Neil Mayor1CThe Meaning of My NameNames are common to people and even places, and amazingly, these names have their own meaning. People names are usually given by the parent of that person who discussed to each other wisely what to name their child. It could be derived from the variation of the parents name, their idols, meaningful words, or even names mentioned in the Bible. The latter is a great source of meaningful names as it usually connotes an affiliation with God and a wide selection of functions.My name Neil was given by my parents in accord with my fathers name Noel, while my brothers name Maryon is a variation of my fathers surname Mayor. Our name were just a variation of our fathers name. However, to know the meaning of my name, we have to go deeper in research. Study shows that the name Neil came from a masculine word of Gaelic origin which means Champion. It was traced back to an Irish king, which was adopted by the Vikings and introduced it to English countries where it grew popularity. Knowing this might make me a little bit over my head because I will keep on telling myself from now on that I am a natural born champion, however, I will not since one more meaning of this word is commotion, shaken by, or moving of God as according to Bible names dictionary. It is a place mentioned in Joshua 19:27 as a town in Israel. Neil, as a name, might mean being a champion but nevertheless, such title shall bow down and would not compare to the majesty of the Lord. On the other hand, my clan name Mayor was derived from the latin major, meaning greater, or superior. It is used by the Spanish as a position for governor or chief. It can also be derived from the Hebrew language, which in turn means enlightener. Though none of the members of my family is on a political position, the latter meaning is kept by our family by enlightening people through sharing the word of God.I would want to bring my name in accord with its literal meaning. Being a champion not for the world, but a champion of God. And like our family name suggest in Hebrew language, I want to do this by opening the minds of people and sharing knowledge about the Lord. In summary, I am a champion of the Lord whose purpose is to enlighten people about Him.

Resources:Dictionary of American Family Names,Oxford University Press,ISBN0-19-508137-4P H Reaney, A Dictionary of British Surnames, Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1976, London.Roswell D. Hitchcock, Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary, Benediction Classics, 2010