明德
Making the good visible
大学之道，在明明德，在亲民，在止于至善。
The way of great learning is to make bright the bright virtue, to renew the people, and to rest in the highest good.
大学 · 大学
· our translation
The first 明 is a verb: to bring an inherited virtue into the light. Not cleverness — visibility.
第一个「明」是动词：把本来就有的德照亮。名字用「明」，最常取的就是这一层——不是聪明，是让好东西显出来。
明辨
Seeing the difference
博学之，审问之，慎思之，明辨之，笃行之。
Learn broadly, question closely, think carefully, distinguish clearly, and act earnestly.
中庸 · 中庸
· our translation
The fourth of five steps: after learning, asking and thinking, you still have to be able to tell things apart — and then to act.
五个动词的第四步。学、问、思之后仍可能糊涂，「明辨」是分得清；最后还要「笃行」。
启明
The star before dawn
子兴视夜，明星有烂。
He rises and looks at the night: the bright star is shining.
诗经 · 女曰鸡鸣
· our translation
The bright star is Venus, at its most brilliant just before daybreak — light that arrives before the light.
「明星」是启明星（金星），天将亮未亮时最亮的那颗。名字里的「明」也常取这一层：先于天亮的光。
明月明德启明明远明轩明诚明哲明川
In a name
Two things: light, and the ability to see by it.
「明」给名字的是两样：光，和看得清。