What are your impressions of Exodus as a name, for a boy? What sort of boy/man do you picture? How wearable is it? Would you use is? Advise against it?
I immediately think of the Biblical book and the battle between Pharaoh's magicians and God plus all the griping and moaning in the desert.
I also just think of the word- a long ardous journey.
Honestly, I don't think of this as a name but it could work. My impression is either very religious parents or that the child had philosophical parents that thought Exodus as a name somehow conveyed the journey of life the child was about to be a part of in some way. I can see hippie types naming a child this as in "how cool would it be to name a child Exodus? It's all about the journey, you know." The name has Scrabble value as Laura W. would put and it's offbeat so definitely would fit in in some circles. But I say quite honestly impression would be 1.love child of hippie parents or 2. very religious parents who picked a random book of Bible to commemorate.
Ditto. Except not necessarily a random book in the bible. I might think that highly religious parents related to the themes of the story and chose it because of that.
Zion does not conjure a religious theme for me. It reminds me of Zion NP in Utah. It's where I met my DH. We also visited Bryce Canyon in the same area an briefly considered it for our son.
Having been educated in a strongly Zionist school, community, and tradition, I can't see it as anything other than that. However, when I think of it as a name, I think of Lauryn Hill's son - though the next thought is how funny it is that she named her son Zion.
Canaan, NH makes me giggle every time I drive past it, too.
I don't think I can quite picture what a boy/man named Exodus would be like himself, because I'm afraid it doesn't really sound like a person's name to me. But if I came across a little Exodus, I would probably guess either that his family was religious in a fundamentalist but non-mainstream way, OR that they were totally nonreligious and not well-acquainted with the terminology, and going for a vaguely sci-fi sound. (These would be snap judgments and not necessarily fair, but that's where my mind would go first.)
Actually, on an adult, I would first figure that it was an assumed name for effect: I can kind of imagine it being used by a graffiti artist or club DJ or performance artist or something.
Exodus is a big name, something that would be difficult to wear well I think. Moses has much more potential, I think. Books of the Bible that have name potential are the ones that are, well, names :). I know Genesis is used often as a girl's name (#89? Really?), but I'm not personally a fan of that either.
Honestly, Exodus doesn't sound like a name to me at all. If I heard it on a real person, I'd either assume his parents were very religious and trying to make a statement, or just trying too hard to be daring.
Hiya! Since most people have covered the concerns on this topic. I love TC's comment about a DJ or graffiti artist, that's brilliant.
If I were to ignore all the context the name comes with and focus on the sound of the name. I'm not particularly religious, all I know about Religion is what I've learned through main stream media until I took religion in university so... I don't have as strong a correlation to the Bible as others might.
Exodus sounds very strong to me, I think it's the strong "O" sound combined with the "EX" like Exxon Mobile, it sounds like a brand name almost to my ears.
It also clearly has a Latin flare to it with the -us ending, like Augustus or Julius - so it also gives me the impression of a power player in Ancient Rome.
If I met a little boy named Exodus, I'd probably end up calling him Dusty - it's a pretty heavy name for a little boy. It's more of a manly name to me.
I personally would never consider it but it's not the worst name in the world, it could be a very meaningful middle name if the parents are choosing it for personal religious reasons.
Agree with everyone else! Will just add that I've now got the Bob Marley song stuck in my head (would he go through life with people singing it to him?) and that to me Exodus is not just another book in the Bible/Torah, and not just one that describes a journey, but one that describes a journey of great hardships and offers a pretty dark portrait of the Chosen People and their stern G-d even if it does have "happy" ending.
I think this would be a very hard name to live with, due to all the strong (and widely varying!) snap judgements others are likely to make about the wearer and his family. I get a whole lot of conflicting vibes myself and don't know what to think: fundamentalist, gangsta, performance artist, celebrity, ignorant (of religion), crazy, iconoclast, superhero, ... ! Yeah, I'm one who enjoys having an unusual name, but I suspect that I would hate being named Exodus and only the rare person would love having the name.
I rarely say this, but ... please don't do it. To your kid or yourself.
Seeing as how most people would agree that it is not the best name to use for them (although you may disagree and it may still work for you), I tried to be a bit creative and think of something similar to use instead. I don't have the religious background to go that route so I will go with the sound and the journey meaning.
For sound you have things like: Exzavier (varied sp); Evander; Exander (short for Alexander maybe)
For meaning you have: Journey; Jordan; Trip; Travel (invented name); Walker; West (as in go west); Romey
You could also use explorer names like Columbus and such or bird names like Peregrine
I don't mind the sound of Exodus - I actually kinda like it - but I can't look past its meaning. It's too direct, too strongly/negatively laden... just too much for a name. But, what Zoerhenne said: look for names with similar sounds, perhaps the eks- sound and/or ending in -us/es.
