New Post
Search
HelpGodswill
What do we think of this name? Too religious?
https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/217493
"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." - William Shakespeare
https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/217493
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
A broadly religious name would be fine. One of the problems is that it sounds like it originated with Separatists Puritans, a niche group even among Puritans, in the 1600s with brothers Aidonhigh and Joyinsorrow. As others have mentioned, it could be pronounced as either Gods-will or God-swill. Swill is never a good idea.
1
I wouldn't mind it so much if I didn't feel like I was saying "God swill", but I do. It's kind of like Godfrey (which is nerdy but I like it anyway) with Will as a nn option...or it's wordy in the way of Hopewell and Destiny, both of which I also like.
This message was edited 4/5/2023, 8:32 AM
1
The "swill" part overpowers the God bit for me, or turns it into "God Swill" - it's so unpleasant it feels sacrilegious rather than pious. Like the name of a death metal band (or black metal? I can't remember which ones like using "satanic" imagery).
2
This, it just looks and sounds like "God Swill". (Are you thinking of Godsmack maybe? Not death metal or black metal, but kind of a similar band name).
If we were all illiterate, and the name was just the sound "godz-wil", then it would come across as "God's Will". But since we can read and the name is a set of letters to us, we see "God Swill".
If we were all illiterate, and the name was just the sound "godz-wil", then it would come across as "God's Will". But since we can read and the name is a set of letters to us, we see "God Swill".
1
I don't think illiteracy would make much difference in my case. I read it correctly, and then the swill part stood out to me when I thought of saying/hearing it. I feel it's more like whether able to read it or not, if I heard it directly in reference to a person, the swill association would seem less immediate.
This message was edited 4/6/2023, 12:09 PM
1
This is a good point about reading vs. speaking and what we're most used to. I doubt the Puritans were that illiterate since reading their bible was presumably pretty important to them, but they surely did a lot less reading of names, compared to saying them!
I have the "swill" problem with the name Godswill, too.
Lol, now that you mentioned this, if I ever read of Godsmack again I'm going to find myself reading it as "God's mack."
Maybe modern people could spell it Godzwyl - haha that is kinda cool in a way?
I have the "swill" problem with the name Godswill, too.
Lol, now that you mentioned this, if I ever read of Godsmack again I'm going to find myself reading it as "God's mack."
Maybe modern people could spell it Godzwyl - haha that is kinda cool in a way?
This message was edited 4/6/2023, 1:16 AM
1
Godzwylla?
1
Just awful
1
Yes. Imagine someone used that name in 2023 in North America. They would be ridiculed.
2
Too religious, too Puritan, too "well, if he lives or he dies, that's just Godswill" and there's "swill" in it.
2