Austin Smith

Professor Lynn Raymond

URWT 1103
October 5, 2015
Writing Prompt 5
In many cultures, in both todays and yesterdays society, place a great amount of
importance in a persons name. In older cultures, a childs name was predetermined before it was
born by various types of process, but the parents didnt have much say in what their childs name
was going to be. In some cultures, a person was given many different names throughout their life
for a variety of reasons, whether it be coming of age or some ritualistic meaning, such as trying
to throw a spirit off of your trail. In other cultures, your name could have some connection with
the town that you were born in or the occupation of your father. In more modern tradition, the
parents of the child will be able to select the first and middle name of their child and it may or
may not have any significance to the family.
I have done a little bit of research on the history of my name. The name Austin comes
from English roots in the church, Augustine, which can further be traced to Roman roots of the
name Augustus. Augustus means great and venerable, which, at the risk of sounding a bit
narcissistic, is fairly fitting in my case. My middle name, Thomas, has been in the family for a
few generations on my fathers side. My parents were actually planning on making my middle
name Sawyer, after my great-grandfather, but decided against it after noticing what my initials
would spell if my name was Austin Sawyer Smith. Names dont hold a great significance in my
family but nonetheless they are important.