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Original poster

Please can you come and be judgmental about my names?

49 replies

BlameItOnTheBogey · 01/08/2009 11:49

We're toying with names at the moment and find it hard to agree. There are three that we are quite keen on but what I'd really like to know is, what judgments would you make about a family whose boys were named as follows;

Jacob

Joseph

Elijah

Any thoughts? What connotations do these names have?

(And I know lots of people follow the who-cares-what-other-people-think train of thought, but I am superficial so want to know!)

Thanks!

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PuppyMonkey · 01/08/2009 11:51

They all have Biblical connotations - PM states the bleedin' obvious.

Like Joseph best. They are all perfectly nice names though imho.

GirlsAreLoud · 01/08/2009 11:51

Joseph is fab, Jacob is nice, can't stand Elijah.

Tillyscoutsmum · 01/08/2009 11:52

Well - they are all biblical names and I might associate think the family were of Jewish origin but biblical names are so popular now that I don't think its a natural conclusion to come to. In the same way I wouldn't necessarily think a child called Niamh or Siobhan was Irish.

So - to summarise above waffle - I don't think I'd make any judgments about the family

Is that really unhelpful ?!

Penthesileia · 01/08/2009 11:54

Love Jacob and Joseph: both traditional, yet timeless, I think. Nice abbreviations too - Jake & Joe. Less keen on Elijah (seems a very big, bearded man kind of name), but I do like Eli as an abbreviation.

If I met a family with these names, I would imagine that they were quite religious, old-school Protestants (because of Elijah, rather than Jacob and Joseph, though).

diedandgonetodevon · 01/08/2009 11:54

Was all ready for a bit of Saturday morning judgyness.. but I think they are all lovely names.

Can't think of any negative connotations for them.

Bellsa · 01/08/2009 11:56

Lovely names. I considered all of them though, si I may be biased.

mrswoolf · 01/08/2009 12:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsBadger · 01/08/2009 12:01

I'd think you were a bit unimaginative, tbh

it seems like every other boy at dd's nursery is called Jacob / Jake / Jack / Joe / Joseph / Joshua

there are lots of other fab biblical and/or tradtional names out there that aren't in the top 10 atm

Daniel?
Asher?
Benjamin?
Aaron?

jellybeans · 01/08/2009 12:06

Jacob..great name

Joseph...great name

Elijah...great but more unique/unusual

Original poster
BlameItOnTheBogey · 01/08/2009 12:08

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I don't mind unimaginative. My own name is fairly traditional and I love it.

It's interesting that a lot of you wonder about religious background and I guess that is part of my reason for asking; I'm in a mixed faith marriage - Christian (protestant) and Jewish - and this does play into the name choice. We also have a very Jewish surname and I guess I am slightly reluctant to give a first name which reinforces that since we have agreed to bring our children up understanding both faiths and then let them choose....

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 01/08/2009 12:16

tbh I think putting any of the first names you've chosen with an obviously Jewish surname could make for a very Jewish-sounding name overall

I'd consider something less biblical - Charles? Edward? even Jack?

thumbwitch · 01/08/2009 12:17

boring
boring
likes Elijah Woods.

Or - biblical.

MrsBadger · 01/08/2009 12:18

Harry? Henry? William?

pointydog · 01/08/2009 12:19

I like Joseph because I like Joe

cyteen · 01/08/2009 12:20

Well, any family that includes a Joseph is clearly well endowed with intelligence, good taste and joie de vivre

The only other thing I might think is that parents of an Elijah might be big Lord Of The Rings fans, but then neither DP or I is remotely religious and the biblical connotations of Joseph never occur/red to us.

alardi · 01/08/2009 12:22

I would wonder if you had religious inclinations, but I wouldn't automatically assume it. They are all nice names, imo, so I would admire your generally good taste .

Original poster
BlameItOnTheBogey · 01/08/2009 12:28

MrsBadger - we were thinking we could shorten Jacob to Jack rather than Jake?

Didn't realise there was an Elijah in Lord of the rings. DH and I probably won't agree on this one anyway because we can't agree whether it is pronounced with hard or soft 'J'...

OP posts:
janeite · 01/08/2009 12:39

There isn't an Elijah in LOTR; he's an actor - Elijah Woods (played Frodo).

I like Jacab and Joseph and don't like Elijah.

janeite · 01/08/2009 12:40

With the soft 'J' would be lovely but you'd have to explain it a lot, I guess! Jan (pronounded Yan) is nice too.

dizzydixies · 01/08/2009 13:08

Joseph or Jacob for me but please don't shorten to Jake

Tidey · 01/08/2009 13:09

I like all of them.

God, I'm controversial.

tummytickler · 01/08/2009 13:09

I have Elijah (soft J) whom we call Eli, also an Amos - people often assume we must be Jewish but doesn't bother us!
I think Joseph and Joshua are a tad boring, but they all fit togetehr nicely i think - but obviously i prefer Elijah (soft j though - hard j sends me up the wall!)

franklymydear · 01/08/2009 13:14

Lovely strong biblical names

PrincessToadstool · 01/08/2009 13:14

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LittleMissWorryHead · 01/08/2009 15:35

Jacob doesn't have to be shortened to Jake. I have one and he is NOT a Jake.

I think they're all lovely names. I wouldn't assume anything on hearing them other than you have good taste