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?

Horatios certainly do not need apostrophes.😆

I’m working class & have a DS called Hector, had no idea it was considered a “posh” name until I read a thread where people were guessing what Boris Johnson would call one of his sons and Hector was a popular contender. A name is just a name, people can choose whatever they like to call their kids. If I have another DS I would want to call him Atlas but maybe ill choose something more in keeping with my social class, like Steptoe.

No, he’s not my first.

Why would I give it a few years?

His friends and classmates have names that would have posters here appalled and feeling sad for them, many of those friends from different cultures.

what a nasty and judgement thread to start. I know there is plenty going on in the baby name threads but to start one in AIBU just because people are using names you personally don’t like?

It makes literally zero difference to your life what people name their kids. Many people choose names which are special for one reason or another.

my kids have more old fashioned names, from a book I loved as a child and guess what? After my grandfather, a literal WW2 veteran. Nothing out there but along the lines of Elsie, Arthur, Albert, Lillian.

as someone who had a very generic 90s name, where there were three others in my class alone, I hated it and wished I had a more unusual name!

Christ, I was only curious. I didn't ask for all your co-workers' names.

I remember when Hugo was a ridiculously posh name. It was Tarquin levels of silliness.

Hugo is a lovely name (biased).

30 years ago there was less competition to call your child something crazy

No social media either

I'm another one who loves Horatio wanted it for ds but dh wasn't keen many says ds has a posh name (Conrad) for me its pretty normal. @someonethatyoulovetoomuch Hector is a brilliant name I love it great choice.

I love names and I love the changes in name fashion.

The only one that has surprised me recently was my friends granddaughter she is named Stephanie. Normal name but I don't recall ever meeting a baby Stephanie.

And so the school holidays begin …

I like Hugo too. It's very normal to me now. This is progress IMO. I like that people are confident using a variety of names now.

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.

You sound unpleasant and not too bright, OP. My name is not easy to read or pronounce for British people, but completely 'normal' where I'm from, same as that of my partner and brother. Thankfully we've all made it to senior management and high earning status in our industries here and in the US without renaming ourselves John and Catherine. Phew! Thanks for the tips, though.

There is a lot of difference between a name not everyone likes and those where the choice is an unusual spelling. The latter I think is unkind to a child as it means a lifetime of correcting people.

Names have always had alternative spellings. My friend growing up was always saying "Catherine, with a K, no not with a Y at the end".

More and more things are online now. It's just a made up problem unless you get offended by your name being spelled wrong on a Starbucks cup.

True. Katy/Katie and Molly/Mollie were common when I was growing up and had their names misspelt the most. When someone comes across an unfamiliar name they ask how it's spelt IME.

I get the annoyance of correcting people, but there are plenty of normal names that people have to correct when it comes to spelling anyway.

Plus ça change

There was someone in my son's nursery called Tulisa. I remember writing Christmas cards out thinking what a low point it was.

I don't mind the old fashioned names, but the "chav" names are hideous.

Yeah, names have cycles. I suppose the Internet might have encouraged some people to look for unique names so their child is very googlable, though TBH I wouldn't be surprised if people realise that can be a liability and start calling their kids Katy, John, Jane and Mary again.

I'm just waiting for the 80s parents names to come round - our kids will be calling their kids Brian, Yvonne, Jackie, Susan, Michael, Richard etc 😆

Lillian, Ivy, Ada, Elsie, maud, all names I teach in my current year 7. When I started in the late 90’s they were all Stacey, Chelsea, Kelsey etc

Ruby is a gemstone/mineral, there are lots of such names, e.g Pearl, Beryl, Jade, Amber and more recently Emerald.

Yes we only had baby name books in the past. Lots of US surname type names over her tin U.K. now like Harrison and Carter and Taylor for example .

As an Asian, I have had a lot of pressure to shorten and Anglicise my name and to give "normal" names to my DC. Most Asians have done so, mangling their beautiful meaningful names to "Jag" or "Sid" or "Jas" so people can pronounce them, or they can get ahead in the workplace. But we have resisted.

Our names have meaning and heritage. If ignorant oafs take the piss out of my kids, I have taught them to fight back.

Lots of Eastern Europe kids at our school called 80's sounding names like Dennis, Kevin, Martin, Justin... love it !

Taste in names is just like taste in decor or music OP. Be a bit boring if we were all the same no? 🤷🏻‍♀️

What is a “chav” name and what makes it one?

Not being funny, I don’t know what the rules are for what makes a name “chavvy”.