Why the hate for modern “made up” style names

[sarahbiggs1]

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.

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.

This.

Is Paisley a name now?

Everleigh
Braylee

Awful. Chavtastic

@anglesee “Is Paisley a name now?”

I’m calling our next kid Musselburgh. Let’s hope it’s a boy!

I am not against made-up names. One of my favourite guilty pleasure names is Laureline which was made up for a character in a comic book series. The problem is a lot are similar to existing names so don't seem names in their own right and just seem like they'll be annoying for the owner of that name. It's like you take part of a name and just change a letter with quite a lot of them. I think it can also give the impression that you think you're being really creative and cool when you're not.

That said I think it's good there's a variety. I like that children now are much less likely to have peers with the same name as them.

I try not to judge but some aren't to my taste. I might have a nephew or niece with such names as it's really to my sibling's taste.

I’m imagining a large family of boys all named after varieties of leek: Autumn Mammoth, Winter Giant, Cairngorm…

This.

I came across a Jayd'n a few years ago.

Exactly what I was thinking.

It's like the Harry Enfield characters Wayne and Waynetta naming their kids Frogmella and Spudulika. They want to sound sophisticated and exotic, and end up sounding the opposite.

Winter Giant would be a fucking awesome name, probably one for a boy though.

I have a more unusual name that is no longer used by anyone and is generally judged as negative, cheap and dated. I hate it. I work in a middle class profession and always feel as though I have to work a little harder to get a client over the name prejudice.

I have a more unusual name that is no longer used by anyone and is generally judged as negative, cheap and dated. I hate it. I work in a middle class profession and always feel as though I have to work a little harder to get a client over the name prejudice.

Genuine question - do you hate it sufficiently to think about changing it? I'm lucky enough to like my name but I guess it's a total luck of the draw given we didn't have a say.

If I was Sharon or whatever, I think I'd consider changing it (no disrespect to Sharons...). Perhaps I'd learn to live with Kylie or Britney.

I have a very normal first name I dislike, a number of slightly ridiculous middle names that make me sound like a Bavarian princeling, and a very long surname that everybody always and everywhere misspells in the most wanton ways, which I’ve wanted t change since I was about 16.
But Ive never resented my parents for them, which might not be the case if they’d named me Skryyzexx.

@hop321 You're in the right realm there with Kylie and Britney and I would change it if it I knew it wouldn't hurt my parent' feelings or make me come across as a wannabe social climber.

I tolerate it, but it's also not spelt the standard way so I'm always spelling it out. I just feel self-conscious whenever I introduce myself.

I wouldn't give my DC an unsual or made up name. The parents always think they're being cool or creative but it's generally a bit rubbish for the child.

*parents'

*unusual 😅 I can't spell today.

I have a very simple name and love it, particularly as I had to spell my birth surname every time.
If I’d had a first name with a made-up spelling I’d have changed it pdq.

There is a chapter about this in a book called 'Drunk Tank Pink' where the author looks at the role of symbols, social cues and environment and the parts of life that are influenced, either consciously or unconsciously, when something combines at least 2 of these areas. Names do this. The ones that are more familiar within a particular language community tend to carry advantages, and there are clear correlations with having a particular name and salary likelihood, successful appointment to management, etc.

Although professional areas outside of management are not looked at in detail, there may be a correlation with other job 'stereotyping' as well, e.g. both a positive and a negative bias to certain names or patterns depending on the work environment.

The Freakonomics podcast looked at obviously Afro-American names and came to the conclusion that whilst they did mean you were less likely to get an interview, there was no correlation with lack of success or poorer outcomes compared with other Afro-Americans.
Research on class prejudice is probably more difficult to do.

Because it screams chav.

Not as loudly as using the word chav screams "snob who makes themselves feel better at the expense of people with less money/a different cultural background"