What's in a name?
Why I don’t agree with Shakespeare over the value or significance of a name.
“What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
When William Shakespeare wrote this famous line spoken by Juliet during the iconic balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet, he suggested that names are just labels, disconnected from meaning. That they don’t hold much value or significance.
But I beg to differ.
Take my own name, Maïlys, for example, which my mother first encountered in a French fiction book, La duchesse en pantoufles - The duchess in slippers - by Jany Saint-Marcoux. The main character’s name was Maïlys. This name, though it wasn't hers, resonated deeply with my mom who was a tweenager at the time. She loved it for its sonority and originality, but also because the character praised her name saying she “savored it like an everlasting candy.” Because my mom also enjoyed the story so much, this name became one that held positive memories and feelings for her. So, when she chose to name me Maïlys years after that, it was a name that carried with it both meaning and memory. To her, Maïlys wasn’t just a name, it was a reminder of her story and a reflection of the kind of life and dreams she hoped for me.
A few years ago, while reading the book again — because, of course, there’s a copy of it at my mom’s — I came across a paragraph describing the character’s name as “frais comme un bouquet, un nom qui à lui seul exprime tous les paradis”— “fresh as a bouquet, a name that encapsulated all paradises”. Quite a fitting description of my own appreciation of my name. To me, Maïlys has always been imbued with a sense of beauty, joy, and possibility. First I’ve always highly appreciated the fact that it wasn’t common, and therefore made me feel special, almost unique — something that probably appealed to my Aquarius sun sign personality 😉 But I also love the way the letters that compose my name are weaved together and the sonority they form - if you’re curious about how it is pronounced in French, I’ve found you this video.
So in my view, my name isn’t just a name.
But my interest in names and my conviction that they do have significance also come from my marketing background. In marketing, a name is more than just a label, it’s a powerful part of branding. A well-chosen name can create a sense of identity, evoke emotions, hold memories, and establish a connection. In many ways, naming is an act of intention. It’s about setting the tone, defining the essence, and giving a project a presence.
So it won’t come as a surprise that the name of my publication, Sip of Corsica, holds deep meaning to me. But before telling you more about the meaning of this name, let me share a few thoughts from fellow writers about naming.
In reflecting on my own journey with names yesterday, I posted this Note on Substack inviting other fellow writers to tell me the story about how they came up with their publication’s name.
The answers I received were varied, highlighting the diversity of experiences among fellow writers but also emphasizing the personal and intuitive nature of naming. Yet there were also strikingly common themes.
A few writers mentioned feeling like their publication names were "downloaded" or arrived intuitively. This suggests that naming can feel like a moment of clarity, where something already exists in our creator's mind before we fully understand it. I resonated a lot with that idea because it’s been my own experience with Sip of Corsica.
“I was thinking about writing about the seasons and I had been going backwards and forwards on names. One day, on the train home from a hospital appointment, it arrived in my head as a fully formed concept.”
- from The Autumn Chronicles
“The names of everything I create are kind of downloaded to be honest…”
- from Held. By Lauren Barber
A number of responses revealed a strong personal connection to the name, often tying it to the creator's personal story, experiences, values, or evolution. Naming their publications wasn’t just a practical decision but an emotional and philosophical one as well.
“As an immigrant I’ve had to find a Home in myself. I’ve had to learn to belong to me before anyone else, or any nation. So writing always feels like coming home to myself. Hence… Homecoming.”
– from Homecoming
“The name now of my publication Held. evolved from the essence of everything I do in my heart work which is to hold space… to offer a place that others feel held and nurtured and able to show up as their full selves. To be held through experiences and life, to feel as though someone is walking the path beside them.”
- from Held. By Lauren Barber
Several writers hinted at the time they spent trying to find the right name and mentioned how the name has evolved or may evolve over time. This idea of evolution highlights how names can start with a particular vision and then adjust as the project or personal journey expands, how they can grow with the creator and their work, and how sometimes the creator feels like they don’t reflect anymore what they want to express.
“A little intuition and a lot of thinking through the message I want to weave. I already think I need to evolve it though. I think names are always a bit of an evolution.”
- from A Traveled Table
“I thought a long time about mine and ran it past a few people. I had two in contention before deciding ‘Notes from Saving the World’ seemed like the right one.”
- from Notes from Saving the World
“I chose The Wisdom Path for my publication intuitively 2 years ago, because I deeply resonate with us all connecting to our own wisdom within. After a period of rest, reflection and transformation I am about to reshape and rename my publication into The Magic Weaver. […] I guess the answer is that our creative home evolves as we do, so it’s ok to let go when something doesn’t feel aligned anymore and know that you are making way for the new.”
