Today at work I met 2 children called

[Saltire]

Jamaica and China! My face must have gone when the mother told me becasue she said "well we can't all go through life with boring names like yours"

Yes, I agree. That is why I said:

"To be fair to the OP, it would be difficult to hide the shock at being told a child was named Jamaica, and the mother should be prepared for that."

Perhaps you are getting me mixed up with someone else.

i have a child caled skelmersdale - we call him skally.

i have another called stockton upon tees - we call him stocky

i have another called The River Thames we call him gary

i wonder if thats where they were conceived - thats what posh n becks did innit?

on that basis my ds would be called Basement Flat. DD would be Knackered Mattress.

Um, I know two little girls called China. No more unusual than India, imo...

I see this from a both sides - I myself have felt my mouth twitch upwards to a tiny smirk if I have heard a name which I feel sounds odd or I feel is odd. (By odd I don't mean it's horrible - my brain automatically links any name up to my surname [no idea why] and not a lot of names sound good with my surname]

Then again - my ds is called Rio and the amount of people that raise their eyebrows at me and actually say "really?" Countless others must think it but are too polite to say anything.

I love the name Rio - and no (!) he is NOT named after Rio bloody Ferdinand.
Thats another very popular remark upon learning my ds's name.

Loving this thread btw - thanks to the OP
x xx x

Kaylo - there is a Rio in DS1s class.It's girl though, not a boy

'remember having to take a firm grip on my facial muscles when being introduced to a young Marmaduke'

I met two boys once, one was called Neo and the other called Morpheus . The eldest boy informed me that they had a baby sister at home called Trinity - one can only hope that once they're in their eighties, nobody will remember the film, poor buggers.

JuJusDad, I'm sure Treasure Island grew up grateful her parents weren't fans of Canvey

Who was it who wanted China Blue? Are you perchance Ken Russell fans?

I don't think Rio sounds right on a girl...thats prob because I've only met male Rio's tho

As for the Matrix kids...

Don't cry for me Argentina!

There is a disturbing trend here in Canada to give kids last names as first names. When my Ds1 (age 5.10) came home with his class list last year, it was interesting to discover that MacKenzie was a girl, as was Tayleur (yes, spelled that way) and also Hunter. He had boys in his class called Logan, Marshall, Cooper, Haydon and Chase.

I'm now singing, "Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand,..."

Some geeky part of me likes the Matrix themed names although 'Morpheus' is a bit much to be saddled with...

is that a real song??