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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Can you predict based on names?

115 replies

Xenaaa · 03/03/2022 11:04

Hello,

I have been reading the baby name forum a lot recently as I am expecting, and am surprised to see quite a few comments that associate certain names with class. I was not aware that class and baby names were linked at all!

Just out of curiosity what class are these girls names? Some of these names are on my list, and some are children or close acquaintances where I know what “class” they’re in.

I just want to know people can actually predict what class they’re in based on their child’s name.

Sienna
Aurelia
Sophia
Amelia
Evie
Ottilie
Amélie
Ophelia
Isla
Emmeline
Cassia
Ruby
Darcey

Interested to see if there are correct predictions!

(No offence meant in this post, all the above names are all beautiful and a lot of them are on my own personal list)

OP posts:
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Erinyes · 04/03/2022 14:30

@Xenaaa

But can someone dissect my list!

What are the thoughts on the names? What name associations are there?

It’s a pretty standard-issue list, though, OP. With the possible exception of the rather downmarket Darcey, and Cassia, which one doesn’t come across much, those names are fairly well-used and not particularly redolent of a specific social class. I know a Ruby whose siblings are Mexx and Kayden, and I also know a Ruby who’s in Burke’s Peerage and whose brother is heir presumptive to a whacking great title.
Blubells · 04/03/2022 14:26

*But can someone dissect my list!

What are the thoughts on the names? What name associations are there?*

No

I know people from all walks of life and of many different nationalities with those names. So no, I can't attribute a 'class' to them!!

I can tell you which names from your list I personally like - Sophia and Sienna. What does that tell you about my 'class' Hmm

RedWingBoots · 04/03/2022 14:15

@KidneyBeans no but they give their children "interesting" names.

Original poster
Xenaaa · 04/03/2022 13:51

But can someone dissect my list!

What are the thoughts on the names? What name associations are there?

OP posts:
KidneyBeans · 04/03/2022 13:37

@RedWingBoots

Seriously, it hadn't occurred to you that Thomas Wentworth Somerset Dunstan Rees-Mogg and Princess Tiamii Crystal Esther André might be from different social classes?

@Blubells one is the child of a wannabee celebrity, while the other is a child of a celebrity. (The latter child's father is apparently a nice man.)

Celebrities aren't a class
KidneyBeans · 04/03/2022 13:35

@Skelligsfeathers

The royal family are super upper class, and despite having the best educations money can buy, perform really poorly academically. So educational achievement linked to class? Not so much.
Well I guess if you assume that the academic performance of a single family is representative of British class structure as a whole then you'd have a point.

The problem with your assumption is that it is incorrect.

Angrymum22 · 04/03/2022 12:59

From experience established middle class choose solid established names. The wannabes have a misconception that you need a “posh” name to be accepted. I suspect if you were to ask most of my DS17 friends where their name came from it is almost always a long-standing family name. DS was named after his paternal grandfather who actually died on the day I was born (DH was only 3 when his dad died) so has particular significance. It is an old name that is not particularly popular but suits him down to the ground. My nieces are both named after great great grandmothers. I was named after my grandmother ( with a subtle change to a name popular at the time).
Having done a lot of genealogy for generations the same names crop up generation after generation. Although my favourite girls names were Kazia and Decima, long forgotten but both popular in 19th century.

Skelligsfeathers · 04/03/2022 12:39

The royal family are super upper class, and despite having the best educations money can buy, perform really poorly academically. So educational achievement linked to class? Not so much.

Erinyes · 04/03/2022 11:41

@Blubells

are you saying parents should name their children aspirationally

No not 'should' but can! They should not be restricted to 'working class' names.

And that was in response to your original point:

I would say all of those names are aspirational working class. People trying to sound middle class. Bit try hard

I absolutely feel that it's wrong to criticise these parents for choosing names 'outside their class' HmmConfused

I think you’re confusing me with another poster. I never suggested anything like that. I merely asked what you meant by ‘how do working class parents know how their children do in life?’ which suggested an aspirational idea of naming.
RedWingBoots · 04/03/2022 11:39

@Erinyes due to British history some names are used by other cultures that are present in the UK.

