What about all those American girls names that sound like boys names, place names or surnames?

[Gunnerbean]

Things like Tyler, Taylor, Ashley, Ashton, Scout, Bristol, Atlanta, Harlow, Finley, Harper etc to name but a few.

They seem to be very big on it over there but it doesn't really seem to have caught on to such an extent over here yet. But I suppose it will eventually.

What do you think? I think some can sound OK but others - I mean Bristol is pushing it a bit surely?

Hmm - my cousin (American too) named her girl Sienna.

Does it count if the place name is Italian

ilovemydog - I would think that by now most everyone is accepting of Sienna - Sienna Miller is probably the most famous, but I know several.

Bryn is a perfectly good Welsh boy's name. Means 'hill'.

Count? in what way count?

Not sure I know what you mean!

To explain to all Americans who don't get why America is an acceptable target and other nations are not - this is purely political and is because America is the top political power.

This is why black people can make jokes at the expense of white people and not vv, and why women can make jokes at the expense of men and not vv. It is always OK for the under dog to make fun of the oppressor and never OK in reverse. A power thing. A high number of US citizens do not even know what country London is in fgs. This is not true about NY & UK citizens. Apologies if mumsnet is not worshipful enough of US citizens

Heh heh, American names are "oppressing" UK names so must be made fun of. Whatever.

And I love how the poster has framed the UK as the underdog and America as the oppressor. Hello, Colonialism?

Well, I've just had a look on the Bryn/Elijah thread and it appears our colonial cousins are under the mistaken impression that Bryn is a girls' name. Rather ill-becoming of top dog nation to be so disrespectful of other cultures IMO. (Before any Yanks tell me the British were as bad, the Welsh never oppressed anyone, and you should know better in 2009.)

Try America is calling the shots politically for the rest of the world and funnily enough the rest of the world like to have a laugh at America's expense every so often

I knew a girl actually named America

Um, last time I checked NY was still in the US, thereby doesn't have its own citizens

And yes, going back in time, the good jokes were at the expense of the empire...we have all moved on.

ilovemydogandMrObama - my comment was shorthand for saying that UK citizens all know what country New York is in.

Well I always htought Bryn was a boy's name.
What annoys me is when names such as Cameron (which incidentally is a Scottish surname)are changed so they become Camron,Kamron,Kamryn,Cameryn.FFS

chaya

" American names are "oppressing" UK names "

You mock this statement. HOWEVER, if a celtic name such as Brynn or Rory or Finley is adopted in significant numbers for girls in the US, then in a short length of time, the name would be considered unusable for boys here.

It's not a tragedy, it's not oppression, it's the inevitable consequence of a nation of 280 million people influencing and shaping the accepted norms of a country with a fifth of the population (not sure of the exact figures there).

What becomes normal in America becomes acceptable here. I used to go guising and dress up as anything on the 31st October when I was a child. I'd ask for nuts or apples and I'd have to do a dance or sing a song or tell a joke or saying something in gaelic before the nuts and apples were handed over. The customs have been swallowed up by the Imported american version of Hallowe'en. This isn't the fault of random or collective Americans. It's the way the World works. It's sad, but it's commerce really. That's what it comes down to. Markets to tap. People to flog ghost and vampire masks to!

Oh whatever - another 'how-stupid-are-Americans' thread...

I'm off.

Anti-Americanism isn't a mumsnet or british thing is a global thing....one half the world aspires to being American while the other half is quite verbal about being anti all things American.

The really interesting thing is that most Americans living in the US are quite oblivious to the whole thing because seriously it does not matter to them they are the worlds dominent culteral and economic power(even given the current situation)they have no clue about the whole american bashing thing!

And for the record I am not American but have worked extensvely there, I'm actually a Brit living in Canada.....and trust me when it comes to being Anti-American the UK ain't got nothing on Canada!

hmmm?

HOw is stating that America is five times the size of GB saying that Americans are stupid???

I think it's a question of being the smaller of the two nations. NOT being the underdog! Britain doesn't see itself as the underdog I don't think.

ALso, because of movies and tv programmes, we are immersed in American culture. We know what trainers are and we know what sneakers are, and so on, we know that they pronounce Route Rowt instead of root. But I don't think they have the exposure to 'our cultures and traditions in the same way.

So, the flow of culture is pretty much one way.

I don't think Americans are stupid or have bad taste.

Haven't time to read the whole thread, but has anyone mentioned McKenzie (JK Rowling lo) or Carey, as in Richard Gere's wife (which I love)?

Britain is the underdog and I don't know anyone who thinks otherwise?!!!

i endorse Pepa's comments

lol at bettany, you have walked into an international politics debate not a babyname thread !

Yawn. This is turning into an America/n bashing thread. It went downhill once someone felt the need to refer to some vague statistic about a vague number of Americans not knowing where London is. Yawn. I am off too.

No, it wasn't the geographical comment, it was the statement: '... A high number of US citizens do not even know what country London is in fgs....'

Really?

It would be a very different statement if this was backed up by objective evidence.

And not a lot of British folk aren't terribly knowledgeable on US geography either.

Someone asked me yesterday, 'Is California in Los Angeles?' . Most British people I've met are familiar with Los Angeles, New York or maybe Las Vegas.

But not sure I'd make a huge sweeping statement...

"And not a lot of British folk aren't terribly knowledgeable on US geography either."

Yup. That is what I said.

Oh wow - you win on a technicality

oh dear podrick, should have known better than to jump in! Will have to examine this thread later when children are asleep (sounds interesting)...