Hot baby names for 2012? 12 trends to follow!
Pamela Redmond Satran, developer of baby naming trend site Nameberry.com, has created a list of the top 12 trends for baby names in 2012. It is fascinating to see which names will be popular and what is happening in society to catapult those names to the forefront.
Here are six of the 12 trends Satran highlighted for The Huffington Post. For the full list in slide show form, click the link:
1.Surnames of heroes – Monroe (as in Marilyn), Landry (as in Tom) Palin (as in Sarah).
2. Names that are similar to the most popular name yet different: “So Number 1 girls’ name Isabella gives rise to stylistically-related choices Arabella and Annabelle; Olivia, the top name in Britain, spawns spelling variation Alivia; Emma and Emily promote brother name Emmett.”
3. Firce names: “There are fierce animal names such as Bear, Fox, Wolf, Lynx and a range of names from Leo to Lionel that mean lion, and then there are the perhaps-even-fiercer names like Breaker, Ranger, and Wilder.”
4. West and Western-sounding names: such as “…West and Weston and Wesley, along with Western-sounding names fit for a new generation of ‘lil cowboys: Boone and Bo, Wyatt and Wylie, Cole and Colt, Zane and Shane, and even Maverick.”
5. A names: “…Fresh A names attracting attention on Nameberry include for girls, Acacia, Ada, Anais, Annelise, Anouk, Aria, Athena, Aurelia, and Azalea, and for boys, Alistair, Ambrose, Aragon, Archer, Arthur, Augustus, and Axel.”
6.Adjectives for names: “…True, Noble, Brave, Strong, Loyal, Loving, Sunny, Golden, Royal, Happy. One UK soccer star and his fashionista wife tried to beat this trend by naming their son Trendy.”
I would tell parents wanting to do the same but different trend it is a huge mistake. We named Lilina for an Italian relative but later found out there was a popular Hispanic name very close to her name (Liliana) and she is constantly called that. I don’t know that we would have changed our mind but it’s no fun correcting everyone all the time. (See an example in the afternoon blog today.)
Another trend from the slide show is ie endings on nicknames coming back and I like that. Satran says the y will be replaced by the ie – like Lottie, Haddie, Addie. I think those are cute.
What do you make of the “fierce” names or the adjectives? I think you often hear of people picking names because they supposedly mean “warm or heart” or “gentle,” it’s just now they are using the actual adjective.
What’s the oddest trend or worst trend? Are you following any of the trends if you are an expectant parent? Did you know you were following a trend or did you just like the name?
Are these names better or worse than the other recent trends?
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174 comments Add your comment
HB
November 22nd, 2011
6:39 am
Marilyn Monroe, Tom Landry, and Sarah Palin are fictional?
shaggy
November 22nd, 2011
7:14 am
Nadine…Oh Nadine, the praises I sing to thee. I have known two Nadines in my younger days, both smokin HOT! I think they both grew into their names.
Just thought I would share that…rather than write how only an idiot names their kid “Breaker”…oops I wrote it anyway.
TnT's Mom
November 22nd, 2011
7:56 am
Just remember whatever you name your child may sound cute, fun or interesting when they are a baby, but they have to live with the name the rest of their life. And keep in mind the spelling. I have spent my entire life having to spell my name as it is an uncommon spelling. Tami – not Tammy.
As I named my children, the spelling was my first concern and the type of nicknames. I really like the name Patrick and have family members named Patrick and Patricia, but cannot stand the name Pat – too ambigious. So, we used Patrick for a middle name.
MomOf2Girls
November 22nd, 2011
7:58 am
Don’t forget to take into consideration initials as well. We changed our daughter’s middle name just before naming her because we realized her initials would be GAG.
usually lurking
November 22nd, 2011
8:10 am
Ah yes, important to look at trends to make sure what NOT to name your child. When my oldest son was in the infant room at daycare, 4 of the 6 boys were named Nicholas.
Techmom
November 22nd, 2011
8:24 am
Our friends had a baby girl last week and had the hardest time picking a name. Literally on the 3rd day as they were leaving the hospital, they wrote something down and crossed it out and changed it. Original top 3 choices were: Reagan, Monroe & Paris. Most people liked Reagan but the nurses kept saying that it had been a very popular choice lately. I really like Monroe (not for Marilyn mind you) but they live in Monroe county and I thought it would be different. It’s a tad bit masculine for a girl but nonetheless, I like it. They initially wrote Monroe down and then changed it on the way out to Paris. Of course my husband’s reaction was, “after that stupid floozy who’s only popular b/c her parents are rich??” But location names seem to be popular lately (India, London).
I’m surprised at the rise in traditional names for boys like Jack. I know 3 people who’ve had boys in the last couple of years who names their boys Jack.
The other trend in the south seems to be the dual first names: Hannah Grace, Katie Jo, Mary Susan, Mary Beth, etc. I know the Mary Susan and Mary Beth at my son’s school were passed down names but there really are a bunch of the girls with two first names.
Chesty LaRue
November 22nd, 2011
8:27 am
I named my daughter Tumbleweed Hair LaRue
LaQuidra
November 22nd, 2011
8:30 am
I like to go back to my African roots, so I named my son QuTinta Barack Green.
LeeH1
November 22nd, 2011
8:38 am
In the Bible, parents named the boy child after a male relative, usually of the father’s side. In my family, we continued this practice, and name the girl babies after a woman, usually on the mother’s side of the family, sometimes using the surname of the mother’s or grandmother’s family.
Naming a baby something current and fanciful only shows the parents are not ready for parenthood, because they are willing to name their child for life with a humorous or difficult name that will shape them all life long. Think of the song, “A Boy Named Sue”.
Manipulation of another person from a position of authority is not love.
Doris M
November 22nd, 2011
8:42 am
Please be mindful in naming your child. Of course, it’s your child and you can name him/her anything you want. But that child has to live with the name. So give a name that the child can spell; that another persons can pronounce; that doesn’t have some silly initials, etc.
The Reverend Baby Doctor Bedpan
November 22nd, 2011
8:43 am
Manipulation of another person from a position of authority is not love.
Can’t the same be said for you method of naming children? Really?……The bible? The same book that tells of a talking snake? A guy that lives in a whale? Another old man that manages to procure 2 of every species on this planet and place on a large boat? Really?
Penguinmom
November 22nd, 2011
8:46 am
@hb – that was my thought as well. Perhaps the ‘non-’ was left off?
I would avoid the most popular names/trends unless a name was a family name or one I just absolutely adored and had planned to use all along. My own name was popular (made the top 10) around the time I was born and, as a result, I know several people in our group of friends with my first name. I still go by first name and last initial at times in order to tell the difference. Since my maiden name is also fairly common, I actually had a classmate in 6th grade with the same first and last name as me and have run into many others with my whole name as well (not counting the middle name).
So far, only my eldest’s name (nickname actually) is at all common. When we named him ‘Trey’ (as a nickname), I didn’t know many people with that name but now we hear it regularly.
JJ
November 22nd, 2011
8:55 am
On my Dad’s side of the family, the first born male son takes his father’s first name as his middle name. This tradition was good for about 5 generations. Unfortunately, it stopped with my brother, who had two girls……
When naming a baby, stand outside and YELL that name 10 times. If you still like it, go for it…..
