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Original poster

What are "American" names?

105 replies

CheerfulYank · 05/09/2009 08:15

I've seen that term bandied about a bit and I'm curious.

Is it the whole surname trend thing? I love my country, but I have to admit I'm sick of all the little Parkers/Mackenzies/Carters running around as well as the Ayden/Kayden/Jayden business. So...just curious! And mightily bored. It's 2 in the morning here but am on vacation and can't force myself to sleep yet!

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mummydemma · 05/09/2009 15:25

Bryce
Blaise
Braeden/Brayden
Chase
Chad
Jesse
Kimble
Chester
London
Preston
Cole
Ty

Br ianne/Brianna/Bree
Cindy
Brandy
Lexie
Nancy

We lived in Canada (not US exactly but same naming trends IYKWIM) and these are some of the 'American' names that stick in my mind. Also lots of very 'normal' names around too. A lot more common than people here imagine. Boys names definitely tend to be more on the 'American' side IMO. Pretty, classic girls names seemed the norm TBH - Jessica, Elizabeth/Beth, Emily, Amelia, Sarah etc

I am very biased towards 'American' sounding names. DD and DS both have one and I love their names (obviously) but that is just my opinion.

Also, our very best friend in Ontario is Randy (Randall) and if DC3 is a DS he will have Randall as a middle name!

MaggieVirgo · 05/09/2009 15:28

The thing that fascinates me is that there is some sort of pattern about it all.

Irish names for girls. eg, Kennedy, Delaney, Mackenna

English names for boys, Parker, Spencer, Taylor

How is that?!

florence2511 · 05/09/2009 16:25

I have an American friend with 2 daughters: Kayla and Kinsley. Ok, I can just about get Kayla, but Kinsley!!!!! To me it sounds like a boys name originating from a surname. It isn't pretty for a girl IMHO.

All of my friend's siblings have names beginning with K and subsequently have named all their children names beginning with K. Names I can remember are:

Kai
Kassidy
Kaitlin (OK, but not with a K)

She told me that in order to find 'decent' names beginning with a K she had to think outside the box and be original.

BerylCole · 05/09/2009 16:27

People who think Erin and Kennedy and Shannon are authentic Irish names. Usually American.

MaggieVirgo · 05/09/2009 16:53

Yes. I'm Irish and those names sound American to my ear. Here, The Shannon is for cruising. Erin is Soup. Kennedy is JFK.

MaggieVirgo · 05/09/2009 16:56

Kinsley!!!

There is a reverence for the letter K in the USA that we don't have here .

lol at Kassidy with a K. Very clever; that is two trends combind, Irish surname Cassidy on a girl, but trendy it up another notch by taking out the C and replacing it with a K.

I saw Kamden on babycenter.com/girlsnames back in 2002. Also, Oslo. I kind of liked Oslo taking two trends and combining them. Place name + ending in an O. very trendy.

lljkk · 05/09/2009 17:05

Some American names are truly awful... SIGH (I am American, too, so I am ALLOWED to snigger).

The one I'm struggling with today is:
Cadence.
Did they know what Cadence is? It's how fast you pedal a bicycle, in revolutions per minute. How could they call a child that?

No Madisons in my American family, but Dylan, Taylor (girls) and Alexander all recur.

I always thought of "Brad" as an All-American name; it is very popular among DC's English school friends, though. My (American) cousin has a son-in-law named Chad and she chokes and sniggers every time she has to say his name (doesn't hold a high opinion of his deeply redneck family origins, to say the least).

BerylCole · 05/09/2009 17:10

Dylan for a girl is very American.

American children I know of: Mikayla (why?), Chastity (again...why? would you name a child this?), Macy (ohm and Pacey - not related! ). Paighton.

