What’s In A Name?

What a Difference a Name Makes

When working out the Numerical Value of your name use different variations of it to see what Numerically works best for you. Each letter in the alphabet is linked to a certain number (See The Numerology Letter Box Above) and a lot of information can be sourced by working out the Numerical value of a name, country or street name.  We can also work with the date of birth and even house name or number of the Querant to gain further insight into the influences at play.

For example – I was christened Vivien Margaret Dunne but I use the Irish version of my surname now and do not use my middle name, so I am Vivien Ni Dhuinn.  Family  members often refer to me as Vivers, and my partner sometimes calls me Viv.  I could use the Irish version of my first name and call myself Beibhinn.   If I was to work out the Numerical Value of all the above options I could find out which version of my name works best for me in life or in certain circumstances.  Does the name I go by affect my personality? Would I be happier or luckier in life if I was to call myself Beibhinn? Does my name draw positive or negative attention to me?

Some people look into their name and go to professional Numerologists to determine if their name is working for them. If they find that their name is holding them back in life, or that using their middle name would be more advantageous, it is simple enough to change it. If you have being named Elizabeth at birth but everyone at home fondly called you Betty, you may discover that the vibrations of Elizabeth opens doors that Betty has to force her way through. You might find that Betty works better for you in another aspect of your life. Then again, it may be your middle name where all the power is stored, the middle name you never use. You might be Elizabeth, Clarissa, Joyce. After consulting with a Professional Numerologist and discussing various areas of your life and examining your goals and ambitions, you may discover that using Clarissa instead of Elizabeth will evoke remarkable changes in your life.

As mentioned above my name at birth was Vivien (named after Vivien Leigh), Margaret (my Paternal Grandmother’s name) and Dunne, my surname. However, I do have an extra name and that is my confirmation name of Cecilia. I chose that because of the song by Simon and Garfunkel which was obviously in the charts at the time. I have never used Cecilia but I think if I did, I would use it with the English version of my surname Dunne instead of Ní Dhuinn, the Irish Version. Cecilia Dunne sounds better than Cecilia Ní Dhuinn. It just doesn’t carry the same vibration does it?

My Father’s birth name was James Joseph Dunne. He never used the Joseph and preferred to use the abbreviated version of his First Name, Jim. In fact he was quite determined about this and hated being called James. When he had to spend long periods of time in hospital towards the end of his life, he had terrible conflict with the nursing staff who insisted upon calling him James even though he argued with them to call him Jim. I am not sure why he hated James so much. Maybe he connected it with bad times as a school boy or maybe he just didn’t like the name. It was a simple thing to ask of the nurses but they carried on calling him James right up until the day he died.

The Importance of Maiden Names

Many women who marry today, decide to hold onto their maiden names for any number of reasons.  For me one of the main reasons other than retaining independence is that a person’s name holds a certain vibration which is composed of the sound of letters placed in a particular order.  Over years and decades this vibration becomes a part of us and it forms part of our personality.  Take that name away, or disturb it by adding or taking away letters, and the vibration changes.  A name change can have a powerful effect on our personality and how we feel about ourself.  Women for so many centuries were expected to hand over a very important part of their person and take on the vibration of another when they married.  For some women it had a positive effect but for others the name change was akin to losing part of their identity. It is a common phenomena for couples who have been together for years, sometimes over a decade, to end up separated or divorced within a couple of years of getting married. Could this be something to do with the woman changing her surname and even going from a Ms. to a Mrs. If the vibration of the combined letters in our name is partially responsible for our personality make-up, is it possible that there may occur a certain personality change when a woman takes on the surname of her new husband? Are the personality changes subtle at first, but then build over a period of time. If the change in personality results in a couple becoming incompatible, “you’re not the same person I married” or “I no longer feel attracted to you the way I did”, or ” you have changed” or ” I haven’t a clue what I saw in you in the first place” might it be something to do with a name change? This is not just the woman’s issue for if her personality changes because of a name change, then she will feel differently about not just herself, but also her spouse, but also her spouse will be affected in the same manner by these changes.

