Lesson 1 — Activity 2: What Do Names Mean?

In the Self-check for Activity 1, you learned that Brad Pitt's given names and surname are William Bradley Pitt. He is widely known, of course, as Brad Pitt. His given name William is a name with English origins. The meaning of the name William is "strong-willed warrior. Common nicknames for the name William include Will and Bill. Brad obviously chose his middle name for everyday use.

In this lesson, you will learn about the meanings of your name.

People are often named after someone in their family. A child may be given the same name as one of his or her older relatives. Surnames are passed down through families. Different surnames come from different countries or groups of people. You can often tell where a person's ancestors came from by knowing his or her last name.

 Sometimes parents choose a particular name for their child because of that name's meaning. And, as mentioned in the first activity, many people also have nicknames. You might get a nickname from your family, or you might get a nickname from your friends. This all adds to your personal identity.