to feel right sorry for these babby's with unique names?

[Nowithadoublei]

They'll be respelling for there whole life.

Amieeleigh.

Maizii-Faii.

Demilea.

Reah-Neavah.

Jay-dee.

Rylee.

Maisy-Maee.

Ezmai.

Courney-Alice.

Izaeyah.

Jorgea.

Jerzey.

Daisey-Jai.

Dolci'Lou.

Sorry if these are any of normal spellings but I don't recognize them.

It's the misuse of the genitive that gets me...

My children have really boring names!
Is anybody judging me for that?

Is it wrong to have plain, Anglo saxon names? Why the desire to be different. I just don get it at all. Please explain

Freaknomics explains the desire for unique names very well. Generally, those parents who do come from disadvantaged backgrounds are keen to give their child something to make them 'special'. The real sadness is how this often rebounds to the child's disadvantage in later life when it comes to applying for jobs etc.

But of course, we can just urge people not to be twats and it will all be ok.

Oh I've just heard... 16 year old parents of newborn baby girl born tonight to be called Ambaaa. That's right, 3a's at end. Baa as in noise sheep make? What on earth is wrong with Amber. Nice name, but Ambaaa ??

Isn't it France who only allows certain names to be lawful? And in New Zealand that poor 9 year old had to take her parents to court because they called her something like Hula Dancing Girl?

I am beginning to think that this might be the way forward. Some people would embarrass a pet gerbil with the names they chose.

Of course it isnt wrong to have plain anglo saxon names. Its just not compulsory

Some of the names that are often derided on MNs are old names, biblical names that are perceived as made up or deliberately 'different'

I do not beleive that calling a child an unusual name (unless it is totally OTT/rude/the names of the entire Liverpool squad) is a major factor in where they end up on the deprivation scale.

Its the issue seems to lie in the middle classes's fevered imaginations. They see a name and all else follows. The reality that young Kanisha is a clever, ambitious girl with a social worker mum and a dad who teaches secondary Maths, is irrelevant.

Kanishas are ghetto and 4th generations benefit takers

The upper classes have no room to talk with their Tiggys and Lovadays and Mintys

Remind me what the real problem is?

I'll remind you of the only problem.

Ignorance from people who think everything should be the way they like it.

I originally loved the name Caspar for my DC but was put off by just about everyone I spoke to because it was "stupid" and told to choose a Bible name.... Even though Caspar was one of the 3 wise men.

But no, apparently it's new and stupid.

I sense we might have to agree to disagree.

But I will just say this. 'Caspar' quite neutral about that. But if you called your child 'Khazpaar' I would judge, judge, judge away.

Of course there is nothing to prevent Lateeeeesha becoming the next CEO of Facebook or similar. But why make things harder for your children? Twats are a part of life. As a parent you have to choose what battles to fight and I don't think some are worth it. particularly NOT if it is your children you send out onto the battlefield to wave some flag for your er, interesting choice of name.

What difference does it really make how a name is spelled? The spelling itself wont actually affect the persons intelligence.

I have a stupid name with added on letters. Yes I do hate it but it has never stopped me getting a job or into college.

For the record, my name is Chanelle, this is a made up spelling. The name should be Chanel and even at that it is a last name and not a forename.

It could have been worse, they nearly spelled it Channel.

Let me give you a practical example of how spelling your name can matter.

I had a client who was a Kurdish sorani speaker from Iraq. His English wasn't great. He was stopped by the police a couple of times for car related offences. They spelled his name differently every time.

So when we got into care proceedings the LA had got disclosure from the police and were running a case that he was a career criminal operating on a number of different aliases. This raised the index of suspicion against him even higher and on a conservative estimate has delayed proceedings about his children by at least six months.

Just think about how many times you have to give your name to officials and fill in forms etc. Poor little Ambaaaaa is all I can say.

