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Baylor?

503 replies

WittyUsername102 · 06/10/2014 15:55

We were originally going with Laurel for our DD, but DH discovered this today and really likes it, but I'm a little unsure - what are MN's opinions?
He really likes the meaning of it and it does fit our family - it means horse trainer.

OP posts:
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Kittymautz · 17/10/2014 10:18

I don't understand what the point of this thread was"

OP says she is unsure about a name and asks for MN's opinion.

Virtually everyone says they hate it, no don't use it etc

OP says they have settled on the name anyway.

Am I missing something? What was the point?

WittyUsername102 · 17/10/2014 13:10

Kittymautz - because as I stated a few other times in this thread, it is the opinion of my DH and DC that matter most to me/us, other people liking it is just a bonus, so the point of this thread was to find out people's opinions on it.

OP posts:
WittyUsername102 · 17/10/2014 13:11

Coughle - Oh yes I think it's fine as a NN, I just wouldn't use it as a full name because of that. (Although one of DS's friends nicknames is Lol, but she is 6/7, so no big deal at that age Smile )

OP posts:
Newcollection · 17/10/2014 13:43

The reason it has got so many replies is that Baylor is an absolutely dreadful name.

Really I mean really do you want to saddle your poor child with a name that the vast majority of the population (we are all probably quite a good cross section of society) think is awful? You are being extremely selfish in that case.

mathanxiety · 17/10/2014 15:08

You have stated that your only reason to go with this name is that your DH chose it and you see that as a sign that he finally cares about his children's names and in the face of universal slating of the name you have stuck with it because of this reason.
And your DH stated he doesn't care at all what other people's opinions of the name may be.

Your reason to use the name has nothing to do with the name's attractiveness, and you and your DH apparently do not care at all what people think of it - in light of all of the above, why canvas opinions?

WittyUsername102 · 17/10/2014 15:50

That is not my only reason. My reasons for using it are: I love the name, I really love the nickname, the DDs love the nickname, I love the meaning. DH adores the name, and I love seeing him happy about a name. It does not fit the J pattern that we use for our middle names, but it has given me a better idea for her middle names.

On top of that, my parents like it, or at least don't hate it - they very frequently criticize my other DD's names, although they are not really a deciding factor in our choice. I also like that she will avoid the problems of having a common name.

As I have said multiple times throughout this thread, including just above, people liking the names of our DC is a bonus. It is not a deciding factor, but it is nice. As I have stated before, the most important thing to me is that my family likes the name. If there was another name that DH liked as much, and it also shared all the above qualities, but it was more well liked, then yes we would probably use that. If two names already had 10 points, to have a name that was an 11 would of course be nicer. But if a name is already a 10, do I need it to be an 11? No, I don't, it is just a bonus. We all love the name, it is a 10 to us, it is perfect to us. We do not need it to be an 11, or more than perfect, but of course would not complain if it was. Hence, knowing the opinion of others is a necessity, because this is what would make it an 11.

When I first posted this thread, I was a little unsure about the name. I was hoping MN would convince me to like it, because I really would rather use a name that my DH liked, especially since our past 3 DC were names I chose. And I don't know if it was MN, or DH, or some other power that caused me to like the name, but over the period that this thread has been up, I ended up loving it. I feel a strong connection to this name, just as I did with the names of my other DC. I can not truly explain it, but I just know it will suit her perfectly.

OP posts:
neverletgojack · 17/10/2014 15:51

Baylor...oh for gods sake

Floggingmolly · 17/10/2014 16:01

Well there we are, op. As predicted; you're going to use it anyway. Why bother with the thread? Use it and know that 99.9% of the people your unfortunate child will encounter in his life with look at him like this Hmm when the hear him name...

Floggingmolly · 17/10/2014 16:01

her name, even

mathanxiety · 17/10/2014 16:05

But you said one of the reasons you were dropping Laurel was that some people didn't like it?

neverletgojack · 17/10/2014 16:10

I didn't even read that much...

BAYLOR for a GIRL.

