To not understand why people call their baby...

[smellfunny]

Not to be goady, but I don't understand why people give their babies names with negative connotations or meanings. Examples from the top of my head being:

Cain (murdered his brother in Old Testament)
Hector (hector also being a synonym for bullying someone)
Tristan (this one is a bit contentious because it can either mean 'tumult' or correspond to 'sadness')

Is it just that people don't think about the meanings behind the names? Feel free to add more names to the list...

Bonus name: 'Claudia' coming from the Latin word for 'lame'. I gave this one a pass because it's so established and the connotation is generally unknown...

NRTFT as it's far too long but after a couple of pages in I just wanted to say that 'Molly' doesn't JUST mean bitter, it also means 'pearl' and there's quite a few names which have more than one meaning actually. You'd have to really do your research on a name before deciding it is totally negative. Most names have more meaning than you might think, especially to the parents who may have Incorporated family names or other meaningful things to them as well. I think it's ignorant to judge a name without the full story behind the meaning, personal or otherwise.

If we stopped naming children with names that have negative connotations, there would soon be none left, and meanings are pretty arbitrary. Many names have multiple 'meanings' too. Someone upthread said that Imogen meant something negative but I have always understood it to mean 'daughter' and I don't understand how it has a meaning at all because I also understand that it's a misspelling of a name invented by Shakespeare. Do you think that there should be no more German children named Adoph? Or if the name of any serial killer should be instantly offlimits? Names are just names and everyone has their reasons for choosing or rejecting each one. Personally I don't like most names that are clearly invented, but other's say that it's lovely that a baby has something invented especially for them. Each to their own.

They only mean those things because someone decided they would. You’re free to decide that the name means something you like.

My name means ‘lover of horses’- I don’t. They’re ok; in fact they’re special animals, but I’m a bit scared of them.

I have decided that, in my case, my name will mean ‘lover of cats’ instead.

I love the name Jude and really wanted to name my DS that. Until my gran told me Jude is the saint of lost causes. Then I went off it. I am especially glad I chose a different name for him now as he has some additional needs so Jude, the saint of lost causes would have been bit more of a kick in the teeth. In my opinion anyway. I still love the name. Just can’t bring myself to use it.

Jude also means praise.

turnocks Elijah was a prophet & a miracle worker - that's a cool name!

Can't get over Jude Law though... I don't like that guy.

Imogen is thought to be a misspelling of Holinshed's Innogen which is Celtic for maiden or girl.

(Shakespeare regularly mined Holinshed for material)

I was hugely tempted to call ds' Ptolemy', Tolly for short.

I didnt but I am not sure the name I chose was a great deal wiser...

Thanks @Basseting.

Haven't RTFT but the one that always makes me is Madelaine. To me it just reads Mad Elaine. Why would you call your DD that?

FuckMy Adolf Kitler per chance we had a Mr Kitler

Henrysmycat. I too cannot stand all the variations in spelling of names. Attention seeking at its best.

If you read on a bit further you will find that Cain turns into a very strong builder. And the bible is all about forgiveness. I chose Cain for this reason with 2 more strong biblical middle names. It’s about looking at the whole picture not just the first little part. Although most people think my children are named after wrestlers or emmerdale characters.

Cs Lewis wrote that Avarice would have made a beautiful name (except for the meaning).

I have met a small Electra, a name that has a sad Greek story associated with it, and Antigone is associated with another such story. Likewise Cressida of Troilus and Cressida, a very pretty name but a tragic association.

Personally, I would like to know about associations with names beforehand, rather than after the child has been named, so I think this thread is potentially quite useful.

Thanks DontLetMeBeMisunderstood, I'll definitely keep that in mind. Especially if I meet a Ms Candida Albicans...

Embarrassed to admit but why is Cain so bad? 😳

Candida

And anything that sounds like melena - the foul smelling black tarry stools you pass after your stomach ulcer bleeds

From your examples Cain is obvious but not the others.

Because names usually have multiple meanings and connotations and certainly have different connotations for different people. A name might have a sad meaning but if it reminded you of a much loved relative or time in your life the connotation may change for you iyswim

@Ohwhatfun, In the early part of the Bible, God makes Adam and Eve and they have 2 sons, Cain and Abel. Abel is more favoured by God, so Cain is jealous and kills Abel. This is the first murder (of very many) in the Bible and Cain becomes an outcast, hence a byword for a terrible person.

I think where the name comes from is more important than the original meaning to be honest.

My names mean magnificent and beautiful. I was named after the local, very cheap prostitute and the dog, it's hyphenated, so Prostitute-Dog, my siblings were all named after saints.

My sons name is also on your list. According to my definition (Cornish) the name is also known as Tristam which is a Cornish knight of the Round Table and a hero. I also chose it because it's a nice name rather than based on its meaning alone.

I love the name Jude but after reading Jude the Obscure it's so bloody tragic. If I had a daughter I'd like to call her Io even if Io was turned into a cow in mythology.