To think that parents who give their children unusual names are egotistical...

[Crouchendmumoftwo]

I live in an area where there are lots of children with unusual first names, one might say contemporary or ever preposterous. Names such a Lux, Brutus, Fire, Ace, Rudy. Most of these children are mild mannered and don't stand out in any particular way. I wonder if the name giving is more to show other parents the: "we are creative and middleclass and bit different". I feel that the parents havent given their children much consideration in later life. A man in his 50s called Brutus doesn't have the same appeal as a small boy. I guess that is why David Bowie's son changed his name from Zowie back to Duncan.

I like Ace. Makes me think of Ace Mulholland. Also think Rudy is gorgeous.

Every other girl in my year group had my name - much as I like it, when it is so well used, you stop hearing its beauty and just hear that you are indistinguishable. I therefore gave my dd a more unusual name. Went more traditional for the boys , but that's because I truly loved all the names I chose.

I say there's nothing wrong with wanting your child's name to distinguish him from everybody else - that being the purpose of names!

Interesting, maybe having a usual name will make you want to stand out and maybe a far out one can make you want to hide. I know that most kids want to fit in and having an unusual one can make you stand out when perhaps you dont want to. I had an unusual name, not whacky, I was the only one with it in school and I would have preferred to have been a Kate than my name. Maybe it's a bit like red hair - you appreciate it more when you are older and have more confidence. I still want to he a Kate though and not my name!

Velvet

Is your name mostly spelled wrong? Does it get on your wick?

I do think parents need to think abit before using an unusual spelliing, or worse, making a spelling up

I am not keen on unusual names or weird spellings of normal names. The Reception class teachers must despair. I know there's a poor kid somewhere called Ulysses as I heard his teacher calling him.

I think having an unusal name can make people form an impression of you before they have met you.

Common names don't make people think you are boring, otoh

We have some amazing possibly made-up names in my son's class. I don't think it's a middle class thing. We're talking: L'Zhaan, Rhia-Milan, Lagen, Chernae, etc.

I also know a few kids called things like Rocket and Tiger.

I was veto-ed called my ds1 'Dandelion' which I'm quite glad of now.

If it makes them stand out like a giraffe at a penguin covention then it's unfair. You said 'I live in an area where there are lots of children with unusual first names.' If 'unusual' names are commonplace then what's the problem? Half the DC in their class will have 'unusual' names so they become very much usual and accepted.

So having an unusual ( unheard-of) name for me made me choose names for my children that were not common, but not unheard of, and easy to spell

Some names are very cute for babies but totally unsuitable for a grown up person IYKWIM.

Maybe Rudy is the new Gary?

I went for quite an unusual name for my daughter (7) It may become more popular now that there is someone in the charts with the same name (that I had never heard of before) but I hope not. She likes being the only one round here.

I always think parents who have called their children boring names are.... well a bit boring really.

jamie you are a woman after my own heart. Names that are not so well known, but are still really easy to spell are top of my list.

Rudy is the new Alfie?

YABU

I have an unusual name and I love it. My parents weren't remotely middle class or show-offy.

It is definitely not a middle class thing round here.

Far from it.

I have a very common name (especially for my generation) and I've always wished I had a more unusual one.

I think Lux and Rudy are great names, not keen on the others though.

Dec

But you don't think the children are boring do you?

And that's my point. Parents should think about the first impression their child will be saddled with

I have a very unusual name. I have never yet met another person with my name, though they are out there.

I have an unusual name because my parents both have incredibly commonplace names (like Ann and John but not those).

My kids have very normal names. Unfortunately my dd's name is very commonplace whereas my ds has a name which is ordinary but not used regularly. I had hoped to give my kids ordinary yet not overused names, but it didn't quite work that way.

People were probably having this very conversation in 1960 about children called Claire and Wendy and Dawn and Barry and Jason and Grant.

They were probably saying 'what one earth is wrong with proper, normal names, like Norman and John and Brian and Beryl and Doreen and Margaret?

When was the last time you met and adult and said 'wow, that's a stupid/pretentious/made-up made up name, and it I can't take him seriously because of it.' It almost never happens, because by the time they are adults the name is if not ubiquitous, then at least familiar, and the names grow with the children.

The names Jodie and Hayley are completely commonplace now, but I bet they raised a few eyebrows back in the 60's and 70's with people like Jodie Foster and Hayley Mills. Before that they were virtually unheard of. And so it will be with some of the 'whacky' celeb names we hear now.

It depends on the names and the parents. I have a very normal name so if I'd gone for anything too outlandish it would have looked like I was trying to live vicariously through my kids and enjoy having an unusual name by proxy. So I avoided that.

I like names like Jane. Unusual, as in not used that much at the moment. To me now Jane would stand out.

Jane is so unusual nowadays that it's almost exotic.

I guess there are pretentious names, made up names all sorts but I can't help feeling sorry for the boys called Orlando that I know. I guess theses could be as commonplace as Mark in the 70s? I know someone who insists on her son being called Theodore and not Theo I find that irritating but I find a lot of things irritating !

Fellatio, when I met a Randy (because I am childish) and when I hear about the tennis player Mardy Fish (helps if you know Yorkshire slang)

I live in a multicultural area. My children don't have common English names and neither do most of her friends. Dd met my friends husband the other day, he is called 'Chris' - that's a funny name she said!