How important is a name?

I think that the more 'try hard' a name is, the more jarring it can seem. I like simple classic names eg Alice, Rose, Sophie, not keen on the overly fussy ones tbh.

A name is just that, a name. As soon as you meet someone they 'become' the name, not the other way around.

If someone does judge a person on their name, I think it is their loss.

I'm suprised at how often name-changing threads appear on MN. I didn't even realise it was possible to change your DC's name - let alone that it was quite a common occurence.

I think people on here over examine names. Generally I think people in real life take people as they find them. Personally someone's name does not make me like or dislike them. The same as what type of car they drive does not influence whether I like a person or not. You may as well also say you would choose friends based on their house ie expensive and decorated to your taste then ok to be your friend.

David Cameron.

What's wrong with Cameron? I never considered it to be chavvy!

I am not keen on any name after a place or object, thats just how I am and that is my taste, if it differs form yours please don't let it offend you.

If the person is a lovely person they are still a lovely person whatever there name

Hi Tammy - I'm not saying that it is right but unfortunately, people make quick and often false judgments on a persons name.

I know someone who dislikes the name Chardonnay because she views it as chavvy due to Footballers Wives.

On the other hand I think it a nice wine as long as it isn't too oaky.

"What do you think of when you see or hear the following names ? -

Chardonnay
Chelsea
Kevin
Norman
Sharon
Demi
Cameron
Callum
Beatrix
St. John
Tarquin"

I don't think anything. Because even if the parents of some of these people had certain tastes it doesn't mean their children necessarily have the same. Nor does it say anything about the children's success in life, especially outside of the UK.

And I know many lovely Chelseas, Sharons, Camerons and even a Tarquin .

treas is right. Because names are in the same 'format' as words, and we are taught from an early age that words have meanings, therefore it is inevitable that we will assign personal 'meanings' to names too.

For example, the name Serena now for me has the same meaning as the word 'bully', because the Serena at school is the only experience I have of the name. If I met another, nicer Serena it would take a little while for the meaning of the name to change. Had the school bully been called something more common, I would have encountered the name more frequently and the association would have been diluted.

It would be easier in some ways if we could have symbols for names, although impossible for typing!

dd1 was given the name I thought was pretty and I didn't know anyone else with that name...that was until she got to school and even more so at secondary school. It is a name that suits dd1 though and she is happy with the name.

dd2 was named by dd1 and granny and has a lovley pretty name which I thought every dc in school would have, but there is no one in her year at secondary with this name and only two at junior with this name and yet it is a fairly popular name - or so I thought

4 girls in my year at my first junior school with my first name. 2 in my second junior school. At my senior school there were 6 Elizabeths, 4 Emmas and 4 Emilys. I was the only one with my name in my year but there were lots in the school. I hated being one of so many and longed for something more original.

I think that a name should be unique enough that you're not one of 4 but not so unique that you are forever having to spell it to strangers or call centre staff.

I have never met an adult and thought "what were your parents thinking!" The name just becomes an extra part of the person not anything more!

There is a body of research that shows that, no matter how open-minded and evidence-based people think they are being, first impressions matter hugely. Your name is part of the first impression.

Also, negative associations matter (not just in UK): how many baby Adolfs have their been since 1945? And would anyone really be comfortable with naming their DC after the school bully, even if that person hadn't been seen for 20 years? Or would happily name their DD the same as their DH's first serious girlfriend?

Of course it matters!

And it's fun.

I think what you name your child is very important as they will have that name for life. Often it is the first thing someone will learn about you and base judgements about you and your background.

What do you think of when you see or hear the following names ? -

Chardonnay
Chelsea
Kevin
Norman
Sharon
Demi
Cameron
Callum
Beatrix
St. John
Tarquin

Even more importantly what will your children's future employers thing when seeing your child's name at the top of a C.V.?

The bestowing of a person's name is a huge honour to me.

I think it's worth thinking about and interesting to talk about.

All the peole I know with unusual names love them. Having an overused, every second person of your generation name is a bit shit.

I agree though that there comes a time when you need to just pick something and stop agonising over it. And that time is when the baby is born.

I think we all should try hard to find the right name for our children. But what is 'right'? Personally, I agree with rachel that the point of naming someone is to identify them (and avoid them being one of 4 in the class). The name should also sound nice with the surname and reflect the person's cultural heritage.

I'd love to meet an Agamemnon . Honestly.

I agree, Cuppa. We've recently had some work done to our house and literally every other tradesman is calles Steve... I have such difficulty remembering who is who .

I find it much easier to remember someone with a less used name.

We sometimes forget what naming someone/something is. It is to identify it/him/her. Nothing else. And the more unique and specific a name, the better it serves to identify it/him/her.

But being named Agamemnon doesn't prevent people from remembering you as the man with big ears and halitosis and the unusual name

I must admit that my heart sinks a little bit when I meet (usually as a business contact) yet another middle aged man with a 'generic' middle aged man name.

John
Steve
Dave
Matt
Andy
Pete
James
Phil

There are so many men with these names that they all roll into one, and I know I will struggle to remember the man's name the next time we meet. It's a pity parents in the 50s and 60s weren't a bit more imaginative with their childrens names.

I suspect the same will be true for all the Jack/Charlie/Harry/Olivers in the future. An interesting name may not be the most important part of your identity, but it will stop people just remembering you for your big ears/spotty face/halitosis/lecherous manner.

I think it seems really important to begin with, when children are tiny, but it becomes less so.

I remember when people asked my babies names I felt like they were about to make a judgment of my choice. Now that they're both at school, it doesn't feel like that. People just literally need to know.

I agonised over not being 'allowed' my choices, but I'm beginning to let go of it now!

Sorry sophiesmummie I think what other people think is only a very small part choosing names for most people (perhaps more on MN judging by posts) if it wasn't important we could call our children One Two Three or Ay Bee See

we----lll
actually I have had some thoughts about the name of people I have met.

I think it is quite important really

I think the person is much more important than his/her name. The name is just a label to identify him/her. Names themselves are just that, names. They have no inherent characteristics.

My son's name has been described as 'poncy' on here and mumsnetters have warned that he'll get bullied unless he goes to private school. What a load of nonsense - he is currently in Y6 at our local primary, very popular and happy and he loves his name. So do we .