MaggieVirgo · 05/09/2009 17:11

isnt Cadence a musical term?

but it means 'pause' so i'm still not loving it.

btw, it should be Kadence

MaggieVirgo · 05/09/2009 17:11

isnt Cadence a musical term?

but it means 'pause' so i'm still not loving it.

btw, it should be Kadence

BerylCole · 05/09/2009 17:15

Cadence for me is like Paighton, Paige, Pacey, Macey, Kayci, Mason, Brody, Brady, Caiden etc - just totally meaningless. And American.

MissGreatBritain · 05/09/2009 17:26

Anything double-barrelled ending with Sue, May/Mae, Jean, Jo etc.

UnquietDad · 05/09/2009 17:31

I thought Ornella was Italian. Like Ornella Muti, the very lovely actress.

Prunerz · 05/09/2009 17:42

Cadence means the beautiful, rhythmic flow of a voice or a piece of music.

What's wrong with that?

Original poster
CheerfulYank · 05/09/2009 17:52

Yes, Beryl, those were what I thought of too. One of my dad's favorite things to do is read the "new births" column of his local newspaper and yell "THAT'S NOT A NAME!" He's quite a cranky old man really! For quite awhile the trend here seemed to be older names for boys (Jacob, Matthew, etc, always topped the charts) and more "different" sounding names for girls- Delaney, McKayla, and so on. I don't mean to sound snooty as I know what others name their kids is none of my business, but really! When I decided to call DS Sam (which narrowly beat out Will and Thomas) some of my friends thought it was "too plain."

Also- and this tops them all- I know of a family with a DS called Kyger (yup, rhymes with Tiger) and a DD named Kinidi. It's pronounced Kennedy. Stating again, it's none of my business, but "Kinidi"? REALLY?! FFS!

OP posts:
Original poster
CheerfulYank · 05/09/2009 17:53

I do have to disagree with you, lljkk, on Alexander. I don't love it but it's a real name at least, right?

OP posts:
MaggieVirgo · 05/09/2009 17:58

cheerfulYank, on the board that I used to post on back in 2002, there was a girl who called her son Hoyt. I just could not see the appeal of that. She didn't think much of my boys' names either!!!

Kinidi... was Kennedy not ugly enough?

BerylCole · 05/09/2009 18:04

Kinidi is ghastly. LOL!!! Oh God. It's just so bad.

I think it's time for a quick, mean spirited shifty through this little lot again. Always an MN favourite!

My personal faves: Alpha-Mae, LeVoid, Ja'Mon (mm, tasty with a nice bit of crusty bread!) and..... TaffiLynn. Beautiful!

Podrick · 05/09/2009 18:17

Girls names: Zoey, Genesis, Gianna, Bailey, Trinity, Brooke, Brooklyn, Avery, Neveah (how is that one pronounced?)Taylor

Boys: Mason, Hunter, Wyatt, Chase, Brody, cooper, carson, Carter, Brayden, Landon

Original poster
CheerfulYank · 05/09/2009 18:25

Oh WOW. Podrick the Neveahs I've encountered, and yes there've been more than one, pronounce it Na-VAY-uh. The place names are big too. I know of a mom who has six, all place names. Jackson, Savannah, Lexington (called Lexi), Clayton (town in Texas), Brooklyn and something else I fortunately cannot remember.

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UnquietDad · 05/09/2009 18:33

And once again it's time for this

Do not eat while reading, you will choke.

BerylCole · 05/09/2009 18:34

PMSL!@Sharmonica.

dizzydixies · 05/09/2009 18:43

I know a MNer with a Kingsley and my DD2 is Lexie so apparently I have American names for my irish/scottish kids

Original poster
CheerfulYank · 05/09/2009 18:45

LOL LOL LOL LOL! I'm visiting my parents and my mom just came into the room to find out why I was screaming with laughter. I'd forgotten all about that site. Love it!

OP posts:
pasturesnew · 05/09/2009 18:48

Re Irish names for girls - American girls called Sean - it's a boy's name! Don't why this bothers me more than James and Jamie for a girl, but it does.

I did think Madison was naff but then thought actually it is traditional to name girls after places e.g. Florence so maybe it is not that weird. I've also warmed to Chelsea on the same basis.