Our family has given a great deal of thought and consideration to the naming of our 10 children. By tradition, we have chosen a biblical first name for each child, and then a family middle name. Each child has a distinct namesake.
· Cyrus “Cy” Irving Johanson: 10th Child, born March 18th, 2009.
Cyrus: English (Pronounced: SIE-rəs). (Κυρος ) Greek form of the Persian word khur, meaning “the sun.” 2Chron 36:22. Cyrus was a Persian king who was “anointed,” the only instance in the Bible where the word is applied to a Gentile. Isaiah 45:1. Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, and is famous in the Old Testament for freeing the captive Jews and allowing them to return to Israel. As an English name, it first came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation.
Irving: English, Scottish. Surname (place in Scotland) used as first name. Irving Berlin (1888-1989) was a famous Russian-American songwriter and lyricist whose birth name was Israel Beilin.
“Scottish Sun.”
Namesake: Richard Irving Anderson [paternal great grandfather].
· Asa Bertell Johanson: 9th Child, born June 24th, 2007.
Asa: English (Pronounced: AY-sə). Hebrew (אָסָא), “physician.” Name borne by a King of Judah in the Old Testament. “And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.” 1Kings 15:11.
Bertell: English. Derived from the Germanic element beraht, meaning "bright".
“Bright physician.”
Namesake: Bertell Johanson [paternal great-grandfather].
Character: Friendly, smiling, bold, learning.
· Esther Florence Johanson: 8th Child, born July 1st, 2005.
Esther: English (Pronounced: ES-tər). Hebrew (אֶסְתֵר), from Persian meaning “star.” Esther 2:7. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia who saved the Jews of the realm from extermination. Her original Hebrew name was Hadassah. This name has been used in the English-speaking world since the Protestant Reformation. In America it received a boost in popularity after the birth of Esther Cleveland (1893-1980), the daughter of president Grover Cleveland.
Florence: English, French. From Greek, Florentia, Latin (“florens ") “prosperous,” or “flourishing". Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) was a nurse in British hospitals during the Crimean War and is usually considered the founder of modern nursing.
“Flourishing Star.”
Namesake: Florence Marie (Ellefsen) Johanson [paternal great-grandmother].
Character: Sweet, smiling, shy, cuddly.
· Seth Cordell Johanson: 7th Child, born October 13th, 2003.
Seth: English (Pronounced: SETH). Hebrew (שֵׁת), “substitute” or “appointed.” In the Old Testament he was the third named son of Adam and Eve. In England this name came into use after the Protestant Reformation. “She bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, ‘God has appointed me another son’.” Genesis 4:25.
Cordell: English. Surname used as first name, meaning "maker of cord" or "seller of cord" in Middle English. Cordell Hull (former Secretary of State, called “father of The United Nations).
“Appointed maker of cord.”
Namesake: Keith Cordell Johanson [paternal grandfather].
Character: Inquisitive, adventurous, honest, explorer
· Naomi Margaret Johanson: 6th Child, born April 27th, 2000.
Naomi: English (Pronounced: nay-O-mee). Hebrew (נָעֳמִי), “pleasantness,” or “delight.” Ruth 1:2. In the Old Testament this was the name of the mother-in-law of Ruth. After the death of her husband, Naomi took the name Mara (see Ruth 1:20). Though previously common as a Jewish name, Naomi was not typically used as an English Christian name until after the Protestant Reformation.
Margaret: English. Greek, “Margaron” (“pearl”). Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. She was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world. Others by this name include a queen of Scotland and a princess of Hungary. It was also borne by Queen Margaret I of Denmark, who united Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the 14th century. Famous literary bearers include American writer Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), the author of 'Gone with the Wind.'
“Delightful pearl.”
Namesake: Margaret Purdy (Owens) Anderson [paternal great-grandmother].
Character: Helpful, cheerful, social, leader
· Elisabeth Dorothy Johanson: 5th Child, born April 1st, 1998.
Elisabeth: English (Pronounced: i-LIZ-ə-bəth). From Ελισαβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name אֱלִישֶׁבַע (Elisheva), “Oath of God” or “God is my oath.” Exodus 6:23. It is also a variant English form, reflecting the spelling used in the Authorized Version of the New Testament. Cousin of Mary, Mother of John the Baptist. Luke 1:13. Among Christians, this name was originally more common in Eastern Europe. It was borne in the 12th century by Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, a daughter of King Andrew II who became a Franciscan nun and lived in poverty. In medieval England it was occasionally used in honour of the saint, though the form Isabel (from Provençal and Spanish) was more common. It has been very popular in England since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century.
