American names = bad?

[thecaroline]

Hello, everyone,

I'm not a mom or pregnant, just very interested in names. I've been reading here for a while and am a regular on another name website, and I've noticed that lots of posters here seem to feel a certain disdain for "American" sounding names. I'm curious about this, partly because I'm American, and partly because I don't understand the categorization.

So, what are these American names you speak of? And I'm wondering if all "American-sounding names" are inherently tacky to the British/Irish ear, or... what do you think? Where do "Australian sounding names" fit into this equation?

I have a feeling that this category of names is what a good number of Americans would label "tacky" or "trendy"... or at least I hope so.

Thanks, y'all (I might as well play up my Americanness, right?)

:)

[NinjaLeprechaun]

The top five girl names in the US last year were (in order) Sophia, Emma, Olivia, Isabella and Mia. Which doesn't really support the "declining use of -a names" theory.

It's my understanding that surnames as first names was a tradition passed down from the "Old South" where influential families would give the eldest son his mother's family name as a first name. Many of these families would have been Scots or Ulster Scots so Scottish names, like Cameron or Mackenzie, would have become 'traditional' first names quite quickly. And of course those wanting to emulate them to fit in would have either used the same given names or developed a similar tradition with their own names.

[Pico2]

The first names as surnames thing appears in lots if British historical novels, so doesn't seem to be a US invention.

[AuntieStella]

Mother's surname as first child's firs name is an old tradition in abritain, but pretty much in abeyance now.

One issue with US naming habits is the tendency to put boys names (like Aubrey, Ellis, Eden) on girls, which gets, at best, a mixed reaction here

[chappedhands]

My mother named me after a Cherokee Indian girl she saw in a circus. There was another girl with it in my school, so it isn't weird but it wasn't standard. I wish I had a standard name because it best stands the test of time.

As an American living in England, I find some of the names here ghastly Poppy, Eleanor, Phoebe would be a misery in the U.S. George, Harry (OMG!) and Alistair would also be a misery for a boy. I know an American woman named Kelly who is a high executive flyer which has worked well I think an ambiguous male/female name is a true advantage for middle class people with ambitions for their daughters and something to seriously consider. Men do not know your gender and make less sexist judgements on - say - email. Or choose a very solid traditional name such as Elizabeth. It is important to consider that Poppy is not going to have gravitas in the boardroom EVER. To me, this is a hugely important issue. We named our daughter Isobel, which is bog standard in the UK but weird in America especially with the Scottish spelling (which is our heritage, so appropriate). My daughter has been happy with it and is now planning a career in medicine, where I feel confident she will be able to operate without any cringe factor. Think of your children operating as adults with these names, not as cute choices for your tiny newborn!

[NinjaLeprechaun]

Mother's surname as first child's firs name is an old tradition in abritain, but pretty much in abeyance now.
Most American traditions did originate somewhere else, especially the older ones. And then they're borrowed and adapted by those who didn't have the tradition to begin with.

I think part of the gender-switch thing might be non-English speakers wanting to use names that sounded 'Anglo-American' and arbitrarily choosing names that sounded correct/nice to their own ears, without knowing which gender they were associated with traditionally. So that it became more normal for names to jump from one to the other.
But that's just speculation on my part.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

Chapped

I'm surprised at Phoebe, due to Friends and Harry. What's wrong with Harry?

Can I ask a question? I used to frequent an American names board and every now and then someone wod come along to ask if Jemima was ok to use. Always, always it was unanimous no. Why is that?

[NinjaLeprechaun]

Jemima is a name closely associated with slavery and racial stereotypes in the US.

[DuelingFanjo]

Names like Brianna grind my gears for some reason.

Weirdly I like Gwyneth (I am Welsh) but have gone off it because of the association with Gwyneth Paltro.
Same with Gwen - I just can't get Gwen Steffani out of my head (I like her but I wouldn't want to name a child 'after' her) yet I know several people called Gwen.

[Sophronia]

Alisvolatpropiis I think Harry sounds like 'hairy' in a lot of American accents.

[MsCoconut]

Make of this what you will, here are names from the top 100 names in England and Wales in 2013 that do not appear in the US top 500 list of names in 2013.

Boys:
Harry, Alfie, Archie, Mohammed, Freddie, Theo, Toby, Lewis, Harvey, Harley, Tommy, Reuben, Mohammad, Jenson, Bobby, Frankie, Jamie, Stanley, Louie, Callum, Ollie, Teddy, Finlay, Ronnie, Kian, Sonny

Girls:
Poppy, Evie, Freya, Millie, Florence, Imogen, Matilda, Rosie, Maisie, Amelie, Esme, Harriet, Mollie, Martha, Hollie, Maryam, Darcey, Tilly, Isobel, Niamh, Darcy, Aisha, Beatrice

[MsCoconut]

The same stat in reverse (top 100 US names not in Eng&Wales top 500 in 2013).

