There’s a dichotomy, used in linguistics and in literary
criticism, used to describe the relationship between words and
their referents. The word we speak or write for referent is
called “the signifier” while referent itself (the meaning of the
word) is called “the signified.” For example, when I say the
word “tree” to you, I’m using a symbolic formation of letters to
refer you to the idea of a tree. I say the word, and you picture
in your mind that tree. The word that I say has no inherent
connection to a tree itself. It’s completely arbitrary. When I
say “tree” to an English speaker, they will have a mental image
of a tree similar to the mental image of a tree that a Spanish
speaker would have if I were to use the Spanish verbal symbol
for tree: “árbol.” That’s why if you went to elementary school
with a dim-witted bully named Jerry (or if you watch Parks and
Rec), you likely will not name one of your children Jerry. For
you, the signified of Jerry is distasteful, and you don’t want
that same signifier to b