🌸 What’s in a Name?

A reflection on identity, destiny, and the sacred gift of names

A name is the greatest connection to our identity and individuality. Some might say it is the most important word in the world to a person. When someone remembers our name, it makes us feel seen, respected, and valued. It leaves a mark.

From the moment we are born, we are given a name — an identifier that holds our story. Some of us carry nicknames, while others change their names later in life. However, the common thread is that a name carries meaning, identity, and destiny.

The Meaning of Names

Names have always carried weight. In Scripture, a name was often prophetic — a declaration of identity and destiny.

Abram became Abraham, the father of nations.
Jacob became Israel, one who wrestles with God.
Simon became Peter, the rock.

A name spoke not just of who a person was, but of who they would become. That truth remains for us today. Every name holds a story, a root, and often a God-breathed calling.

📖 “Even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.” — Isaiah 56:5 (NKJV)

Patrizia — noble daughter, entrusted with leadership. Nobility here is not about titles or wealth, but about being set apart, chosen for a higher calling. It echoes the truth that in Christ, you are part of a royal priesthood.📖 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.” — 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)

Elisabeth — God’s covenant promise, fulfilled in His time. Elisabeth appears in the Gospel of Luke as the mother of John the Baptist, a woman described as righteous and blameless before God. Her very life testifies to God’s faithfulness and the power of waiting on His promises.📖 “Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” — Luke 1:45 (NKJV)

Trixi — joyful voyager, carrying light and healing. My nickname carries a light-hearted, affectionate spirit — one who carries joy as medicine for the broken-hearted. A traveller who not only journeys but also guides others along their paths with laughter, light, and hope.📖 “The joy of the LORD is your strength.” — Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV)

Together they declare:

I am chosen, promised, and sent — a noble daughter, set apart, marked by God’s promises, walking in leadership and bringing joy as she journeys.

On 1 September 2025, during a prayer ministry session, I was reminded that my name in Roman times carried connotations of political, religious, and military leadership. This revelation showed me that what I once resisted was, in fact, pointing to the areas of greatest calling in my life.

My Journey with Names

My relationship with my names has been complex and deeply personal. For much of my life, I resisted them, only to later discover the blessing they carried. Through prayer and healing, I came to reclaim my full name as a gift from God — a testimony of His restoration in my life.

For those who would like to read the fuller story of my journey with names, I invite you to visit my earlier post: What’s in a Name? 🌸

Lies and Truth

As I look back, one thing stands out very clearly: everything I experienced — and all the lies I came to believe — were in total contradiction of who I was created to be.

The areas of my greatest pain — trauma, broken relationships, leadership struggles — were the very areas I was called to carry authority, grace, and joy. The enemy attacked what he feared most.

But healing is a holy unravelling. The more I heal, the more I see that the things I once resisted or even hated are actually the signposts pointing to my true identity. What I thought disqualified me was the very place God had chosen to reveal His strength.

📖 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” — John 10:10 (NKJV)

Why Names Matter

In Scripture, God reminds us again and again how precious our names are to Him:

📖 “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.” — Isaiah 43:1 (NKJV)

📖 “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.” — Isaiah 49:16 (NKJV)

📖 “I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.” — Isaiah 56:5 (NKJV)

These promises show that names are not merely identifiers — they are deeply connected to God’s love, His remembrance, and His eternal covenant.

📝 An Invitation for You: What's in Your Name?🤔

Take time to discover it. Perhaps you’ve dismissed or disassociated from your name, as I once did. Maybe nicknames or painful associations have covered its beauty. But your name is a gift, chosen with purpose, carrying identity, destiny, and belonging.

Take a quiet moment with your journal and let the Holy Spirit guide you through these questions:

Whisper your name aloud. How does it feel in your heart and body?🤔 Does it stir pride, resistance, joy, or pain?🤔
Look up the origin and meaning. What story does your name tell? Is it tied to history, culture, or Scripture?🤔
Ask Holy Spirit:
- “What do You see when You call me by name?🤔”
- “What promise or destiny have You written into my name?🤔”
Reflect: Where do you already see your name’s truth lived out in your life?🤔 Where might God be inviting you to step deeper into it?🤔
Create a visual reminder: Write your name in bold letters. Surround it with colours, Scriptures, or drawings that capture its meaning.

🌸 Closing Prayer of Identity

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that You know me by name and call me Your own. You formed me with intention and spoke identity over me before I was even born. I repent for the times I have rejected or resisted my name, and I ask You to heal every place where lies have taken root.

Lord, I invite You to reveal the true meaning of my name. Show me the promises, the calling, and the destiny You have woven into it. Help me to see myself the way You see me — chosen, beloved, and set apart.

May my name become a banner of Your truth over my life, a constant reminder that I belong to You. Let every time I hear it spoken be a declaration of who I am in Christ.

📖 “The joy of the LORD is my strength.” — Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV)

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

🌹 My prayer is that you, too, will reclaim the sacred weight of your name and hear it the way God whispers it — with love, intention, and delight.

🌸 A Gentle Call to Action

If this reflection spoke to your heart, I invite you to take it deeper:

Journal your thoughts and prayers as you process these truths.
Explore my Devotional Collection for more writings that weave Scripture and creativity together.
Visit my This is My Story page, where I share the deeper journey behind my art, writing, and ministry — a testimony of God’s restoring love in the broken places.
Consider joining one of my Healing 💔heARTs💖 gatherings or paint parties, where we create, share, and heal together in God’s presence.