I thought I would do another “meaning of names” post about Wherever Would I Be, my second book. Names within the story have meaning – not just for me as a writer, but for the characters themselves. Lucy’s father, Luca, even shares this with her – and then she shares the story with her little brother.
So, what’s in a name?
Well, Lucy means light, and Luca means light bringer. He tells her that hearing her name was a sign that he was supposed to bring her home.
Terrance is Lucy’s older brother, though the second adopted into the family. His name means tender and good, qualities that are written into his character.
Next came the twins – Marie (beloved) and Samuel (chosen one). At the start of our story, they have been with the family for five years; they are eight at the start of the story.
And then there is Ciro – dear, sweet Ciro. He, newly eight at the start of the story, has been with the family just over a year. He has had the roughest start to life, and we get to see him still in the process of settling in with the family. His name means sun. As Lucy notes when telling him the meanings of their names, he was the final piece that made their family whole.
Then there’s Mom, Donna. I should note that she and Luca are both of Italian heritage, and that Donna means “woman” in Italian. The original meaning was more “lady of the home” and was considered a title of respect (think also of the use of Don for men). She falls for Luca’s big heart, and he loves her drive and passion.
The surname I chose for the family is Moretti. It is derived from Italian meaning dark hair, as well as the Yiddish word Mordeven, which means worker (or overwork).
As noted in a previous post, Lea’s name (Lea B. Larhann) is from the Gaelic word leabharlann, which means library. Lea not only literally works in a library, she is a champion of sharing knowledge.
Then there’s Shelly Hammond and her parents Harriett and Doug. In the book, she is Lucy’s best friend and is named for my own best friend, Michelle Hammond.
Ami Maxine 