It's better than Messiah. But not by much. I agree that maybe Moses or Aaron would be a better choice.
I almost think I like the sound of Leviticus better, and at least the child could go by Levi.
This could be a fun name game actually, brackets for biblically inspired names that are not actually names.
I meant that in a light-hearted way, but seriously, I would strongly reconsider this as a name. It just seems like it would be very hard to pull off if you were not a rock star or celebrity's child, etc. Also, keep in future resumes and job interviews. While I think concerns about this are generally overblown, Exodus might be a name that generates at least some subconsious discrimination from employers.
For Exodus, I immediately pictured a tall, strong Black man with long dreadlocks. I also thought of the Bob Marley song, and of Lauryn Hill's son Zion. I thought of Rastafarianism and pan-African nationalism - Exodus as freedom from slavery.
To my mind, that makes it a very powerful name, not to be used lightly. If you're just using it for the sound, it might come across as thoughtless, and I wouldn't recommend it. (I like the suggestion of Xavier instead.)
But if you want a powerful, political, spiritual name, it could really work. I have trouble seeing it on a little kid, but he could grow into it.
I like this response. I can see how this name would be powerful and spirtually meaningful. But I can also see it wearing very badly, like evidence that young Exodus's parents were too unique for school and thought it was sooo deep man.
It's a loaded name. It will walk into the room before your child does. If knowing that, you still love it, then I don't think it's unwearable. But it's a tough sell.
You know, I like this response too, very thoughtful about what could make this name a very strong and powerful choice for the right folks. I was thinking later that what I wrote was probably unhelpful. Probably better to ask (you or anyone else considering it), what really draws you to the name? Whether it's a good choice or not depends on that answer, just as it would with any name, though I still think there's more riding on it with Exodus than with a name that makes less of a statement.
I gave you some more suggestions on your other thread and hope they help.
I don't think Exodus sounds like a name at all. It sounds like a band or product name, maybe.
It's a huge, heavy name - and I obviously immediately think of the Bible. Exodus was a chapter filled with lots of heavy topics...tough to wear this name I think.
Replies
I immediately think of the Biblical book and the battle between Pharaoh's magicians and God plus all the griping and moaning in the desert.
I also just think of the word- a long ardous journey.
Honestly, I don't think of this as a name but it could work. My impression is either very religious parents or that the child had philosophical parents that thought Exodus as a name somehow conveyed the journey of life the child was about to be a part of in some way. I can see hippie types naming a child this as in "how cool would it be to name a child Exodus? It's all about the journey, you know." The name has Scrabble value as Laura W. would put and it's offbeat so definitely would fit in in some circles. But I say quite honestly impression would be 1.love child of hippie parents or 2. very religious parents who picked a random book of Bible to commemorate.
Others might feel differently.
Nope. I pretty much agree with Guest above me.
Ditto. Except not necessarily a random book in the bible. I might think that highly religious parents related to the themes of the story and chose it because of that.
My personal thought is that this is a name with a lot of baggage.
I associate it very strongly with the Old Testament book, and with the story of the Jewish people.
I guess it just doesn't feel appropriate to me as a name.
I'd assume parents who used it were trying hard to be clever. It sounds like a rock star's kid's name to me.
I know of a child called Zion, and I feel approximately the same about that one.
Zion does not conjure a religious theme for me. It reminds me of Zion NP in Utah. It's where I met my DH. We also visited Bryce Canyon in the same area an briefly considered it for our son.
Having been educated in a strongly Zionist school, community, and tradition, I can't see it as anything other than that. However, when I think of it as a name, I think of Lauryn Hill's son - though the next thought is how funny it is that she named her son Zion.
Canaan, NH makes me giggle every time I drive past it, too.
I don't think I can quite picture what a boy/man named Exodus would be like himself, because I'm afraid it doesn't really sound like a person's name to me. But if I came across a little Exodus, I would probably guess either that his family was religious in a fundamentalist but non-mainstream way, OR that they were totally nonreligious and not well-acquainted with the terminology, and going for a vaguely sci-fi sound. (These would be snap judgments and not necessarily fair, but that's where my mind would go first.)
Actually, on an adult, I would first figure that it was an assumed name for effect: I can kind of imagine it being used by a graffiti artist or club DJ or performance artist or something.
Exodus is a big name, something that would be difficult to wear well I think. Moses has much more potential, I think. Books of the Bible that have name potential are the ones that are, well, names :). I know Genesis is used often as a girl's name (#89? Really?), but I'm not personally a fan of that either.
I second TC's comments.
Yes! A graffiti artist? Brilliant! In that way, it totally works.
