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Original poster

Naming babies names that are definitely not what they say

156 replies

Lelophants · 20/02/2021 17:14

For some reason I can't understand this! Dh disagrees. Am I mad?

Naming a baby after a month, despite being born in a different month? (Referring to the new royal August). What does the name mean then?

I've also known an Autumn born in June and a Summer born just before Christmas in snowy Canada (very out of season!!) I feel like names have meanings and associations in some way, whether you like it or not. And it feels like a mistake? Like they didn't realise? It just feels wrong!

I understand with names with less known meanings e.g. rowan meanings red, because a lot of people won't know that.

But August? We all know it's month number 8 🤦🏻‍♀️ I. Just. Cant.

OP posts:
JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows · 21/02/2021 10:47

I'm quite surprised so many people think deeply of the meaning of baby names. I thought most people like me said "Jacob. I like that name. He shall be called Jacob." I didn't realise I should've been hiring a historian to find out if Jacob at some point in history meant wanker, or thief, or boy who sits in his legs, or weirdo, and then avoided it immediately lest all the other mothers had researched Jacob and sneer at me saying "Wow her son is named Jacob, he must be a massive freak and I bet his legs are always sore from all that sitting on them."

pigsDOfly · 21/02/2021 12:32

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows

I'm quite surprised so many people think deeply of the meaning of baby names. I thought most people like me said "Jacob. I like that name. He shall be called Jacob." I didn't realise I should've been hiring a historian to find out if Jacob at some point in history meant wanker, or thief, or boy who sits in his legs, or weirdo, and then avoided it immediately lest all the other mothers had researched Jacob and sneer at me saying "Wow her son is named Jacob, he must be a massive freak and I bet his legs are always sore from all that sitting on them."
Me too.

I named my first child a name I have loved since I was a child myself.

I had no idea of it's meaning when I named him. Frankly, I don't care.

All the posters talking about the name Ben and the fact that in the Bible Ben is something of an after thought in the family so you shouldn't call a first child Ben.

Are all these people so religious that it matters to them? If not then why would it be an issue? It's a name, not a character reference.

My son's name crops up as various characters in the Bible, most of them decent sorts I think, but as the Bible has absolutely no meaning for me, why would I care one way or the other what sort of characters they were supposed to be or their position in a family.

It' a bit like not wanting to name your daughter Catherine because the character in Wuthering Heights wasn't a very nice woman.

Sapho47 · 21/02/2021 12:36

@Lelophants

For some reason I can't understand this! Dh disagrees. Am I mad?

Naming a baby after a month, despite being born in a different month? (Referring to the new royal August). What does the name mean then?

I've also known an Autumn born in June and a Summer born just before Christmas in snowy Canada (very out of season!!) I feel like names have meanings and associations in some way, whether you like it or not. And it feels like a mistake? Like they didn't realise? It just feels wrong!

I understand with names with less known meanings e.g. rowan meanings red, because a lot of people won't know that.

But August? We all know it's month number 8 🤦🏻‍♀️ I. Just. Cant.

But the month is named after a person Grin
DuckonaBike · 21/02/2021 12:43

I kind of see where you’re coming from - I used to know a little fair girl called Ebony and I found it very disconcerting. I also used to work with an April, and yes her birthday was in April and I would have been very puzzled if it wasn’t!

But maybe not everyone takes things as literally as we do Smile

MustardMitt · 21/02/2021 13:34

@Octane

I actually think it's MORE weird to name a girl April/May/June if they're born in that month. Like weirdly deliberate rather than just liking the name.
I agree @Octane. If you like a name use it?! So much angst.
JurassicShay · 22/02/2021 08:46

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows yes her name is Sunday. I love it and it suits her perfectly!

Original poster
Lelophants · 22/02/2021 12:08

@year5teacher

Oh my god, who cares what a couple of incredibly rich strangers name their child
I don't 😂 I'm talking in general about names. You don't realise people post on mumsnet about the right way to butter a cracker.

Anwyay you're all convincing me it's not so strange after all.

