"On the day I was born, or possibly on one of the following days, my father went on a walk in the forested hills and thought of a name for me. His first son was called Daniel, and Samuel in memory of one of his forefathers"

Immanuel Velikovsky’s reflection on the circumstances surrounding the origin of his name offers a layered glimpse into heritage, memory, and identity. The act of naming a child is placed in a moment of quiet, solitary contemplation: his father alone in the forested hills, absorbing the atmosphere needed for such a task. The specificity of the setting, the forested hills, suggests a connection to nature and introspection, imbuing the namer’s process with both serenity and significance.

The uncertainty expressed, “on the day I was born, or possibly on one of the following days”, evokes the ambiguity often present in family lore. It portrays memory itself as something fluid, shaped by affection more than by rigid facts. There is an understated humility in acknowledging that even a story as central as the choosing of a name may be uncertain in its particulars, yet still meaningful.

By referencing the names of his brothers, Daniel and Samuel, Velikovsky reveals the broader context of his family's naming traditions. Daniel’s name appears as a straightforward choice, perhaps without further explanation. Samuel’s name, however, carries with it the weight of legacy, designated “in memory of one of his forefathers". This highlights the powerful role of names as vessels for remembrance, a thread that ties individuals not just to parents but to generations past. Naming becomes a way of ensuring that the memory of forebears endures within the family’s living tapestry.

Through these nuanced layers, Velikovsky illustrates the complexity and intimacy inherent in familial rituals. Names are not just labels, but living links, tokens of hope, continuity, and identity. The passage quietly explores themes of memory's fragility and endurance, the solitude of choice, and the profound human need to anchor ourselves within the stories of those who have come before us.