This does not mean that women should not take on their spouse’s name upon marriage if they really want to as the change of name and its vibration may enhance their own vibration, raise their vibrations or bring their individual vibrations into an even more harmonious balance. When this happens, could this be the reason why friends and family would comment that “marriage suits you”  and the couple can go on to enjoy a lifetime of marital bliss? When the change in vibration due to name change knocks a harmonious balance into misalignment does it cause couples to wonder that they would have been “better off not getting married”, that “things were better before we got married”, that “things have changed since we married”. When the Magic Bubble bursts in a once happy relationship not long after marriage, is there even the remotest possible chance that it simply, but in a very complicated way, comes down to the change of surname of one of the Spouses? Of course there will be an instant response here that not all women change their name but still their marriage falls apart not long after exchanging contracts. Marriage will always be faced with challenges regardless of name change. Some will survive and other will fall. There will always be reasons as to why this has happened, if the couple look closely and are honest with each other.

We must also ask why after divorce, some women choose to hold onto their married (Spouse’s) name? There are many reasons for this but I do believe that retaining a name that no longer is valid maintains a connection that may be best severed. Does a woman have a right to hold onto a name that is no longer her status? Why does she not revert to her maiden name, her original identity? I think some women find it hard to let go of their married name because they have gotten used to it or have not accepted the marriage is over. However, might it also be the case that their married name works better for them for the single life they now live? Does it vibrate better now that the Mrs. part has been removed? For example does Laura Darcy sound better than Mrs. Laura Darcy? Purely from a personal opinion, I feel that Laura Darcy could be a novelist or artist but that Mrs. Laura Darcy, although still sounding pleasant and interesting, makes her instantly older and possibly working in an accountancy firm. If her maiden name was Laura Grey, she sounds like a character from a historical novel, but if it was Laura white, it does not conjure up the same energy for me. Please I do not mean any offence to all the Laura Whites in the world but it is how my vibrations react to it and am just using it as an example. We are all drawn to names that resonate with our own vibrations and that is different for everyone.

In my own circle of friends and family, I have often mourned the loss of a surname I have been used to, possibly since childhood, when a surname is changed because of marriage. Sometimes the new surname suits the person and then there are times when it just jars and I can’t get my head around calling them by their newly acquired name. I feel it is a shame, I am possibly being shallow here, but I do believe there is something in this theory. When someone with a very rich, musical and interesting surname willingly gives it up for a flat, dull one, I believe they instantly lose part of their vibrancy.  Their Spouse probably was given a First Name to balance this out but when marrying you are not in the same position. When this happens it must have an effect on the personality in the long run.

Going Back to Your Roots and Your Own Name

Couples who come together in later life, usually after a divorce, tend to fare better than those who take the plunge at a young age. Again, there are very obvious reasons for this and we all know that we do not fully understand ourselves, let alone another until we mature properly. What we think we want at 25 is probably not what we still want at 35. However, we all know we cannot put an old head on young shoulders and one must learn from experience. I worked in the Hospitality industry for several years and in that time met many brides and their grooms. I also met many mature couples, second time rounders, who were taking the chance on marriage again, or just wanted to celebrate their relationship by bringing family together. One thing I noticed was that the more mature couples who got married didn’t see the need to change names. I remember asking one lovely couple who were in their late fifties if the bride to be was going to take on her new husband’s name. She said she had no intentions of giving her name away again, even to the man she loved as it was a part of her and what made her, her. He smiled and agreed. He said it would change everything and that he would feel silly calling her by anything other than the name she was given at birth. He thought it wouldn’t suit her to be called anything else. I thought it was very touching and made total sense.