I named my daughter after me. We both have the same first names, similar middle names (with unusual spelling)…..I go by my first name, she goes by a shortened version of her middle name.
When my sister in law had the first niece, we were told her name. She had this name picked out the moment she found out she was pregnant. About 3 days before the baby is born, she announces she has changed the name, and would be shortened, and spelled a certain way. We all show up at the hospital after the baby is born, we have balloons and other things with her specialy spelled name on them, and as we walk into the room, my SIL looks at me and says, “That’s not how I’m spelling her name”…….LOL…so my niece has all this stuff with a different name on it….
Making baby Jesus cry for over 2000 years.
November 22nd, 2011
9:00 am
I think we should use more verbs for babies names. The indians did.
Drinks Like Fish
Runs With Scissors
Tax The Rich
Shoes For Fun
I like those names.
MatthewH
November 22nd, 2011
9:02 am
In 2008 we named our son Monroe after my great-grandfather’s middle name. We have received several compliments on his unique name. I would hate to think that anyone believes we named him after Marilyn Monroe.
Fred
November 22nd, 2011
9:04 am
I love the made up names. They are so cool. So are the misspelled names. Come on folks, you can PRETEND you did it on purpose to be “cool” but we all know you were just stupid and couldn’t spell so your kid is stuck with a misspelled name.
I Love Life Cereal
November 22nd, 2011
9:05 am
“Can’t the same be said for you method of naming children? Really?……The bible? The same book that tells of a talking snake? A guy that lives in a whale? Another old man that manages to procure 2 of every species on this planet and place on a large boat? Really?”
Spare me the anti-religious rant.
Your post is “ate up” with FAIL.
Gordon Sumner
November 22nd, 2011
9:10 am
I agree….More verbs.
Sting
Jim Bob
November 22nd, 2011
9:15 am
C’mon, give the boys real names! Bob, George, Stan, Carl, Jim, and Mike. Then start over with Bob, again.
poor kids....
November 22nd, 2011
9:16 am
more kids being set up for having their resumes thrown in the trash on the first cut when looking for their first jobs…..
A B Normal
November 22nd, 2011
9:22 am
I get the “african roots” thing and I fully respect those who truly research and bestow names that have real meaning within their heritage. But c’mon people . . . “LaShontiqua RaDeia?” That’s setting up a kid for failure, not to mention it’s simply made up from various vowels and consonants randomly ordered to sound “african.” HR people avoid employment applications with names they can’t readily pronounce!
JJ
November 22nd, 2011
9:26 am
I love the name Scott. Had my daughter been a boy, she would have been named Scott.
AlsoMomOf2Girls
November 22nd, 2011
9:26 am
@MomOf2Girls – My husband’s initials are GAS. Needless to say, his mom didn’t think that through well at all. However, it suits him to a ‘T’ :).
I go by a shorten version of my middle name. From the time I began school, I constantly had to tell teachers “I don’t go by my first name, I go by my middle name but not my full middle name, I go by a shortened version of my middle name”. To make matters worse, my first name is Lara, pronounced like Laura, but everyone pronounced it ‘Larah’ (like Sarah). So not only was I telling people I didn’t go by that name, I had to tell them they were pronouncing my first name wrong. AND my middle name is one you usually find spelled with a ‘C’ but mine is spelled with a ‘K’.
So I decided a long time ago that whatever I wanted to name my child, it would be their first name and they would go by their first name. Then I just picked a middle name that went well with the first.
I feel so sorry for teachers these days. Parents think they’re being cute or different with names and spellings but really some are just creating more trouble than necessary.
catlady
November 22nd, 2011
9:34 am
As a teacher, I have heard some of the “most unusual” names you can imagine (I am being kind here). I had a boy called Ivy. He was Something Something Something the Fourth, so they called him IV. He sure hated that.
I’ve had others that were, ahem, eyebrow raising.
My kids are named for members of their families–great grandparents and great great grandparents. My son has continued the same tradition. Being so old, some seem a little odd, but the boys ere named for men who were well-respected in their communities. My daughter has used basic, good Anglo names that have withstood the test of time. My granddog is named after Greg Maddox.
When I was in the hospital recovering from the birth of my first child, my roommate was recovering (quickly) from the birth of her 13th! She had run out of names, and was on the phone to get her older, teenaged kids to come up with a name!
I was named after my grandfather. I was “supposed” to be a boy and there was no girl name picked out. My father refused to let my mom name me my grandfather’s name anyway, with Mary stuck before it, so they compromised on his nickname, which has worked out fine.
One assignment I give my kids at school is to find out why their parents gave them the name they did. We have lots of fun telling those stories.
Maddernheck
November 22nd, 2011
9:39 am
I agree with ‘poor kids’. Give your child a name that will serve them well as a child into adulthood. Thank goodness we’re past the Muffy and Trey trends. Grandma Muffy? Really? President Trey? Get real. My children have wonderful names – Emily and Daniel. Fine for children, and has served them well as they move into young adulthood. And no nicknames. I named them Emily and Daniel folks – not Em and Danny. Respect that.
Denise
November 22nd, 2011
9:41 am
My first name is Angele. It is usually spelled Angelle (even though Iknow of 2 others with one L). When it is with 2 LLs, I’ve never heard it mispronounced but I get AngelA 9 times out of 10. Ticks me off. I guess people either think Mama can’t spell or was trying to be “different” or “unique”. Negative. My name is not Angela. I love my name (even though I didn’t love my great-grandmother for whom I am named) so I’m not upset about having it but I do get annoyed at having to correct people over and over on how to pronounce it. I can see the first or second time but dang. I won’t get into the fact I have 2 middle names. Denise is the first.
My sister-in-law spells my niece’s name Kenadie instead of Kennedy. So far so good on her teacher not having any issues mispronouncing it but she’s only in preschool and the teacher meets the parents first. Hopefully she won’t have too many issues as she progresses through school but she should be fine after correcting folks the first time. My sister-in-law got a little too “creative” with 2 of her sons’ names – combining hers with their fathers’ – and I’m hoping they don’t have issues later on but who knows. They are easy to pronounce but if I saw the resume I might give it the side-eye. Thank goodness they are young and by the time they go for jobs the people hiring them will have crazy names too so it probably won’t be a problem.
Roekest
November 22nd, 2011
9:42 am
It’s official! Baby names have been co-opted by trailer parks and public housing!
LaQuidra
November 22nd, 2011
9:44 am
A B Normal
November 22nd, 2011
9:22 am
I get the “african roots” thing and I fully respect those who truly research and bestow names that have real meaning within their heritage. But c’mon people . . . “LaShontiqua RaDeia?” That’s setting up a kid for failure, not to mention it’s simply made up from various vowels and consonants randomly ordered to sound “african.” HR people avoid employment applications with names they can’t readily pronounce!
It sho didnt take long for the racists to reply!
Ms. KP
November 22nd, 2011
9:44 am
LaQuidra like we really believe you are African. Anyone who was really embracing their “roots” or heritage woud not have made that comment especially using Barak. You tried but you fooled no one but yourself. I tried to do like everyone else and ignore it but that was really stupid.
HB
November 22nd, 2011
9:46 am
@AlsoMomOf2Girls, I also grew up going by a shortened version of my middle name. It didn’t cause too many problems down South, I think because was pretty common there to go by a middle name, but boy did it confuse yankees when I moved north. Switching to the full version of my middle name has helped (as an adult, I like it better anyway), but I still have to explain it a lot.
