Every family includes a collection of names. There are personal names and family names. Names that are passed down, invented fresh, or combined in new ways make their way onto certificates and into our hearts and memories. At our birth, the people who welcome us give us a name that will both identify us as an individual and label us as a part of a particular clan or family unit.

In our society, it is often customary for a new child to receive the paternal family name (although hyphenated last names are becoming increasingly common) as well as both a first and middle name that are more personally derived. This means parents of a new baby have a lot to think about. There are usually at least two names to pick and endless choices to pick from. Maybe there is a relative or family friend to be honored, a favorite flower or place name; maybe a certain name just sounds good or "feels" right to the parents.

Due to these many considerations, deciding what to name a child is often not easy. And, once the choice is made, the question of whether the child will naturally "grow into" the given name, or hate it from the get go, is a question that only time can answer. Although we don't choose the name we are given, we may find that we instinctively or intuitively know that it does or does not suit us. We may use a nickname or a middle name; we may even feel compelled to change our name altogether - but why? What is it about a name that is so powerful?

The truth is that a name is more than an identification tag. A name is a pattern of sounds with particular energy associations. That energy - which can be understood as the ways that particular sounds make us feel when we hear them - is what gives a name its power.

This is why parents spend so much time and energy agonizing over what to name their children. It is why some of us feel blessed to have a name that "fits" our personality so well, while others of us feel cursed, like our name misrepresents us to others. The more we understand what our name says about us, the better off we are. We are empowered by knowledge.

Let's look at the examples introduced in the title. While Bob is Robert on his birth certificate, it has never "felt" right to him. In a simple numerical analysis (wherein the number values for letters in the name are summed and reduced), we find that Robert is a six while Bob is a one. The name Robert carries associations of balance and harmony, which are fine attributes - but not necessarily reflective of Bob's vision of himself. Rather, he sees himself as someone who is comfortable out on the edge and who gets bored with the daily grind. He loves his work as a commercial fisherman and is proud of the income he provides for his family. Although he does relish inner harmony, it is the action-oriented associations of the number one that make Bob a Bob and not a Robert.

Looking next at Suzanna, we might use a Kabbalistic approach. In this analysis, we would break the sounds of the name into Hebrew letters to be analyzed according to the relationships in the tree of life (a pattern of intriguing relationships beyond the scope of this article). The name Suzanna is comprised of several sounds. Among them are the Samech of being supportive and the Vau of making choices. When Suzanna becomes Sue, she cuts out the powerful connections to a more intuitive side that lends wisdom to her choices and gives her an aggressive edge. As Suzanna, she feels stronger than she does as Sue.

In each of these examples, the difference between a long version and an abbreviated version can make a tremendous impact on how well that name "fits." And this is just the beginning!

It is important to note that any name will have different interpretations, depending on which method is used. For example, there are many varieties of numerical analysis, several Runic systems, as well as a complicated but compelling interpretation that is gleaned through an understanding of the tree of life and the Hebrew alphabet as depicted by Kabbalists. Also important to remember is that no two Sues and no two Bobs are ever alike. The same name may indicate the same basic energy associations, but within any aspect there is a continuum, and manifestations will vary enormously. Indeed, while many of us may share a name that is fairly common, none of us are precisely like any other. We all manifest our gifts and deal with our hindrances in ways that define us as individuals as clearly as any sound ever could.

So, how does a parent choose wisely? How can we ever be sure of which name will best fit a personality that has yet to develop? The truth is, we can't. We can never be sure of what our children will choose, nor if they will appreciate what we give them. However, we can do our best to make an informed decision. By learning what types of energy are related to given sounds, we can not only choose new baby names more effectively, but we can also understand why our sister who was always Kathy when we were kids is now only Kat or Kathleen. We can learn things about our self that we may not have recognized before.

Through a deeper understanding of name analysis, we can utilize the ancient systems of interpretation as a way of triggering the kind of intuitive thought that leads to a better use of resources. Simply changing a nickname back to a full given name, or adopting a more informal version of a name, can provide the change in expectations or perceptions that is needed. In this sense, parents should try not to take offense when their darling Cynthia Josephine wants to be called Jo. After all, choice implies critical thought. Besides, she can always change it back.