A business systems analyst from Calgary, Alberta learns for the first time what the name Monica means and shares the story of how she got it. Born in China with the birth name Meng, she moved to Canada at age 12, and her parents picked Monica from a list of English names in the back of a dictionary, limited to names that started with M and that they could pronounce. Listeners will learn the Latin and Greek origins of Monica, why the ending "ica" is linked to bringing joy, how attending eight schools by ninth grade shaped her sense of solitude, and whether knowing a name's meaning can influence how a person acts. The conversation also covers name changes in the Bible, the study of names known as onomatology, and whether names affect how job applicants are judged.
Key Takeaways
The name Monica comes from Latin and means advisor or one who advises, with related meanings of to warn or to remind.
The first letters of Monica are linked to a Greek word meaning alone, single, or solitary.
In some traditions, the ending ika is associated with someone who brings joy.
Monica peaked in United States popularity in 1977 and ranked 39th among newborn girl names in the 1970s.
Immigrant families often select English names based on what is easy for the parents to pronounce.
The Chinese name Meng can mean dream and is also associated with eldest or firstborn.
Moving frequently as a child can make deep friendships harder and create a sense of solitude, even for an extrovert.
Learning the meaning of your name can shape how you want to act and who you want to become.
Onomatology is the study of names and their meanings, and there are few accessible resources on it.
Research suggests names can lead to prejudgment in hiring, so name meanings should never be used to screen candidates.
Timestamps
00:36 – Growing up between China and Canada and working as a business systems analyst
01:37 – What the name Monica means in Latin and Greek
03:04 – How moving to eight schools shaped friendships and solitude
06:54 – How an English name was chosen from a dictionary at age 12
08:05 – The meaning of the Chinese birth name Meng
10:15 – Why wanting a different name was limited by the letter M
12:22 – Can the meaning of a name shape behavior
13:20 – Why the Bible records people's names being changed
15:22 – How a personal discovery led to studying name meanings
19:12 – Should hiring managers judge candidates by their names
Keywords
meaning of the name Monica, Monica name origin, name meanings, picking an English name, immigrant name change, Chinese and English names, onomatology, name changes in the Bible, name bias in hiring, identity and belonging
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