Too try hard.

How do you know they don’t have Irish heritage? Or have a best friend with Irish heritage that they want to name their child after? Or a teacher who was Irish that really inspired them? Or they fell in love with Irish myths and legends as a child and Niamh has been a firm favourite ever since? Why the fuck does some have to have 7 Irish grannies in order to use an Irish name? Do all the Rachel’s in the world have to be at church every Sunday to qualify for using their name?

That’s funny Richard. I’m not even English 😭 anyway, my point- which you ca read easily for yourself- is it’s about the many English people without Irish heritage who use such names

I think try hard is names posters must know, by any reasonable logic, that the local population will struggle to pronounce/ spell. Prime example is gaelic names in England, particularly when those names are actually really dull and pedestrian in their own country ie Niamh, Grianne etc

Sorry to burst your tiny Ickle Englander bubble, but while you and your ancestors may have spent your entire lives within the same thirty square miles, many of us move about a bit more than that and what the local population of any particular place is and isn't able to spell really can't be a factor in name choice. DS (7), who has an Irish name and surname, was born in London and has lived in two non-English speaking countries since before living in rural England where we are now. Our next move will probably be to Ireland, but where he will finish his education, far less live as an adult isn't clear.

And to be honest, the fact that we move a lot is a red herring. Why wouldn't people give their children names from their culture, regardless of where they live? DS's class has a number of Indian, Polish and west African names, and no one seems overcome by the necessity of spelling them.

In fact, one of his school's teachers has a deeply English but non-phonetic surname Bethune, pronounced Beecham which seems to cause more comment than any foreign names.

Surely "try hard" doesn't mean "tries hard and succeeds" but "trying hard to create an impression but missing the mark completely".

Some names come with associations - you can pretend that in most parts of the UK Arabella create exactly the same impression as Billy-Rae but, yes due to classism and snobbery it doesn't.

Try hard would be trying to create a certain expectation around the bearer of the name but missing the mark due to mispronouncing it or adding in a "unique" spelling or excessive number of incongruous middle names or in many but not all cases a hyphen.

However I think some people say try hard when they just mean ridiculous. Trying hard only to be different with no aim except to be as unexpected as possible. No matter who you are, some very flowery overblown names or totally out of context names (say from a very different culture which uses a language with different roots which you have absolutely no link whatsoever to) can be a bit ridiculous.

When I was pregnant with DD I wanted to call her Matilda. DH objected as he thought it was too "middle class."

We were, at the time, living in Primrose Hill and pulling in a 6 figure income between us. Quite why he thought we weren't middle-class...

Yes it is try hard to use a name from a different language that you have no connection to. It’s the very definition of try hard

So thats most of the names in England then.

What Niamh? It’s the dullest name never. Spell it Neeve, is it still exotic? 🤣

Niamh and Meadbh are pretty ho-hum in Ireland.

Giving a child a name that the vast majority of people they meet on a day-to-day basis will struggle to spell does strike me as a bit try hard. Just my opinion though.

Yes it is try hard to use a name from a different language that you have no connection to. It’s the very definition of try hard

rather proves my point lol.

No, it just proves you’re too lazy to check how to spell a name before you use it. Which backs up a point I haven’t made, (and won’t) but have noticed a lot.

People using a really popular name makes them try hard? right.

And yes 3) that doesn’t mean it isn’t try hard

Yes apologies for the misspell- rather proves my point lol. And obviously the point was, it’s not from their culture

3. Niamh is probably one of the most well known and used Irish names in England.

I think try hard is names posters must know, by any reasonable logic, that the local population will struggle to pronounce/ spell. Prime example is gaelic names in England, particularly when those names are actually really dull and pedestrian in their own country ie Niamh, Grianne etc

1. choosing a name from your heritage that is completely pedestrian- that’s the opposite of try hard.

2. Grianne isn’t a name.

I think the "try-hard" comments are about a poster's personal reaction to a name, just like all the other posts in this section. The baby names boards ask for people's own opinions and that's one of them.

Names on here get described as dull, downmarket, frilly, harsh, lovely, strong, weak, understated, try-hard, pretentious etc. because that is how they sound to one person, with their own background, whatever that may be. We all have our own tastes and influences and that isn't "wrong", just honest.

I think try hard is names posters must know, by any reasonable logic, that the local population will struggle to pronounce/ spell. Prime example is gaelic names in England, particularly when those names are actually really dull and pedestrian in their own country ie Niamh, Grianne etc

No, I was saying what I said.

I don't agree that the name "Augustus" is classic or "well-known" outside certain demographics. I've never met one, and suspect many people have never heard of the name. Except perhaps Augustus Gloop in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".

What are you saying? That only people demonstrably from the demographic for whom Augustus is 'well-known' are allowed to use it? But people in council housing who have only come across it in a children's book should not use it, because it suggests aspirations above their class?

But not being allowed Augustus because you're too common is pretty much just stating if you're poor you're thick. Maybe they adored Charlie and TCF or one of them is a history buff and thought Caesar was too far..
It's possible to be cultured and poor

It works both ways though. I don't agree that the name "Augustus" is classic or "well-known" outside certain demographics. I've never met one, and suspect many people have never heard of the name. Except perhaps Augustus Gloop in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".

I hate this notion that some names are too good for some children. As if living on a council estate means you can't ever be anything of note, and as if your name would actually matter if you cure Cancer.

So yanbu to find it annoying OP.

IT'S JUST A NAME