LaQuidra
November 22nd, 2011
9:48 am
Whats your point? Barack is not an African name? I cant name my child after what I preceive to be a great man? How dare you call me stupid!
motherjanegoose
November 22nd, 2011
9:52 am
@ TWG…how do you pronounce your daughter’s name…is is Lil E na? I can see where it could cause a problem as I always thought it was Lil E ana. I was simply not looking closely. Sorry!
I Googled it and found this: http://www.babyhold.com/list/Italian_Baby_Names/Liliana/details/
so now I am REALLY confused! I think it says Iliana is Spanish and Liliana is Italian!
@ also….yes, the teachers have their plates full of names one cannot even pronounce. I have looked at name tags on children and thought what? Add on the fact that we have many more cultures in the metro area, than we used to, and those names are here too! To me, a cultural name is one thing but a made up name or even one that seems misspelled could be asking for trouble.
I did not want my two explaining themselves upon being introduced. Everyone in this house has a first, middle and last name that most folks would have NO trouble pronouncing. My two also have names that could be written quickly in school. No struggling for a child to form a long line of letters. That comes from being a teacher. My maiden name was difficult, as it was Dutch and nearly everyone misspelled it or mispronounced it. Thankfully, my married name is two syllables and easy.
jarvis
November 22nd, 2011
9:54 am
@HB, that was my first thought as well. Scary that the Huffington Post doesn’t know the difference between Fiction and Non.
jarvis
November 22nd, 2011
9:55 am
If you name our kid Fox or Ranger, you suck.
JJ
November 22nd, 2011
9:57 am
LOL MJG – my maiden name is scottish and so many people mis-pronounce it, and it’s 10 letters long. I prayed to marry a man with a short last name, and I got Jones. HAHAHA…be careful what you ask for…..
Rachel
November 22nd, 2011
10:03 am
Just my opinion but using surnames as first names is dumb.
HB
November 22nd, 2011
10:03 am
Jarvis, if you click on the link, HP actually has a longer description that is correct (”Such surname names may honor heroes real or fictional, contemporary or historic, from the arts, sports, or the world stage, and work for girls as well as boys”), so I don’t think the error is theirs.
E
November 22nd, 2011
10:05 am
People, people, people…
Give your kid a normal name. This is not supposed to be about you.
jarvis
November 22nd, 2011
10:05 am
@catlady, the story about the 13th child’s name being hard to come up with hits home for me. My grandmother was one of fifteen. Her youngest brother, the fifteenth was Jr.
We assume my great grandparents ran out of names.
Jesse's Girl
November 22nd, 2011
10:05 am
I wonder…and I’m sure someone likely has….if anyone has written a piece recently regarding the affect that afrocentric names have on children and their success in life? Although….I think Petunia Ann sounds equally as stupid as Shaqualonda.
CS
November 22nd, 2011
10:09 am
A friend of mine has 4 kids with unique names. She wanted something different for her son, but felt you cant get as out there with a boys name as a girls. She ended up going with Emeryk. I think she hit the mark with unique yet still strong and masculine. I liked the spelling Emerick better, but she went with a y instead. Her daugters all have pretty feminine names.
jarvis
November 22nd, 2011
10:10 am
Jesse’s, the book Freakanomics points to evidence that it isn’t in fact the unusual names that cause people difficulty when they grow up.
The authors suggest that rather it is the impact of being the offspring of someone dumb enough to name their child something unusual to begin with. Bascially it took a dumb people to name the child Petunia Ann in the first place, thus Petunia Ann has been given less intelligent genes and has been raised by untintelligent people.
The name was correlated to the problem not the cause of it.
put away the naming smock
November 22nd, 2011
10:13 am
It’s sad for the kid when the mother takes the naming responsibility as an opportunity to display her creative/artistic side.
Paint a picture instead. Or take piano lessons.
RxDawg
November 22nd, 2011
10:14 am
“LaQuidra like we really believe you are African.”
I don’t
RxDawg
November 22nd, 2011
10:15 am
Oh neverming, misread your post. Looks like were on the same page.
The Committee for Normalcy in Baby and Subdivision Names
November 22nd, 2011
10:18 am
Names, names, names . . . everybody trying to sound faux preppy these days. Just remember that for all the Camdens, Brandons, Madison, and Wylers that you were all born and raised on grits and grease just like the rest of us.
RK
November 22nd, 2011
10:19 am
Firce names? Speel cheek?
Mason - age 8
November 22nd, 2011
10:24 am
My parents make me talk with a southern accent. We live in Johns Creek.
jarvis
November 22nd, 2011
10:26 am
Committee, you had me right up to Brandon.
I’ve always known lots of Brandons, and I was born in 1975 into a middle class family in Stone Mountain.
The Committee for Normalcy in Baby and Subdivision Names
November 22nd, 2011
10:30 am
Actually, I met to say Brenden. Or for that matter Cooper, Peyton, Hamilton, Barkley, and Jasper.
MamaP
November 22nd, 2011
10:30 am
My son’s middle name is Pierce, for Hawkeye Pierce from M*A*S*H. He was my TV hero as a kid.
jarvis
November 22nd, 2011
10:32 am
@CS, Freakonomics also points directly to alternative spellings as a sign of uneducation. Replacing the “Y” with an “I” or vice versa for example.
Tiffani and Brandi are two they list for “least-educated” parents’ preferred names for girls.
Gray
November 22nd, 2011
10:37 am
If I EVER run into a kid named Palin, I am going to back hand the kid’s mother and father. UGH!!!!!
GreatATLGuy
November 22nd, 2011
10:39 am
All these names sound like kids on “Toddlers and Tiaras” …. especially the unisex ones like Cooper, Peyton, etc. Whatever you do, please don’t name your child PALIN, how disgusting.
Ann
November 22nd, 2011
10:42 am
Let’s pretend like we live in the old south and give our kids surnames for first names! Yay!
Jen
November 22nd, 2011
10:43 am
We gave our son a family name, Luc, after my husband’s great grandfather (who he actually knew until his g-grandfather passed when he was 10), who was from France.
American brains, however, have trouble with the 3-letter spelling. When they see it written down they convert it to: Lucy, Louis, and Lucas. And sometimes they just start respelling it Luke.
I’m not into names after celebrities or locations. I’m all about digging in the family tree for a name.
Just Call Me Ski
November 22nd, 2011
10:45 am
Met a grown woman recently whose first name is “Leprechaun”. Seriously.
GreatATLGuy
November 22nd, 2011
10:48 am
@Just Call Me — did they call her “Lepper” for short, LOL
ATL
November 22nd, 2011
10:53 am
Any name is better than “Apple.” Heck, why don’t we name our kids “Computer” or “Desk?”
Relationship Expert
November 22nd, 2011
10:54 am
Babies having babies and babies naming babies are contributors to the baby name fiasco.
MomOfNo1
November 22nd, 2011
10:54 am
Congrats, people. You’re ensuring your child’s future as a stripper.
GreatATLGuy
November 22nd, 2011
10:58 am
I’m surprised there aren’t a bunch of 20-year old Oprahs running around, thank God for that.
