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Original poster

Why the hate for modern “made up” style names

170 replies

sarahbiggs1 · 14/08/2022 15:19

This is a very unpopular opinion especially on this sub but i kind of like the new “made up names” like Everleigh, paisley, braylee etc When people say stuff like it won’t suit an adult it dosent really make any sense because names that are now considered old women names like Linda,Sandra, Nancy were once probably looked at as child only names . I don’t think people realise that the names of the 2020s won’t be weird to their generation, there will be lots of high paid working people with these names and it won’t be looked at as odd for an adult to introduce themselves as “Kinsley” because by that time it will probably be an adults only name. Although it’s true that names like olivia or lily are more timeless because they have been around a long time it dosent mean the current trendy names will be looked on as bad because at the end of the day a lot of people in that generation will have those names.

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BeautifulWar · 14/08/2022 18:50

Yes, actually, I think you’re right. I think I was thinking of Miranda.

Maybe Imogen? It was a misprint of Innogen.

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 14/08/2022 18:51

I know it’s entirely my problem rather than theirs, but I can’t help but come to conclusions about parents who give their children names ending in ‘leigh’ or that include ‘Mae’.

BlackbirdsSinging · 14/08/2022 18:51

I don’t hate them. I just don’t like them - I think they are too American (obviously there are plenty of lovely individual Americans but as a country in general I don’t admire them shall we say).

PeaceLily2000 · 14/08/2022 18:52

KurtGeigerCounter · 14/08/2022 18:20

What makes me judgy is that it's the parents who want to be seen as unique and creative when what they're doing is saddling a child with a name they'll always have to spell out. Ditto parents who insist on using their child as a billboard for their hobby/musical interest. It's not about you. It's about the human being you're launching into the world with an immediate disadvantage. People are inherently unique; s/he's not going to be more unique because you've coined the name Mhicyl.

Lennon-Jagger Hendrix Smith is on a par with those poor sod Puritan children called Chastity God-Be-In-My-Petticoats Fear-Satan Thomas.

I have one of the most common names ever but still have to spell it all.the.time.

I also have a child with a name being slated in this thread so 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣

LidFlipper · 14/08/2022 18:56

I have a name and spelling absolutely hated by mumsnet but its never caused me any problems in real life 🤣

lot123 · 14/08/2022 18:58

The distaste is bound up with the class system. People who are heavily invested in being middle class can't stand it when others clearly don't give a hoot about their preoccupation.

But the original question was 'why do people hate these types of names?' Not 'do you think the hate is misplaced/snobbery etc?'

I don't care if people think differently and love a creative name. It's not a preoccupation, it's just providing opinions as the OP asked for.

Ameanstreakamilewide · 14/08/2022 19:00

mathanxiety · 14/08/2022 18:49

The horror stems from conservative elements in the culture.

The distaste is bound up with the class system. People who are heavily invested in being middle class can't stand it when others clearly don't give a hoot about their preoccupation.

'Made up' names are associated with American culture too, though the distaste for American culture is also classism in disguise. America is a more free and easy society where people are defined more by income than by something considered innate like class. This is seen as a threat by people who define themselves by the values and aspirations they associate with notions of class.

See also outrage over Hallowe'en, trick or treating, baby showers, bridal showers, gift registries, gifts of cash for weddings, Santa Claus replacing jolly old Father Christmas, and people giving their children Irish names which are allegedly completely beyond the ability of the English to wrap their heads around...

The combination of Little Englandism and insistence that class markers are important results in the exclamations of horror you see here.

A genuinely excellent post. 👍

EdithWeston · 14/08/2022 19:00

I think ‘God-Be-In-My-Petticoats’ is an utterly awesome name!!

isthismylifenow · 14/08/2022 19:09

We get all sorts here. It's quite common for a child to be given a 'homemade' name, using both parents names.

Off the top of my head examples:

Elizabeth and Andre have a child and call her Lizandre

Charmaine and Morne =. Charmorne

Etc etc. And I am not even making these up. It is getting worse and worse. Some are having to get really creative as we are now getting in 4 name territory.... as they have to carry on the tradition. The names are getting longer and longer as now they have to make a new name from two already synced up names.

Whatkindoflifeisthis · 14/08/2022 19:11

Because they are, for the most part, chavvy as hell. I also don't care that I'll probably get flamed for saying that.

ReadtheReviews · 14/08/2022 19:13

Snobbery is relative though. In the Netherlands, any English-sounding name is seen as very lower class. French names are what the snobs go for.

I'm snobby about surname names and about top ten names. The first sound uneducated American. The second sound opinion-fearing middle class.

