To ask if you make assumptions by name?

[manicinsomniac]

Okay, so in theory, we are all decent, reasonable people who would never assume that the name a family gives a child has any bearing on them as people.

But, in practice, - do we make those assumptions?

A lot of threads in the baby names topic talk about 'chavvy' names, names for people with low IQs, the idea that you can predict a child's future success based on their name etc. It all sounds very nasty and judgmental but it got me thinking as to whether we can avoid doing it and what it could mean for our children if we do.

I have only been a teacher for 5 years and have only taught in two schools - but they were very very different schools and yes, they did have very different 'popular' names. Both schools have lots of Amys, Lucys, Daniels and Sams but at the first school I taught at I had Dillon, Declan, Damon, Chelsea, Kelsey, Kasey and Jamie-Leigh. In the school I now teach at I have Annabelle, Beatrice, Georgina, Harriet, Sebastian, Frederick, Rupert and Henry.

Do you think we have names that are firmly seen as 'chavvy' or 'posh' as well as the huge mass of names that are obviously in the middle? And, if we do, do we run the risk of a child being perceived as 'a poncy twat' if we call him Rupert or 'a scuzzy chav' if we call them Jamie-Leigh. (By the way, those hideous classist terms are in inverted commas for a reason, I would never actually use them!!)

When you named your child did you consider what other people might think of the name or just go for what you liked?
Do you make assumptions about people based on their name choices?

I think that most people do and I suspect that I do myself if I'm very honest. And I think it's a bad and potentially quite damanging tendency. But I'm fully prepared to be told IABU.

What about Victoria/Vicky/Vicki i haven't seen those mentioned.

I haven't heard Sophie being mentioned either, what is that classed as?

Is Joshua now classed as "chavvy"?

From them two names how would you describe my family?

Actually, something I find quite amusing in the Uk (I?m Irish although have lived here a very long time) is the view of Irish names. Niamh, Malachi, Rory- all thought of as quite fashionable, unusual, and dare I say it, posh. They?re actually, imo/e, middle aged names, of no real interest or social standing at all.

I?ve come across people who smugly say ?people don?t know how to spell Niamh, it really annoys me when they spell it Neave? (subtext- aren?t they uncultured?) er, no, you decided to spell a rather dull name in the Gaelic fashion, a language you do not speak nor belong to a country which speaks so exactly what did you expect? Durrr.

It says nothing about the children-they can't help what they've been lumbered with-but I think it does say something about the parents (who out of vanity give their children weird or chavvy names). I think it is best to play it safe with name: Michael, Richard, John are all good names and are classless and assumption-free. They can also be shortened if required.

I think 'beige' is a good philosophy for names. Nothing that stands out and gives the child neutrality: James, Andrew. Perhaps Ann (e) and Rebecca for girls.

Its the builder or barrister test!

I think 'beige' is a good philosophy for names. Nothing that stands out and gives the child neutrality: James, Andrew. Perhaps Ann (e) and Rebecca for girls.

And so starts the grand reversal of MNers' quest for 'unique' names?

And the advent of thousands of handwringing threads about parents self-centred and negligent enough to call DCs Xanthe/Morwenna/Mercutio?

I have a Connor , he doesn't have any sen, but has probably been described as difficult in the past.

I'm not sure if ds2s name might be abit chavvy, although we havnt come across any other children with the same name

Ds3 I think after reading this thread might have a "mummy's little darling" name

Ds4s name is very popular at the mo

Michael, Richard, John are all good names and are classless and assumption-free. They can also be shortened if required.

I can see your point, and I do tend to agree except that they would only be assumption free if none of us had previous experience of people with those names - I would never choose Michael as a name as I know a really nerdy bloke called Michael (he'd make a better Timothy! joking...but perhaps you know what I mean).

We were discussing that programme about adoption last week on Chat and the boy called, "Connor" was actually called "Coner" or maybe "Conner". I would assume from his name that he was disadvantaged but he had lovely foster parents and older sisters who adored and idolised him.

In my experience, a lot of people cant spell Michael - Micheal is a favourites and irritates the shit out of me until my haemorroids itch wildly.

The child was fostered but it was his name that made you assume he was disadvantaged?

Oh no, not beige, neither of my dc could be beige, classic yes, perhaps a nice teal which according to colour me beautiful is supposed to suit everyone.

They do sparkle though!!

But if Coner had been with his birth family, would you have assumed he would be disadvantaged?
Perhaps (devil's advocate here....) the sort of people who are foster parents would not call him Coner? Maybe he'd have been a James if he'd been their birth child?

No, if I had come across a Coner in a professional capacity I would probably assume he was disadvantaged. Initially. That's what the thread is about. Assumptions.

The foster family didn't change his name and can't. Not allowed or right even if he was called Moonbeam.

Micheal pisses me right off.

Micheal (and other misspelt names) would p me right off as well.
I'd also assume that a Coner was disadvantages, in fact I can only think of three Connor/Coners/Conors that I have come across and they were all disadvantaged in some way.

And yes, the child was fostered by a lovely family but neglect during babyhood can produce a degree of disadvantage

So what does everyone assume about posters based upon their MN names ?

"There WILL be Chelseees and Alfieees in responsible positions in 20 years time".

I'm less sure. By and large it wasn't the Waynes and Tanyas who went on to the responsible positions from those born in an earlier generation. Now, I hope that as the psychology of reaction to names another components of a first impression is better understood, then it may be less of a handicap.

But there are other questions (or at least I assume there are) concerning class and social mobility; and how far names and appearances are endogamous, and what that is likely to mean in terms of life chances.

FifiLaMoure loves her small pet poodle called Fifi :)

Or she could be into the Burlesque scene

Or she could be into the Burlesque scene

That too....but what about the ridiculous FizzyMoonDust (as was before Xmas name change)....or FizzyCHristmasFairyDust :)