Do you make assumptions about people based on their names?

[SaraHoliday]

Do you make an assumption about someone based on their name?

I'll start on the next post....

As he's probably the only person called that you're ever likely to come across youre making your judgement on his personality rather than his name as you couldnt possibly have had any preconceived notion of what someone called that would be like

Unless someone has changed their name the assumptions should be applied to the parents and are more likely to be valid

Yes absolutely I work in paediatric health care.

I know exactly which families are presenting for me to magically fix their extensive parenting fails that began just before they picked the stupid name I’m about to call out to the waiting room.

I think people who very suddenly start spelling their name differently tell me something about themselves
Monikka from a bog standard Monica for example
A desire to be "special" makes me think they are indeed special but not in the way they intended

Whilst that is true, it absolutely has an impact on your life.

When I moved school at 14 my grandparents and the new school allowed me to use my middle name (that’s what I eventually changed to). The expectations on you, and assumptions made about you, by people who should know better are vastly different when you’re called Starlight and when you’re called Elizabeth/Charlotte/Laura.

Same actually when you’re walking home late at night as a teen and you’re stopped by the police.

Names matter because people judge. The fact they shouldn’t doesn’t lessen the impact.

A child doesn't choose their own name. I certainly didn't, and it was a "naughty" name. Fortunately, Deed Poll exists. I now have a much more neutral name that I don't feel embarrassed introducing myself by. However, I did inwardly flinch at my nephew's name when he was born.

As an ex-teacher, I've taught a lot of children with unusual names, and for the most part, the children themselves were lovely.

Who on earth is called 'Zero?' Never known anyone have this for a forename. In fact I have just googled this and it would seem that is not a recognised birth name. There are ZERO stats for it. It's clearly a nickname.

Anyway, yeah I think many people do judge people on their names. (And the names they give their children.)

Not gonna suggest which names I think are middle class and upper class, and which are 'low rent' because that would be mean and cruel to people with those names, (that I class as low-rent,) or people who have children with those names.

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Is this the name that appears on his birth certificate?

There is ZERO chance of that.

I'll get me coat.

😂😂

Definitely a 'Zero' and he loves it! 😁

Sara - wears headband, calls parents Mummy and Daddy. Expects husband to do all 'blue' jobs. Wears pants then tights then pants over tights.

Definitely a 'Zero'. He loves his name too!

So you are in America @SaraHoliday? That's where those stats are from. Or is he American? (The lad who allegedly has the name Zero on his birth certificate) as his forename...

https://www.babycenter.com/baby-names/details/zero-966475

In the UK, the name ZERO is not recognised as an official birth name.

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No headband. No 'Daddy' now but I do have a 'Mum'. What are 'blue' jobs? Why would anyone wear that combo? 😂 No offence! Just light hearted fun! x

Sara, puts x on the end of comments on the internet.

I'm an author and I know that naming characters is a minefield and yet a character name has to stand as shorthand for background, class, sex, and many other things too. So we writers probably take more care over naming our characters than some parents take over naming their offspring.

My contribution - Marion. Blunt bob, feels guilty about eating meat but does it anyway. Loves her cat and stresses that she could never live with a man.

This is so weirdly accurate to my experience of Jamie's

Blue jobs are stuff Sara expects her husband to do - like putting out the bins or mowing the lawn.

Pant, tights, pants - extra protection from intruders and prevents saggy crotch.

Also light hearted fun.

Blue = "blue collar jobs" (like manual labour, skilled trades etc) verses white collar jobs (office workers)

Never met a Chloe I didn’t like. When I meet a Chloe, I always expect her to be lovely and I’ve never been wrong!

Marion is a chiropodist. Churchgoing, but not regular. Has a crochet project besides her chair - hasn't touched it since before Covid.

Of course