Donna Wright
November 22nd, 2011
11:04 am
Remember also that if you call your child a nickname or by their middle name, there will be numerous times when they must go by their legal name. Hospitals, insurance, passports, (which means plane tickets) and many more times when you must enter it on a computer. My husband has had numerous instances of pre-prepared nametags waiting on him with his first name on it when he goes by his middle name. At our church when we are looking for one of our members in the hospital or for surgery, we have lots of times when we can’t find them because we don’t know their “real” name–particularly if they have a common last name. Try to make the first name the one you will call them–its just easier.
JJ
November 22nd, 2011
11:08 am
Neighbor’s kid is pregnant with a boy. They are trying to pick names. So far these are what they like…..
Ryder.
Erik
Cooper
Harley
Anthony
I like all but Harley. That’s a good name for a dog, not a boy…Eric is my favorite so far.
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
November 22nd, 2011
11:14 am
HB – I don’t know what I did wrong there – you are totally right — I will check the original list and correct — something went awry!
Just Call Me Ski
November 22nd, 2011
11:18 am
I think “Awry” is a great name for a baby – especially one that wasn’t planned.
jarvis
November 22nd, 2011
11:23 am
JJ, what’s with the “k” at the end of Eric?
Did you ask that? Isn’t that the Viking-spelling of the name?
Speaking of Hawkeye Pierce...
November 22nd, 2011
11:25 am
…I always liked B J Hunnicutt’s name – he was named after his mother and father – Bee Hunnicutt and Jay Hunnicutt…..
And......
November 22nd, 2011
11:28 am
…just what is wrong with the name Palin????
We have a friend who named her son Payton, after Walter Payton, and her daughter Carlin, after
George Carlin…
Burnt Weenie Sandwich
November 22nd, 2011
11:32 am
I’ve always liked the name Blanton……Or Carling…..Or Mel
Whenever I hear the name Palin...
November 22nd, 2011
11:37 am
…I think of a beautiful woman who is really smart and knows how to use what the good Lord gave her…
Unlike someone named Barack, who is an effing joke of an individual – why would anyone name their kid that name when that is the image that it immediately brings to mind…
jarvis
November 22nd, 2011
11:44 am
@Whenever, I’m a Republican, and if being a folksie-over-the-top grandstanding quitting distraction from what the Party is trying to do, is “smart”, I guess I agree with you.
JJ
November 22nd, 2011
11:44 am
@whenever – I agree……
@Jarvis – I like it spelled with a K. They are leaning towards the “C”….but I like things a little different. Like I said earlier, my daughter’s middle name is common, but I put a beautiful twist on the spelling. Now every time I hear her name, it puts a smile on my face….
Whenever I hear the name Palin...
November 22nd, 2011
11:55 am
Enter your comments here
Uh, jarvis...
November 22nd, 2011
11:56 am
…who said anything about the “Republican Party”? I was talking about the name and what it projects TO ME…..
GreatATLGuy
November 22nd, 2011
12:02 pm
Palin, Sean and Rush are the worst names I can imagine…. think obnoxious bobbleheads on your dashboards. You could also run down the Dugger list with all J’s – equally disgusting.
GreatATLGuy
November 22nd, 2011
12:05 pm
@Whenever I hear the name Palin – I WANT TO TOSS, ditzy bubblehead who can’t speak intelligently and can’t debate, that’s obivously why she is a quitter. Quitters are not role models.
Anj
November 22nd, 2011
12:09 pm
You may name your child after a relative, but ONLY if the relative is deceased. Since the unfortunate tradition of naming children for living relatives is not common for girls, it’s usually the boys who get stuck with nicknames like: Junior, Little John, MiddleName and so on which creates confusion at a minimum and lack of identity at worst.
Do not use “creative” spellings. My name is rare, but has only two spellings that I know of. Girls have it worse this time, with the dropping of doubled consonants (one “l” instead of two), the frequent substitution of “y” for almost any other vowel, or the addition of vowels or consonants.
If you want a special name, pick one that isn’t common as Dianne or Dian or Dyan or Diane or….
Children are cute, but their names should not be unless you never plan on letting your children grow up. Or unless you want them to develop a permanent attitude. Terry Pratchett’s “Adora Belle Dearheart” usually glared at new acquaintances to help squash any remarks concerning her name. The glare escalated to a cutting remark if anyone impulsively commented.
Yes, I have seen many actual children’s names that made me wince. “Trane, Cole” was one. “_____, His Highness” was another.
If you have a common surname, please consider picking a less common first name. One doctor called the lab up INSISTING his patient had the wrong test results. We informed him that he had the wrong patient, and that there were three Dakota _____s currently admitted as inpatients. (Check the birth dates, check the patient ID #s please.) Yeah, at that time “Dakota” was a popular first name. There are procedures to make sure the correct account/patient/document are assigned to the correct individual, but people can be careless and hasty.
GreatATLGuy
November 22nd, 2011
12:11 pm
Grady Nimora was one…. the mother thought the nurse at the hospital was saying that….
shaggy
November 22nd, 2011
12:46 pm
I wish my parents would have capitalized when they named me “shaggy”.
Thinking about it makes me feel shy and fragile. I’m gonna go curl up in a fetal position again……
Freedom From Insanity
November 22nd, 2011
12:55 pm
As mentioned previously, the “made-up” names – i.e.: LaQuandra, Shanequa, Dontavious, etc. are truly turn-offs for HR people reviewing resumes. If you want a unique name, perhaps the middle name could be used for that purpose and a more normal name for a first name., Times are tough enough without having your children immediately ignored when they apply for a job. I understand all the reasons behind unique names, but give your children a boost-up rather than a slam-down.
Just so long as...
November 22nd, 2011
12:57 pm
…no one names their kid GreatATLGuy – that name conjures up an image of someone who hasn’t a lick of common sense at all…
And, please...
November 22nd, 2011
12:58 pm
..spare us the Ledasha and Female names, too…
jarvis
November 22nd, 2011
1:05 pm
@shaggy, I feel the same way about jarvis.
jbm
November 22nd, 2011
1:18 pm
I think Blanket if so far the strangest name. Why on earth did MJ do that?
jarvis
November 22nd, 2011
1:28 pm
@jbm, that kid actually has the same name as his older brother. The King of Pop called him blanket….well cause he was a freak.
Burnt Weenie Sandwich
November 22nd, 2011
1:32 pm
Doesn’t the world end in 2012?
mamadeux
November 22nd, 2011
1:34 pm
Rules for naming your child:
1. Avoid any name that your child will be embarrassed to call themselves when they’re 50. Adjectives for names? Ugh. Stupid is an adjective. Would you name your kid that?
2. If you can’t put “Dr. ” in front of a name, don’t use that name. Dr. Bear Smith? I don’t think so.
I hate masculine/ambiguous girl names, too. Girls should NOT be named Monroe. End of story.
kartgirl00
November 22nd, 2011
1:40 pm
My mother decided to give all 3 of her daughters middle names that start with ‘A.’ I’m the only one that goes by my middle name. I gave my oldest 2 children family first names and they too have been cursed by going by their middle names (year after year having to explain to teachers that they are not William and Connie but J & L). With my new marriage came a new son and a new tradition. Hubby’s family passes down part of the father’s name to newborn. Elijah (Eli) got his daddy’s first name as his middle name who got his dad’s first name who got his dad’s middle name. I spent a lot of time deciding on names because I didn’t want my child to deal with a childish name when he was 60. Two out of my 3 kids go by their traditional names (Ok so they go by their nicknames, shortened versions of their name) and my poor daughter got stuck with a “trendy” name more used for a boy. She HATES her name, her whole name. But I blame that one on her dad. She has 3 boy friends who have the same name she goes by. So sorry. We are currently working on baby #4 and I am constantly trying to find a new name that won’t sound silly in 50 years or will cause my child any stress in school. In the end, you have to ask, how’s this name gonna look on a diploma, desk name plate or on a headstone?