Is wierder if it does match? One of my friends thinks it's more cheesy if a baby called Summer is born in summer. I dont know.

OP posts:
oblada · 22/02/2021 12:17

I tend to agree in that I love the fact that names have meaning and wouldn't name a child without knowing the meaning of the word. But that's personal preference. My kids have Indian names with meaning that we researched.
Personally I dont particularly like names like May or June or days of the week etc
August is different as it er clear meaning in my head too so it wouldn't bother me. My nephew is called August. I found it a bit pompous but beyond that no issue :)

oblada · 22/02/2021 12:17

'It has another clear meaning'
My phone is crazy and deletes stuff randomly.

AlfonsoTheTerrible · 22/02/2021 12:27

Yes. You are mad. My parents named me after a plant. I am not a plant.

CoffeeWithCheese · 22/02/2021 12:37

I have one with a middle name May not born in the month - they were a preemie and it was a nod to their expected due date and flows well with the first name. I also have a Robyn born in the spring and nowhere near Christmas - it's just a name we liked.

Someone also mentioned Eve and needing to be born in the evening... I have that and it comes from Adam and Eve and being the first girl in the family.

Beketaten · 22/02/2021 12:52

Autumn Philips (the new baby's aunt, I think?) was born in May...

OwlBeThere · 22/02/2021 12:55

Because..:they like the name??

NewScone · 22/02/2021 13:05

@AlfonsoTheTerrible

Yes. You are mad. My parents named me after a plant. I am not a plant.
Are you sure?
riotlady · 22/02/2021 13:10

But Autumn still means “the season after summer”, whether or not the baby named after that season was born in that season is irrelevant? Poppy isn’t necessarily born in a poppy field, Ruby wasn’t conceived in a dragon’s cave

CaffiSaliMali · 22/02/2021 13:45

One of my favourite names is Eira which is Welsh for snow and would happily use it for a summer born child. A nice name is a nice name.

I know people called April, May and June and none are born in the same month as their name.

It's just personal preference. My cousin is summer born and has Haf as a middle name, which is Welsh for summer. My Aunt was pleased to give birth in summer so she didn't have to choose a different middle name. I would have used it regardless!

HOkieCOkie · 22/02/2021 13:58

My aunt may is born in November. Lol never thought about it before now. Haha

Bibidy · 22/02/2021 14:04

But people don't name their babies purely after when they are born?

I wouldn't think anything of a baby being called Summer even if she was born in December.

luxxlisbon · 22/02/2021 14:07

Sure names have meanings and associations, it doesn't mean your associations of a baby name is more important that the associations of the parents.
Maybe the parents associate the name 'Summer' with a light, happy baby rather than the month they are born.

"And it feels like a mistake? Like they didn't realise? It just feels wrong!"

They aren't objectively wrong.

I don't know why you assume you know so much more about what is behind a name vs the people who picked it.

aSofaNearYou · 22/02/2021 14:10

Can't say this bothers me at all.

KeyboardCat · 22/02/2021 14:16

@CuntyMcBollocks

Who cares??? It's a name, nothing more. My name supposedly means 'desirable' but it really isn't relevant or apt whatsoever.
I know it's not, but the thought of that applying to 'Cunty McBollocks makes me laugh!! Grin
PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 22/02/2021 14:22

It makes me think of Chrestomanci — they call him "the august personage" sometimes.

OwlBeThere · 22/02/2021 16:03

My daughter is named Medi Enfys, meaning September Rainbow I had picked the name long before she was born. She was due in September but was born in June 🤷🏼‍♀️

BirthChoice · 22/02/2021 16:08

Im the opposite!
I think it’s a bit on the nose to call a baby born in April, April.
I know someone who had a baby born on November 11th called Poppy; they weren’t going to use Poppy beforehand but decided to because of the date. I find that weirder.

CorianderBee · 22/02/2021 16:16

I've always loved the name August. It was a name (or at least an epithet) before it was a month..

Also, this doesn't really make sense because you can't know what your kid will be like. Are all Sophias supposed to turn out 'wise' or else be mid-named? Should all Amelias be hardworking and all Albas be white??