Boys:
Landon, Gavin, Colton, Angel, Jose, Ian, Nolan, Easton, Jase, Camden, Juan

Girls:
Avery, Aubrey, Addison, Zoey, Allison, Camila, Kaylee, Hailey, Riley, Claire, Aubree, Serenity, Genesis, Kylie, Mackenzie, Caroline, Kennedy, Ashley, Madelyn, Brianna, Paisley, Melanie, London, Gianna, Makayla, Jocelyn

[Alisvolatpropiis]

Thanks Ninja and Sophronia!

I can see why Jemima got shot down every time now I know the connotations it has.

[squoosh]

'It is important to consider that Poppy is not going to have gravitas in the boardroom EVER.'

I'm afraid you're making that all too common mistake of assuming that in 50 years time Poppy's contemporaries will view her name as you currently perceive it. Poppy may well be remarkable but her name won't be.

It's a hugely popular name in the UK at the moment and it's inevitable that some of these vast swathes of Poppys will be high fliers who, shock horror, will be seen to have gravitas in the boardroom.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

I love American names

Caleb, bhodi, Riley, Addison, Peyton, meredith, Aubrey.

Just not brave enough to use them

[MsCoconut]

Poppy or Pops might not cross over because it is more used as a term for father or grandfather in North America. It's like using Opa or Mammy as a given name.

[TheNewStatesman]

Chappedhands--I actually kind of agree with you about the Poppy type names. I think they will date quite badly.

However, Eleanor and Phoebe... seriously? Phoebe is now a very popular name in the US, and Eleanor has had a revival. IsObel is rare in the US, but IsAbel has been common in the last 10 years. Perhaps it's a regional thing (i.e., you are just not seeing these names in the area where you live)?

[Legionofboom]

I like to watch American Football and I love hearing the players names.

Of course there are plenty of traditional names but there are others that are well known names that you rarely hear like Julius or Maurice. Then there are others that I've never heard before at all for example the variations just on the name Sean are amazing to me. Marshawn, Keyshawn, DeSean, LeSean.

I am sure people will say that many of these names are considered African American and may well be not well thought of by some.

I wouldn't go so far as to say I would choose to use any of them for my child but I'm glad not everyone calls their son William, James or Alexander.

[PenguinsIsSleepDeprived]

Chapped - ok so Harry can sound like Hairy, but what is wrong with either George or Alistair? And would Kelly be considered a unisex name there? You do get the odd male Kelly here, but the assumption would most definitely be female. I think Sam and Alex are the only names I can think of (other than surname type names which are drifting male to female) in widespread use that would be unisex in the UK.

Actually just found this which suggests that Isabella is top 5, and Isabel and Eleanor within the top 150. So whilst Isabel might have been rare when you named your daughter (and the Isobel spelling still is), for babies it is now common.

[PenguinsIsSleepDeprived]

Oooh I 'm having fun with that tool I found. Out of my three kids, two are outside the top 1000 in the US (one whose name is unusual here and one who is within the top 150). The one whose name is very rare here is in the top 150.

[mathanxiety]

You couldn't throw a brick without beaning an Isobel, Isabel, Isabelle or Isabella around here.

And a lot of the little Ellies running around (in their hundreds) are Eleanor on their birth cert. I considered Eleanor for DD3 (now 16) I like family names and there were lots in my family about three generations back but exMIL had a conniption (not a fan of Eleanor Roosevelt).

Looking through my current elementary school directory, a few names crop up again and again -- Fiona, Grace, Sophia/Sofia, Rachel, Isobel/Isabella and Sarah for girls, and Gabriel, Jack, William, Liam, Kevin, Henry, Matthew, James and Luke for boys.

[Bellyrub1980]

I don't dislike American names, infact I love American culture, but would rather pick a name that harks back to my culture and ancestry, simply because I'm a bit nostalgic like that!

I've heard of an American calling his son Colt after his favourite gun... I immediately thought 'Only in America!!'

Also double barrelled first names (like Norma-Jean) are always said in an American accent in my head.

I do think of some names being typically Australian: Brad, Sheila etc (probably all relating to Home and Away/Neibours characters actually!!)

And typical French names (Francois, Nicole), German (Hilda), Austrian (Heidi)..... I'm hearing more and more Eastern European names (Ewa, Pavel).

So I don't think it's insulting to say a name is very typical for a particular country and that it's wrong to go outside of your culture for a name. But rather that some British people probably feel more authentic picking a 'British' name because they feel it suits them more and perhaps reflects themselves better.

I really love German/Scandinavian names, they're just so pretty to me. But my DP wouldn't go there!

[MollyBdenum]

Kevin would be highly unusual in the UK. I get the impression that Derek and Colin are a lot less unfashionable in the US than they are here, too.

[squoosh]

Trevor is a popular name in America.

TREVOR!

[GingerPuddin]

If you want to delve into some Americans' strange naming habits check out notwithoutmyhandbag.com (can't link on phone). The bad baby names are epic.

[manicinsomniac]

I love most American names (the modern surnamey ones, not the 1980s Randy/Brandy/Cash/Chad type of names)

Poppy is the American main character in one of my daughter's favourite films which, judging by the shockingly inaccurate portrayal of an English boarding school and an English town, was definitely made in America. 'Wild Child' anyone?