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Original poster

too much like the dance?!

39 replies

lenoraflannery · 12/08/2018 22:47

hello! my husband and i are expecting a boy in September, and we've decided on a name we both adore: charleston. but we worry the name is too closely associated with the dance; my mother in law told me it was right silly to name the boy after a dance craze. personally, i see the dance as part of the appeal! any thoughts?! thanks!

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DC2018 · 15/08/2018 23:32

I'd think of the place before the dance. If you like it go for it. Charles is nicer in my opinion x

Picknickers · 15/08/2018 22:49

Sorry but it's a bit grim.

ZebraKid71 · 14/08/2018 22:57

I don't really like place names as people names buuuut I think this works well. (I lived in Charleston for many years and it's a brilliant city so I'm a bit biased.)

Moominfan · 13/08/2018 19:01

What about Carlton instead?

LemonysSnicket · 13/08/2018 18:48

Charleston chews are a sweet in North America

AJPTaylor · 13/08/2018 18:44

I came on to highlight the slave thing. Not a cool vibe. And people will prob assume you shagged there.

SoyDora · 13/08/2018 18:41

As people above have said, it’s not ‘too much like the dance’, is is the name of the dance.
I’d think of the place first and the dance second. Either way it’s a no from me.

TiffinBox · 13/08/2018 18:39

Or Charlton as in Charlton Heston the Hollywood actor instead of Charleston, it's close enough.

Glumglowworm · 13/08/2018 18:38

It’s s ridiculous thing to call a child! It’s not a name. It’s a dance and a city.

Use Charles and call him Charleston in the family if you must but at least give him the opportunity to have a name that is recognisable as a human name!

OlennasWimple · 13/08/2018 18:27

Just call him Charles and save him the embarrassment

Nutkins24 · 13/08/2018 18:22

Of course it’s too much like the dance, it’s literally the name of the dance. I’d think of that first and then the place. He will be called Charlie anyway so you might as well give the poor little chap a sensible name to use into adulthood.

bridgetreilly · 13/08/2018 18:21

It's not 'too much like the dance'. It literally is the name of the dance. Plus as pp have said, a town strongly associated with the history of slavery. I really wouldn't give a baby this name.

Harken53rig · 13/08/2018 18:17

I thought the name was going to be Floss Grin

BlankTimes · 13/08/2018 18:13

Charlton, like the actor Charlton Heston, rather than Charlton Athletic footy team.

TatianaLarina · 13/08/2018 17:35

I’d think of both. It’s odd to name a boy after a dance.

What’s wrong with Charles?

Snowcookie · 13/08/2018 11:40

Around 40% of slaves who were forcibly taken to North America were brought to Charleston, and the slave population often vastly outnumbered the number of 'citizens' so I can't help thinking of slavery when I think of Charleston.

Snowcookie · 13/08/2018 11:16

Id associate it strongly with the dance but it also carries very strong associations with slavery for me so I'd also avoid it for that reason.

LoveInTokyo · 13/08/2018 11:06

I think it sounds a bit daft. Why don't you just use Charles?

17caterpillars1mouse · 13/08/2018 10:27

I quite like it

Firtreefir · 13/08/2018 10:17

Just call him Charles ffs. Speaking as a teacher, dance - including the charleston - is now a standard part of most schools' PE curriculums.

So unless your child becomes a hugely laddy, super popular boy who no one would dare to tease, that situation could entail a lot of teasing. Your child would need to be very thick skinned.

A lot of children just want to blend in at school - they don't want to stand out, for example by their ridiculous name being read out on the register, triggering sniggers.

Give your child a normal name that will allow him to blend in, should he want to. If he wants to stand out, he will be able to choose to do so himself through his personality and actions, rather than as a result of the ridiculous moniker his parents forced on him.

PassportBridgetPants · 13/08/2018 09:18

Ditto Namechangednow - I like it!

Quangot · 13/08/2018 08:30

I would think of the dance.

NameChangedNow · 13/08/2018 08:26

I think it's fine and everyone will call him Charlie.

BackforGood · 12/08/2018 23:51

I'm with your MiL

moredoll · 12/08/2018 23:45

Charles is better, I think

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