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Original poster

What is so wrong with hyphenated names?

37 replies

dmae · 21/03/2011 10:06

Just been reading a thread with some strong opinions against the use of hypens in names.

My son doesn't have a hypen in his name but we always call him by his first and middle names (Alfie Joe) as it flows so well.

What is the big deal about it?

OP posts:
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vouvrey · 21/03/2011 10:08

They often sound like the parents couldnt choose between 2 names so went for both regardless if they flow. Also they tend to have nn versions of names instead of the full versions, which a lot of people think should be the way it is on the bc.

LadyCLC · 21/03/2011 10:43

There is no big deal - I am 34 and I have a hyphenated name, and it is not a short one either, I have never been called by a nickname and it has never been a problem for me, I dont think it is chavvy at all as I have read in other threads and I find it quite offensive people are so against it - so what if the parents couldnt choose between 2 names, whats wrong with having both!

Eglu · 21/03/2011 10:44

It's usually too much of a mouthful, and it looks a bit tacky.

LadyCLC · 21/03/2011 10:49

I disagree, my name is not tacky in the least in fact it is classy.

vouvrey · 21/03/2011 11:09

I think you can get away with the old fashioned hyphen names like Mary-Jane, Anne-Marie, Sarah-Jane etc

it's the modern ones like

Lily-Mae, Abbey-Gail, Destiny-Hope etc that are tacky and chavvy.

Original poster
dmae · 21/03/2011 11:11

What about Daisy-Mae?

OP posts:
greenzebra · 21/03/2011 11:14

I dont think theres anything wrong with a hyphenated name, if you like them then use them. They are popular Marie and Jane used to be the second part of the hyphenated name when I was young but now it seams to be Mae, may. I think sometimes they can sound very pretty and thats why they are popular.

I did meet a girl in USA who was called Margaret-Elizabeth and we all had to call her Margaret-Elizabeth, no nn. Was a bit of a mouthful but hey still remember her name.!

slowshow · 21/03/2011 12:16

I agree with vouvrey, the vast majority of the time, it looks like the parents couldn't choose between two names, so chose both. Doesn't matter whether they flow together or not Confused I know of a little girl called Sky - Mia. Such a mouthful!

(I added in spaces because I don't want it to be Googled!)

EricNorthmansMistress · 21/03/2011 16:26

They make my teeth itch. They look stupid, sound stupid, like the parents either couldn't decide or think their child is so super special that they need two names....

spidookly · 21/03/2011 16:29

Alfie Joe is totally different from Alfie-Joe

One is a pet name you can use when he's little and he can drop when he's older and prefers just Alfie.

Alfie-Joe is just too inflexible, and would be a burden in later life.

Maryz · 21/03/2011 16:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fanjolina · 21/03/2011 16:46

They're naff.

Unless they are on a French hunk, with a name like Jean-Marc or similar. Then they're OK Wink

catinthehat2 · 21/03/2011 16:52

Mary, that's what 8 point font sizes are for

fatlazymummy · 21/03/2011 16:58

There's nothing at all wrong with them IMO. Really if that's what you like then go with it.
People can always change or drop part of their own names when they are older if they wish.

Maryz · 21/03/2011 17:09

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nigglewiggle · 21/03/2011 17:15

I don't object to anyone else using them, but I find that they are exceptionally twee and they sound a bit American - "Bobby-Sue".

RibenaBerry · 21/03/2011 17:45

I think my objection to them is that they are often so inflexible. Alfie Joe as a pet name to call a boy is lovely, but it's quite a 'cheeky' sort of a name. When he's an adult, he might prefer to be just 'Alfie'. That's why I (like you) wouldn't hypenate it.

Girls names tend to be worse. The hypenated girls names (unless it's classic ones like Mary-Jane) tend to be very 'cute' and 'sweet'. Not every grown women wants to be 'cute' and 'sweet'. I think it's so much better to give your child some flexibility in their name, so that it can suit their adult personality. It's the same reason I would personally always name a child Jonathan, not Johnny, or whatever too.

DilysPrice · 21/03/2011 17:52

Not very grown up, unless you're French as noted above. Calling babies by both given names is lovely and normal, but if you hyphenate then they're stuck with it for life.

Mind you I have very prescriptive views on baby names, so you lost me at Alfie, which is not a name.

LadyCLC · 21/03/2011 19:11

Although my name is hyphenated it is not 'cute' or 'sweet' and in fact in day to day life I only use the first part of it - my full name is only used for official documents. I am quite happy with that.

Gracie123 · 21/03/2011 19:19

I have a hyphenated name and it is annoying on web forms when they won't let you use it, but then I just don't. If the box won't recognise it with dash then I only put my first name in.
It's no biggie.

It's never been a problem to be honest, most people shorten it to initials (eg MJ for mary-Jane) although I did get called Mary-Kate a lot when those Olsen twins were particularly famous Angry

Janoschi · 22/03/2011 00:18

In Germany it's very common - Sophia-Charlotta kind of thing. Really not chavvy but they can sound a bit like you're hoping to find a bit of European royalty to marry them into.

MadamDeathstare · 22/03/2011 00:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

prettybird · 22/03/2011 00:40

In the west of Scotland, hyphenated names like "Marie-Louise" or "John-Paul" can be "evidence" Hmm that you are Catholic. Nothing wrong with that - but there are some people with ingrained prejudices :(

I was in my mid 30s before I was told about this - but then I had been brought up to be blind to all forms of religious prejudice (or even awareness) and it was only when I met me (now) dh who is a lapsed catholic that he opened by eyes to some of the less attractive elements of West of Scotland society, like "which school did you go to?" (and depending on your answer, yuo'd either not get the job or get beaten up) :(

MrsSchadenfreude · 22/03/2011 07:02

What Vouvray said. LOL at MadamDeathstare!

PrincessScrumpy · 22/03/2011 22:06

It's quite the done thing for gypsies. IME people tend to only use the 1st bit so bit pointless.