Dorothy: English. Greek (Dorothea), “Gift from God.” It has been in use since the 16th century. It was used by L. Frank Baum for the central character in his fantasy novel 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' (1900).
“The promise and gift from God.”
Namesake: Dorothy Priscilla (McDougal) Hale [maternal great-grandmother].
Character: Playful, brave, energetic, laughter
· Rachel Marie Johanson: 4th Child, born July 14th, 1996.
Rachel: English (Pronounced: RAY-chəl). Hebrew (רָחֵל), “ewe” or “lamb.” Genesis 29:16. In the Old Testament this was the name of the favourite wife of Jacob and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. The name was common among Jews in the Middle Ages, but it was not generally used as a Christian name in the English-speaking world until after the Protestant Reformation.
Marie: English, French. From Miriam, Hebrew (Miryam), “bitterness,” “rebellion,” or “wished-for child.” Exodus 15:20. A notable bearer of this name was Marie Antoinette, the queen of France who was executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. Another was Marie Curie, a physicist and chemist who studied radioactivity with her husband Pierre.
“Our lamb, wished for child.”
Namesake: Janice Marie (Hale) Johanson [mother].
Character: Quiet, artistic, thoughtful, cautious
· Benjamin David Johanson: 3rd Child, born September 17th, 1994.
Benjamin: English (Pronounced: BEN-jə-min). Hebrew (בִנְיָמִין), “Son of my right hand,” or “fortunate.” Genesis 35:18. Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-'oniy) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father. As an English name, Benjamin came into general use after the Protestant Reformation. A famous bearer was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher.
David: English. Hebrew, “beloved,” “friend,” or “darling.” 1Samuel 16:19. David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of Goliath, a giant Philistine. Jesus was descended from him. This name has been used in Britain since the Middle Ages. It has been especially popular in Wales, where it is used in honour of the 5th-century patron saint of Wales (also called Dewi), as well as in Scotland, where it was borne by two kings. Famous bearers include empiricist philosopher David Hume (1711-1776) and explorer David Livingstone (1813-1873). This is also the name of the hero of Charles Dickens' semiautobiographical novel 'David Copperfield' (1850).
“Fortunate Friend.”
Namesake: David Clinton Hale [maternal grandfather].
Character: Kind, helpful, generous.
· Phebe Ellen Johanson: 2nd Child, born March 23rd, 1993.
Phebe: English (Pronounced: FEE-bee). Greek (φοιβος), “phoibos” (“pure,” “bright” or “moon”), Romans 16:1. In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. In variant form, this name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae, a “commended sister.” In England, it began to be used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. A moon of Saturn bears this name (in honour of the Titan).
Ellen: English. From Helen, Greek, “bright one,” or “shining one.” In England it was commonly spelled Ellen during the Middle Ages, and the spelling Helen was not regularly used until after the Renaissance. In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem. The name was originally used among early Christians in honour of the saint, as opposed to the classical character.
“Bright and shining moon.”
Namesake: Edna Ellen (Anderson) Johanson [paternal grandmother].
Character: Athletic, courageous, explorer, friendly
· Hannah Lorene Johanson: 1st Child, born September 17th, 1991.
Hannah: English, German (Pronounced: HAN-ə). Hebrew (חַנָּה) (Channah), “Grace [of God]” or “favor.” 1Samuel 1:2. Hannah was the mother of the prophet Samuel in the Old Testament. As an English name, Hannah was not regularly used until after the Protestant Reformation. The Greek and Latin version Anna is used in the New Testament and was traditionally more widely used as a Christian name.
Lorene: English. Varian of Laura, Latin, “bay” or “laurel.” This meaning was favourable, since in ancient Rome the leaves of laurel trees were used to create victors' garlands. The name was borne by the 9th-century Spanish martyr Saint Laura, who was a nun thrown into a vat of molten lead by the Moors. It was also the name of the subject of poems by the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch. As an English name, Laura has been used since the 13th century. A famous bearer was Laura Secord (1775-1868), a Canadian heroine during the War of 1812.
“Favored laurel.”
Namesake: Donna Lorene (miller) Hale [maternal grandmother].
Character: Pensive, scholar, reserved, determined
