What's in a Name?

There's an old Chinese proverb that says, "The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names."

Choosing a name for a new group is important: it tells a story. It tells of hopes and dreams - of aspirations.

Our High School Handbell Choir needed a name. We looked at the names of other handbells choirs to find some inspiration.

Many of them were named after a place or church: The Raleigh Ringers (they are awesome! by the way), Bells of St. Francis, etc.

Some had distinctly handbell names: The Tininnabulators (tintinnabulation is the sound of bells), Totally Bronze, Classical Bells.

Many just picked a word they liked and added "ringers" to it: Joy Ringers, Jubilate Ringers, The King Ringers.

And a few were just silly: The Ringadingdingers, The Dingalings


Our High School Handbell choir has chosen the name "ReZounding PraiZe." I think it is a perfect name.

Here are the definitions of "resounding" and "praise" according to Merriam-Webster online http://www.merriam-webster.com/

re·sound·ing

adjective \-ˈzau̇n-diŋ also -ˈsau̇n-\

Definition of RESOUNDING

1: producing or characterized by resonant sound : resonating

2a: impressively sonorous

 b: emphatic, unequivocal <a resounding success>

¹praise

verb \ˈprāz\

praisedprais·ing

Definition of PRAISE

transitive verb

1: to express a favorable judgment of : commend

2: to glorify (a god or saint) especially by the attribution of perfections

intransitive verb

: to express praise

 

 

²praise

noun

Definition of PRAISE

1a: an expression of approval : commendation

 b: worship

2a: value, merit

 b: archaic: one that is praised

 

So you can see from our name that our purpose is to both create a beautiful resonant sound and to emphatically give praise to our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Why spell them with a "Z"? It just looks cool.