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Original poster

Ok, so which names WOULD teachers call their children?

28 replies

PrincessJenga · 29/08/2011 20:06

Apologies for the thread in response to a thread, but after accusations that the other one was getting nasty, what names WOULD teachers choose, despite (or perhaps even because of) teaching pupils with that name?

For example, all of the pupils I have taught called Oliver, Alexander, Edward, Kathryn, Heather and Molly have been lovely.

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lockets · 29/08/2011 20:08

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hulabula · 29/08/2011 20:28

A name doesn't define a person imo. But certain parents may have share the same taste and have the same parenting style, therefore leading to similar behaviour.

So I think it has to do with parenting rather than choosing the 'right' name Smile.

EverythingsNotRosie · 30/08/2011 10:22

The naughtiest boys I've taught were called Adam and Tom but if I had a DS I wouldn't hesitate to use those names because I loved those kids! My DD has a name shared with kids I taught but strangely it didn't put me off once it became her name.

manicinsomniac · 31/08/2011 11:45

It's quite hard to naswer both these threads because so many names have both lovely and not so lovely children associated with them in my head.

However, I would say:
Annabelle
Georgina
Emily
Amy
Niamh
Katie
Matilda
Alexandra
Natasha
George
Jack
Joshua
Joseph
William
Jacob

Are usually delightful in my experience

lazylula · 01/09/2011 00:02

I wasn't a teacher, I was a teaching assistant. There were some names I wouldn't have had but some names of delightful children are:
Luke
Roma
Rachael
William
Katie
Lucy/Lucie
Megan
Madeliene
Hugh
Alexandra
Jordan
Harry

islandjude · 01/09/2011 00:10

I'm a teacher and wanted to use something unusual. Ended up with William and Thomas! Still don't understand how that happened. Some of the most likeable and trickiest children that I taught had these names. Some children are of course both maddening and endearing at the same time.
I gave my boys two middle names each so they had a greater choice if they didn't like what I had picked. There were quite a few names that I loved but didn't pick because I didn't like the shortened versions.

Dexifehatz · 04/09/2011 18:10

As a teacher I chose quite unusual names, as I didn't want my kids to be one of many with the same name. I've taught so many Jacks who automatically say the initial of their surname because there are three or four Jacks in the class.The most Daniels I ever had in one class was 7.

poppydaisy · 04/09/2011 21:01

Really, 7 Daniels in one class Shock? Good chance that two or more share the same surname initial.... How do you differentiate in that case?

hangon · 04/09/2011 22:08

All Mathews seem to be naughty All Charlottes seem to be good. Lucy is usually the cute one.

candr · 04/09/2011 22:14

After much thought we chose an unusual name which no child I have worked with has had but an older sibling who is a nice lad. Wasn't easy though!

thebody · 04/09/2011 22:37

my dd is charlotte and a good girl at school, unlike me and dh,

i met delightful twins at my local playground today called, honestly, macenzie(not sure spelling right) and pinot.. i swear this is not a joke though me and dh had great difficulty not laughing, lovely kids though and nice parents...but the registrar should have more rights imo to say look guys its a no from me, go away and try again

carpetlover · 05/09/2011 13:24

I was a teacher before retraining. My 3 are, James, Elizabeth and Catherine. I only ever taught one James and never taught either an Elizabeth or a Catherine.

All Liams I have taught have been very naughty but utterly adorable so it wouldn't put me off the name. I have taught too many wonderful children to single out which had lovely names.

I taught primary so tbh, even in the most challenging areas it was rare to come across a child so nasty it would put me off a name. In fact in almost 18yrs of teaching, often in difficult inner city areas, I could only say that about two children. Naughtiness is a different matter but that doesn't put you off a name.

Dexifehatz · 05/09/2011 14:38

Yes,7 Daniels!I did happen to mention the fact that they could be split between two classes,but it was decided that some would be called DanielX [whatever their surname initial was],some would be Dan and some would be Danny.We actually had to ask their parents in to sort it out.What a rigmarole!

Graciescotland · 05/09/2011 14:42

A friend who was a teacher always hoped a Spartacus would show up on the register one day.

kickingking · 05/09/2011 17:17

I'm a teacher. My criteria for names is that they are:

  1. classic
  2. fairly popular at the time and
  3. are longer with a good nickname.

The reasons are:

  1. I want them to be able to fit in anywhere in society with their name
  2. kids actually don't like being 'different'.
  3. their name will get shortened or altered whether you like it or not, so go for one with a sensible nickname to reduce the chances of it being changed to something horrible.

Therefore, I would go for things like Daniel, Rebecca, Thomas, Charlotte, etc.

myweeangel · 06/09/2011 23:07

kickingking - very sensible! I'm a teacher expecting no 2 and you've given me something to think about.
However, will never have a Matthew, Ryan or Christopher - any I have taught have had a mischievous streak (to wildly understate!!!)

RedRubyBlue · 06/09/2011 23:19

I remember being flattered/embarrased at junior school when our heavily pregnant teacher went on maternity leave and came back with a little bundle to show her class.

She had given her DD the same names as me. Both first and middle names Blush.

She told me she saw it on a register when I was in the first year and thought it was a lovely name and earmarked it for her future DD.

Three years later I was in her class and she fell pregnant so I couldn't have been a bad kid Smile

cece · 07/09/2011 22:52

Funnily enough DS1 has the name of a boy I taught and thought hmm that is a nice name and he is a lovely boy....

DD's name I never taught a girl with that name but I just liked it. DS2 has a classic name but none that I taught that stuck in my mind.

I have taught so many lovely children but I quite often like the naughtly ones best - bit of spirit isn't a bad thing imo. So my list might include;

Jenna
Rhoda
Molly
Rebecca

Jonathan
Ryan

But definitely not a Matthew or a Katrina - they are the only two names that still make me shudder.

AgathaTrunchbull · 17/09/2011 22:45

I have no intention of naming a child after any of the kids at school (no matter how much they beg!), but consistently lovely ones would be:

Robert
Kate
Millie
Sam

On the Spartacus theme, we have a Troy and a Roman this year. Happiness.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 17/09/2011 22:51

I have taught really lovely children called:

Adella (lovely name)
Aysha (pondered this for dd1)
Kate
Cassie (also pondered this for dd1)
Sara

Tariq
Thomas
Carl
Robert
Ashley (pondered this for dd1 had she been ds)

Teachermumof3 · 17/09/2011 23:12

I have taught lovely children called...

Girls-Jodie, Abbie, Molly, Jessica, Felicity and Sophie, Annabel, .
Boys-Samuel, Harry, Myles, Joseph, Jacob, Michael, Alex and oliver.

I'd use any of these for my own children.

I would never ever use Ryan, Liam, Kian, Connor, Alfie, Jamie, Lewis, Harrison Stephen, Cain or Rhys/Reece though!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 17/09/2011 23:19

I taught a lovely Reiss.

I would also steer well clear of Cain though. Still find it incredible that anybody would think it a good name for a child.

sugarandspiceandallthingsnice · 17/09/2011 23:24

Lots of lovely children. Hmm, repeat names who have been lovely -
Lily
Katie
Elizabeth
Connor
Scott
Jessica
Emily (on the whole)

Also had a lovely Reif who was always smiling!

SaffronCake · 18/09/2011 10:48

Oh no, someone's reply has got me worrying now, do middle names end up on the school register?

Only I let my partner give my youngest her middle name cringe cringe. It's not a hit on Mumsnet... at ALL.

SaffronCake · 18/09/2011 10:48

Accidental use of bold there sorry.

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