As a Tarot Consultant I have done Readings for many people who are in the early stages of going through a separation or divorce. They come to me at that time when their emotions are raw. They are usually still in shock, angry, upset and feel their world is at an end. Depending upon what stage they are at I usually work with them to find a way of dealing with their newly found and usually very unwelcome change in circumstances. What I want to prevent is stagnation and a refusal to accept that their relationship or marriage is over. Clinging on and being in denial is something that comes with the territory, along with going to great lengths to insist that their estranged partner has to love them because they married them after all. Love comes into our lives, but it also goes and people change. It is human nature and impossible to vow undying love for another for the rest of your life. Who knows what is around the corner for any of us? I typically ask my clients, both male and female, to go back to the age they were when they first met their Spouse. What age where they? What where they doing? Who were their friends? What was their outlook on life? Who was their favourite musician, favourite song, favourite actor? Did they go to college? Where they working? What was their social life like? What were their dreams and ambitions? What plans did they have for their future? How did they dress? What colour was their hair and how did they wear it? Did they play sport? Were they fit? I tell them they need to go back and start from there in order to find themselves again. Go back to where they left off because it is there they will find a way forward.

By going through this self-analysis, they may be quite surprised and shocked to see how much they have changed, how much they have sacrificed and how much they have let slide. They may discover they became complacent and let go dreams and aspirations, never realising their full potential. I ask them to work on their discoveries, dwell on them and see what conclusions they arrive at. They need to re-connect with their young self, the self prior to meeting their spouse and re-acquaint themselves for they have a lot to catch up on. They will be spending a lot of time together so it is best to make friends with their long-lost best friend. If my client is female, I ask if she changed her name at marriage and if she has I suggest that a way forward, along with going back to meet up with herself all those years ago, is to reclaim her maiden name which contains her personal identity. It sometimes causes great distress to my clients when I suggest this as they insist that they got married and don’t see why they should have to give up their name. I gently point out that the name doesn’t really belong to them anyway, that it never did. If her marriage was over then she had to hand back the name. The name belonged to her husband and his family and that by sacrificing her name upon marriage, she had let go part of her identity. That identity is what attracted her husband to her in the first place.

I believe that taking back your surname is part of the healing process and empowers you to believe that you were once an individual person before and can be again. When my short-lived marriage ended disastrously in early 1997 it took me a while to let go, but when I did one of the first things I did was change my surname back. However, I did feel that my life had changed and as person I had changed too. I went even further back to than the time I first met my husband. I went back to when I was a kid at school. In those days in Ireland you were called by the Irish version of your name which in my case was Beibhinn Ní Dhuinn. I decided that I would combine the English with the Irish and create a new updated version of me but still retain my original identity. I was just mixing my names around, that’s all. So I chose Vivien Ní Dhuinn instead of Beibhinn Dunne as I always liked my first name Vivien. I am happy with my decision and feel at one with my name and its vibration.

Choosing Children’s Names

We often go to great lengths when choosing our children’s names so that they work and sound well with our surname but when we marry, we don’t get to choose our Spouse’s surname and it may not work well with our first name. Children’s names have become very important in the last 20 to 30 years. Before that, children were usually named after their mother, father, aunt, uncle, grandmother or grandfather whether it suited the surname or not. This resulted in some unfortunate, as my father used to call them ‘handles’ being imposed on children and I remember during my school years wondering why someone had such an unfortunate combination of names. People just used traditional family names whether they worked with a particular surname or not. Nowadays, there are numerous books and websites dedicated to choosing the right name for your child. The right name may not exactly be the best name but the trend is to pick something that reflects the personality of the parents, their lifestyle, social status and what they want their child to aspire to. Everyone wants their children’s name to stand out from the crowd and be interesting. Giving your child the right name can give them a very advantageous start in life. Those with the trendiest and coolest names tend to be very popular in the playground and at school. Give a child an exotic name and they will be expected to live up to it in their lifetime. We believe they have to be someone special with a name like that. However exotic names only work well, if they are attached to a suitable surname.

