Is there such a thing as a Chav name

[MarySA]

I'm quite interested in those name theories. And how names go in and out of fashion. I've read on here about Chav names but is there such a thing. I see names that make me cringe but is it right to think of Chav names. And also upper class names. I must say I regard some names as a bit upper class like say Octavia and Benedict. I'd expect them to sail into Oxford University on their name alone. (Only joking) Anyone got any thoughts on this. And stereotyping by name.

Chav names are 'ghetto' names in the US. Sharneeequa and De-Vonnye are two I have hear and especially like (and yes, Sharneeequa had 3 e's).

I'd be interested to know if other countries had their own versions. My Lithuanian friend Edith hates her 'common' name. I think its gorgeous!

Stick this 'd' in would you? - its 'heard' not 'hear'

Madame you're joking! Wow it's either a small world or Pocahontas is a lot more popular than I give it credit for!

I think you are quite right about going for 'classless' names. When we were at school names like Sarah, Jane, Catherine, John, David, Ian, Robert could have been UMC, MC or WC and who would have known just from the name.

The same cannot be said for those made-up names which seem so popular amongst some people.

I think you should be able to name your child anything you like without some people judging you for it.

But thats never gonna happen

Badgerina -

I like you....

I like Badgerina too

I think chav equates to what we used to call 'common' especially 'all fur coat and no knickers' where people were perceived as having much money but no 'taste' [who defines taste'?].Many pop/football/soap stars come into this category and those who are most influenced by them irl would possibly also be seen as 'chavvy'.I think it's all a bit daft.
I don't like made-up or oddly spelt names but I dont have to use them.When I was teaching Wayne,Darren and Jason were today's Jayden,Kaiden type names and one of the brightest loveliest boys I knew had the first names Wayne Jason-he went to Oxford.

I would like to know why Bailey is considered 'chav' seeing as it is an old English name.

Also, unless you know the racial heritage of someone, how could you judge Mercedes? or other choices? Someone thought that two of my DD's names were made up, one is old English and the other is Latin.

Which shows how judging unless you are well informed, is incredibly stupid, as in the example given of Levi.

It is shallow to judge someone on something that they are not responsible for, or choose to buy and shows a big lack of intelligence if that is where your value base lies.

I deliberately did not give my kids posh poncy names. I just couldn't bear to be part of that aspiring MC yummy mummy, life is roses brigade. I didn't give them chav ones either. Names certainly evoke an image.

All of Stella McCartney's brood have names akin to Bailey - one is called Bailey but think it's a girl! Always put that down to the American influence of Linda.

It is impossible not to form an opinion based on a name.....it just is...Not right but true.

Migsy, do you think it is possible for people to name their child a name that YOU might consider poncy but the parents actually LOVE the name (and chose the name simply for that reason, not deliberately aiming to evoke an image)?

And another question: What would be the worst thing that could happen to someone with a name some others consider 'poncy'?

One of my favorite people in the world has two kids, named Tyler and Jazzmine. "Chav" names? Sure, if you go in for that sort of thing. And she'd definitely be whatever the US version of chav is. But she's great, really warm and fun and not pretentious in the slightest. So who cares?

I know lots of girls named Bailey. Or Baylee.

This is why I named my kid Sam... :o

Here Tristan is the chavvest of chav. What is it there?

Absolutely, CheerfulYank. And what about Condoleezza Rice, Barrack Obama, they didn't to too badly...

I always thought Condoleeza was a musical term, and Barrack, perhaps a shortening of Mubarak? Not that unusual or made up.

I hate my name Lorna, didn't exist until the novel Lorna Doone.

Are Condoleezza Rice and Barack Obama chavs then?

I don't think it's new or surprising that people tend to steer clear of names that might put them in a category with people they don't like or would want to be associated with. Hence if you don't want to be branded as a benefit-scrounging chav round here, you don't call your children Jorja or Bailey or Blake. And if you don't want to be lumped into a group with the insufferably smug, stuck-up, Boden-wearing, boastful types, you don't call your children Olivia or Tarquin or Gabriella.

And if you just like to confuse people, like me, then you give your children posh(ish) names but hang out with the more down-to-Earth chav types - that really flummoxes the Boden Mums!

I have a hyphenated name. I even use it professionally. I'd probably be found lacking for my kids' names on MN too. DS2's name invariably features prominently in 'naughty boys names' threads.

I love the name Annie Rose. Is that chavvy? :)

Condoleezza and Barrack are not standard names and imo have made up elements in them. But so what?

All names are made up if you look back far enough.

Not standard , Barrack is standard in Swahili (the language of B.O father) and means blessing.

Condoleeza comes from the italian musical term meaning with sweetness.

Condoleezza Rice's mum invented her name from a musical phrase "con dolcezza".

I wonder what the mumsnet verdict would have been had Ms Rice asked our opinion about her suggested name ....