Icky
November 22nd, 2011
1:48 pm
Anyone who would name a child after a waste of oxygen like Sarah Palin shouldn’t be reproducing anyway.( Look what she named her kids, BTW!)
Lisa
November 22nd, 2011
2:10 pm
Nothing quite says “My parents are rednecks!” like naming a child Cadence, Kaydance, or any other variation on the musical term.
GWB
November 22nd, 2011
2:14 pm
Sarah Palin is my hero…..I absolutely LOVE what she has done to shake up politics……and anyone who doesn’t like her, is AFRAID of her!!!! I believe she would be an IDEAL president, better than the current administration. She don’t take no crap!!! All wars would be over, all lifelong senators would be limited to 1 term, and all the nonsense in Washington would come to a screeching HALT.
jarvis
November 22nd, 2011
2:15 pm
@Anj, do people often tell you that you’re bossy?
Cat Mom
November 22nd, 2011
2:19 pm
Too many kre8tiv spellings out there these days from misguided parents trying to be unique when, really, they’re setting their kids up for a lifetime of hassles–including the possibility of being passed over for a job. Studies have shown that employers can look at identical resumes from job candidates and trash the one with an unprofessional looking/sounding name in favor of someone with a more traditional name.
Parents should always look at potential initials before naming their children to avoid anything embarrassing. I would take it a step further and Google the proposed name to make sure there’s not a notorius criminal or adult entertainer with the same name.
Frederick Allan Gaffney (check the initials)
November 22nd, 2011
2:28 pm
If there’s a “Blanket” – there should also be a “Pillow”.
Be aware of what the initials spell, especially when they are written on the gym clothes!
Cat Mom
November 22nd, 2011
2:30 pm
To AlsoMomOf2Girls:
I was named after the character Lara in “Doctor Zhivago,” but my mother purposely spelled my name Laura because she didn’t want people pronouncing it “Larah” as in Sarah.
Every now and then, people pronounce my name as “Lora,” which I admit sets my teeth on edge. I prefer the same pronunciation of the letter “a” as with the name Lars.
Somebody named "Icky"...
November 22nd, 2011
2:34 pm
…making fun of anyone’s name just ain’t right…
Anj
November 22nd, 2011
2:57 pm
@jarvis,
Heh! My kids might, but don’t say anything because I’m The Mom!
As for the other things I said – been there, seen that. Working at a Children’s Hospital exposed me to a lot of “trendy” baby names. Grew up with at least one boy who used “Junior” or his middle name to avoid being confused with his father. I always felt sorry for those boys.
jarvis
November 22nd, 2011
3:11 pm
I use a variation of my middle name. No need to feel sorry for me. I love my name.
Just Ed
November 22nd, 2011
3:27 pm
Tontela Teonyata, Jatori Lamont, Deltinaud Toussaint, Anjani Saquaa,
Caimien Jamal, Tahja Tayshawn, Kenyonnus Demarcus, Cicley Latonna,
Tamika Lashun, Jabrosky Jontavious, Wayneston Lamarihal, Travesis Jamal,
Uriel Javier, Ladarious Jamall, Karice La’Belle, Shameka La’Shay,
Robbie Quishod, Latoyn Anwon. These are the names I have seen within the last month in a local paper, the last names have been omitted. They were ALL listed in the Police Blotter. Just saying, give the kids a chance….
Scooby
November 22nd, 2011
3:40 pm
I work with a girl named Scott and her sister is named Brooks. The old south surname thing.
Mr. R
November 22nd, 2011
3:50 pm
PLEASE… No more Tamika, Shanequa, Taneeka… Their resumes go right in the trash.
LN
November 22nd, 2011
3:58 pm
We generally use family names. My sister went to a professional conference and met someone with her same maiden name (SAW). So my sister has a new collegue she knows is also a relative, because of the family name.
Penguinmom
November 22nd, 2011
4:04 pm
@LN – that happens to my husband also. All the people in the country with his last name can trace their roots back to 3 brothers who came over from Germany. So, if we ever meet someone with his last name, we know they are related in some way.
Wayne
November 22nd, 2011
4:10 pm
@Cat Mom: If the spelling of your name is “Laura” how can you get angry at folks for calling you “Lora”? If I were to call out your name in a crowded firehouse, would there be something on the paper/computer/whatever saying, hey, don’t pronouce it “Lora” but “Lara” cause that’s how she likes it?
Curious about that, I am. I have a friend that her first name is Jacqueline. I’ve known her forever. My friends and I spell her nickname “Jackie”. She hates that. She wants it to be “Jacqui”. Well, that’s fine and all but if you don’t tell people, expect it to be spelled (or pronouced) as how 99.9% of how folks do.
That is not fair, Mr. R...
November 22nd, 2011
4:11 pm
…you cannot necessarily blame a kid for her parents being dumba—-most of those kids were named during the “Roots” generation, so they should not pay for the sins of the parents, unless, of course, they live up to those names…
Mr. R
November 22nd, 2011
4:21 pm
No one said it was fair… I said it happens
My bad, Mr. R...
November 22nd, 2011
4:30 pm
…I took it to mean that YOU threw their resumes in the trash just because of their names…
Mr. R
November 22nd, 2011
4:32 pm
I didn’t, but I worked for someone who did once.
Cat Mom
November 22nd, 2011
4:36 pm
@Wayne: I don’t get “angry” if folks call me “Lora.” It’s not like I ignore them and refuse to respond. It’s just annoying for my name to be occasionally mispronounced. Lar-a (sounding it out here). If it were spelled Lora, then I would expect to be called Lor-a. I just don’t get how you see the letter “a” and say the letter “o” instead. That’s all I’m saying. When I meet people, I introduce myself as Lar-a. Anyway, it rarely happens. Maybe it’s a regional thing.
A B Normal
November 22nd, 2011
4:38 pm
Sticks and stones . . . . .
Ricardo Cabeza
November 22nd, 2011
4:42 pm
Heard a woman had triplets at Grady . . . named ‘em “Marethra, Sharethra, and Urethra!” Love it!
Alias
November 22nd, 2011
4:46 pm
I use a nickname of my middle name and have never had any problems with. So not sure why others have that problem.
As for different spellings, my family is very guilty of that one. I have an Addyson, Allyson, Aryan. Yes, you read that right. Her name is Aryan. I could give you a few more, but you get the picture.
Someone mentioned that they don’t like the name Payton (Peyton) as a first name, I kinda like it, as that is my last name, with an a. That’s what I have to correct people on. It doesn’t bother me if I have to spell my name out for people, there are worse things in life. That is why I am posting this under Alias, as I use my first name other days.
