Upon my birth, I inherited the last name of my father – Hogsed. Yes, the first three letters spell out a disgusting animal associated with the swine family. Whenever I meet someone new and say my last name, they most likely will ask me to spell it. Over the years I have learned to acknowledge, up front, that my last name is weird. I do this to lessen the shock factor and also give them permission to laugh as soon as the phonetic sound of “hog” leaves my lips. My wife says that we should have taken her last name (Sharpe) so that our kids would not be made fun of at school. I think she is kidding?! After all, I have endured thirty-four years of jokes about my last name and I’m pretty certain my children will be able to do the same. Although there are many negative things about having a unique (politically correct term) last name, there is one major benefit – the phone book. If I ever need to look up someone with the last name Brown, Jones, Rogers, Smith, or Williams I may spend the better part of the day searching through the endless list of possibilities. However, with a last name like Hogsed, no time is wasted. There is a 50/50 chance of picking the right one.
I determined to study some background on my last name. The first thing I discovered was that it is an uncomplimentary nickname meaning “hog’s head.” Surprise, surprise! I’ve been called that hundreds of times. The second thing I uncovered was that the name is no longer used in Britain and Ireland. Quitters. For the sake of my own self-esteem, I abandoned my research at this point.
I began thinking about names and what the Bible actually says about them. The wisdom writer says, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold” (Proverbs 22:1). Solomon also adds, “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth” (Ecclesiastes 7:1). “Name” is not referring to your birth-given name but rather your reputation or the way you are perceived by others. Many in our world and even Christians want to be known for what they have (or have accomplished) instead of being known for who they are. There is a vast difference. Pursuing possessions and popularity will only leave a pit. Pursuing character and godliness will leave a path.
