Heartbroken over Paige

MamaSquishyB · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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

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: 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 · April 2016

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

Bringmemylongswordho · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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:
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: 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 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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

theGDpaterfamilias · April 2016

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 · April 2016

I seriously wouldn't worry about it at all.

jenna8984 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

@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 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

LoveLee85 · April 2016

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

SuperNerd42 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

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

Marasmommy0611 · April 2016

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 · April 2016

Is this really something to be heartbroken over?

LoveLee85 · April 2016

MamaSquishyB said:

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

CONGRATULATIONS

PurpleBrunette · May 2016

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.

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