@Mr.R…You are right, not fair, but it does happen. I have several coworkers that are black and they have names like Brenda, Connie and Pam.THey said that their parents gave them these names, because they didn’t want them made fun of for “typical” black names.
Becky
November 22nd, 2011
4:53 pm
Enter your comments here
Wayne
November 22nd, 2011
4:56 pm
@Cat Mom: You’re right, you didn’t say angry – my bad and I apologize.
Must be regional as I’ve never hear Laura pronounced any other way than “Lora”. Maureen and Taurus are also pronounced as if ‘au’ were an ‘o’. Huh. Are those pronounced differently as well?
Wayne
November 22nd, 2011
4:58 pm
hear – heard
Sara
November 22nd, 2011
5:03 pm
My name is Sara and I’m a transplant from the north. When I got my first job as a teenager down south, I was a cashier. A customer saw my name tag and asked, “How do you pronounce your name?” I didn’t quite understand because I had never heard “Sara” pronounced as anything but “Sara.” So I told her and she said she was just wondering because her sister in law spells her name the same way and they pronounce it SAY-ra. I was like, “It’s not a spelling thing. It’s a southern thing.”
Yo Mama
November 22nd, 2011
5:53 pm
I think these gonna be the hot names in ‘12 :
Cheeto, Limbo, Curtis, and Lamongilo, K-Martina, Abolitia, Velveeta, Genataleah, Catfish, Leeroy, CoCo Puffs, and Pluto, Jack-Daniels, Penelopy, Buford and Lamongilo……Alovera, Mayboline, Gingivitis, Brill-Cream, Cru-Ex, Niquil, Gangsta-Q, and Dafodill..Demarktorias Abolitia, Kookitia, Rambaquardi, Sallmonella, Turquas, Verachella, Turquas, Pin Dropper, Ice-Daddy, Couponita, Zendoria, Shathethe
Can't win...
November 22nd, 2011
6:54 pm
Named my daughter a name that, it turned out, was popular for a while. I spelled it the correct, original way, but NOBODY spells it that way, because of all the “creative” spellings of the same name. I have the same problem with my own name.
THEN, I named my second child something that sounds the same as another name. Again, we spelled it the original way, but, when you say it, it sounds similar to another. She has to spell it for everyone.
Gator Actual
November 22nd, 2011
6:57 pm
What about Crystallina Chandalleria? Fri’Chickenisha? Flirtisha? Lemonjelo?
What a name
November 22nd, 2011
7:59 pm
People really need to take into consideration what they name their child. I am a black female and I gave my children names that can be pronounced Tyler, Derek & McKenzie. I don’t get all the Q/W names Qdare, Wykeisha, Laquinta, Paquita, Ryeisha. I have heard some that are far worse. Please people these children have to grow up and get a job in the real world one day. Stop with all the ghetto names!
newblogger
November 22nd, 2011
8:44 pm
I was born on Christmas day…thank goodness my mom didn’t get too creative with that! My name does end in an “i” though and they aren’t poor or uneducated. My husband’s name is a surname, but when you’re mom is a cousin of Bear Bryant I think that’s o.k. It may be a southern thing but I think that’s cool. I’ve taught a lot of children and the strangest name I’ve ever come in contact with was a little boy named Catfish. North Georgia Mountains…no lie.
Lynzee
November 22nd, 2011
8:45 pm
I disagree with Tami. I have an oddly spelled name, and I have loved it my entire life. It set me apart! :)
I’m not digging the “West” name trend!
Techmom
November 22nd, 2011
8:52 pm
What I find interesting is that parents who have migrated from another country will often name their children very “American” names in an effort to help their children fit in while black Americans will name their children African names.
Our neighbors are Vietnamese, their children are Haley and Harrison. We have two boys in our Scout troop whose parents are Jamaican, their names are Timothy and Keith.
I don’t understand all the people in the south who name their boys “girl names” (Stacy, Courtney, Lynn).
My grandparents evidently weren’t much on picking middle names; two of their children only have a letter for their middle name (J & K, not Jay & Kay!) Cracked me up when I found out.
Keith
November 22nd, 2011
9:04 pm
My fave new name is Sativa. Also my fave plant.
Ally
November 22nd, 2011
10:45 pm
The types of names that I don’t like are:
1. Names that are an activity or profession: Hunter, Fisher (I know someone who named their kid this), Mason, Miller, Taylor, etc.
2. Names that rhyme with the latest trend: Bailey/Hailey/Kaylee, etc., Jayden/Hayden/Braden/Payton/etc, Madison/Addison/etc
3. Names that are a geographic location: Dakota, Brooklyn, Asia, London, India, etc
4. Names that are typically a last name: Davis, Madison, Miller, Mackenzie, Harrison, Welles, Remington, Jackson etc. While some of these may be family names, they still sound stupid as first names.
5. Names that used to be typical for one gender, but have now been used so often for the opposite gender that they are now considered to be typical for that gender (usually boys’ names adopted by girls): Tyler, Jordan, etc
6. Any made-up name
7. Any typical name that’s spelled uniquely: I don’t care how different and special it makes you feel, everyone else automatically knocks down your IQ at least 10 points and thinks that your parents are either morons or trailer-trash.
p.s. My real name is not Ally, Allie, Allison or anything remotely close to any of those. It was just a random name that I chose.
DB
November 22nd, 2011
11:45 pm
My MIL worked for many years as a volunteer on the maternity ward at her local hospital. When the “interesting” names startede cropping up, she’d be fascinated by the moms struggling to spell their child’s name — “How do you spell Sha-nee-qua?” She’d invariably answer, “S-U-S-A-N”. A couple even wrote it down that way . . .
s.brad
November 23rd, 2011
4:46 am
I’m all for unusual names if they have a special meaning, but being unique just for the sake of being unique is stupid. Also, if you think about it, all names are “invented” names. The wierd ones only sound wierd because you don’t hear them all the time. Purposeful misspellings are my biggest pet peeve. Give your baby a name to live up to.
Rubes never get it
November 23rd, 2011
7:02 am
Although not a fan of random African sounding names, I would have to disagree about the HR people automatically filing your resume in the trash. Example “Condolezza”
I stuck with names that were popular in 1900 and before.
My recently born relative is named Talullah. Hope she is really beautiful (which she is) or is really tough.
Becky
November 23rd, 2011
8:24 am
@Ally..Guess you don’t like half of the names in my family then..My granddaughter is named Kaylee..Kay after one of her Mom’s best friends and Lee after her Dad, Grandfather and Great Grandfather..So it might be a fad name, but it has meaning to it..
As for Payton, my oldest sister is 66 years old and she went to elementary school with a kid name Payton, so I don’t consider it a “new name”..
I also have a sister that went to high school with a kid named Ernest T. Ernest.What the heck is up with that? Why would you do that to your kid? I have a niece that is due with her first child (boy) Dec. 9 and he will be named Cullen Toy..She’s not naming him Cullen after the Twilight movies, he is being named after both of his great Grandfathers on his Dads side of the family..I’m sure that she will have to explain that one over and over…
Fred
November 23rd, 2011
8:25 am
Some of these names just go to show what happens when we let “Stupid People” breed.
I say Birth Control in the water and when you can prove you are not stupid, you can have the pill that will allow you to have a child.
Rubes never get it
November 23rd, 2011
8:41 am
What do you bet that with that laundry list of “dislikes” Ally, who chose her own name, is single?
