To have told her got names are very common at the moment

[pinksaltlamp]

I bumped into a old workmate yesterday, was catching up with her as we haven't seen each other since I left the job.

She told me about her last year, she had a child and moved house. All lovley, then she said the name of her child. First thing I said is "is that a got name", she replied yes and I said " nice, they are really common at the moment". She looked devastated, checked her phone and said she had to get her train.

I keep replaying it in my head and wonder if I really offended her. I didn't mean common as a derogatory term, just as in popular.

Did I say something wrong? She must of known some character from the biggest TV show at the moment is not going to be unique?

Never heard this "got name" term

Isn't it "strange" how you have a thread about 1 topic and then suddenly an influx of threads about the exact same topic? I think I'll hide all the little girl's names threads now its too tedious for words. In RL I never meet people who faff so much about names, how its going to affect traumatise their child in decade, did I offend so n so by mentioning name is unusual, so n so offended me by saying name is unusual.. blah..

I worked on a baby mames book a couple of years ago and Game of Thrones names were on the rise then, particularly Khaleesi, Daenerys and Arya.

Where I live there are quite a few dogs named after Harry Potter and Lord of the rings (dobby, Gandalf, Voldemort) so while not many dogs have the same name it is common to name after the films. If I met a child with a GOF name while I would not think the name is common/popular, I would (hopefully silently) find it popular to name after a show.

Sorry GOT not GOF

Are you a native English speaker?

I ask because I had a friend from Hong Kong at school who generally spoke brilliant English, but she struggled with the difference between common and popular. She'd come out with sentences like "Is HIV popular in England?" Or "That's so common back home."

Th only other time I remember her getting mixed up was between hospital and hotel... She asked of we often stayed in a hospital on holiday. She did laugh so much when we told her that one. Much easier to explain the difference in that case.

Even if I told you I'd named my PFB "bluetack" the response should always be "how lovely".
And arya/GOT names are hardly popular/common.

I like the name Arya "wanders off"

I think she is being really oversensitive tbh. People use 'common' as 'popular' in everyday speech. I wouldn't think anything else of it other than next time use popular when that's what you mean! I have a 'popular' first and second name combo and can't believe that anyone would be so touchy.

I agree - default response should always be 'oh thats nice'. Anything else at all is just rude.

I don't like Arya - sounds too.. indistinct and mumbly and as if you're asking the question "are ya?"

I love my middle dds name.

She was one of 17 in her first primary school

I'd still call her it though.

100% agree with rainohjoyus. If I ask a name I'm always poised with "lovely". It costs me nothing, and spares them any undue hurt feelings because of my subjective opinion which they didn't need to know.

witchend those made me laugh. Language is a minefield.

Having said that I'd be surprised if your friend was genuinely offended. She might have found it a bit awkward.

"DS2 has 3 Millie-Mae's and 2 Lilly-Mae's in his class. Or the other way around."

Ugh. Clearly time to move schools ginger nut

Fucking hell of course you offended her!

I don't think you were rude. I think she was OTT. Just say sorry next time you see her.
People are so precious about their choice of baby names.

Sorry I should Read thread.
You sound really nice so I'm sure she'll forgive you if she feels hurt. But I don't think you needed to worry

Thanks, no English isn't my first language. I do sometimes struggle with words that technically are fine but might have evolved to be offensive.

To be honest if you are going to call your child a name you got from Game of Thrones then you kind of need to wobble your head a little bit, but this of course is just IMHO. You said it how I was. I value people who are honest even when they can upset you sometimes.

You did start by saying "nice" so your old workmate could have given you the benefit of the doubt and assumed that you meant "common" as in "popular".

(I know she didn't, just that she could have chosen to)

I would have thought you meant chavvy if you had said common.

Sounds like you met my half sister, she had a baby girl last year called Arya and moved house. Was it in Norfolk?

I guess it could have come across a little sarcastic with the "nice" part but it's entirely true they are very popular right now and with English not being your first language she should be more forgiving of your mistake.

Sounds like you met my half sister, she had a baby girl last year called Arya and moved house. Was it in Norfolk?

I guess it could have come across a little sarcastic with the "nice" part but it's entirely true they are very popular right now and with English not being your first language she should be more forgiving of your mistake.