Why can't people just pick normal names instead of these ridiculous made up 'unique' names that sounds so chavy it is painful.

WittyUsername102 · 17/10/2014 16:28

Floggingmolly - I explained right above the point of this thread. And also we already decided a few days ago (and posted about it) that we were using it.

mathanxiety - I said that realising all people didn't like it popped my bubble, which made me not like it. It was an 8 and it dropped to a 3 (figuratively, I don't actually rank names). Like when you think you've found a perfect pair of jeans, and you think they look good on you, and everyone tells you they look good on you, but then suddenly a group of people repeatedly tell you how awful they look on you, and then you don't want to wear them any more, even though you originally thought they were perfect.

OP posts:
WittyUsername102 · 17/10/2014 16:30

neverletgojack - It is not made up (in the sense that we are far from the first people who used it, and that it has been around a while - all names are originally made up of course), and I also don't know what chavy means?

OP posts:
Newcollection · 17/10/2014 17:23

I still think you are being unbelievably selfish. You and your DH love the name, well that's great for the two of you but it isn't going to be you or your DH that has to tell everyone that name day in day out for the rest of her life and put up with pretty much everyone saying BAYLOR???!!!!!! and giving plenty of Hmm looks.

It is cruel and you are being incredibly blinkered.

neverletgojack · 17/10/2014 17:36

Chavy- to act like a CHAV

WittyUsername102 · 17/10/2014 17:48

I do not see how it is cruel or selfish, but to each their own. Maybe it is just where we have lived over the years where people don't really care about names. Be it Sarah, Emma, Allexxxis or Jaxon, people are not treated differently. There is the odd raised eyebrow or talking privately about how 'that's a strange name', but the worst that happens is that a name is spelled wrong - it does not effect people's jobs, grades, friendships.. anything. But again, maybe that is just where we have lived.

I do not know what a chav is.

OP posts:
Newcollection · 17/10/2014 18:03

Of course it affects people's jobs, friendships etc. You clearly haven't read Freakonomics and the chapter on how naming your child can affect their future.

It's all about perception and that may well be wrong but sadly you just have to accept that most people's perceptions when they hear a name like that will not be good.

Can't believe you are so completely unmoved by all the posters on here saying don't do it!

neverletgojack · 17/10/2014 18:30

You don't know what a chav is....
look it up in the dictionary.

Floggingmolly · 17/10/2014 18:41

Yes, familiarise yourself with it, op, your child will hear it a lot.

moxon · 17/10/2014 19:25

a name [...] does not effect people's jobs, grades, friendships

I think you'll find that it does, witty. 'Freakanomics* is probably a good and acesssible book to read on that. But there will be a fair amount of academic papers, I'm sure, on this topic, most probably written by Sarahs and Roberts, and unlikely by Alexxxis's and Jaxxxons.
Also, I don't think Baylor actually means 'horse trainer'. There are no root words common in any of the etymological references I could find, except for 'bay' meaning a chestnut colour as applied to horses. And that in itself is a corruption and therefore could not link to a previous meaning related to the training of horses. Hmm

Newcollection · 17/10/2014 19:33

I have horses but haven't named anyone after a person or persons who trained them even if that was the meaning of the name.

Call her Flicker, Champion the Wonder Horse or Black Beauty Wink.

Newcollection · 17/10/2014 19:33

or is it Flicka for a girl....

mathanxiety · 17/10/2014 20:53

Like when you think you've found a perfect pair of jeans, and you think they look good on you, and everyone tells you they look good on you, but then suddenly a group of people repeatedly tell you how awful they look on you, and then you don't want to wear them any more, even though you originally thought they were perfect.

It seems to me you may have found that perfect pair of jeans here.

mathanxiety · 17/10/2014 20:56

I want to second Moxon's comment on etymology. Unless it has something to do with horses in Elvish or Klingon then I wouldn't go around telling people it means horse trainer.

Honeezreturn · 17/10/2014 21:33

I was thinking that Baylor was a boys name (if it is a name)
So then that got me to thinking about the middle name I'm not bored
So I came up with

Baylor Bellend

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