Honestly, Exodus doesn't sound like a name to me at all. If I heard it on a real person, I'd either assume his parents were very religious and trying to make a statement, or just trying too hard to be daring.
Hiya! Since most people have covered the concerns on this topic. I love TC's comment about a DJ or graffiti artist, that's brilliant.
If I were to ignore all the context the name comes with and focus on the sound of the name. I'm not particularly religious, all I know about Religion is what I've learned through main stream media until I took religion in university so... I don't have as strong a correlation to the Bible as others might.
Exodus sounds very strong to me, I think it's the strong "O" sound combined with the "EX" like Exxon Mobile, it sounds like a brand name almost to my ears.
It also clearly has a Latin flare to it with the -us ending, like Augustus or Julius - so it also gives me the impression of a power player in Ancient Rome.
If I met a little boy named Exodus, I'd probably end up calling him Dusty - it's a pretty heavy name for a little boy. It's more of a manly name to me.
I personally would never consider it but it's not the worst name in the world, it could be a very meaningful middle name if the parents are choosing it for personal religious reasons.
Agree with everyone else! Will just add that I've now got the Bob Marley song stuck in my head (would he go through life with people singing it to him?) and that to me Exodus is not just another book in the Bible/Torah, and not just one that describes a journey, but one that describes a journey of great hardships and offers a pretty dark portrait of the Chosen People and their stern G-d even if it does have "happy" ending.
I think this would be a very hard name to live with, due to all the strong (and widely varying!) snap judgements others are likely to make about the wearer and his family. I get a whole lot of conflicting vibes myself and don't know what to think: fundamentalist, gangsta, performance artist, celebrity, ignorant (of religion), crazy, iconoclast, superhero, ... ! Yeah, I'm one who enjoys having an unusual name, but I suspect that I would hate being named Exodus and only the rare person would love having the name.
I rarely say this, but ... please don't do it. To your kid or yourself.
I think it's Puritan sounding in the odd way. Maybe it would do better as a middle name and your son can choose to use it if he wants?
Seeing as how most people would agree that it is not the best name to use for them (although you may disagree and it may still work for you), I tried to be a bit creative and think of something similar to use instead. I don't have the religious background to go that route so I will go with the sound and the journey meaning.
For sound you have things like: Exzavier (varied sp); Evander; Exander (short for Alexander maybe)
For meaning you have: Journey; Jordan; Trip; Travel (invented name); Walker; West (as in go west); Romey
You could also use explorer names like Columbus and such or bird names like Peregrine
I don't mind the sound of Exodus - I actually kinda like it - but I can't look past its meaning. It's too direct, too strongly/negatively laden... just too much for a name. But, what Zoerhenne said: look for names with similar sounds, perhaps the eks- sound and/or ending in -us/es.
It's better than Messiah. But not by much. I agree that maybe Moses or Aaron would be a better choice.
I almost think I like the sound of Leviticus better, and at least the child could go by Levi.
This could be a fun name game actually, brackets for biblically inspired names that are not actually names.
I meant that in a light-hearted way, but seriously, I would strongly reconsider this as a name. It just seems like it would be very hard to pull off if you were not a rock star or celebrity's child, etc. Also, keep in future resumes and job interviews. While I think concerns about this are generally overblown, Exodus might be a name that generates at least some subconsious discrimination from employers.
For Exodus, I immediately pictured a tall, strong Black man with long dreadlocks. I also thought of the Bob Marley song, and of Lauryn Hill's son Zion. I thought of Rastafarianism and pan-African nationalism - Exodus as freedom from slavery.
To my mind, that makes it a very powerful name, not to be used lightly. If you're just using it for the sound, it might come across as thoughtless, and I wouldn't recommend it. (I like the suggestion of Xavier instead.)
But if you want a powerful, political, spiritual name, it could really work. I have trouble seeing it on a little kid, but he could grow into it.
I like this response. I can see how this name would be powerful and spirtually meaningful. But I can also see it wearing very badly, like evidence that young Exodus's parents were too unique for school and thought it was sooo deep man.
It's a loaded name. It will walk into the room before your child does. If knowing that, you still love it, then I don't think it's unwearable. But it's a tough sell.
You know, I like this response too, very thoughtful about what could make this name a very strong and powerful choice for the right folks. I was thinking later that what I wrote was probably unhelpful. Probably better to ask (you or anyone else considering it), what really draws you to the name? Whether it's a good choice or not depends on that answer, just as it would with any name, though I still think there's more riding on it with Exodus than with a name that makes less of a statement.
I gave you some more suggestions on your other thread and hope they help.
I don't think Exodus sounds like a name at all. It sounds like a band or product name, maybe.
It's a huge, heavy name - and I obviously immediately think of the Bible. Exodus was a chapter filled with lots of heavy topics...tough to wear this name I think.