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Baby names

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

Original poster

What makes a name (in your opinion) pretentious and why ?

170 replies

Stannie · 22/09/2009 17:46

Just wondered really..

I think labelling something/someone pretentious is very dependant on where your own background/standing but as we all are only very loosely gathered into social groups/trends it's fairly impossible (IMO) to call a name in particular pretentious.. what might sound so to one person maybe a perfectly normal name to another..

What in your opinion makes a name fall into the dictionary meaning - which is "characterized by assumption of dignity or importance" - and why ?

For example I don't think Persephone (mentioned in another thread) is in any way pretentious but I went to school with a Mungo and I have a very, very unusual name which I love.

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hf128219 · 22/09/2009 22:37

Dont ya just love mumsnet?

Have I told you what her dd is called?

lockets · 22/09/2009 22:35

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wheniwishuponastar · 22/09/2009 22:34

debby? dolly? dilly?

SardineQueen · 22/09/2009 22:34

lockets saskia is lovely. How is Thea pronounced?

I am all for non-difficult foreign names, sorry fatti

Pingpong · 22/09/2009 22:34

ha ha I'm going to be really cruel and say that I agree with your friend. Sorry

hf128219 · 22/09/2009 22:32

It begins with a D and ends in a Y and it's not Darcey.

Original poster
Stannie · 22/09/2009 22:32

Hf1 - Echo Lockets! I'd be SO tempted to mention what she said.. just out of mischief really. What is the name ?

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wheniwishuponastar · 22/09/2009 22:32

haha yeah exactly sardine queen!

SardineQueen · 22/09/2009 22:31

Stannie if they're "bugaboo or bust" types then I can promise that they will be the ones with offspring sporting pretentious names, not you.

Our Graco is still going for DD2 - my friends all looked sick as mud when I told them how much it cost

Pingpong · 22/09/2009 22:31

but hf that name must have had a bad association for your friend hence the strong reaction but now she knows your baby the association will have changed. I can think of people I was at school with who I didn't like and if DH suggested their name I would be NO definitely not however if I met a baby at baby group with that name now I wouldn't then think of the person at school IYKWIM

Original poster
Stannie · 22/09/2009 22:30

Smac - I'd forgotten about Princess Tiaamii and the two I's..

Lockets - I love Saskia. What is the other name ? And also, what are the three different ways ? I only know it as Sass-Kia from the Saskia's I know. The younger sister called Saskia, her name (friend) is Dutch - Kimo (pronounced Kee-mow). They were a dutch family.

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lockets · 22/09/2009 22:29

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hf128219 · 22/09/2009 22:27

I know a very good friend of mine hates my dd's name! Although she doesn't know I know! When I was pregnant me and dh had already decided on girls/boys names.

When I was 7 months pregnant we all went on a sailing trip and everyone was very drunk (except me obviously!)

Our possible dd's name came up in conversation in a completely different context to 'possible names'. She said 'God I hate that name, only wimps and wet girls are called that, it's just awful'.

When dd was born she said she 'loved the name' and actually gushed over it!!

SardineQueen · 22/09/2009 22:25

I think you do have to balance your outlandish name dreams with the fact that some poor little bugger is going to have to live with it.

Original poster
Stannie · 22/09/2009 22:25

S-Queen - I like my Graco buggy although it did create a bit of a stir when I mentioned it at a girls lunch with some friends.. and by stir I mean as in what happens when you stir lemon juice into milk .. it appears poor possibly- pretentiously-named-child will be socially ostracised from Dublin's social circuit for not having the right wheels!

However PPNC will (I hope) be grateful for solid design and cover that looks as if it would stem weather that would stop a ship from sailing when it's parked outside while I deal with various animals!

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lockets · 22/09/2009 22:24

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Pingpong · 22/09/2009 22:24

to me a 'try hard' name is one like Princess Tiaamii
especially when you read the description. . . .
"We've put an accent over the first A to make it more exotic and two Is at the end just to make it look a bit different," Jordan told OK! magazine. story here

wheniwishuponastar · 22/09/2009 22:21

well lots of people say they wish they had gone for their outlandish name of their dreams. but feel they should go for something more sensible.

Original poster
Stannie · 22/09/2009 22:21

"some people want to fit in with social expectations and please other people with their choices"

"My understanding of a 'try hard name' is one that you think you should use, rather than the one that you really want to"

All becomes clear now.. very sad to think people name their children to fit in with social groups/expectations/affections am glad I have more of an independent mind than that.

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SardineQueen · 22/09/2009 22:20

Oooh I had a graco as my first ever buggy! It was excellent, good choice stannie, bodes well for you I think

lockets are yours names which are greek/dutch but well known over here ie people can spell/pronounce them etc or are they more unusual (for UK)?

Original poster
Stannie · 22/09/2009 22:17

Sardine Queen - I can't be persuaded I'm afraid ..not for any other reason but for superstition! When he/she lands I'll post them..

hf - try hard names ? I am a clueless 1st timer so no .. try harder as in trying harder to be . ... You'll have to cut me some slack - about 4 months ago I didn't know what a Quinny Buzz was.. (I do now. And I also know that I'm not trendy because I have a Graco buggy)

Roxanne - What are your potential names for DD? nosy and do you regret being called Roxanne ?

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SardineQueen · 22/09/2009 22:17

Surely no-one does that though? I mean choosing a name they don't actually like because it is the "right" one.

That is . It hadn't occured to me that people might do that.

wheniwishuponastar · 22/09/2009 22:16

interesting...

hf128219 · 22/09/2009 22:15

Of course everyone wants the right name for their child - many hours of thought goes into it.

But I do think some people want to fit in with social expectations and please other people with their choices.

My understanding of a 'try hard name' is one that you think you should use, rather than the one that you really want to.

lockets · 22/09/2009 22:14

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