Practical Saline: What’s in a name
At surgery recently, I saw a Moroccan boy with a long name I had never come across before. I asked about the meaning. His mother said, ‘It is after Mohammed, our last and most important prophet.’ It turned out it was the French version. Every time I see a child called Isa (Jesus) I will say to them ‘That’s a beautiful name; do you know what it means? My grandson is called Jedidiah – what an opportunity for his parents whenever anyone asks to tell that it means ‘Loved by the Lord’. I wonder if we are too shy to say sometimes; this mother so wanted me to know about the prophet – as if I didn’t already!
