Why do people say "Ergh... that's a dog's name!"?

[NatureAbhorsAHoover]

First it was Lily and Molly - people would say they knew a dog with that name, like that's a reason it should never be used on a human

Now I see the same for some boys names - Toby and Monty, I'm looking at you

This makes no sense to me. Names take a few years to filter into the public consciousness. I always thought we 'try out' names on our dolls and our pets as children ... and then when we're grown up we get to use the ones we like the most on real live babies!

My cat's called Cassie. My dog's called Rita.

mandy please tell me the fat boy names!!

bran - yes, you're essentially giving a name a trial run on a pet before you commit to giving it to a human being. Same for cats/dolls/budgerigars

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury... I give you Lily/Molly/Polly/Lucy - all our best loved girls names have been extensively trialled on dogs and dolls and hamsters... and passed the test!

So when people ask about Toby and Monty I would love them to think of something better to say than 'eugh that's a dog's name'

lolli the fat boys are all called Cuthbert

My dog is Danny, but its more that he has a human name, than Danny being a dog's name, iyswim...

As somebody said earlier, people respond subjectively to names.
If you were bullied at school by a Barry or a Jane, or you are a teacher who had a right little so-and-son in their class, while pregnant, called Tarquin or Felicity, then you associate those names with those people, so don't choose them for your own children. Objectively, and rationally you know that your child will be what they will be, whatever you call them, but choosing names for our children isn't rational or objective - you choose names you like.
If you've only heard Rover, Rex, and Fido being used for dogs, then that's what you are going to associate the names with 0 in the same way Chardonnay and Baileys are associated with alcohol, and Mercedes is a car to me. Other people can use them if they want, but then can't really be surprised when a lot of people associate them with what they are either usually, or originally used for.

I think George is a fat boys name, it was on our list if either DS weighed over 8lb but neither did so we haven't used it yet

BackforGood yes I agree totally that we all respond with our own associations.

It's just that this thread was complaining about saying it's a dog's name... so Pavlov. Pavlov's dog. People automatically responding without thinking. geddit?

Hello?

I got a bit when some posters on NM said the dog name thing about Marley.

One crappy rom-com wipes out Bob Marley in a stroke does it?

My dog is called Atticus. I love the name and only used it on a dog because I thought I wasnt going to have anymore DCs.

My dear old dog was called Giro and I think I would draw the line at using that for a chile

My sons called George and he was 8 lb 13 .
He's very tall and slim now hollow legged teenager

My sisters cat is called Graham , that's a human name , I like animals with human names , people with animal names , that's just strange .

Even if you had named your child Fido, only a rude fecker would call you on it to your face. The name's not the problem, the idiot asking you about it is.

This is the baby names section, where people ask 'what do you think of the name Fido?'. If you don't want to be told it's a dogs name don't ask!

To tell someone who hasn't asked your opinion on their baby's name that you don't like it, is rude.

EDR I know... just wonder why they cannot get beyond the fact that they once heard of a pet with that name .

Is it once though? I know a dog called Stephen, but I wouldn't think 'that's a dogs name' because it's 1 dog vs many people. I know at least 4 people with dogs called Monty though. My Grandmother's dog was called Monty when I was little so to me it's just a dogs name.

My cat is Woolly-Bastard-The-First.

World, you may have that for your children.

Am pg and I really like Jasper and Monty but have had the screwed up faces and shouts of 'Labrador' from most people

Well, I really like labradors. I like them more than the vast majority of humans I've met so I'm definately not ashamed of ds name being associated with dogs.

x post holy ! Was it a labrador?

it was a collie

Fat boy names must remain a secret as I have one or two friends who have, unwittingly, picked them. Bad boys always have one syllable, bad girls usually have pop or tv namesakes.

Roland is a fat boy name

My ds is called Rufus. The man in my parents' local shop thought this was hilarious because his dog's called Rufus - he actually said 'Rufus isn't a name' . My poor dad was indignant.

I think that a lot of people would associate Rex or Rufus with a dogs name and if you're a mum choosing those names surely you would be expecting that a little bit?

Of course I wouldn't say anything to someone's face that had chosen the name!