To be really upset that Mnetters are taking the P*&& out of my baby names?

[tictacto]

Just because I don't like Jack or Emily.

By Ubergeekian on Fri 18-Jan-08 23:33:44
chankins: "But how can a teacher look at a name of a child and decide they are a slapper ??!!"

There was a child psychologist in Glasgow who said, once, that he could diagnose on the basis of names alone.

"If she's called Hannah or Emily she's got an eating disorder. If she's called Shanice or Kelly-Marie she's being shagged by her uncle"

Is that meant to be amusing? Or a serious point? Either way it's devoid of intelligence.

"If she's called Hannah or Emily she's got an eating disorder. If she's called Shanice or Kelly-Marie she's being shagged by her uncle"

Is that meant to be amusing? Or a serious point? Either way it's devoid of intelligence.

WELL SAID SPAWN CHORUS

wtf
what a thing to post

There's a really interesting book called Freakonomics, which looks at how parents are trying to 'signal' something from their offspring's name, and how a name can 'mark' a child throughout their lives. If you are concerned about teachers being prejudiced, imagine a blue-chip recruiter doing a first cut through CVs - what chance has Jodylynne-Cheyenne got?

There's extracts at:
"Where baby names come from"
www.slate.com/id/2116505/

slate.com/id/2116449/

the reason is probably down to people believing that you yourself are having a larf....surely you are not serious?

nothing wrong with choosing unusual...but there is unusual and then there is just over the top ridiculous unusual...impossble to be taken serious unusual...

by the way your id really is confusing...what with there being a tiktok on mumsnet...

pmsl tictacto

3andnomore - read the whole thread. I was a wind up

tbh, I guessed that...well, I was hoping it anyway....lol....

Oops I meant It was a wind up!!

SpawnChorus: "Is that meant to be amusing? Or a serious point?"

Not my statement, you understand. But I think it's a bit of both, perhaps reflecting the different pressures experienced by girls from "nice" middle class and working class families.

"reflecting the different pressures experienced by girls from "nice" middle class and working class families."

I'm afraid that's bullshit. It's a deeply distasteful statement which makes ignorant generalisations about class, and derives its 'humour' from mental disorders and abuse.

I would be interested to read the source of this quote. I find it hard to believe that a qualified psychologist could make such a crass conjecture, even in a 'jokey' way.

My ds's name is Wilfred and it means "a wish for peace" or in another book i looked at it meant "bringer of peace" all i know is i havent had much peace in the last 11 years!
The other names i like (not that im having any more) are Thaddeus and Dulcie.

Think of this poor baby being called "Google"

www.babynamesworld.com/naming_tips/eb6.htm

Think of this poor baby being called "Google"

www.babynamesworld.com/naming_tips/eb6.htm

whoops sorry duplicated it

SpawnChorus: "It's a deeply distasteful statement which makes ignorant generalisations about class, and derives its 'humour' from mental disorders and abuse."

Yes, it is, isn't it?

It uses language quite subtly to make a point about how society views different social groups. Perhaps you missed that?

I was reading the "Salon" extract from Freakonomics to which someone posted a link, and it made me wonder about "in" and "out" names in the future. One example in that article is "Amber", which started off among well-to-do-Americans and which ten years later was common in poorer groups and almost unknown in the well-heeled. And there was a time, believe it or not, when Rhys/Reece and Jordan were quite posh.

So what names are on the slide now, I wonder? I have a feeling that "Max" is on the way down, following "Ben" by a couple of years and Luke by about five.

freakonomics is very interesting isn't it.

I do think when someone announces that they are going to call their new baby say "Jack" or "Ella" ( fine names, I haven't got anything against them) " Oh that's novel,why are you calling your child by the same name as millions of other kids?, have some originality fhs"

I must say though, looking at the thread which links to this, those made- up names are really pretty dire.

Ubergeekian - I have read and re-read your original post, and in the context of this thread and chankins' question I genuinely cannot see any subtle subtext to your quote from the psychologist. You say he claims to be able to diagnose children on the basis of their names alone. Perhaps in the the original source this statement is laden with irony (although I maintain it's is still in poor taste). However, any intended irony was lost by your reference in this thread.

Spawnchorus, are you REALLY saying that it is impossible to make an educated guess about the relative socio-economic positions of Hannah and Shanice? Really?

seeker - Of course you can make guesses as to someone's background from their name. However, I am saying that it is wrong to then extrapolate from that guess that a child will therefore be 'trouble' or whatever.

For example, earlier in this thread:

By Ubergeekian on Fri 18-Jan-08 19:47:33
nametaken: "
And apparently teachers can tell which children are going to be the problem ones, simply by looking at the names on the list."

Oh yes indeed - I'm not a teacher but I work a lot with children and after a while you learn... Conors and Ryans are always little brats. Anything-Lee will be a chav. Jacks aren't bad on their own, but should be kept away from the Conors and Ryans.

By martianbishop on Fri 18-Jan-08 19:53:03
I couldn't possibly comment geek..... grin

post By BecauseImWorthIt on Fri 18-Jan-08 19:59:28
MB - why don't you change your name so we don't know it's you and then post the names that you know are trouble?!

Come on, you know you want to ...

And then the the link to the TES website.

I've seen these sort of comments too many times on here to have much confidence that children really are treated with an even hand despite their parents' choices of names.

In my class at school was Marlon Brando Jr, his brother Erol Flynn Brando was in the year above and younger brother Johnny Brando a couple of years below - I am sure that when anyone reads that name, teachers, employers, probation officers - they will pass judgement! His father actually changed his name my deed poll to Marlon Brando, Jr was on the news once because of his name, aprently when the police stopped him their response was 'yer and I'm Mickey Mouse'. Of course aged 13 we had no idea Marlon was a strange name but found Johnny hilarious - only not to his face Erol was quite 'ard.

Spawn, I'm sorry that you have so little confidence. I'd had a hard day, a very hard day.

And I realy do bust a gut to give the kids in my care the very best that I can.

But if it makes you feel better to think badly of me, so be it.

I'm also a teacher, of course when some names come up you make some judgement, but really we do - well 99% of the teachers I've worked with do thier very best and don't judge the kids really - the TES tread should really be taken with a pinch of salt.