Would the meaning of the name Mallory steer you away?

[iruma77]

I’ve been obsessed with the name for years and years, but mentioned it in passing to someone and they were shocked we even considered it. It’s such a beautiful name & I haven’t cared about the meaning of anyones name before!

I love the name Mallory. Makes me think of Malorie in Bird box and the way the little girl says it which is really cute.

Awkward…what does it mean?

Well, I for one am extremely surprised that some people don't care about the meaning or origin of the names they choose.

You learn something every day!

Exactly!

There's so many names with a less than ideal meaning or story connected with them. Would it put me off? Well I wouldn't consider Phaedra for my daughter or Claudia so yes, it does tbh

I don't even know the meaning and origin of my own name. I've looked it up a few times and always forget as it's just not important to me. I wouldn't be put off by tragic characters like Tristan/Juliet/Ophelia etc either.

I do much prefer the spelling Malorie as it looks more like a first name (like the writer Malorie Blackman) and looks nicer.

First thing that springs to mind for me is..

Tragic death on Mt Everest, along with Irvine.

I just think of Mallory Park the racing circuit.

Pitstop?

I’m equally surprised that anyone could be superstitious enough to think that using a particular name somehow means imbuing the person with qualities associated with the meaning of that name

How about Darrell, Clarissa or Gwendoline instead?

I know.
What exactly do people think will happen if their child's name meant, I dunno, bitterness or something 500 years ago? Their child will grow up bitter because thats what their name 'means'? Kids will look up the meaning of the name, circle them at playtime and chant your name means bitter, your name means bitter

Once you’ve heard it or seen it written down though then Amelia is associated with that, it doesn’t matter where the name originally came from or the where the medical condition name came from, they are the same name.

Tristan developed from a Brythonic name Drust - there were several Pictish kings of that name - meaning "noise, tumult", likely referring to the noise of battle.

It only became associated with sadness when French romanciers took Celtic legends and altered names, in this case linking the name Drystan/Trystan with the Latin rooted word for "sad" more familiar to them.

This. I don’t see huge numbers of people called utterly ordinary names like Deirdre, Dolores, Cameron, Calvin, Mara, Claudia etc oppressed by the glumness of their fate.

I know a very outgoing Mallory, I’ve never known the meaning of the name. She’s my only one!

It's the second time I read the word 'superstitious' in this thread. I don't follow. What do irrational beliefs have to do with disliking the meaning of a name?

Why would anyone choose a name with a a negative (to you) meaning on purpose?

It's a bit like saying you don't care that a particular food tastes horrible, you're going to order it anyway.

There's only one L in Malory Towers. (Which looks soooo wrong.)

I like Mallory or Malorie. Not keen on Mal though which is presumably what it inevitably gets shortened to.

It’s a surname so I wouldn’t use it as a first name for that reason.

It’s Malory Towers. One ‘L’.

You’re welcome.

The superstitious thing is more about the idea that a child's name will affect or shape their life in some way.
Eg Calvin means bald so if you name your child Calvin, they will lose their hair.
Otto means rich so if you name your child otto, they will make lots of money.

See, MT is my earliest familiarity with the word and the double I looks terribly wrong to me. As would ‘St Claire’s’ with an i. Or Whyteleafe School without the ‘y’.

The only place I hear people discuss the meaning of a name, is on Mumsnet.

It has never occurred to me to wonder or care what the meaning of anyone's name is.

Mallory is the bonkers mother of Archer, to me. But it turns out there's only one l in her name.

It isn't really though, because food that you like doesn't suddenly turn disgusting because you find out it's name means "horribleness".
James means "supplanter" , would you avoid that?

You misunderstand, I think.

It's not the name of the food, it's the food itself. Looks good. You try, you hate it. Then you order it next time you go to a restaurant? Really?

Same with James (which does not mean that BTW). You hear it, you think you may like it for your baby. You look into it and you find out if means 'supplanter' or 'vengeful invader' or 'dishonest', or whatever. And you'd use it anyway? Really?

I have never met anyone who doesn't care about what a name means. That's kind of the point of words, including names.