Oh and people who emigrate to the UK may have working class jobs, but may actually not be working class. So when their children end up as middle class professionals their children are just at the same level their parents would have been if they hadn't been emigrated, whether it was forced or otherwise.

RedWingBoots · 04/03/2022 11:35

Seriously, it hadn't occurred to you that Thomas Wentworth Somerset Dunstan Rees-Mogg and Princess Tiamii Crystal Esther André might be from different social classes?

@Blubells one is the child of a wannabee celebrity, while the other is a child of a celebrity. (The latter child's father is apparently a nice man.)

Blubells · 04/03/2022 08:07

are you saying parents should name their children aspirationally

No not 'should' but can! They should not be restricted to 'working class' names.

And that was in response to your original point:

I would say all of those names are aspirational working class. People trying to sound middle class. Bit try hard

I absolutely feel that it's wrong to criticise these parents for choosing names 'outside their class' HmmConfused

Erinyes · 03/03/2022 22:59

@Blubells

What do you mean? Do you mean that if the children are class jumpers, the aspirational names ‘worked’?

Yes!

Or are children not allowed to 'move' out of the 'working' classes?

Well, social mobility is faltering in general, anyway, and Covid has really hit it hard (see this: blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2022/01/10/covid-has-hit-social-mobility-in-the-uk-and-young-peoples-prospects-are-shrinking/), but are you saying parents should name their children aspirationally and hope it means that little Peregrine, born to a binman and a cleaner, will find himself marrying into the landed gentry? Or are you only allowed to aspire one class above your own for your children?
Blubells · 03/03/2022 22:44

What do you mean? Do you mean that if the children are class jumpers, the aspirational names ‘worked’?

Yes!

Or are children not allowed to 'move' out of the 'working' classes?

Gardeningcreature · 03/03/2022 22:43

At a push I would say Ottilie, Emmeline and Ophilia are more middle class. The others spread across both working class and middle class. All of them are perfectly nice names.

Erinyes · 03/03/2022 22:32

@Blubells

I would say all of those names are aspirational working class. People trying to sound middle class. Bit try hard

But how on earth do 'working class' parents know how their children do in life....?!

What do you mean? Do you mean that if the children are class jumpers, the aspirational names ‘worked’?
Original poster
Xenaaa · 03/03/2022 21:51

@demoness

Yes I see your point!

Maybe being posh in Britain is having more of a continental name? Perhaps seen as more cultured?

Perhaps maybe that’s why Amélie was seen as pretentious by another poster here.

OP posts:
demoness · 03/03/2022 21:17

@Xenaaa What I'm saying is that sometimes the names that are regarded as "middle/upper class" on Mumsnet are just standard names in other countries. An Eastern European couple choosing Aurelia or Sebastian probably aren't trying to sound like "posh" Brits - more likely, they're choosing that name because it's normal in their culture. They probably don't even think of it as being a British name.

Blubells · 03/03/2022 20:51

I would say all of those names are aspirational working class. People trying to sound middle class. Bit try hard

But how on earth do 'working class' parents know how their children do in life....?!

Missushbb · 03/03/2022 20:16

@JustWonderingIfYou

I would say all of those names are aspirational working class. People trying to sound middle class. Bit try hard.
this is just mean, and clueless. the real world does not work like this, thank god.
Original poster
Xenaaa · 03/03/2022 20:15

@StScholastica

Hmmm I’m not sure now. I wouldn’t have known before reading all of this.

Most probably the top 10 names are classless? Though someone has now said “Isla” is working class, even though it’s number 3.

I’m not even sure there are classless names anymore, I’ve become very confused! I never noticed at all before reading this forum

OP posts:
Missushbb · 03/03/2022 20:15

@ShirleyPhallus

This is mumsnet where absolutely everything is related to class!
this is so true. i just don't experience this crap in real life. why is mumsnet so obsessed with class?
Blubells · 03/03/2022 20:08

Class isn't specifically about education or what names you choose.

If it's not education, what is it then? Money?

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 03/03/2022 20:06

I was not aware that class and baby names were linked at all!

Hmm
Blubells · 03/03/2022 20:05

I would label her parents as hippy upper middle class.

Hippy? Upper? Middle class? Wow that's specific Confused

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