Celebrities tend to be very egotistical people and set themselves in a class above others. Therefore when their children are born, the name they choose becomes a matter of global speculation as we anxiously wait for it to be released. They tend to choose wild, outlandish names because they live the lifestyle and move in the circles where they can get away with it, even if their surnames are quite ordinary, but then again they may have also changed that. Just think of some of the names given to the children of well-known celebrities. Take Sir Bob Geldoff who was married to the late Paul Yates. Both very colourful and controversial celebrity parents at the time of their children’s birth. They had Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches Honeyblossom and Little Pixie. Now there are not many of us who would get away with calling our children these names. Our family would probably intervene but we are seeing more and more of these names coming into the mainstream. These famous children above, were from birth, given names that have very definite vibrations. There is no way that any of them carrying names as such could be expected to be anything other than unusual and exciting as they grew up. They were certainly destined for interesting lives and careers with such names. Really if any of them really wanted to escape the limelight, they would need to change their name to something less crowd drawing. Sadly Peaches Honeyblossom succumbed to the pressures of the celebrity rockstar lifestyle she moved in and followed in the same tragic footsteps as her mother before her did. She died earlier this year, 2014 from a heroin overdose at the tender age of 25 years with the world at her feet and at her disposal. Very sad indeed.

Modern parents often go to great lengths to give their new son or daughter bizarre and outlandish names in the attempt to be cool and hip.  We expect wonderful things of people with fancy or exotic names.  Unfortunately those who have been landed with such names may feel unable to live up to it and feel at odds with themselves.  Changing their name to something more ‘normal’ can have a very stabilising effect and their life can change dramatically as a result. They can always change back if they feel it is not working for them.

Celebrities often change their name and authors chose pen names when writing.  Again, there may be many reasons behind this but a change of name can make the difference between anonymity and worldwide success.  Norma Jean Baker does not sound half as glamorous as Marilyn Monroe. However, Marilyn Monroe was a manufactured name and forced Norma to be someone very different from her true self. Her new name certainly brought her fame and fortune but it did not bring her happiness. We must be very careful in our intent should we decide to completely change our name. It is not a good idea to totally get rid of your birth name unless the connection to it fills you with horror and traumatic memories. If you can, hold onto your real birth name even if it is only used on certain occasions, or by your closest family at home.

House Names and Numbers

When purchasing or building a new Home, Numbers can play a vital role in determining how secure and happy you will be in your new abode. We don’t always get to choose the Number of our House as it is often predetermined for us if we are buying a Second Hand Home or what is left for sale in a new development. We sometimes buy a House that has no Number but does have a name. Numerology can be applied to the total Numerical Value of all the letters in the name to calculate its value. Numerologists believe that the Number of your House or its Name can make the difference when it comes to being happy, relaxed, secure, stable and settled. For instance the Number of my House is 20 which when reduced down brings us the Number 2 (2+0=2). 2 is  a Number of opposites, extremes but also attraction, balance and harmony. 2 unites and draws together. So this is a House where there is potential for great happiness but also great sadness. If the correct balance is struck in the House, there will be great harmony. It is a perfect house for a couple as it brings intimacy and connection. However, the balance must be maintained in order to retain the delicate yin/yang of the house and it occupants.

If the Number of your house does not appear to be acting in your interests then it may be possible to name the house and add this to your address. You must refer to the house by its name and not its number when mentioning it except for the times when you have to give your address. The Name must create its own connection with the house via repetitive use by the occupants. When choosing a Name for your House, use the Number/Letter Box to see what fits your personality and the atmosphere you wish to develop and cultivate in your home.

Should you buy a House that already has a Name and you find that Numerically it does not suit you, this may be tricky if you are not allowed to change it. The problem may arise that you may never feel totally in ownership of the house as The House will still carry the energies of the previous owners.  If you can’t change it, see if it can be spelled a different manner, or if an extra letter can be added anywhere. Unless you really like the name plaque, change that too as that will alter the energy. Some people are drawn to a particular house because of its name so in that case, their vibrations are in harmony with the house and its name. Lucky House Hunters!

