School staff - tell me the names of your loveliest pupils.

[GladysGeorgina]

I often read on MN about names associated with “naughty’ children or unpleasant behaviour. What about the opposite? If you work in a school/ nursery what are the names of children you remember for being particularly kind or helpful or resilient or hardworking?
I particularly remember a resilient Matthew, a hardworking Susanna, a kind Harrison and a helpful Phillip. Over to you…..

Freakonomics was published almost 20 years ago and it has been criticised for its speculation over data driven facts.

I don't think a name defines someone, how can it? It is the person behind the name and their actions or lack of them. You are under the impression that one word i.e defines someone's personality, your own biases are being demonstrated there as you presumably believe any person with a classic, middle class name to be 'boring'. Suggesting the opposite is true I e that an unusual name, for example, Tiger, will make them interesting and stand out but it is not going to be a name that does that. My DD has a girl's name that is not widely used in the UK as a girl's name but it is what you would deem as a classic middle class name but it is a family name in that many women in DH's Jewish extended family have been given this name. There is absolutely nothing dull about that as it has meaning and heritage. You are the one being judgemental.

My DS equally has what is deemed an upper class name in Britain but again it is a family name from German/Jewish heritage. When he was a baby I was once told by a a miserable woman that this was a name to live up to, almost as if it wasn't appropriate for him to have that name unless we were members of the British aristocracy! She was ignorant and had never even met me before, didn't know my background or my sons. People should not pigeon hole names regardless of class.

The nicest children I've taught over the course of 13 years in 2 countries and 6 different schools:

Fatima
Leah
Kevin
Denisa
Joshua
Aryan
Jase