Shabbat Parashat Shemot - January 14, 2023 What's in a name?

from Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene 2 "the Balcony Scene"
'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.

שמות א׳:א׳

(א) וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַבָּאִ֖ים מִצְרָ֑יְמָה אֵ֣ת יַעֲקֹ֔ב אִ֥ישׁ וּבֵית֖וֹ בָּֽאוּ׃

Exodus 1:1

(1) These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each coming with his household:

רש"י על שמות א׳:א׳:א׳

ואלה שמות בני ישראל. אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁמְּנָאָן בְּחַיֵּיהֶם בִּשְׁמוֹתָם, חָזַר וּמְנָאָם בְּמִיתָתָם, לְהוֹדִיעַ חִבָּתָם, שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ לְכוֹכָבִים, שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָם וּמַכְנִיסָם בְּמִסְפַּר וּבִשְׁמוֹתָם (שמות רבה), שֶׁנֶּ' "הַמּוֹצִיא בְמִסְפָּר צְבָאָם לְכֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא" (ישעיהו מ'):

Rashi on Exodus 1:1:1

ואלה שמות בני ישראל NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — Although scripture has already enumerated them by name whilst they were living, when they went down into Egypt (Genesis 46:8-27), it again enumerates them when it tells us of their death, thus showing how dear they were to God — that they are compared to the stars which also God brings out and brings in by number and name when they cease to shine, as it is said, (Isaiah 40:26) “He bringeth out their host by number, He calleth them all by name” (Exodus Rabbah 1:3; Tanchuma Yashan 1:1:2).

שמות א׳:ח׳

(ח) וַיָּ֥קׇם מֶֽלֶךְ־חָדָ֖שׁ עַל־מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖ע אֶת־יוֹסֵֽף׃

Exodus 1:8

(8) A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph.

רש"י על שמות א׳:ח׳:ב׳

אשר לא ידע. עָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ לֹא יְדָעוֹ (סוטה י"א):

Rashi on Exodus 1:8:2

אשר לא ידע WHO KNEW NOT [JOSEPH] — he comported himself as though he did not know him (Sotah 11a).

שמות א׳:ט״ו-ט״ז

(טו) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ שִׁפְרָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פּוּעָֽה׃ (טז) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן֙ אֶת־הָֽעִבְרִיּ֔וֹת וּרְאִיתֶ֖ן עַל־הָאׇבְנָ֑יִם אִם־בֵּ֥ן הוּא֙ וַהֲמִתֶּ֣ן אֹת֔וֹ וְאִם־בַּ֥ת הִ֖וא וָחָֽיָה׃

Exodus 1:15-16

(15) The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, (16) saying, “When you deliver the Hebrew women, look at the birthstool: if it is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.”

According to Rashi, Shiphrah was Yocheved and Puah, Miriam.
But why do the two verses repeat the word "And he spoke/Vayomer"?
The first time "vayomer" is written, it refers to the Pharoah's command to the midwives to change their names.
The Pharaoh knew that those with the Hebrew names "Miriam" and "Yocheved" would never commit such a cruel act as he was about to command -- namely to murder children. For no matter how distant a Jew is from his or her Judaism, their culture or tradition, as long as they still have a Hebrew name, they won't commit murder.
Therefore, Pharoah's first command was that they (Miriam and Yocheved) should change their names to Egyptian ones (Shifrah and Puah), thereby changing their very nature and shifting their moral code.
Only then did Pharaoh give a second command - the second vayomer in verse 16 - ordering Shifrah and Puah (the artists formerly known as Miriam and Yocheved) to murder the male Israelite babies at birth.

Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Spira of Dinov (1783–January 11, 1841)