More Than a Name

More Than a Name: Discovering the Truth About Identity, Destiny, and What God Really Calls You

By Khanyisa Manganyi

From the moment we enter the world, someone gives us a name. It could be passed down from a grandparent, inspired by the day we were born, or chosen after much prayer and thought. Sometimes our names are beautiful and hopeful—Musa, Thabo, Rejoice. Other times, they may carry pain, history, or mystery—Jabez, Mihloti, Maxangu. But have you ever stopped to wonder: does the name we are given shape who we become?

Names do hold meaning. In both the Bible and many African cultures, names aren’t just something to call someone—they are a declaration, a story, sometimes even a prophecy. In the Bible, God often gave people new names to reflect their purpose: Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah, Simon became Peter. These weren’t just name changes; they were identity shifts. A spiritual unveiling of what God was doing in their lives.

Even in everyday life, we see this pattern. A child named Vutomi (“life”) is often seen as someone with purpose. A girl named Nyiko (“gift”) may grow up hearing she is special and precious. Over time, names can become seeds, planted into hearts, growing into belief systems. Sometimes, they become prisons. Sometimes, they become wings.

But here's the truth: a name may influence you, but it cannot define you more than God can.

You may have been named after a storm, a sorrow, or a season. You may have been called useless, average, unwanted, or weak. But what does God call you?

He calls you Chosen. Loved. A Royal Priesthood. His Masterpiece. (1 Peter 2:9, Ephesians 2:10).

You are not the sum of the labels the world has placed on you. You are not what people have whispered behind your back or shouted in anger. You are not limited by what your name means in a dictionary.

You are who God says you are.

Even Jabez, whose name literally meant “pain,” chose not to live under the weight of it. He cried out to God and said, “Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory!” And God did (1 Chronicles 4:10). He rewrote the narrative that was written over his life—and you can too.

We are spiritual beings before we are physical ones. And in God’s eyes, your real name—the one written in Heaven—is full of beauty, victory, and divine purpose. That is the name that counts most.

So yes, names matter. But they are not the final say. The final say comes from the One who formed you in your mother’s womb and called you by name before the world even knew you. That’s the name that carries eternal weight. That’s the name that speaks of grace, truth, identity, and calling.

🔥 A Final Word to Stir Your Soul

You may have been born with a name—but you were reborn with an identity.

You may have inherited a label—but you’ve been adopted into a promise.

The world may call you one thing—but God calls you His own.

Don’t let the name you were given confine the person you are becoming.

Walk boldly. Speak life over yourself. And if needed, rename your tomorrow.

Because your name might tell a story…

But God writes the ending.

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