Why the fashion for stupid names.

tobee mine's Ella - no chance of being outed as there's so bloody many around now

I like Fox as a name. Not so keen on cub though.

Same here Four. Wonder if it's the same name?

Agree that names go in and out of fashion - today's Neveah is tomorrow's Gertrude. And once you factor in family names, cultural differences, traditions etc etc, I find it hard to care too much about what someone else's kid is called.
My mum is fairly 'out there' and when I was born, there was no one else with my name. Never came across any others, could never find anything with my name on (those pens/keyrings/whatever with names on that you buy in service stations, and garden centres at xmas). Really uncommon. Fast forward a quarter century and my name is ten a penny, absolutely everywhere. Well into the top 10 from last year. So I am living proof that what was once quirky is now totally mundane. In 5 or 10 years there'll be a whole new set of name fashions for everyone to moan about.

Its a cyclical thing. In the distant days when I was at primary school, Oscar would have been considered a "wacky" name but now there are two in every class.

I agree, though, about creative (ahem) spellings of ordinary names with extra letters and hyphens appearing all over the place. It's a recipe for constantly having to correct people, which will get very tiresome for the child. Reminds me of the Tom Lehrer joke about the boy called Hen3ry, because the 3 is silent.

How does "hard of thinking" equate to "a class thing" exactly?

It seems to be a clsss thing. Uniquely spelt names are associated with the hard of thinking. My sons about to start Reception and some of the names of his cohorts are pretty interesting.

Names like Oliver, Jack and Oscar are the new Daniel, Steve and Nigel. Everything dates.

I think it very much depends on your definition of "stupid" names.

I know a lady through a friend who has 2 kids called Fox and Cub (I shit you not) because she "believes that Fox's are her spirit animal and she wanted to honour their beauty by naming her offspring after them"... That, to me, is batshit even though I don't necessarily think the names are that bad.

My son has a 'wacky' name which is frequently mocked on MN but me and my DH consider ourselves quite normal and not at all out there or different. It was simply the only one we could agree on and if someone wants to judge me on that I couldn't really care less.

Castle. I know someone who named their son castle

Xavier, Ezekiel, Malachi But they're not stupid names?? They're actual names. Hedge, yes, I might go so far as calling that silly, but Ezekiel???? No. Normal name.

Can you give some examples of the names you mean, from your real life?

I haven't met any babies with crazy names lately (Surrey). There was a Dustie on TV yesterday which I admit I raised an eyebrow to, but have never considered Dusty Springfield to be weird... yesterday I just couldn't get away from the 'dust' association.

Oops!

I'm so sorry charlievictor I completely read your post the wrong way round.

I don't get the obsession with 'unique' names at all.
Names from different cultural backgrounds do not come under this category.
I've seen many people teased (if not bullied) about their names.

Personally I would like to see more Flughafens around

I grew up in a multicultural city (not Uk) and there was such a great variety of names. Nobody got teased. I wonder where the mumsnetters live who like to make fun of others' names...?

Umm.. because that's how you pronounce those names charlievictor?

Islay is a Scottish island and the "s" and "y" are silent.

And Esme is pronounced Ez-May!

A former colleague of mine has twin DDs, Esme and Isla. Except they're spelt Ezmay and Eyela. Just ... why?

How on earth can you get worked up about someone else's name? Surely if society were less judgy about other people's names then they will never have any issues with it. You are the problem, not the name!

I agree with it's this.

Also, lets not forget that names are given to us so that we can be identified easily.

It's a lot easier to be identified as an Antonia or a Luna than a Sarah, Emma or Ellie.

Let's all be less judgmental and more open to bigger name diversity!

I forgot Hog.

Dammit!

Or Hog

Maybe their surname was Fund.

Or Row.

Or Sparrow.

Hedge??

Goodness.

I once knew a woman who named her two boys Freedom and Truth and her daughter Promise. Rather a lot to live up to, or a bad choice?

I can't believe Jorja Fox is nearly 50!!

In 20 years time the weird names now will be common and "out there" will be naming the kids Sharon, Susan and Stuart.

My baby list for a boy was full of names like Xavier, Ezekiel, Malachi. Lots of people told me if I picked one he'd get picked on. How about just teaching your child not to be a bully (generic you)

Altho Hedge is bloody awful