Why the fashion for stupid names.

[ceecee32]

Can someone please explain to me why on earth there is the need to saddle your poor children with a stupid name which will affect them for the rest of their life.

Is there a competition somewhere to have the most ridiculous thing that can be thought of.....why???

The only stupic stupic names, to me, are the ones that are new/completely unique, made-up, and not pronounced phonetically. If people will never have come across the name before, and the spelling doesn't give you any clues, it's not going to do the job of identifying the child.

I don't like the names Fox, Armani, Neveah, even Sinjun/StJohn, but they aren't stupid - because they will serve their intended purpose of identifying the kid.

@ThisisrealityGreg @BunnyBunnyMooseMoose @NiceCuppaTeaAndASitDown

Please I could provide inspiration by way of Flughafen, nn Haffie or Flug?

What is your problem TheSea?

The thing is TheSea is that people make assumptions based on a name. The assumptions may be to do with social/educational/racial background

Unless you're going to treat somebody differently because of their social/educational/racial background then surely that's irrelevant?

I always just have my head in my hands when people on these boards ask about a name - generally a "real" name that people might pronounce wrong or a name that is more commonly used for the opposite sex but is still genuinely a name - and people will say oh but how about spelling it like "xxxxx" and suggesting spelling it like it's pronounced (e.g. Lou-iEE instead of Louis) or adding random ys in the middle!

It's human nature to judge. You see/hear something, you form an opinion of it. Would I negatively judge someone because they are called Tiger (yes, I do know a child called Tiger)? No I wouldn't, he didn't name himself . But I would think 'good lord, what were his parents thinking?'

What is your problem TheSea?

I don't have a problem. I was just trying to understand your point. You said

"The trouble is that people do judge. If you hear or see names without a photo, you might have an idea of what they are like and what they look like. Would you expect a Darren or Tracey to be 18? Amelie or Jack to be 57? Doubt it."

and I wanted to understand why that is any trouble. I still don't understand it though.

I'd probably think the same sleepthief but what harm is that doing to the child. I wouldn't treat them any differently for it and can't imagine any other decent person doing so.

I'm not trying to claim people don't judge, but as long as you keep your judgements to yourself (mainly) and get on with things that's perfectly ok.

harlandgoddard

Agreed and to me it's kind of like saying that people shouldn't dye their hair electric pink because others will judge them for it. That may be true, but that doesn't mean nobody should ever do anything different for fear of what others might think.

I'd rather everyone just used whatever name they want (or dyed their hair whatever colour they want) and we all became less judgemental. The more these "unusual" events take place, the less unusual they become.

TheSea, the thread is about stupid names. Give a child a stupid name and most people will assume that the child was named by someone who is perhaps a bit stupid.

Most people would expect a Darren or Tracy to be over 50, and would be surprised if they were schoolkids.
First impressions count. Would you want people's first impression of your child to be "Ugh, what a stupid name?"

There's a huge difference between unusual names and stupid ones.

Unusual for me, are 'proper' names, which are rarely used. Christabel is unusual. Ezekiel, as someone mentioned before, is unusual. But they're both real names. I love such names being used.

Stupid names are a totally different kettle of fish. My brother teaches a girl called Chamomile (that's the American spelling BTW). Now that's a fucking stupid name. The only saving grace is it has good short forms available (Cam, Cami, Millie). Imagine being called Chamomile?

My kids go to an international school, but previously went to a normal primary in the UK, and whilst they have unusual names, their names have never been the most unusual in their classes - really I think that times have moved on, and when your kids are going to school with Ravi/Ebba/Musab being called something with a custom spelling really makes no difference as the teachers have to learn all the spellings anyway.

Besides which, I have a very common name - in fact I bet a load of people on this thread share my name, and I still have to spell it every time because there's more than one - perfectly normal and accepted - way to spell it.

All a matter of taste, I've come to learn.

I'm pregnant at the moment and everyone has been giving DH and I suggestions for names because we refuse to tell anyone what names we're actually considering, so we just say we have no ideas.

If it were up to my mother we'd be naming our child the same as a Yorkshire terrier.

If it were up to my MIL we'd be naming our child similar to a law firm.

If it were up to my sister, our child would be a Kardashian.

All different styles, none of them ours. Some are, dare I say, stupid to me.

I say nothing, though.

Aaliveigha.

Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?????

Chamomile isn't too bad (i'm not saying it's good), there are plenty of herb and flower names. Is it pronounced Cammo Meel?

Four not my name then! I realise actually I'm probably about a million years older than you so that made it unlikely.

CaptainCallisto
Dymund?
Apul?
Phrie-z'uh?

Steve is utterly ridiculous.

I've literally just walked in the door, aghast at a personalised poster on a door I've just driven past, stating that it's the birthday today of Harlo Blu! Poor poor child

Momma I wasn't going to share (because how many could there be?!) but I figure she hates it too so won't mind if she reads it.

It's Reinebeau. She has now changed the spelling so she is legally Rainbow instead!

I know a child called Babelynn 😳

I used to work with three teenagers called Armani, Chanel & L'Oreal.

Seriously.

I can believe Armani and Chanel, but L'oreal?

I never saw the names written down, tbh. But it certainly sounded like L'Oreal!

I've taught many an 'interestingly' named child.

Precious. Actually a nice name but....She was not like her moniker.

Becks-Lee. Named after the beer.
Armani
I know of an unfortunate girl named Disney.
I can roll with those. Each to their own & all that. I tend to shudder more at the odd spelling.

Aymee
Jorge. If he'd had Spanish type ancestry then fabulous. But he was resolutely West Midlands.
Issac. It's spelled Isaac. Or Izaak at a push is an old English version of it. 'Issac' is just plain misspelled and wrong.
Charlee
Jaxon

All the originals of these are lovely names. I don't know why people feel the need to mess with them.

Harlo Blu - sounds like a toilet cleaner

someone wants to judge me on that I couldn't really care less

They aren't judging you - they are judging your child - there's the difference