Comments about names that you just don’t get

Of course. But when you post on here, people are judging the name alone. Don’t take it out on me!

I’m middle class too. But I didn’t factor this in when picking my kids name. I just chose something I liked. Some of them are painfully self conscious eg Cosmo, Etienne, Clementine.

Sorry DH wants to clarify Felix wasn’t an Emperor but a legion, please can I actually listen next time 😂

Can we stop the cattiness now please.

People who say a diminutive is a nickname

@Wouldloveanother , you tell me.

They think a name genuinely gives their child a higher chance of getting a prestigious job.
'blah blah blah middle class angst.'
I'm middle class and can't help it. The shame is enormous. Unfortunately, MN wasn't around when I named DC.

No. Because it doesn’t matter. Why bother?

Baby Felix would be a person, and a whole set of other factors would affect how people view him throughout his life.

Just for balance I just shouted to DH ‘If I said the name Felix, what’s the first thing that comes into your head?’ (I’m pregnant so he didn’t see this as odd or ask why)
DH: The Romans.
Me: Not cats?
DH: No! Felix was a Roman Emperor

It might be skewed by the fact DH is very into
roman history but 🤷🏼‍♀️

It's subtle snobbery. Any name that isn't an already established "middle class" name gets looked down on, it's a very obvious pattern.

I think you’re right. with an added bit of aspirational angst.

I used to teach at one of those universities full of ex-public school students. Their parents gave them all kinds of names that would be viewed as problematic on MN. They probably weren’t feeling anxious about their children’s prospects, so they didn’t feel it mattered whether the name passed a ‘high court judge test’. They probably get confident that their magic circle connections were a more effective way of facilitating a career in the judiciary than calling them after a king.

How it is the worst thing for your child to have a rare name that might be difficult for others to pronounce or spell. I have a name like this and it has added no hardship to my life. I enjoy having a unique name and no one ever forgets my name.

Who?

There’s no research papers on popular associations regarding the name Felix as far as I’m aware.

@Wouldloveanother , how do you know what they think?

Thing is, the cat comment might influence more cat comments to the point that it appears that everyone thinks of cats (and cares about that). That can distort the reality, which may be that many people don’t think of cats and, of those that do, many don’t really think it’s a problem.

But MN is full of people posting ‘cats!’.

if you want neutral data, asking on here (or any name board) isn’t going to deliver it!

I'm so old that Arthur seems to be a cat's name.
I'm regretting calling my DC Felix, Cleo and Sheba

@SudocremOnEverything i think it’s a form of middle class angst. People assuming others will judge someone on a name as harshly as they do. They think a name genuinely gives their child a higher chance of getting a prestigious job.

No. If it reminds 98% of people of cats, I would want to know that it reminded 98% of people of cats. If it was just commented on once and other posters thought ‘Oh someone’s made the cat comment already’, the OP would probably assume that the comment was a one off and the name doesn’t remind most people of cats.

Felix really doesn’t remind me of cat food until someone says that. The first thing I think of are a couple of Felixes I’ve worked with.

Associations will also be quite variable and personal. There’s considerable variation within the UK - and you often see that on MN. For example, the whole ‘Calum is a naughty boy name’ thing just doesn’t hold true for many people in Scotland (where people know Calums of all ages).

Yet people love to make definitely statements as if there’s no variation at all.

Why is someone repeatedly posting the same kind of negative comment I na single thread nasty and childish?? To post again and again the same type of comment because you think you're so funny or unique in your opinion?? You really can't work out what that's immature and actually quite horrid?

And it misses the point that the lack of any kind of diversity in the judiciary is a terrible thing for society, not something to perpetuate!

Mostly, the comments that are presented as objective truth are ridiculous. Name choices are highly cultural and highly personal. I might hate a name, but it doesn’t make the name objectively awful.

actually, my own name is objectively awful. 🤣 But I’ve managed more than 40 years with it!

You said ‘it was so fucking nasty’ in those exact words

Why was it childish?

I didn't say it was nasty - I said the poster was nasty.

It's just a bit fucking childish.

@MotherOfWhippets i don’t think it’s nasty, Felix will remind most people of cat food. Particularly if you’re old enough to remember the TV adverts. When you post on the names board you’re looking for honest opinions, and if reminds them of the cat food there’s not really a way of saying that nicely. My daughter’s name has been called chavvy/common on here 🤷🏼‍♀️ we’ve all got different opinions and that’s ok, not everyone has to love my kid’s name.

When I was expecting DS I didn't start a thread but I looked at the board often. There was a poster asking about Felix (the name I eventually chose) and there was a poster who every other comment was saying 'it's fine for a cat' 'yeah for a cat' 'miaow' etc.

It was so fucking nasty. There are plenty of men called Felix about - fair enough I find it to be a marmite name and that's fine - but she was relentless and I've seen lots of cat comments whenever it's mentioned. DS is 8 and we've never had a cat comment 🤷🏻‍♀️ he was a bit shocked when he first saw his name in the pet food aisle though.

The other thing I don't get is 'I want to call my DD Esmeralda but I want her nickname to be honeyboobookins'. Often nicknames that I struggle to make the connection and also I've always thought nicknames just happen naturally - normally through friends and school etc I don't get the forced nature of them. I'm