Check the Number or Name of your House against the list of Number Meanings below and see how it measures up. For instance a house with the Number 1 may be a great first time house, excellent for living a single life or for starting over again. It may not work well for sharing or families. A Number 3 House may be the home you choose to start a family in or even a new business. However, you probably will move on from it as it is a number of progression and ascension. It is a step up from a Starter Home but not a forever Home. The Number 6 House makes an excellent Family Home and could easily be a home for life as you will get very settled and secure in it. A Number 5 may see a lot of occupants come and go as it quite a transient number. Owners may say they never fully settled and will feel restless to move after a period of time. This is a house which will see a lot of alterations being done by all it various occupants. Each will attempt to make the house their own by extending, renovations etc so if it has been professionally carried out, you may get a bargain with this house as it is doubtful the owner will get their money back on all the work they put in. A Number 9 House could easily be your final home and one for keeps or it may be a Home you love that has to be said goodbye to for any number of reasons.

Check around your own neighbourhood and see which Houses have had the longest occupancy and the ones that are constantly up For Sale. Which houses have couples and which families? Which houses have business running from them? Which are the Party Houses? Which are the houses that are constantly being worked on and decorated? Which are the houses that are lovingly tended or neglected? Which houses have had break ups, separation or divorce?

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Play around with the Numerology Letter Box above. Try your name out for size and see if it fits you.  Discover which version of your name is best to send out on job applications and which nickname suits you best. You can also check out your Partner’s Name and Number to see how well they work with yours.  Once you have calculated the Numerical Value of your name check it out on the Numerology Chart and see what energies your Number/Name holds. Check out your House Name or Number too. Compare your own Personal Numbers with your House Number to see if you are Compatible with your House.

Example:  VIVIEN  NI DHUINN

VIVIEN –  4+9+4+9+5+5=36=3+6=(9)   NI – 1+4+(5)     DHUINN – 4+8+3+9+5+5=34=3+4+7

9 + 5 + 7  = 21 = 2+1 = 3

Therefore the name I am most commonly known by carries a vibration of 3.

The energies 3 brings are:  Creativity, growth, abundance, ascension, fertility, birth, the power of three, variety, versatility

So, I think my name works well for me and has a positive effect on my writing and creativity.  As for variety and versatility, I am working on 3 very different projects at the moment.

Numbers and their Meanings in the Tarot

***One point to remember in most of Numerology is that one must keep reducing a number to get a final reading of just 1 digit. e.g. 10 = 1+0=1,   23 = 2+3+5 ,   39 = 3+9=12= 1+2=3. However, The Numbers 11 and 22 are considered to be Master Numbers and do not have to be reduced unless you want to. You could look at the meanings of both and take them into consideration. 

1 – The point of origin, birth, start, beginning, clean slate, uniqueness, individuality, the ego, starting over, New Beginnings, Opportunities, solitary, 

2 – Opposition, attraction, Choices, Decisions, Crossroads, co-operation, conflict, peace, harmony, balance, communication, marriage, partnership, commitments, yin/yang,   masculine/feminine

3 – Creativity, growth, Progress, abundance, ascension, Expression, fertility, birth, the power of three, variety, versatility

4 – Stability, practicality, security, structure, power, building resources, personal and family securities, consolidation, stagnation.

5 – Loss, conflict, chaos, Instability, upheaval, disruption but also final ascension, expect the unexpected, travel, change, challenges, new experiences, narrow-minded, rigidity.

6 – Balance, stability, harmony, communication, negotiation, resolution, peace, beauty, family matters, romance, success

7 – Victory, challenges, tenacity, magic, luck, introspection, assessment, tenacity, resourcefulness

8 – Change, infinity, speed, movement, change, positivity, energy, strength, power, success, business

9 – Completion, ending, outcome, closing, cutting of ties, emotional spring-cleaning, introspection, reflection, winding down, attainment, end of Cycle.

10 – (1+0 = 1) – Finality, final outcome, ending, closing, beginning is end/end is beginning. Cycle starts once more. Rebirth, excess, too much, extremes, things have run their natural course.

Master Number 11 = Spirituality, Humanitarian, Higher Conscious, Psychic, Heightened Awareness, Subconscious, Illumination, Intuition, Spiritual Development

Master Number 22 – Spiritual and Psychic Power,  Greatness, Humanitarian, Selfless, Subconscious, Higher Source, Ascension, Old Soul, Inspirational, Leader, Enlightenment

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Copyright © Vivien Ní Dhuinn 2014