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Baby names

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Original poster

Do I just have really awful taste in names?

129 replies

Mahraih · 18/07/2010 14:23

BF and I have discussed names, very casually, and the conversations always end up with him saying, "Seriously?!" as if he thinks I'm joking! I'm not.

Here's my list of names I like, please do tell me if I'm actually just crazy:

Boys:
Nichol
Fyfe
Felix (BF doesn't mind this)
Kerouac (I love this)
Auden
Jethro

Girls:
Kimya
Irene (pronounced eyereenee)
Perdita
Clotilde
Ottilie
Proenza
Belphoebe

Looking at them now, there's not a John or an Emily there. But they're not 'bad' names, are they?

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diddl · 18/07/2010 21:59

I like Felix & Jethro.

Starberries · 18/07/2010 21:27

LMAO at the people saying Auden is a girl's name/unisex-y.

When I posted on here not 2 weeks ago about it for a girl, I got loads of tut-tuts, 'it's a boy name'. Incredible.

CapitalText · 18/07/2010 21:00

How about

Boys

Nicholas
David
Elias
Aidan
Jerome
Alexander
Reuben
Zachary
Rufus
Josiah
G abriel
Nathaniel
Zaheer
Samuel

Girls

Aurora
Dahlia
Jasmine
Jessica
Lydia
Natasha
Nina
Zahara
Corinne
Penelope
Emmeline
Talia
Victoria
Rowena

SnailWhaleTail · 18/07/2010 20:56

I don't think Tull when I see Jethro, I think Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

Not sure I'd use it though.

duplotogo · 18/07/2010 20:52

OK my opinion is:

Boys - no no no except Felix is OK and what is wrong with Nicholas?

Girls - I love Irene and Ottilie is all right, agree with other posters that Phoebe is better than Belphoebe.

CapitalText · 18/07/2010 20:46

Actually I think Akoth is quite nice!

accidentalchickenkeeper · 18/07/2010 20:46

Totally agree with your BF (sorry!)

Play it safe ... go with Emily or John

Adair · 18/07/2010 20:37

That's it - Moldy Peaches!
And didn't she call her daughter Panda? Which, as far as I am concerned, beats any of the names on your list for oddness . (Though still can't say I would bat an eyelid seeing it on a register).

undercovamutha · 18/07/2010 20:34

Your BF is correct!

Boys:
Nichol - not good
Fyfe - ditto
Felix (BF doesn't mind this) - very try hard IMO
Kerouac (I love this) - oh dear oh dear oh dear
Auden - no
Jethro - west country comic

Girls:
Kimya - eh?
Irene (pronounced eyereenee) The only nice name on your list!
Perdita - isn;t that the female dog out of 101 dalmations?
Clotilde - Not good
Ottilie - still not good
Proenza - good grief!
Belphoebe - Please don't do it.

Takver · 18/07/2010 20:33

(and a perfectly good name, too)

Takver · 18/07/2010 20:31

Kimya Dawson is an excellent singer/songwriter.

blouseenthusiast · 18/07/2010 20:28

That would be "literary"

blouseenthusiast · 18/07/2010 20:26

I think you could get away with any of these in most London schools. Like the French girls' names and Irene with a long 'e'. Not sure about loiterary hero surnames as first names. What about Wystan if you love Auden?

SirBoobAlot · 18/07/2010 20:21

I like Felix.

Aside from that, you are just crazy, yes.

Seriously though, I think they are all just too unusual. Especially if your DP has a more "normal" taste in names, and really, you both have to love it.

Hope you find one that suits you both

PaulineCampbellJones · 18/07/2010 20:10

Proenza (Schouler) is a designer no? Pretty sure it's a surname.

Adair · 18/07/2010 19:47

Mahraih, FWIW I have taught in Inner London secondary schools and never seen a child teased for their name. Kimya is lovely in my opinion (but then search my threads for what my dc are called ). Isn't there a female singer called Kimya something? Is it a boy and girl name? I vaguely recollect teaching a boy Kimya...

It is sad that grown adults people judge based on names but tbh I think this says more about them (and their provincial lives). These are probably the same people who will judge on surname/appearance anyway. Sad but true.

I do think you and your bf have to both love your names though.

Original poster
Mahraih · 18/07/2010 19:32

Thanks for the nameberry rec - will check it out

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Original poster
Mahraih · 18/07/2010 19:30

I totally see that other people think my names are unusual/ugly etc and don't want people in general to mock my child. I've been mocked for my name and found it amusing, but not all children will see it that way. So I will temper my instinct to just give it a 'crazy' name.

However I think that Kimya will have to stay, as a middle name. I have to give it some sort of Kenyan name or my family will dissect me, slowly. It's either that or something like Akoth, so, small mercies.

It'll be an odd kid, so an odd name shouldn't be too out of place

Thanks again everyone, for your advice!

OP posts:
SE13Mummy · 18/07/2010 19:23

Have a look on www.nameberry.com where it is possible to search for names based on meaning, origin, number of syllables, popularity etc. It is an American site but you might find it interesting.

CapitalText · 18/07/2010 19:07

From your list I like Felix for a boy, but I'm afraid I don't like any of the girls' choices.

Fyfe - bananas
Felix - yes, I like this
Kerouac - too surnamey
Auden - too surnamey
Jethro - Tull

Girls:
Kimya - why not Kim or Tanya?
Irene (pronounced eyereenee) - dislike
Perdita - not keen
Clotilde - dislike
Ottilie - dislike
Proenza - no
Belphoebe - why not Phoebe?

00000000000000 · 18/07/2010 18:31

Perdita is the heroine in The Winter's Tale

it is also the spoilt bitch character in jilly cooper's polo.

PuppyMonkey · 18/07/2010 18:31

Yes.

You do just have really awful taste in names.

00000000000000 · 18/07/2010 18:27

the are asolutely horrendous names.
get a teddy bear and name that and let your bf name the baby!

foreverastudent · 18/07/2010 18:24

When I started reading your list I thought your BF was being unreasonable, I changed my mind once I got to the end, though.

Nichol- fine but a nn
Fyfe- good
Felix (BF doesn't mind this)- the cat in the ad but fine
Kerouac (I love this)I started laughing...
Auden- you could get away with it
Jethro- trying too hard

Girls:
Kimya- I can hear "Kim, ya'r being a twat"
Irene -(pronounced eyereenee)- then put an extra 'e' on the end then
Perdita- 101 dalmatians
Clotilde- looks like blood clot
Ottilie- sounds like 'oddly'
Proenza- are you on prozac?
Belphoebe- I'm laughing again

Original poster
Mahraih · 18/07/2010 17:52

PixieOnaLeaf: Thanks - I think I'm going to take that advice and go for unusual but ... recognizable.

Fayrazzled: thanks for your thoughts. Kimya is actually a Swahili name (I'm originally from Kenya). I do like Carenza though, that's really nice. Not sure about Phoebe on its own - always reminds me of Friends.

Thanks everyone for your honest and helpful thoughts! I'm going to go look through a baby book

OP posts: