Behold Thy Name

Larry Doyle Crenshaw

Whether your name is unique like Shakespeare or common like Smith, you wear it as a badge or emblem.  Its meaning and influence are often carried through generations – an accumulation of daily behaviors handed down through decades of time.  In Western society and culture family names, also called surnames, only achieved prominence in the 1200’s.  According to the National Endowment for the Humanities, “In the early years of the Middle Ages, most people in Europe lived in small farming villages. Everyone knew his neighbors, and there was little need for last names. But as the population expanded and the towns grew, a need arose to find ways to differentiate between two people who shared the same first name.” 

Often surnames derived from one’s occupation such as the surname Shepherd, or a person’s relationship with a parent such as Peterson. Sometimes a name came from a place like London or, as in my case, a woodland or “shaw” frequented by cranes, hence, Craneshaw or later, Crenshaw.

Names also carry meaning in other ways by virtue of reputation handed down from one generation to the next. Thus, we may refer to the such-and-such family as “hard workers,” or negatively as “lazy louts.”  In any case, a family name often becomes a legacy.  Many a parent has said to a son or daughter, “Remember who you are,” or referencing a family history of distinction, “You have a lot to live up to. So don’t dishonor our family name.”

Our meditational verse explores the nature of names and suggests whether it be a noble birthright or burdensome appellation depends on the accumulation of daily deeds and adopted creeds.

 Behold Thy Name

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches….
Proverbs 22:1

A bequeathed birthright is a family name

Bestowed through countless generations

Upon peasants or those of royal acclaim

Across time and oft from distant nations

Like an emblem, seal, or family crest

Dignified and noble – a deferential token

Possessed of integrity and self-possessed

A name honored and respectfully spoken

The reputation of a family name

Is a legacy decided by daily deeds

Whether known for virtue or shame

Depends on one’s conduct and creeds

Bestowing honor on a family name

Keeps it above reproach and blame

Never to dishonor, disgrace, or defame

Nor bring upon it scandal or shame

Surnames are to be revered and treasured

Counted noble by past and future ages

Surnames sifted, weighed, and measured

And esteemed worthy by saints and sages

Larry Doyle Crenshaw