Do you recognise the quote above? It's from Romeo and Juliet and the full quote is:
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."
Basically, what it means is that what matters is what something is, not what it is called.
Now, being a good English woman, I probably shouldn't tell you this....but....I don't like Shakespeare. In fact, I loathe Shakespeare! I think it's because we were forced to study him at school...endlessly. Even after many years, I can still recite big chunks of Macbeth. Do you know that some actors are very superstitious about Macbeth? They won't mention the title of the play, but call it "The Scottish play". It is considered bad luck to mention the name Macbeth anywhere in a theatre - but especially in the dressing rooms. I've read that if an actor says "Macbeth" in the theatre, they have to go outside the building, spin round 3 times, spit, curse and then knock on the door to be allowed back in!! Obviously that doesn't apply when they are on stage performing the play!
Anyway, I got well and truly sidetracked there....back to names! Although I don't like Shakespeare, I can see what he was trying to say - how important is a name? My full name is Caroline. Caroline means strong - but my parents chose it because they liked the name, not because they liked the meaning. However, I think I am quite strong! Would I still be strong if I was called something else, though?
The reason I started thinking about names is because there was a report published a couple of weeks ago listing the most popular names in the UK over the last 170 years. The most popular boys' name was John - there have been more than 2 million boys called John since 1837! I noticed that all of the boys' names in the top 10 either come from the bible or are the names of British Kings. The most popular girls' name was Elizabeth: there have been 1,167,650 of them since 1837 - our own Queen is one of them.
Of course, nowadays, children are often named after pop stars, actors or other famous people. I even know one little girl who is called Crystal Chelsea - because her parents support Crystal Palace and Chelsea football clubs! So, when I looked at the list of most popular names for boys born in 2008, I expected to see lots of Brads, Michaels and Baracks, but instead, William and Harry were in the top ten: can you guess why?
Think about your own name...does it mean something? Did your parents choose your name or did someone else choose it? Did they choose it because they liked it, or because it meant something special? Or did they name you after someone else? I'm looking forward to reading about your name!
Take care
Carrie (or should that be Caroline Elizabeth!!)
P.S. Callum has promised to update you on his baby soon.
P.P.S. For those of you who have read my old blogs, I promise I will give you the answers to my photo quiz and update you on my travels next time.
loathe: to dislike very much
dressing rooms: the rooms in a theatre where actors put on their costumes
to be sidetracked: to forget what you are supposed to be doing and start doing something else
P.P.P.S. Kirsti's comment made me start thinking about idioms and phrases to do with flowers and plants. I'm sure you can think of more!
To let the grass grow round your feet: : to delay doing things instead of taking action
To have green fingers: to be good at growing things
To grasp the nettle: to deal bravely with a problem
Not a bed of roses: something that has unpleasant aspects to it as well as some good ones e.g. Life is not always a bed of roses!
The last straw: the latest in a series of bad events that makes you feel that you cannot bear any more
To hit the hay: to go to bed
Barking up the wrong tree: to try to do something without any chance of success because you do not understand the situation properly
To hold out an olive branch: to show you want to make peace
Pushing up the daisies: if someone is pushing up the daisies, they are dead!
Shrinking violet: someone who is shy
FAQs
By any other name would smell as sweet." Basically, what it means is that what matters is what something is, not what it is called. Now, being a good English woman, I probably shouldn't tell you this....but....
What does Juliet mean when she says that which we call a rose? ›
"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" is a popular adage from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, in which Juliet seems to argue that it does not matter that Romeo is from her family's rival house of Montague. The reference is used to state that the names of things do not affect what they really are.
What is the saying "a rose by any other name is still a rose"? ›
A quote from Shakespeare “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” has important meaning which applies to the everyday life of all humans. This quote suggest that a name is just a label to distinguish one thing from another.
What is the Old English name for Rose? ›
The name Rose was also introduced to England by the Normans in the Middle Ages and translated into Old English as Roese and Rohese.
What is the rose quote in Romeo and Juliet? ›
“What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet.” So declares Juliet as she laments the name of her beloved in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The fact is, today there are numerous varieties of ornamental rose that produce little or no fragrance.
How does Juliet symbolize a rose? ›
If you mean Juliet's line, “A rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet…” then the rose isn't so much a symbol as it is a metaphorical comparison. She means that had Romeo been born with a different name, he's still be Romeo. Had the rose been given a different name, the name would make no difference.
What point is Juliet trying to make here that which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet? ›
In Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, Juliet's statement "That which we call a rose / By any other word would smell as sweet" means that the essence or true nature of something is not determined by its name. She implies that names are simply labels and do not affect the intrinsic qualities of things.
Is a rose by any other name a metaphor? ›
The rose is used as a metaphor for the names that Juliet and her love interest have themselves. Even if Romeo had a different name, he'd still be Romeo. The name does not change him. This is meant to provide evidence in support of ending or breaking the feud between their families.
What is a negative sentence for the rose by any other name would smell as sweet? ›
No rose by any other name would smell as sweet. A rose by any other name wouldn't smell as sweet.
What's Montague it is not hand? ›
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face. O, be some other name Belonging to a man.
An 'English Rose' refers to "an attractive English girl with a delicate, fair-skinned complexion regarded as typically English" - Oxford dictionary.
What does rose mean in the Bible? ›
Roses in the Bible symbolize love, beauty, and spiritual devotion. They often represent God's love and His creation's beauty. In biblical stories, roses are associated with sacrifice and redemption, such as the sacrifice of Jesus and the redemption of mankind.
What is the masculine version of rose? ›
It's an odd choice for a boy, since Rose is traditionally a female name, but you can do it. Though, there are masculine versions of the name like Roseo and Royce.
Is a rose still a rose by any other name? ›
That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet. Lines from the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare . Juliet, prevented from marrying Romeo by the feud between their families, complains that Romeo's name is all that keeps him from her.
Who is known for the controversial quote A rose is a rose is a rose? ›
The sentence "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose" was written by Gertrude Stein as part of the 1913 poem "Sacred Emily", which appeared in the 1922 book Geography and Plays. In that poem, the first "Rose" is the name of a person.
What does the rose symbolize in Shakespeare? ›
By successfully employing the rose imagery, Shakespeare extols the virtues of love, beauty and youth, displays his faith in the immortality of his verse. The rose imagery in Shakespeare's sonnets helps readers appreciate and cherish the beauty and youth, love and truth all the time.
What does Juliet mean when she says what is a name? ›
When playwright William Shakespeare asked the question, “What's in a name?” in Romeo and Juliet, he was referring to the idea that names themselves are a convention to distinguish things or people, but themselves do not have any worth or meaning.
What does the quote a rose is a rose mean? ›
In that poem, the first "Rose" is the name of a person. Stein later used variations on the sentence in other writings, and the shortened form "A rose is a rose is a rose" is among her most famous quotations, often interpreted as meaning "things are what they are", a statement of the law of identity, "A is A."
What does the rose mean in Shakespeare? ›
In addition to beauty and youth, love is also a theme in Shakespeare's sonnets. For example, in Sonnet 109, rose imagery is used to symbolize his beloved: “For nothing this wide universe I call/ Save thou, my Rose; in it thou art my all” (Sonnet 109). Here, the speaker use “my Rose” means “my love”.
What does a rose symbolize? ›
Roses symbolize love, royalty, beauty, sensuality, secrecy, and mysticism. They are also associated with achievement and perfection. Roses are prized around the world, among the most beloved and popular flowers. Their fragrance is instantly recognized, but complex and distinct between varieties.
