Popular Names

Standing out when you've got a common name

Mon 17 Jul 2023

Topics

Did you see the new list of top baby names in Australia for the past 12 months? The most common one again was 'Oliver', with over 2,200 new babies given that name.

It can feel hard to stand out when you've got a very common name.

I should know—when I was in school, there were six kids with my name 'Andrew' in one grade alone!

All of us desire to be seen by others; to have someone know our name, and truly care for us.

But in a world of 8 billion people, it can be hard to be noticed. Which is why I find the words of Jesus so comforting:

"I am the Good Shepherd. I know My sheep by name."

Feeling unnoticed? God sees you, and He loves you, and wants to be in a relationship with you, no matter how common or unusual your name is.

Bible reference(s):

John 10:14

With

Andrew Laird

Andrew Laird works for City Bible Forum in Canberra and directs Life@Work - an initiative aimed at connecting Christian faith with our daily work. He's the author of I am what I do: Reshaping our understanding of self and work, and Under Pressure: how the gospel helps us handle the pressures of daily work.