--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd rather have names to hurt me, than my…" description: "\"“I'd rather have names to hurt me, than my bones broken with sticks and stones.”\" — Anthony Liccione" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea9/anthony-liccione-783_bones_i-d-rather-have-names-to-hurt-me-than-my_1413347.jpg" --- # I'd rather have names to hurt me, than my bones broken… ![“I'd rather have names to hurt me, than my bones broken with sticks and stones.” quote by Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea9/anthony-liccione-783_bones_i-d-rather-have-names-to-hurt-me-than-my_1413347.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea9/anthony-liccione-783_bones_i-d-rather-have-names-to-hurt-me-than-my_1413347.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea9/anthony-liccione-783_bones_i-d-rather-have-names-to-hurt-me-than-my_1413347.jpg) > ““I'd rather have names to hurt me, than my bones broken with sticks and stones.”” [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical injury is less painful than emotional harm caused by words that wound deeply. **In simple terms:** Words can hurt deeper than physical blows. Key Takeaway Choose words that heal, not harm. Themes speech emotional pain violence self‑esteem Mood hurtful defensive Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - bullying prevention - therapy - conflict mediation Key Concepts psychology social dynamics resilience Questions to Reflect On - What words have hurt you most? - How can you respond to verbal attacks? A Different Perspective Physical pain can also be severe; balance both. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sticks and stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks-and-stones/) ## Related quotes > [Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will always hurt me. Bones mend and become actually stronger in the very place they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-will-always-hurt-me/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > ['Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me' I would rather have broken bones than a broken heart anyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-linton/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-names-will-never-hurt-me-i/) Ellie Linton > [My parents said sticks and stones will break your bones but names will never hurt you. But I always felt a sense of exhilaration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/my-parents-said-sticks-and-stones-will-break-your-bones-but-names/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [People say sticks and stones may break your bones, but names can never hurt you, but that's not true. Words can hurt. They hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/people-say-sticks-and-stones-may-break-your-bones-but-names-can-never/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Well I was bullied at school, called all kinds of different names. But one day I turned to my bullies and said - 'Sticks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-hill/well-i-was-bullied-at-school-called-all-kinds-of-different-names-but/) [Harry Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-hill/) > [“Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me.” This is a lie. What we say matters. The unkind things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/sticks-and-stones-will-break-my-bones-but-names-will-never-hurt-me/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [One of the things that all kids are taught by their parents is this old "sticks and stones will break my bones, but words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/one-of-the-things-that-all-kids-are-taught-by-their-parents-is-this/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Sticks and stones may break your bones but words can hurt like hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/sticks-and-stones-may-break-your-bones-but-words-can-hurt-like-hell/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Now sticks 'n' stones'll break ya bones, a little tokin' never hurt no one. Let's toke, toke, toke about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/now-sticks-n-stones-ll-break-ya-bones-a-little-tokin-never-hurt-no/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [..and only sticks and stones can break my bones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/and-only-sticks-and-stones-can-break-my-bones/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [“Sticks and stones may break my bones’, as they say in the Middle Worlds, but with the right words you can build a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-as-they-say-in-the-middle-worlds/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but I might be a vampire so I don't give a shit. I'll heal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-i-might-be-a-vampire-so-i/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [“Sticks and stones are hard on bones, Aimed with angry art, Words can sting like anything But silence breaks the heart.’ Phyllis McGinley, "Ballade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilliana-anderson/sticks-and-stones-are-hard-on-bones-aimed-with-angry-art-words-can/) [Lilliana Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilliana-anderson/) > [“Sticks and stones will break your bones, but failure will get you killed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/sticks-and-stones-will-break-your-bones-but-failure-will-get-you/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-but-words-will-break-our-hearts/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) ## More by Anthony Liccione > [“The rich eat life, the poor eat death; so what is the problem they ask?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/the-rich-eat-life-the-poor-eat-death-so-what-is-the-problem-they-ask/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“Dead-end roads don't mean you've come to your end, just means you need to take a different detour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/dead-end-roads-don-t-mean-you-ve-come-to-your-end-just-means-you-need/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“I could say the world is ending tomorrow, and no one would care. I could say the world will go forever, and no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/i-could-say-the-world-is-ending-tomorrow-and-no-one-would-care-i/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“Too often, we love for the wrong reasons, when we think the right one comes along.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/too-often-we-love-for-the-wrong-reasons-when-we-think-the-right-one/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“Don't give up because things are hard, but work harder, when you think of giving up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/don-t-give-up-because-things-are-hard-but-work-harder-when-you-think/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“The dead has always been within us, its just the graveyard where we lay to rest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/the-dead-has-always-been-within-us-its-just-the-graveyard-where-we/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“If you devote yourself to God, then He in turn will continually stay with you, as an eternal candle flame stays with a wick,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/if-you-devote-yourself-to-god-then-he-in-turn-will-continually-stay/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“The problem is, first take your eyes off the problem and focus on a solution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/the-problem-is-first-take-your-eyes-off-the-problem-and-focus-on-a/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“Find strength in your heartbeat, than weakness with a beat heart. 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To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/review-v-t-to-set-your-wisdom-holding-not-a-doubt-of-it-although-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“All right, you deadly little ghostlings,” I muttered. “Mama says go back to bed! - Cat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/all-right-you-deadly-little-ghostlings-i-muttered-mama-says-go-back/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [“In December of 2007 human bones including skulls, which have been radiocarbon dated back to between 1304 and 1424, were found in a museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/in-december-of-2007-human-bones-including-skulls-which-have-been/) Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One > [When I look at the human brain I'm still in awe of it. 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