FN/MN meanings too similar?

MrsDizzyku · January 2012

DH and I just found out we're having a boy, and we're pretty close to settling on a name. Because he's from Ghana and I'm from the States we're choosing an American FN and a Ghanaian MN.

We realized yesterday that our top two names mean virtually the same thing... Samuel--meaning "God has heard", and Evanam (Ehv-ah-nahm)--roughly meaning "I have received what I asked for" or "my prayer has been answered."

Are these meanings too similar?

Other top contenders are:

Nathaniel Evanam

Micah Evanam

Elisha Evanam

JMack1117 · January 2012

Other than you, no one will know, or care, what the meanings are. If those are the names you like the most, use then.

dairygirl19 · January 2012

I wouldn't worry about it. No one but you will notice. Unless you know someone who hangs out on the baby name board, I highly doubt they're going home to look up the meaning of the name.

And I actually don't find the meanings all that similiar.

I read it as "God has heard me and given what I've asked for." Which I think is quite sweet actually.

MrsDizzyku · January 2012

dairygirl19:
I wouldn't worry about it. No one but you will notice. Unless you know someone who hangs out on the baby name board, I highly doubt they're going home to look up the meaning of the name.

And I actually don't find the meanings all that similiar.

I read it as "God has heard me and given what I've asked for." Which I think is quite sweet actually.

I like that reading! It actually bothers H more than me--says the meanings are redundant. I'm going to point that out to him Smile

melody921 · January 2012

JMack1117:
Other than you, no one will know, or care, what the meanings are. If those are the names you like the most, use then.

This. Unless you're hanging with people who know all sorts of name meanings, no one will ever know. Most people don't even think to ask about a first name, let alone a middle name meaning.

526SadieSadie · January 2012

dairygirl19:

I read it as "God has heard me and given what I've asked for." Which I think is quite sweet actually.

That's how I read it, too.

MrsDizzyku · January 2012

Thanks for the opinions ladies, the closeness in meaning didn't bother me as much as does MH, but he pays way more attention to meaning than just about anything else about a name, which is how he ended up with names like Feivel and Othniel on his list Smile

Since I'm totally set on Evanam and he's totally set on Samuel, I think we have our name!

MrsDizzyku · January 2012

Bump burp.

angelsnight · January 2012

How would anyone know what they mean? It's fine. The only time I think it would be obnoxious is to give names that are so obvious in their meaning together with another one, like Hope Joy, or Angel Grace or something like that.

CiderWench · January 2012

melody921:
JMack1117:
Other than you, no one will know, or care, what the meanings are. If those are the names you like the most, use then.
This. Unless you're hanging with people who know all sorts of name meanings, no one will ever know. Most people don't even think to ask about a first name, let alone a middle name meaning.

This and this.