The new Sharon and Kevin?

I agree with quite a few posts - anything that sounds made up / or like a surname / or usual names but with strange spellings / or boys names that start with "K" (sorry I know I'm generalising somewhat).

But completely agree that its what the kid grows up to be like that's far more important and can transcend a name - ie. its his/her integrity / moral outlook on life that matters.

Sharon, as I have said before, is a lovely sounding name. It just - allegedly - became overly popular here (like Tracy which has smart - High Society - origins).

But the irony is that, I'm the same vintage as you and went to an ordinary primary school, and there were no Sharons in my class. One Tracy, loads of Susans and Janes, a Wendy and several Karens (as well as some, i suppose, 'posher' names).

The Sharon I knew at Oxford was a very bright medical student - no doubt much more successful than me!

I am an American woman in my early 40's named Sharon. Sounds like it's a good thing I don't live in England. About 20 years ago I heard reference to the fact that in the UK, the name Sharon was used in a derogatory way to refer to a certain type of person. I didn't pay any attention at the time, however, the comment always stuck in the back of my head. Good thing I waited until I was a confident woman in my 40's to finally follow up and see what that person was referring to, becuase the first place my search took me was this board. I was always the only Sharon I knew growing up, and lamented the fact that I never heard this name in the media, other than when the actress Sharon Tate (wife of Roman Polanski) was murdered when I was a child. Thanks to the amazingly-organized U.S. census data (no comment on the UK equivalent linked to in this thread), I can see that in the US Sharon was an extremely popular name in the 40's, though again, I have only met one or two other Sharons of any age in my entire life. It sounds like I have Keith Waterhouse to thank for the fact that I can apparently never move to the UK without being considered "chav" (not an expression we use in American English, but it's meaning was pretty clear through the usage on this site). Well, fortunately it didn't seem to have held me back in the U.S., which is hopefully a consulation to those of you who have chosen names deemed low-class by your peers. That being said, I probably won't tell my (university-educated) mother what I discovered about my name.

You really are a bunch of judgemental c*s. Are you as nasty in real life?

I know many Shirleys (after Shirley Temple) interestingly I'd say they were very middle class.

I think names like Kylie, Sienna, Amelie and Alfie place their owners in time because they tie in with TV/film characters/actors of the moment

What were the Sharon and Kevins of the:

1880s
1890s
1900s
1910s
20s
30s
40s
50s
60s

There's a thought....?

Che & Ocd girls - your posts should be required reading for this forum. It's the snobbery that's the problem, not the names. On the upside I think most people, or at least those one would want to socialise with or work alongside, take people as they find them.

See, Sheep, my child's name got roundly slagged off on here when I announced it - shortly after he was born - but some people liked it too.

I didn't care about the slaggers off. I adore his name and I don't care if other people hate it. It's their choice and I feel that their taste is just not as advanced as mine

I don't see why you'd be upset really, lots of people do like your child's name or it wouldn't be so popular. Don't worry about it.

Am I the only one who hears these 'unusual' names and thinks 'attention seeking parents'? I have an unusual name, and it was a pain in the backside throughout my childhood. I constantly had to spell it, got away with nothing at school because it stuck in the teachers' minds, and was constantly accused of being 'up myself' Consequently, my children have perfectly lovely, but traditional, names. I am prepared to let them make their own mark in the world, and the most memorable thing about them will not be their names. I should have thought a bit more about how their names went together, though

Thanks Sheep, I like your taste in names too, especially Elinor.

Kaeden is a lovely name.

Whats wrong with Ellie May?? {narrows eyes}

I have an Elinor Mae which gets shortened to Ellie Mae, There is only one other Ellie in my dc school. The Mae in my dd2's name was in tribute to an aunt of mine and also because dd was born in May.

I too hate all this name snobbery. All my kids names have been slagged off on here. Ciaran, Shannon and Ellie and no doubt you lot will slag of dc4's name at some point when it's born.

Hmmm hate these threads. I have a Kaeden and I love his name.

Absolutely nooka! Candidate's names are so irrelevant to me that I can hardly remember then even after shortlisting... until I have actually met them I most commonly refer to then as 'the guy from Citi' or 'the girl who put lap dancing down as a hobby' for example

I also agree that almost all names are cyclical. I wouldn't consiser most of the names on this thread as 'chavvy', just popular.

I can't imagine ever thinking - 'oh xxx is a lovely person - shame they've got a chavvy name and I can't be friends with them'

Those name stats are great - try looking up where the popular names from your own time at school are now? Graham - only 15 registered last year. Neil and Gary 39 each, Colin 37. 25 each for Nigel and Keith. Only 16 Kims and 14 Annettes for example.

You have to go down to #52 in the boys name list and #14 in the girls list to find any of the names which I was at school with. Which just shows how cyclical names are.

Any name that has traditionally been a surname - Mason, Ryley, Carter etc.

I agree hattee, I only really notice the names when I type them up on the list for interview. My criteria tends to start with experience, then eduction and then whether the supporting statement matches the personal specification. I think it is only the really unusual names that stand out in any case (or the ones that have made so many applications that they get quite familiar when shortlisting for a number of jobs in a short period). But then I worked for the public sector where the recruitment rules are very stringent.

I would never judge on a name, 'snot the namees(?) fault.

Sorry if I sounded judgey, didn't mean to upset anyone.

I work with two strong, classy Sharons and never associated either them in my mind with 'Sharon & Kevin'/ or "dreadfully common" to use the phrase from the OP.

And you can't always tell which way a name will go - a colleage has dd called Victoria who rues the day Vicky Pollard came along!

*Flight^ not really that upset. It does worry me but I understand that how people discuss things on the internet is different how they behave in RL (well mostly). I will admit to feeling a bit sad whenever it comes up on MNS though.

I am pretty protective of DS. He has a lot to deal with bless him.

I have seen my birth children's names come up sometimes in a fairly negative way. I tend not to worry too much about that.

Its interesting to hear how other adoptive and potential parents feel about it tho.

I've recruited for specialist financial roles, and I have never binned a cv based on a person's name. I have never known anyone else to do this either. In fact, despite the name being at the top of the CV, it's usually the last thing I look at. I tend to skip straight to the education and previous employment sections. Silly me for thinking these are the most relevant!

fwiw i don;t think mumsnet is a true representation of how Britain feels towards names.
In comparison to the parenting population it represents a small minority of people. threads like this are supposed to be a bit of a joke but obviously people get hurt if they see thier own childs name being called chavvy/common/undesirable.
i have 4 dc, 2 with very 'popular' names as in at least one in every school- William and Lucy and i have 2 other children with more unusual names which i chose because i liked them in the same way that i chose William and Lucy, the other 2 are Keir and Esme. Also wasn;t a trend thing as Keir is my eldest and Esme is my youngest. Esme was a Phoebe Nell right up until she was born but it just didn;t suit her.
i think the names that people may be judged upon will be made up names, as in obviously made up.

I don't believe that people's CVs get binned by anyone important - probably some naff small business run by nobheads, but what about old condoleezza.

Sorry you are upset Che.

It is sad isnt it ocd

And thanks cupof he is lovely

Its not really enough to say 'its wrong to judge but thats the way it is'

Surely its up to all of us to challenge our predjudices regarding names? I dont mean we cant react immediately (we all do it, even me) but to just accept it is a different matter.

Its no more acceptable than binning a cv because the applicant is called Hassan or Ibrahim or Fanshaw-Smyth for that matter.

I know MNs is not RL but I am genuinely saddened at how certain names are vilified on here. I know I have a vested interest as DS's name is one of the most hated but its still sad.