Spero yes, in France you can't just give any old name to your child. It's not as strict as it used to be (a friend in her 40's is called Nathalie, because her mum wasn't allowed to name her Natasha because of the Russian connotation. If you are from a different ethnic group you may be allowed to name your kid something other than Jean-Paul or Michaël, although it usually needs to be a 'proper' from your ethnic group.
We called our DD Hana after the Japanese word for flower (we're Mr and Mrs Average-European) and it was accepted no questions asked, in part thanks to the high Arabic origin population in the area (Hana also being a name found frequently in these communities). Why didn't we go for the palindrome? Because the French often don't know how to spell it anyway, and if they do they associate it with Ms Montana... And I wanted her name to represent something floral (like the cherry blossoms you see in Japanese art).

EnglishMum May I ask if you have ever come across a 'Chanelle" in France?

My parents thought they were being smart. I was the first Chanelle in Scotland!

It really doesn't help that we are planning to move to France in a couple of years...

What makes it even worse is my family are German, if you say my name incorrectly or quickly it means "quick" in German.

Bollocks!

In Germany they check whether you can have the name. I seem to remember we had to go and register the name and come back a few days later for the birth certificate. In the meantime, they look the name up and decide whether it is a "real" as in pre-existing name. We didn't try any unusual spellings, made-up names or anything ,just regular English names but I wonder what would happen there if you tried say "Hula Dancing Girl" and tried to claim it was a name in your culture...

I don't know but I just have a feeling they'd be having none of it. A lot of German dc have names from foreign cultures (ethnically German children with Italian or Irish or nordic names etc) but they are established names. I have never come across things like the same vowel 3x in a row or anything like that - Cheriiisha or whatever the example was further down the thread. Never once came across a name like that or a made-up German one, using a noun or adjective or something to create a new name - equivalent to Star, River or Summer etc.

oh dear Chanelle - schnell

I think only you worry about that. I am sure Germans won't think you're saying I'm fast.

Norks like Aethelbert or Garberend?

Ha ha my hubby is always telling DS to schnell! No it isn't a name I've come across but the -elle is a French feminine ending so it would probably go unnoticed! If you'd been of school age you would probably have been teased with various perfume references, but I can think of worse things to be teased about in life!

ZZZen Nah it isn't me! A few friends picked up on it. :(

EnglshMum I have heard every perfume reference imaginable, to the point my nicknames are 5 and perfume.

I'm considering changing it.

A name is just a made up collection of letters. A name that was made up last week is no less valid than a name made up 100 years ago. I'm sick of name snobbery. Most of the time its classist or racist.

If Kate and Pippa Middleton were called Taniqua and Sharon and a load of girls off the coucil estate or ghetto started calling their kids Kate and Pippa, I guarantee Kate and Pippa would start being called ghetto and chav names and Taniqua and Sharon would be called Middle class names. People will be claiming made up meanings such as 'Taniqua means at one with sea from Roman times' or some such bollocks.

It doesn't matter what 'ghetto' and 'chav' people call their kids, the names will always be looked down on and the middle class people will start calling their kids something else.

Put simply it's not the name's some people have a problem with, it's the people behind the name. Why is Patricia a more valid name than Shaniqua?

Exactly

Capricorn, you have answered your own question. The problem is the assumption.

To recognise that is not to say it is right, fair or good. But it exists.

No one said it doesnt Spero.

But why must we change our behaviour or expect others to in order to avoid something that shouldnt happen?

I have heard the same argument used against mixed race couples having children. They shouldnt do it because the children will suffer prejudice.

Luckily we didnt listen and chose not to bow to the ridiculous bigotry of idiots.

If I can check myself when I see/hear an usual name why cant everyone else? If I can challenge my initial reaction I cannot understand why someone with a superior education cannot do the same.

The names are not the problem. The people who think they can judge a person on the way their name (which they didnt choose) is spelt - they are the problem.

Can anyone beat Philip with an 'F'? Filip. The mind just boggles.

I have a stupid first name which is a posey, lieraryesque version of a perfectly normal name.

I have to spell it all the time. I hate my name. I blame it on all the drugs in the 60's, cheers Mum and Dad ....

The firstmrsd, it is not a compelling argument for you to equate calling your child 'chynna blu' ( a real name in care proceedings, surprise, surprise) with Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on the bus.

Of course we just don't shrug our shoulders in the face of bigotry and say there is nothing we can do.

But WHY for the love of god WHY is giving your child a ridiculous name seen as a noble or effective way of combatting bigotry and prejudice? You are just sending your child out into the world with a stupid name.