This one takes the cake
November 23rd, 2011
8:53 am
My cousin is an elementary school teacher and we laugh at the begining of every school year when she gets a new set of odd names. But the one that’s most memorable to me was Abcd. Yes you read that correctly. Abcd pronouced A besity( like Obesity w/ an A)!
The other trend I’ve seen is naming all of your kids with a like genre. The perfect example; I know of a woman who named her children Emerald, Sapphire, Gem, Ruby, and Diamond. Emerald and Gem are the boys. I think its sort of stupid but hey, that’s me.
And I also know of families where the parents names beging with the same letter so all of the kids have to follow that trend. (i.e. Emily and Everett name their kids Evan, Erika, and Emmett.
motherjanegoose
November 23rd, 2011
9:01 am
DB…I wanted to hit LIKE for your comment…thanks for the laugh!
Longtime Educator
November 23rd, 2011
10:14 am
Teachers always have a difficult time naming their own kids if they’ve been teaching a while…too many bad memories attached to a name if it was a problem student!
mike
November 23rd, 2011
11:15 am
I’ve always like the name Crystal Chanta Lier. No joke. True name. So was X-Ray Smith. And the classic Female Jones (pronounced fe-MA-le).
motherjanegoose
November 23rd, 2011
11:36 am
@ longtime…yes that was true here!
Becky
November 23rd, 2011
12:24 pm
We had an applicant one time and her name was (is) La____a. She said it was pronounced Ladasha..Really? What type of drugs was your Mom on? Needless to say, she didn’t get hired…
catlady
November 23rd, 2011
1:17 pm
Had a friend who named his son after their mattress–Jamison. Thank God they didn’t conceive him on a Sealy Posturpedic!
Daddy74
November 23rd, 2011
1:22 pm
My top ten baby names for 2012:
1. Thug
2. Newt
3. Zygote
4. Deductible
5. Mace
6. Gerbil
7. Mogen David
8. Snotty
9. Borat
10. Ferb
catlady
November 23rd, 2011
1:24 pm
Longtime educator–So, so true. It really cuts down on the possible names. I have an especially hard time with folks who call their kid by the initials. Every boy I have ever known who was called by his initials was a terror! (I know someone will correct me on this, but it has been my experience!)
I guess Mike and Becky...
November 23rd, 2011
2:43 pm
…missed the request yesterday at 12:58pm to spare us the Ledasha and Female stories…
soon to be dad
November 23rd, 2011
2:44 pm
@Daddy74: Nice! I’m especially fond of #3 and #4. We were just going to go with the first names of our fathers for our upcoming son, but I’m thinking about plucking one off your list…
On an unrelated note, I took a college class with a girl who was named “Sh1theade” pronounced ’shih-theed’. Dead serious.
Becky
November 23rd, 2011
3:38 pm
@I guess..I read that, but guess you didn’t..It doesn’t say spare us the stories..Again, if peopel would stop giving their children silly made up names, we might not have as many stories..
Have a great Thanksgiving..
Bubbles
November 23rd, 2011
3:48 pm
I love my name, which is Kenya. I usually get compliments and have had minor teasing ;) but, it’s so different I just LOVE it. I dont know about naming my child Golden or Ranger though. They sound like pet names to me…idk
Samantha
November 23rd, 2011
3:50 pm
I taught for several years and one of the little girls in my class was named La-a and it was pronounced Ladasha. I think I should have called child services.
Random story
November 23rd, 2011
4:57 pm
My sister likes to tell a story about a woman she met while volunteering. This lady, Shonda, and her husband Marvin became pregnant with twins and decided to name the kids, a boy and a girl, after themselves: Shonda and Marvin, Jr. When the twins were four or so, Shonda got pregnant again and for some unknown reason allowed little Marvin, Jr. to name his new little brother. Marvin, Jr. took a cue from Mom and Dad, I guess, and named the baby Carvin. So now the family is Shonda, Marvin, Shonda, Marvin and Carvin. Sheesh.
And...
November 23rd, 2011
5:27 pm
…they refer to their twins as S&M…
Gator Actual
November 23rd, 2011
6:14 pm
A man was out of town when his wife gave birth to twins – one boy, one girl. His brother, however, was there. Then next day, the new dad got to the hospital and saw his beautiful new children. The brother said that the nurse told him they had to have names for the babies, and since the father wasn’t available, he said he named the girl Denice. The new dad thought about it and said that was really nice. He asked his brother “What did you name the boy?” The brother replied “De-nephew!”
I’m so bad!
mingze
November 23rd, 2011
9:55 pm
@jarvis, one attractive option for a name would be Walker, but I believe the traditional spelling is “Texas Ranger,” not just “Ranger.”
madison'smom
November 23rd, 2011
11:52 pm
Well I decided to just name my daughter Madison because I’m not a fan of ghetto names and I don’t want my daughter to be judge based off of her name.
Anb
November 24th, 2011
10:27 am
Quite frankly, I dont see how anyone should have the right to judge what people name their children. Sure, some names may be stupid, weird, ugly to you, but in the end its not your business. If I could have a baby n let them pick their own name, that’s exactly what I would do. But it cant happen that way so unfortuanatly my baby may be.stuck with a name they hate. N I dont care if u choose the most common names for you kids, in the end, your child may hate the name emma or ashley just as much as river or plant or tumbleweed. the fact is that each one of us r unique, thats y we choose different jobs, hobbies, favorite colors, names for our children. When our children are born, we have no idea what type of person they will be. All we can hope is that they r kind hearted, helpful, smart, successful, etc. ….no matter what their name is. All in all, its your child who will make the name.
Mary Corbett
November 24th, 2011
10:37 am
With girls being named typical boy names (Taylor, Aden, Morgan, Jordan, Nelson), one never knows by looking at a name whether it’s a girl or a boy. Very confusing. What ever happened to naming children after a beloved family member, a name that sounds like a name and actually has a family connection and meaning? I predict in the future children will be named after nouns. (Table, Chair, Window, Chest, Sofa, etc.) Or colors. (Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Black, Brown, etc.)
Anb
November 24th, 2011
10:41 am
And to the people who ” throw resumes in the trash” just because of the persons name, is disqusting. I am a person of many faiths, but one belief I hold ontp deeply is… Thou shall not judge!!! ( especially someones name)
Anb
November 24th, 2011
10:52 am
N to the person who listed names in the police reports, here r some names I found in my local police reports….john, josh, linda, taylor, matthew, sarah, and robert. Hmmm…better not give your kids these names either….or else they will be doomed to be a criminal
HomeyDClown
November 24th, 2011
5:33 pm
I remember someone named their baby Kuta Kenya and TommyHawk. Others name their kids riduculus names such as Shanwichiacheu
ACE
November 24th, 2011
6:25 pm
More proof that those having children should not be having children, they are naming their kids in an attempt to satisfy their own narcicism.
I weep for both the present and future of our society.
Ghoti
November 25th, 2011
1:21 am
Maddernheck, if your kids want to be called Em & Danny, YOU need to respect THAT. Their names aren’t about you. My parents saddled me with a name I always hated. I refused to be called by that name, and changed it as soon as I could.
Ghoti
November 25th, 2011
1:24 am
Mary Corbett, I couldn’t agree more. I loathe boy/genderless names for girls. Naming a girl Jordan or Taylor is like naming a boy Melissa.
