Why do some words become acceptable as names and other's don't?

[MrsAvocet]

Another thread got me thinking about this. Why do some words become completely acceptable as names, but others of similar type don't?
Some place names are seen as normal names, others provoke derision. Ruby and Pearl have been used as girls' names for a long time, but has anyone ever met a Diamond? I personally know a Summer, Autumn and Winter (not related to each other!) but I have never heard of anyone called Spring. April, May and June are pretty mainstream so where are March and November? Same with plants and trees. Rose, Lily, Hazel, Willow, Rowan are all accepted, but if someone came on here saying they were thinking of naming their child Daffodil, Crocus, Larch or Beech I bet they'd get ripped to shreds.
What is it that makes the difference? It's obviously not the perceived value of the "thing" is it? I mean diamonds are generally considered more valuable than rubies and daffodils are very popular flowers...so why are they not regular names? Anyone got any theories?

There's no popular movie or book that championships these names. Also diamond isn't a (popular) name because it doesn't resembles other popular names, while Ruby is similar to Amy, Brodie or Robin

I think it's just familiarity and fashion. If lots of people called their kid Diamond, it'd become mundane. Hyacinth was a Medieval male name. The Victorians were far less conventional about names than we assume. Look up the Horrible Histories sketch about it.

I think it's nothing more than convention. Joy is a fairly dated but very normal name, but Happy is very unusual and there is no 'good' reason for this other than 'it's how it's always been'.

I know of a few diamonds, and even a crocus!

I think the pp who mentioned familiarity is spot on.

Virtue names like Happy, Precious, Lucky are completely standard names in some cultures.

Calling your daughter Stella, Serena or Seren would be completely normal, calling your daughter Star outright, wouldn’t be.

I've met a lot of Diamonds. It's popular in some circles in America.
Also a girl named Larch and a boy named Birch. Both in outdoorsy families.

If you broaden your search to other cultures you'll find plenty of examples of names that might be considered unusual in MC Britain.

I heard a girl named Branch the other day, that’s a new new one for me!

calling your daughter Star outright, wouldn’t be.

A colleague had a granddaughter called Star. Weirdly I saw this just last night. Poor 30 year old woman called Star talking about names babies don’t grow into.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMYqnfRqe/

calling your daughter Star outright, wouldn’t be.

A colleague had a granddaughter called Star. Weirdly I saw this just last night. Poor 30 year old woman called Star talking about names babies don’t grow into.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMYqnfRqe/

I think it's just down to familiarity and fashion. If Daffodil and Spring were as common as Lily and Summer, then nobody would think there's anything strange about them. Also if a name "fits in" with current trends then it's more likely to catch on, so a name like Azalea (which resembles Amelia, Ophelia etc) is more likely to be used than something like Crocus.

It's the same with any other category of names. E.g. Greek names - there are some Greek names we use in the UK but lots we don't.

Oh that's funny! I feel for her, talking about being called Star but being totally fucking average in every way 🤣

I worked with a woman who had a sister called Daffodil. It really doesn't work as a name! In the US and in some cultures names are really popular that just wouldn't work here. There's a mum in my DS's class called Honey and when I've mentioned her I've had a few expressions.

I know a Dimond, Happy and Jonquil. Parents preferences and how unique they want to be I guess. I know a Unique too.

I like Daffodil as a name actually!

I expect the reasons vary. I wouldn't use Spring because a spring is also a coil of metal, or the act of suddenly jumping, so has less desirable images for me than the other seasons.

Diamond is similar sounding to Desmond and Raymond so perhaps the masculine sounding ending subconsciously sways people?

March can be a verb and isn't a particularly exciting month. Like November, it makes me think chilly, damp and grey. Whereas Winter makes me think Christmas and snow which are nice things.

I think it depends on fashion / familiarity and associations. When people hear "Ruby" they probably know someone with this name or recall a song. My first association with Diamond is King Diamond or Tiny Diamond from Trollz movie

Does it make it a bad name? Absolutely not! And the more people use it, the more "normal" it will sound. There are many names popular and normal now that at one point were considered new or plain weird.

Side note, using Beech or Beach for a child's name is probably not advisable - some people pronounce "ee" and "ea" very similarly to "i" :P

Actually there is a boy called diamond in my sons class

In some cases I have no idea - it's really interesting. Familiarity/convention doesn't answer the OP's question because she's asking why there is that familiarity and convention.

The months one makes sense to me. The months that are recognised names are April, May, June, July and August - so the 'happy', summery, sunny ones. Makes more sense that calling your child February or November.

I think almost all precious stones do get used actually. Diamond has a very bad rep on mumsnet but it is a recognised name. As are Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, Crystal, Pearl, Jade, Ebony and Amber. I've never met an Amethyst, Topaz or Aquamarine but maybe they're just too fussy, idk.

The flower names - I agree with you. It's strange that some are names and some just aren't and I don't know why.

Almost all fruit names have remained 'out there'. Apple, Strawberry, Peaches - perhaps occasionally used by celebrities and the occasional hippy but pretty much no fruits get used. Why flowers but not fruits?