– from The Wisdom Path
These answers also reflect a common tension when naming a creative project: striking the right balance between a name that feels personal or captures the essence of your work but also leaves space for it to evolve.
“I think the word wistful came to me first, as my writing is quite nostalgic in tone, and then I thought what is the word for a kind of nostalgia for the future - there are a couple of words I could have chosen for this, but I liked the alliteration of Wistful&Wishful. I still like that it feels like me but is also broad enough to enable me to write in different formats and about a range of subjects.”
– from Wistful & Wishful
Reading these insightful responses, it’s easy to acknowledge that naming is an ongoing, evolving process, just as much about feeling and intuition as it is about intentionality.
For many of us, a name does hold significance, unlike Shakespeare’s assertion in Romeo and Juliet.
As I read these reflections, I realize that Sip of Corsica too has its own unique story, one that began long before I fully understood what it would become.
Let me share more about how this name came to encapsulate my journey and vision.
Sip of Corsica wasn’t just a name I came up with to brand a project. Actually, the name came long before the concept. It’s been an intuitive download. It felt like a connection to a deeper part of me. I knew it was meaningful, even before I knew what it would become. That’s why I bought the domain sipofcorsica.com in 2022, feeling it was something I needed to claim, though I hadn’t yet defined its full purpose.
Just like the answers I received from my fellow writers, Sip of Corsica has evolved in meaning and significance over time.
Initially, I thought this name might be linked to a wine-focused project, possibly tied to Corsica’s wine culture. But something felt off so I didn’t act on it. I sensed there was something about the name that felt destined to be a part of my work, and that wine wasn’t the answer, but I couldn’t see what else it could become.
As I moved deeper into my creative journey and began exploring meditation, breathwork, and personal reflection, I found clarity. Connecting more deeply with my body and my intuition, I began to understand why the name resonated with me so strongly: it also speaks to mindfulness, to slowing down, to savoring life itself one sip at a time, to creating space for reflection. During a guided meditation, I also realized that “Sip” was connected to the act of breathing, which makes its connection to the word “Corsica” even more meaningful to me as the island helped me catch up my breath and feel alive again.
Somehow this name mirrors my own personal and creative journey.
The "S" in Sip has its own significance.
First, the shape of the letter “S” evokes for me Corsica’s winding roads, which are a perfect metaphor for the path we take in life and creativity. Just as the island’s roads curve and meander, the creative process — and life itself — often does not follow a straight line. The "S" highlights the fact that the path may be full of twists and turns, with moments of uncertainty, discovery, and reflection. It’s a personal reminder that growth doesn’t always follow a clear or direct route, but that’s what makes the journey so rich and meaningful.
The “S” also reminds me of the word “sense”, which connects to the themes of senses and meaning, which have always been at the core of my work. Whether through communication or creativity, the idea of connecting to something deeper, something that resonates on a sensory level, has always been central to what I do. And as I wrote in a comment a few days ago, for me Corsica has a unique way to awaken all the senses.
Lastly, the letter “S” also feels deeply personal to me as my name ends with an "S," and I’ve always loved the sonority of it. The sound has a certain resonance, almost like a ripple in water, spreading outward and lingering in the air. It’s a sound that carries meaning, much like how a ripple expands beyond its point of origin. The resonance of that "S" reflects the depth and richness I hope to convey, creating layers of connection that ripple outward, inviting others into a deeper, more reflective experience.
Naming is far more than a label. It’s an expression of who we are, what we value, and where we’re headed. Sip of Corsica has evolved from an intuitive spark to something that encapsulates my creative journey, my connection to Corsica, and my desire to savor life’s moments. Like my own name, Maïlys, this name holds layers of meaning that deepen over time. It continues to unfold as my journey does, shifting, growing, and revealing its full significance, showing me already glimpses of what it could encapsulate in the future.
Now, it’s your turn to tell me a bit of your story with names.
How does the name you’ve chosen for your creative work or personal projects reflect who you are or the journey you're on? Do you feel your name has evolved along with your work?
And what about your own name? Does it have a meaning you’re particularly attached to?
Nice read! Years ago I chose Emfloweryou for my website and Instagram, a combination of empower yourself and flower. For my Substack I was looking for a combination of (wild) flowers and writing. Notes of a Wildflower came quickly to me. And as I think of it Emfloweryou still fits 😊.
Of course Sip also refers to one of the senses, taste 👅