For thinking baby names are getting silly

[bulbarsaurus]

Hi everyone,

Recently read through a thread with OP who wanted to name her child something completely ridiculous.

I have noticed a lot of threads with the same comments of very odd baby names, think things Like Spartacus or Amicablalette. For some reason this now seems to be the norm.

It seems like people are now either trying to make their normal child sound like a WW2 veteran by naming them Albert or Rodney or the lord or lady of the manner with names like Tarquin or Agatha.

Is it just me or do some of these names not look ridiculous. I know a child at a local nursery with working class parents called Horatio.

I can't imagine naming my children anything other than something normal so that when they finally go for a job interview their names appear professional and easy to read/pronounce.

Are there a list of normal Girls/Boys names you can give me! And does anyone else agree with me?!

AIBU?

Thing is, the tree and bird names are now more prominent than the names you mention

As others have said, names go in cycles.

I don't personally like many of the old fashioned ones that have come back in fashion. Perhaps that's because I'm old enough to remember old people with those names. Neither do I like many of the newer names that have become popular.

My name was a common one when I was born and all the people I have known with the same name were born within about 5 years of me.

For that reason I deliberately chose classic names for my children. Obviously some people would find their names dull and imaginative. I like the fact that their names will never date them.

We are all different!

Entirely agree.

Nearly fell off my seat on the bus yesterday when a mother called her toddler Peter.

It's rare in all social class where I live to meet a child who has the name of any adult you know.

I mean, I don't know any adult men (I have boys so a bit more clued up on the boys' names) called:

Milo, Arlo, Theo, Orlando, Finlay, Luca, Jaxon or Otis

Nor do I know any babies (other than the one on the bus) called:

Peter, David, Daniel, Michael, Matthew (as a late 70s kid this one is especially weird), Philip, Mark, Gregory, Brian or Jeffrey.

Of course it would be a nightmare if this name did become widespread.

Imagine in a classroom when a boy says
"I'm Spartacus'
and half of the class join in with,
"No, I'm Spartacus"

I think its more straightforward to have an out-there name than have a strange spelling of a regular name if that makes sense.

And why do people always put the job interview scenario in. The kid has just been born, they won't go to a job interview for 20 years by which time the senior person interviewing them might be called Chardonnay or Tia Maria, and won't care if they're called Horatio or Spartacus.

Yeah 。Agatha sounds more like their scullery m aid!

I think Agatha is lovely. I'd have it any day over the trillions of hyphenated creations usually containing Rose/Grace/Mai/Mae.

So rude. There's someone on the thread who has said that's their daughters name

Exactly. My normal will not be someone else’s normal.

My son’s name is Kaiden. It’s only on MN did I see that a lot of people consider the name Kaiden to be a ‘chavvy’ name or a name associated with a lower class family. We’re Black and I’d never heard of this! To me, Kaiden is a great name so again, my normal will not be someone else’s normal

Why does that matter?

I have a younger cousin named Brayden. His parents are middle class (not that it should matter) and his name isn’t hurting him. I also don’t see how having a -den name is chavvy.

I asked what makes a name chavvy and no one has explained it other than saying names. There’s a lot of hypocrisy on this thread around names.

By some comments, I think some have rarely been around or know people of different backgrounds from them.

Apart from Willow though @whathasitgottodowiththepriceofoliveoil none of the nature names are as ubiquitous as Mark, Paul, Kevin, Darren, Neil etc are among 50 year old blokes are they?

My neighbour has a new granddaughter called Susan, after her Granny 😊). They are calling her Suzy but these names are coming back. We also have two Janes and an Anthony all aged under 3 at our church, very 60s names.

It feels like you are saying people should "stay in their lane" by linking acceptable names and class. I definitely don't agree with that.

Naming traditions are a social construct. I think it's fine for parents to use the names they prefer rather than feeling they have to fit in.

They just become their name and fit.

I have a friend who named her children old fashioned names. The eldest in particular is not one I have heard as becoming popular in recent years. It caused some raised eyebrows at the time but now, 8 years later, it's just his child's name, it suits them and now doesn't seem unusual at all.

What's wrong with Agatha, love that name.

Over the years my DC (who both have traditional names that never go out out of fashion for the record) have had lots of "old" named classmates. After the initial ooh, haven't heard that one for a child of today, it just becomes... their name. And doesn't seem unusual at all. Off the top of my head there has been a:

Steven
Marion
Colin
Scott
Reggie

I've got two brothers...both late 40's...one is called Lionel and one called Wayne. Needless to say they both hate their names and go by their middle names.
So thankful my parents named me after my Italian Grandmother.

I would say Jane and Anthony ,are more classic name and will have frequent resurgence, s my sister is called Jane she's in her early 50,s and is named after our Grandmother who 112! If she was still alive .

Why is it rude? Such snobbery.

My son has a nane more commonly associated with dogs and donkeys. I liked it and was well aware and quite liked the popularity amongst pet owners.

It doesn't just that these names aren't really that "interesting" or "unique" so they don't stand out as odd as some posters think

Dogs and donkeys? 🤔
Now I’m imagining a boy named Eeyore, which I think is quite charming actually.

I thought all donkeys were called Jenny ! I’m proper confused now !!!

Why do you care? Everyone has different taste & I wouldn’t judge someone else for what they like. I didn’t want my daughter to be in a class with 5 other people with the same name so avoided the “normal” baby name lists that tend to be super commonplace. We named her Teddy, which is more traditionally a boys name & we adore it, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Also, I love the name Horatio - super cute 😂

What about this? My friend’s niece is Betty-Lizzie Elizabeth.

yes the same name three times but different versions