American names. . . on Americans?

[janiejones5446]

"American" is often thrown around as a pejorative on this board for surname-names (not by everyone, of course). Though, I'm curious -- do you dislike these sorts of names on Americans as much as you dislike them on Brits?

I thought of this when I was reminded that the current US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has a son who goes by Hunter (Hunter is actually his middle name, which was his mother's maiden name, but he seems to go by it exclusively).

Actually, it’s the place name ones that make me giggle a bit more, because to Americans they sound exotic and cool, but to me they just sound like your address. We know children called London, Ireland, Brighton, Paris, Dublin, Bolton, Durham and a whole host of American cities too. I’m just waiting on friends of childbearing age to come and visit us and later on call their child something like Armagh or Portrush.

I know a little Camden, he actually lives in Camden.
It does seem a little strange to me but heh.

Oh haha! I forgot - I know a Camden too! She is the sibling of Durham & Bolton

The Camden I know is Cammy which is quite cute.
Bolton could be Bolt which is pretty cool but Durham ....

@XFPW 😂 Siblings Portstewart and Coleraine

@Scarby9 It's pronounced Fay-lin. Boy's name.

@lurker101 you jest, but I can totally see it. Shortened to Stewart & Cole!

The DDs went to American schools and their friends all had names that would be unremarkable in the U.K: Katherine, Sophia (lots of these!), Jessica, Nicola, Anna, Sonia, Brianna, Karen, Meredith

I would see Brianna and Meredith as being American names - I don’t know any British people called either, and I definitely associate them with the US.

Mostly fine, acceptable and explicable for Americans.
Unnatural, unestablished and a bit silly for Brits.

@XFPW

Actually, it’s the place name ones that make me giggle a bit more, because to Americans they sound exotic and cool, but to me they just sound like your address. We know children called London, Ireland, Brighton, Paris, Dublin, Bolton, Durham and a whole host of American cities too. I’m just waiting on friends of childbearing age to come and visit us and later on call their child something like Armagh or Portrush.

Yes... I wonder if these kids ever visit 'their' towns like Bolton, Preston or Harlow.

The best American name for travelling badly is Randy.

DH had to explain to a colleague why enthusiastically greeting female British colleagues with "Hi! I'm Randy" sometimes resulted in a chilly response.

For the worst American sounding names/spellings check out the fb group ‘Put that name back where is came from or so help me (so help me)’

Names like Hadleigh, Copelyn, Rensley, Starleigh 🤮

It's just a different culture. Not wrong or bad, just different. People don't seem to be so dismissive of other different cultures.

Randy is usually Randall or Brandon ime. I am friends with a Woody - actually I know two of them. Both nicknames (surname Woods in one case)

Most of my kids' friends here are called things like Olivia/Ava/Julia Isabel/Sophie/ Alex/ Rob/Tony/Max etc. There were something like 6 girls called variation of Alex/Alison/alicia/Alexa on dd's hockey team.

I do know a Ryleigh (whose father is Irish so no excuse).

I understood the surname as first name thing came from the Scottish tradition but also from the upper class desire to show your lineage clearly.

No, they are not to my taste on anyone. But then neither are plenty of British names.

Obviously it's polite to keep such thoughts private! I would never tell anyone their child's name was awful even if I didn't personally like it - it's a subjective thing. The only person who needs to like it is the child!

I grew up the the states and a lot of the names I see as stereotypically American aren't the specific names but the spellings. So many variations of everything!

But there were also a lot of biblical names and what I'd consider old fashioned English names.

I read an article about a woman who had called her daughter Abcde (pronounced Absidee) which I thought was especially awful and some of the 'Mum-fluencers' on Youtube have appalling children's names.

Then again, some British ones aren't much better!

Thanks all for the thoughts.

I have American friends who seem to be using surnames almost exclusively the past few years. I know a baby Brooks, Reece, Hudson, Hunter, Cooper, Carter, and two Jacksons.

It is quite the trend. I'm not even sure if many Americans differentiate between traditional given names and surname-origin names. They're all just names, one as good as the next, which is technically true of course, and very much in line with the construct of American egalitarianism.

I do find it funny when Americans name their children place names, especially when they've definitely never been to that place. Bristol, Chelsea, Kensington...Also find it odd that Sloane seems to be very in for girls. It's so hideous in all respects.
The problem with adding numerals on the end of names is that is sounds wannabe aristocratic, almost as bad as actually calling someone Baron or Duke, but then I feel like that about double-barrelling here.

The Bidens are not a good example of American egalitarianism! They are a classic example of the American attempts to create a sense of dynastic longevity by passing names through the generations, both given names and mother’s maiden names.

@NotAnotherHelen that's an interesting perspective., though I was sure to say it is the construct of egalitarianism, and not the practice, that Americans are so taken by. But yes it is somewhat amusing to see an old American family pass down the name Fred or Cooper as if it's a title of nobility.

I'm American. I don't get offended when people on here say a name "sounds American" because most countries are guilty of priding themselves over others (obviously if they were truly xenophobic, I would feel differently). I've heard references on here to British pop culture that I'm unaware of, but are well-known in Britain and might be enough to dissuade someone from using the name (Smart Alec, Blake's 7, etc); whereas, Evelyn on a boy would be strange over here, and that again boils down to cultural differences.

Names that represent Southern romanticism or English romanticism may contrast greatly. Eugenie or Jewel are not my choices for a girl, but I would still think they are sweet. Elitism is a monster of its own we should reckon with anytime we're dispensing criticisms, but we do live in an elitist world, and that's important to remember as well.

Our culture tends to sew our imaginative landscapes, but I like considering the British opinion because I want there to be a general love for the baby names I choose outside of my quaint place in the world. Yet I'm glad there are those who don't take my stance and choose names that hark back to their cultural heritage even if they are hard to spell (i.e. traditionally Irish names).

I do find it funny when Americans name their children place names, especially when they've definitely never been to that place.

I do hope it doesn't cause some confusion down the line if combined with the apparent trend of including in the child's name the place where they were conceived.

Sloane??

Even if you are not familiar with Sloane Rangers etc. there really really is not one single nice thing about that name.

Slow. Sloth. Slime. Stone. Makes me think of some slimy slug-like creature that lives under a stone. Absolutely horrible.

I think the surnames thing is partly about signalling ethnic identity (northern European/white/WASPs). You don't often see people adopting surnames that suggest other types of heritage! "Feminine-sounding" names ending in "a" are common among both Hispanic families (Sofia, Carmila etc.) and African American families (Aliya, Kayla etc.), and I think at the subconscious level, some white families need the need to sound very "different" from this. Not criticizing, everyone has the right to their own group identity. Just commenting.

A friend of mine worked on the US summer camp a few years back and had to coach girls' sports. The list of names was basically an endless string of Paige, Harper, McKinley, Saylor etc..... As my friend said plaintively to me, "Doesn't anyone in America call their daughters names like Elizabeth or Lucy any more?"

(Camila, that should say. Not Carmila!)