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Baby names

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

Original poster

What are "American" names?

105 replies

CheerfulYank · 05/09/2009 08:15

I've seen that term bandied about a bit and I'm curious.

Is it the whole surname trend thing? I love my country, but I have to admit I'm sick of all the little Parkers/Mackenzies/Carters running around as well as the Ayden/Kayden/Jayden business. So...just curious! And mightily bored. It's 2 in the morning here but am on vacation and can't force myself to sleep yet!

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MaggieVirgo · 05/09/2009 16:53

Yes. I'm Irish and those names sound American to my ear. Here, The Shannon is for cruising. Erin is Soup. Kennedy is JFK.

BerylCole · 05/09/2009 16:27

People who think Erin and Kennedy and Shannon are authentic Irish names. Usually American.

florence2511 · 05/09/2009 16:25

I have an American friend with 2 daughters: Kayla and Kinsley. Ok, I can just about get Kayla, but Kinsley!!!!! To me it sounds like a boys name originating from a surname. It isn't pretty for a girl IMHO.

All of my friend's siblings have names beginning with K and subsequently have named all their children names beginning with K. Names I can remember are:

Kai
Kassidy
Kaitlin (OK, but not with a K)

She told me that in order to find 'decent' names beginning with a K she had to think outside the box and be original.

MaggieVirgo · 05/09/2009 15:28

The thing that fascinates me is that there is some sort of pattern about it all.

Irish names for girls. eg, Kennedy, Delaney, Mackenna

English names for boys, Parker, Spencer, Taylor

How is that?!

mummydemma · 05/09/2009 15:25

Bryce
Blaise
Braeden/Brayden
Chase
Chad
Jesse
Kimble
Chester
London
Preston
Cole
Ty

Br ianne/Brianna/Bree
Cindy
Brandy
Lexie
Nancy

We lived in Canada (not US exactly but same naming trends IYKWIM) and these are some of the 'American' names that stick in my mind. Also lots of very 'normal' names around too. A lot more common than people here imagine. Boys names definitely tend to be more on the 'American' side IMO. Pretty, classic girls names seemed the norm TBH - Jessica, Elizabeth/Beth, Emily, Amelia, Sarah etc

I am very biased towards 'American' sounding names. DD and DS both have one and I love their names (obviously) but that is just my opinion.

Also, our very best friend in Ontario is Randy (Randall) and if DC3 is a DS he will have Randall as a middle name!

Pyrocanthus · 05/09/2009 14:18

Nothing wrong with a few more Obamas in the world. I gather he was known as 'Barry' when he was younger - wonder if that'll make a comeback.

mrswoolf · 05/09/2009 14:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Leln · 05/09/2009 13:51

Slightly off topic...
I live in France and have french friends who have called their DD "Shanez" which apparently sounds lovely, slightly exotic, very unusual to the French ear. But to my ear sounds, ahem, very common.

I have another french friend whose DD is called "Ornella" which sounds like the name of one of the ugly sisters in Cinderella to me.

All a question of taste and local culture.

AllThreeWays · 05/09/2009 13:09

I had an American friend who used to tell me all about classrooms full of kids who's names ended in ...shah, but I think that was more a particular cultural group rather than "american", there does seem to be quite a lot of long winded made up sounding names that I associate with America

pranma · 05/09/2009 13:05

McCauley like that awful 'home alone'kid
hyphens like Corey-Lee or Mary-Lynne
Gene for a boy
I knew a girl called Forest[US]
Maybelle
of course there is always Peggy-Sue which is unuseable but lovely

paisleyleaf · 05/09/2009 12:59

Oh yes, Randy. Is that one of those words used differently/not used in the States.....like Fanny?

Pinkthechaffinch...ooo I like Lyndon, not heard it before.

gloomysue · 05/09/2009 11:03

Randy.

5inthebed · 05/09/2009 09:57

I think Corey is quite american sounding.

dizzydixies · 05/09/2009 09:41

and one of my girls has a boys name which is very common for girls in the US so I doubt I'd have a leg to stand on would I be inclined to judge

posieparker · 05/09/2009 09:37

I named my ds1 after my grandmother, using her surname, and then an unusual name for ds2.... they are both in the top 100 boys names in the USA.

dizzydixies · 05/09/2009 09:36

oh pinkthechaffinch I once met a wee boy called Linden/Lindan not sure of spelling, and he was lovely - he had a brother called Clyde too

paisleyleaf · 05/09/2009 09:33

Courtney used to be

pinkthechaffinch · 05/09/2009 09:30

My DS is called Lyndon, which is rare over here but relatively common in the States.

I love it though because it's old english meaning is 'lime tree'.

Prunerz · 05/09/2009 09:19

Anyway we had the Puritans

Constance
Felicity
Endeavour
Capability
Hate
Anger
Small-Hope
No-Merit
and so on

I don't think we're in a place to judge!

Prunerz · 05/09/2009 09:17

Madison
Waverly
Trey
Shay
J'Majesty
etc

Surnames as first names v common in Scotland too but the pool of names is smaller and they are more common, so nobody rolls their eyes any more.

StewieGriffinsMom · 05/09/2009 09:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

dizzydixies · 05/09/2009 08:27

the one that springs to mind is heaven spelt backwards giving Neveah - is that not quite high up the American top 100 list?

wonder how many wee Obamas will be running about within the next few years

Original poster
CheerfulYank · 05/09/2009 08:27

Oh thanks Beryl. Most people think Eleanora is pretty but I've gotten a few at it. But I think it's gorgeous and it was DH's grandmother's name and I'm using it!

OP posts:
Original poster
CheerfulYank · 05/09/2009 08:24

If it's someone that's actually in your family Stewie then it's not so bad. But for instance I know a few little ones named Kennedy and they're definitely no relation!

OP posts:
BerylCole · 05/09/2009 08:24

Oh and I am not bashing Yanks. We have some 'baby naming' eccentricities over here, too .

Your names are lovely@Cheerful