IG
November 25th, 2011
11:51 pm
Wow – one of my favorite topics – names that people name their kids. I could rant and rave about this for days. My aunt was a kindergarten teacher and there was a set of twins in the school named Winner and Loser. Actually, Loser turned out to the be winner and Winner wound up in Jail (you can look it up on Google). Then there was the boy named “Ovary.” Let’s see, a few weeks ago, went to a sporting event. Some women were yelling “Go Oceans.” Turned out that Oceans was a little girls’ name. She had two sisters: Harbor and Breezy. Thank goodness there wasn’t a boy in there -he’d probably be named Lighthouse. I HATE NAMES LIKE THIS. These “unique” names aren’t unique -they’re setting up the child to have a weird name. Look at all those dumb Hollywood names. I cringe whenever I hear of these names. Both my first and middle name have unique spellings and it’s always been difficult. No one ever gets it right. When I became a parent, I made sure my child had a nice simple name – very pretty and simple and everyone spells it correctly and no one mispronounces it.
Elder Flower Child
November 26th, 2011
2:26 pm
Something I read in email.. .A woman was really upset because everyone was mispronouncing her daughter’s name…Lei-ya. People called her Leeya, Layya, Ly ya. It is actually pronounced ‘Ladashya….the mom says, ” Da dash don’t be silent”.
PineNeedle
November 26th, 2011
3:03 pm
When did ‘Trey’ become a given name? It has always been a nickname for ‘The Third’, as in the third male in a family to be given an ancestor’s name. Example: John Smith, III.
It is just cruel to give a child a name that will bring ridicule, abuse, or teasing while they are in school, and that includes calling a child by his/her middle name, or a name that no one can pronounce.
My friends had trouble finding me on FB because my first name has a unique spelling, and even life long friends would search under the common spelling.
For those of you who have unusual spellings: how many time have you completed a registration form, either by printing, typing, or by computer, and arrived to find your name tag has been misspelled??
Kathy
November 26th, 2011
5:50 pm
I learned to spell phonetically. I am a teacher and have taught multiple kids whose names are misspelled and I would continue to mispronounce names that are misspelled. I chalk it up to ignorant parents who didn’t learn how to read.
Lady Scot
November 27th, 2011
12:30 pm
I once had five children named Amanda in my third grade class of 18. All were called Amanda and tw of them had the same last initial!
Lady Scot
November 27th, 2011
12:31 pm
Correction:two, not tw. :<(
me
November 27th, 2011
2:39 pm
I would use my real name here but instead will say… I have an old family name. I have my grandmother’s first name and my great grandmother’s middle name. It is old worldly and I love it. I also loved not being one of the million Stephaine, Brittany, Amber, Amy, Jennifer, and Julie in my classes… instead could simply go by first name and not be Jenn1 or have to use my last name. Made me feel like Cher or Madonna….Though, I still occasionally find that people forget my last name for lack of use…lol.
Stick to your family names and get rid of this trendy “walmart-ish” bulk naming. As to the off spellings, they will make your child feel like they don’t belong when no-one can spell it. (something my kid sister really struggled with growing up)
And kudos to the pointer about innatials… I found out when I was about 6 that had my dad not caught it mine would have been @ss…. lol…. how thankful I am to be ess.
It's just me...
November 27th, 2011
4:11 pm
I can’t stand it when parents have to give their multiple children names that start with the same letter. I have NEVER been a fan of these: Heather, Tiffany, Dakota, Cody, Tyler, Dustin, Dylan, Misty, Ashley or Candy. And the newer ones: Adison, Ansley, Paisley (even Ainsley), Tristan, Jackson….I could go on and on. I like traditional names like Andrew, Natalie, Rachael, Henry, Adam…etc.
MA
November 27th, 2011
6:45 pm
Being in education I have seen and heard so many made up names it has become laughable. I love the beginning of the year when I can write my mom(who was also in education) all the new and unique names.
PJ
November 27th, 2011
7:43 pm
Like @AlsoMomOf2Girls, @HB & @Kartgirl00, I also go by my middle name. Though I like my middle name better than my first, I wish it was my first name. There are several major issues with going by middle names, one in particular for girls:
1 – School & role call. I would hear the teacher calling, “Jennifer,” “Jennifer,” and not realize it was me until she finally said my last name or called it at what I thought was an appropriate point in the alphabet to assume it was me (especially from a generation with lots of Jennifers).
2 – Peers or anyone who finds out that you go by your middle name. So very many of these people are dense enough to ask, “Well then, what is your real name?” As if your middle name isn’t a real name, just some fake name you like to be called. Another favorite is, “Why did you choose to go by your middle name?” Maybe when some kids get older or become adults, they make some choice about their names, but I went by what my parents chose. End of story.
3 – Marriage. It is legally acceptable to drop your given middle name in favor of your maiden name on all legal documents without filing for a name change in court. All you need is your marriage license. Not so with your first name – can’t drop it, move your middle name up & put your maiden name in the middle without filing additional name-change paperwork & paying the additional fees. I have legal documents with all 4 names just so the name I go by will actually be on there. Also have some that no longer include my maiden name, which I hold more dearly than my first name.
Even though my 2 children are boys, they both go by their first names so they won’t have to endure the frustrations I have throughout my life as a “middle name” person.
mrj
November 28th, 2011
10:22 am
We named our daughter, after extensive discussion, following my wife’s Irish heritage. Simple name. Gaellic for “Mary” = Maura
It’s always mispronounced! Even by those who have been corrected previsously and repeatedly.
We then honored the Maternal Great Grandmother “Jane” as the middle name… thus we get accused of being stoner hippies for naming our daughter Maura Jane… yeesh. You just can’t win.
Robert - Atlanta
November 28th, 2011
11:37 am
Marilyn Monroe, Tom Landry, and Sarah Palin are fictional?
One is an air-head with loose morals who tried to get by on her looks.
A Texican football coach.
The other was very beautiful and starred in The Misfits with Clarke Gable.
K's mom
November 28th, 2011
12:02 pm
Because I am pregnant, this is a huge topic at our house. We have chosen a first name and have narrowed middle names down to two. Our 18 month old is named for my husband’s grandfather and this one will be named for my grandmother and I am pushing for his middle name to be after my grandfather.
We do not do trendy names or weird spellings. My name was so common that I always had 3-5 other people in my class named the same thing.I also use the brain surgery test for names. If I would not let a person named what i name my kids do brain surgery on me, that name is immediately marked off the list!
pugugly
November 28th, 2011
1:44 pm
I had a boy cousin named Joyce, and another boy cousin named Plenty. He was the 11th child.
grannyk
November 28th, 2011
3:06 pm
So tired of Cooper,Connor,Colton, Hunter, Hayden, Bella, Isabella, Peyton, Morgan, Avery, Maddie (or Madeline, spelled 50 different ways), Ava, Wyatt, Emma, Ella, Grace or Kate (currently used as the token middle name for girls-mine is Ann, the token middle name for girls in the late 70’s), last names as first names, and made up names.
I had a conversation years ago about “what’s in a name?”. It occured over adult beverages and we decided our kids were to be named Big Screen TV and Blue Bird of Happiness. Sounds about as good or even better than what people name their kids now.