A thought about unusual or made up names

To go back to the OP, Condoleezza Rice is American. We expect them to have bonkers names, and weird made-up names don't seem to be a barrier to success over there.

Perhaps it's just a question of us getting used to weird names being 'normal', after all, I bet no American parent would assume that someone would be President or pole-dancer material based solely on their name.

So with you on Condoleeeeezzzzza... but what is your DD's name Peggy? Or is she Peggy Sioux?

What's her name then Peggy?? Let us judge. I bet some will love it, some will hate it.

As with any name, new, old or made up.

I met a bank employee called Pebbles Heaven and I did wonder how anyone could take her seriously with such a ridiculous "little girl" name.

Mind you, my name was made up by my mum and I have always loved it - but then it's not of the "Shardinay Kloee" ilk.

kitty is lovely, btw

I don't think it sounds made up, it sounds old fashioned (in a good way, I have an old fashioned name and I like it)

Hatrick what luck that people who think like that will never be in a position to employ anybody.

my best friend at school's dad was a bank manager

he read the daily mail

fgs who gives a crap what a bank manager thinks?

(sorry bank managers on here)

Can'tsleep - Nighbynight didn't say anything against Tafara, just illustrating the exact same point you did. Don't see what's off about that.

I should've called my son Don't Touch That. And his brother No We Can't Afford It.

NighbyNight - a bit off to pick on another well known MNer's ds' name as your example IMO. I believe you'll find that Tafara is a common name in its country of origin, just not common over here.

where i live my name is considered unusual and so is both my dd's.

but whenever i call school or playgroup they know who i am instantly and my girls are never confused with other girls

I have an unusaul name. I ring up the kids school, or head office at work (I am one of 250 people and we have branches all ove the place) I only ever say; hi its Ten here, I never give my whole name, everyone knows me. It's not always a bonus.

I have a mildly unusual pronounced-nothing-like-it's-written name. Growing up, I hated it, as it drew attention to me. I was really shy, and having to explain how to pronounce my name to teachers mortified me. Even recently, when I started my current job, a colleague couldn't work it out, and I had to just sit and repeat it about three times. He then went over to my boss and said something about me being snobby, as I wanted my named pronounced right!!!??? Obviously, that's his problem, but unusual names can cause little bits of embarrasment and discomfort when you least expect it.

(its not one of my children btw!)

but how do you tell the difference?

eg is "Tafara" a made up name or foreign?

Charvenissia-Speshalle type names are ridiculous. Forrin and unusual ones are fine by me.

But Abbey, how do you know if it is a made up name?

it became clear on MN that people thought Lidl was a madeup name, in fact is it from south germany.

many people in england may think my childrens names are made up, but in fact they are very old traditional names where ex h is from.

I have an unusual name. Not made up, just foreign. I never met anyone else with the same name until my mid-twenties.
I have spent my whole life having opening conversations along the lines of "I've not heard that before', "how do you pronounce that", "how do you spell that" etc etc.
It may have contributed to me always feeling an outsider, not one of the in-crowd and generally a bit wierd.

When you say made-up names, do you mean literally brand-new words, like Mukargi or Fwaff? Or real words that just haven't been used as names before, like Lampshade or Tablecloth?

I have to say that I am prejudiced against made up names, I can't help it-it is just the immediate reaction- and I do think they will be a handicap in life. There have been studies that show that markers of exam papers are influenced by the name on the paper.

i have noticed a disproportionate number of made-up names on cards read out at cbeebies birthday time

THing is though, someone will always be horrified by every name. Personally I can't stand Elizabeth or Stephanie, I really strongly dislike them both and I probably do display a little flicker of horror when I come across someone who's given their little daughter one of these names. Ultimately it doesn't matter what we all think, it's whether the parents and certainly the child are happy with their name.

/jerry's final thought

I agree that an odd name ceases to be odd when you know the person whose name it is. The real problem is with those who DON'T know the person (ie bank manager, potential employer, teacher) who may well form prejudices based on the name (albeit unwittingly).