and submissive to someone else's needs was not really a positive thing. The only way this train of thought has any redeeming qualities is if you mean it in a religious context- but since you mentioned pay I'm just left very confused. 

And if raising my kids to not be subservient means that I'm better than others, well- thank you for the compliment

MamaSquishyB

Looks like all this anxiety was for nothing... It's a boy!

Marasmommy0611

I wouldn't let it sway you. I understand the connection with the meaning, but this term dates back to medieval times. I think you're okay!

ElRuby

Is this really something to be heartbroken over?

LoveLee85

MamaSquishyB said:

Looks like all this anxiety was for nothing... It's a boy!

CONGRATULATIONS 

PurpleBrunette

Paige is a beautiful name. And for any future considerations since it's not happening this time for you, depending on your particular religious philosophy a servant is considered a good thing.