FredtheCatsMum · 14/08/2022 19:17

diddl · 14/08/2022 17:38

Shakespeare invented Olivia

I thought it was already a name but made more popular by him?

Livia was a Roman name

SundayTeatime · 14/08/2022 19:19

FredtheCatsMum · 14/08/2022 19:17

Livia was a Roman name

Show quote history

But we’re talking about Olivia, not Livia. Yes, Livia is an old Roman name.

ANewNameANewDay · 14/08/2022 19:26

mathanxiety · 14/08/2022 18:49

The horror stems from conservative elements in the culture.

The distaste is bound up with the class system. People who are heavily invested in being middle class can't stand it when others clearly don't give a hoot about their preoccupation.

'Made up' names are associated with American culture too, though the distaste for American culture is also classism in disguise. America is a more free and easy society where people are defined more by income than by something considered innate like class. This is seen as a threat by people who define themselves by the values and aspirations they associate with notions of class.

See also outrage over Hallowe'en, trick or treating, baby showers, bridal showers, gift registries, gifts of cash for weddings, Santa Claus replacing jolly old Father Christmas, and people giving their children Irish names which are allegedly completely beyond the ability of the English to wrap their heads around...

The combination of Little Englandism and insistence that class markers are important results in the exclamations of horror you see here.

Going to have to disagree. I'm very much working class/don't give a shit about class and just think names like in the OP sound shit and tacky!

user375242 · 14/08/2022 19:32

Because of the class association and snobbery. It tends to be lower working class or young mums who like these names. I feel like I can admit this and hold my hand up and say this because I have a teenager with one of the names mentioned in this thread, and I was a teen mum.

GeorgiaGirl52 · 14/08/2022 19:48

I worked in schools for 30 years and saw all the trends.
My very first class, I had five Sherrys, two Donnas, and two Patricias.
Five years later, it was all Melanies, Ashleys, Madisons, (for girls).
Cher made Chastity a popular name, but no one seemed to spell it correctly - so many Chasitys, Chasitees, and Cassidys.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 14/08/2022 19:56

it won’t be looked at as odd for an adult to introduce themselves as “Kinsley” because by that time it will probably be an adults only name.

No one who has ever been to Kinsley is likely to be inspired to call a baby after it. Unless, maybe, they got very lucky on the greyhounds there!

SmokyQuartz · 14/08/2022 20:04

I judge the parents of Mckinsleigh, Rayden and Kalynn in the same way as the parents of Persephone, Atticus and Araminta. They’re all trying to make a statement.

much prefer the unassuming names in the top 100

Georgeskitchen · 14/08/2022 20:36

There will be a good number of women now in their mid forties called Jolene, and a good number of women now in their mid 30s called Kayleigh 😀😀

forgotmyusername1 · 14/08/2022 20:40

isthismylifenow · 14/08/2022 19:09

We get all sorts here. It's quite common for a child to be given a 'homemade' name, using both parents names.

Off the top of my head examples:

Elizabeth and Andre have a child and call her Lizandre

Charmaine and Morne =. Charmorne

Etc etc. And I am not even making these up. It is getting worse and worse. Some are having to get really creative as we are now getting in 4 name territory.... as they have to carry on the tradition. The names are getting longer and longer as now they have to make a new name from two already synced up names.

I know a kid called Scara

mogwa · 14/08/2022 21:05

Because people tend to like familiar names that have a meaning and history. It's a bit like asking why Fortnite dances aren't as respected as a traditional dance like the waltz. A name that's completely made-up (let's say, McBrynlee) is never going to have the same respectability as a name like Elizabeth.

user1477391263 · 14/08/2022 23:14

I don’t think people realise that the names of the 2020s won’t be weird to their generation, there will be lots of high paid working people with these names and it won’t be looked at as odd for an adult to introduce themselves as “Kinsley” because by that time it will probably be an adults only name.

Being brutally honest, I think there are class connotations. If I hear of a child with a name like Braylee or [insert name]-May/Mae/Mae/Grace, I assume the parents are probably quite young and not very highly educated, and that will influence the life paths of their kids. They will be Wayne/Tracey/Sharon equivalents 30 years from now.

ThanksMateThanksMate · 14/08/2022 23:17

@Dreamingcats
I'm from Paisley. It's got good and bad and I love my hometown.

whentheraincame · 14/08/2022 23:18

You know you can name your kid anything you want? There's no laws! There should be a couple of laws. Otherwise you could just name your kid all Fs.

"Fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff clean your room"

-Louis CK

MoistBandana · 14/08/2022 23:18

My thoughts are I would hate to lumber a kid with a name that they'll have to spell to phone correspondents every time they need to call banks or insurance.