Vote: "Barack Hussein" = "Handsome Lightning"?

[AzNick]

I suggest we start calling him Handsome Ligthning, which is a lot more badass than John Sidney.

Yeah or Nay?

[Tallison]

1. 'Barack' also means apricot brandy in Hungarian

but I prefer Handsome Lightning. Sounds very Native American.

[Left Is Write]

2. It suits him.

[orestes]

3. Doesnt his name mean Blessed Handsome One?

[AzNick]

4. Same say Baruch is Hebrew for Lighting

Whatever it means, it's badass and John Sydney sounds weak and fruity.

[TheWraith]

6. Baruch has it's roots in "blessing." The root of "Hussein" can mean either "handsome" or "good."

In some references, "good" is actually the primary meaning rather than "handsome." Thus you could render his first two names as "The blessed good man."

Of course, "Obama" derives from the Luo word meaning "slightly bent," thus making a fully poetic rendering impossible. :)

[Clio the Leo]

9. *

*

[TheDonkey]

5. a little more context please. What does Barack mean in arabic?

I am guessing that is the language it is from?

[TheWraith]

7. Hebrew, actually. It means "blessing" or "blessed." nt

[Poll_Blind]

10. From the page I link to in response #8, the word "baraqa 'to flash, shine,' "

More at the link.

PB

[Poll_Blind]

8. Cool page about the various meanings of Senator Obama's name....

Language Log

PB

[Sensitivity]

11. WTH did the "Lightning" come from. The root meaning is well established as "The good one" or

"the good looking one" -- handsome.

Anyone know who started the "lightning" notion for the meaning??

[Sensitivity]

12. Ok. Just traced that Barack is being interpreted (wrongly) as Lighting rather than "blessed"

[AzNick]

13. From the Sarah Silverman video

She said it had a Hebraic origin and meant Lighting, and then I realized she may be a bit more of an expert than me on Hebraic stuff.