Whats in a name?

[Grasshopper Green]

Kid's names are evolving. I really noticed this while perusing my son's school phonebook, but also while browsing friends with kids MySpace pages, attending my son's soccer games, and talking about kids with coworkers. Names like Mary and Joe aren't common anymore...people are naming their kids with, I'm guessing, "unique" names nowadays.

One trend I've noticed is using last names as first names...Carter, Cooper and Beck are all names of friends' kids. Words you wouldn't associate with a persons name...Boston, Blaze, and Aspen...all names of kids in my son's school or of coworkers.

Then there are the names that are "normal", but with unique spelling....Alecc, Typhany, Isiaha, Ryann. And last, names that are just ... in my opinion, weird...Brittley, Jazlynn, Khara, and Gage.

Many of these kids have parents that are the same age as me, but when choosing my son's name, we steered clear of anything trendy sounding and chose a traditional, boring name. I'm really curious why people name their kids with non-traditional (in an American sense) names. Uniqueness? Boredom with traditional names? I just try to picture a man named Blaze as a grandfather and I can't. Enlighten me.

[Jenna]

They're trends. I'd say yes, they're bored with the classic sounding names, and hear their friends and family using these new names. And some people like to think their "different" and get all kr8tiv with spelling.

I just feel bad for the kids sometimes.

[fresnelly]

The urge to pick a unique name is what has really changed. In the old days, you just picked a meaningful name that was already in your family tree. I think it has a lot to do with branding and that's a perhaps a natural influence of celebrity journalism, consumerism and competitive capitalism among other things.

Ironically, we chose traditional names with traditional spellings for the same reason: Unique monikers that would stand out and imply stabilty. We reserved their middle names for family favourites.

And yet our daughter's name turned up in the top 10 Canadian girls name for this year so try as you might, there are broader forces at work and you might be part of a trend without even realizing it.

In the end I don't think odd choices like Blaze or Boston will be problems for those children, but I don't like the oddly spelled ones. My last name is hard to spell and I've spent my whole life correcting others of it. It's tedious and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone's first name.

And please, I do hope that this thread doesn't become just another rant thread about neo-african names like Shaniqua and so on. I find that kind of one sided negativity depressing.

[Mondak]

My favorite is all the vapid sex-in-the-city clones who named their kids "Aiden". There are like 9000 Aidens out there right now.

[Willravel]

In 15 years, those names will all be old, and we'll see a ton of Johns and Michaels again.

[Glory's Sun]

We named our daughter Dasia Madyson. (Daasha) The y in madyson comes from her english background and her first name from my lineage. It's unique and I think sounds damn pretty. Some people around here *see rednecks* don't understand it and can't even pronounce it to begin with anyway.

The main reason that I wanted a name that was unique without being hollywood stupid unique, is because I want her to be her own person. I contemplated the fact that she wouldn't be able to go to a tourist kiosk and find her name on a keychain, and I was fine with that. I think in the end, she'll be more pleased not just being another Jennifer, or Ashley etc.

But as will points out.. it all comes and goes in cycles.

[Hyacinthe]

My brother, sister and myself all have very old names, my brother is a David and my sister Grace. Middle names are all from family members with mine my mothers first name, my sisters middle is my aunts first and my brothers middle is my Grandfathers (on Dads side) first.

My sister and I were talking about names for children we liked the other day and ours all tend towards the old fashioned as well. For girls names like Elizabeth, Katherine and Hermione (for my Nan not the Harry Potter girl) or Rose / Violet / Hazel (we couldn't really decide) and with Boys names like Andrew, Thomas, Michael or James.

Dasia Madyson is a nice name guccilvr

Personally I don't mind names unless they end up being something silly, I had a friend in highschool named Anette Ball and my brothers initials were almost D.O.A

[filtherton]

Well, me and my lady are geeks. I wanted to name the kid after a notable scientist or mathematician, but it turns out that convincing someone to name their daughter something like gauss or feynman is nearly impossible, so we named our daughter after the greek letter commonly used to denote an angular variable. It sounds nice, and when she's older she can appreciate the brevity of having a name that is also a symbol- at least i would if i was in her shoes. The middle name is just a merging of her grandmothers' middle names.

[Plan9]

Gauss is cool.

(writes that down)

[analog]

Yeah there's been some odd push for "unique" names... not sure why that started, other than one more thing for all the yuppies to concern themselves with.

"Oh, what's your kid's name, again? Steve? *haughty laugh* My son's name is Dyfujadevisoq. It's pronounced 'day-vid'. Isn't that just so special?"

[Plan9]

Kids are becoming fashion accessories... and should have unique brand names.

[Redlemon]

My wife and I have the most popular names of our birth year. We usually had at least 2 other people with our names in our classes.

For our son, we got the previous year's top 100 list, struck off the top 20, and found a good one in the remainder of the list. (It still had other associations and significances, I don't want to make it sound completely methodical.) Also, i wanted to find a name that wasn't in use in either of our families.

Plus, my last name is difficult enough to spell - we found a name that people can spell correctly on the first try.

[flstf]

Originally Posted by fresnelly

And please, I do hope that this thread doesn't become just another rant thread about neo-african names like Shaniqua and so on. I find that kind of one sided negativity depressing.

Yeah, we need more names like Bubba and Bobbi Jo.

I have a very common name "James". I didn't mind being called "Jimmy" while growing up but I always liked my father's name "Harland". My mother thought it was too old fashioned and too southern.

Random Celebrity Redneck Baby Names!

"Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt" - This is the new baby name of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (the so-called "Brangelina baby"). They had their baby in Namibia, Africa, on May 27, 2006. The meaning of Shiloh is "His gift", with a Hebrew origin or, according to a longstanding translation from the Bible, "the peaceful one". Shiloh joins Angelina's adopted children, Maddox and Zahara!

"Kyd" is the name chosen by David Duchovny and Tea Leoni for their baby boy. Maybe a great name when their kid is still a kid - not so great at 55 years!

David Bowie named his son "Zowie" to rhyme with Bowie. "Zowie Bowie", go figure! (He later changed his name to Joe before settling on Duncan)

Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf named their son "Pilot Inspektor"!

"Speck Wildhorse and Hud". Hud is not too bad, but Speck Wildhorse? John Mellencamp and Elaine Irwin might not have thought it through that much ...

"Moon Unit", "Ahmet Emuukha Rodan", "Dweezil", and "Diva" were the baby names chosen by Frank Zappa! I guess he reckoned it'll "build character" to be named "Moon Unit" ...

http://www.redneckbabynames.com/

[Johnny Rotten]

Originally Posted by Crompsin

Kids are becoming fashion accessories... and should have unique brand names.

I do think that following name trends is uncomfortably close to treating your children as accessories. And as someone whose last name isn't spelled quite the way it's pronounced, I can assure you that naming your kid Davyd, Mykal, or Meri will be a periodic annoyance throughout their lives, rather than a mark of distinction. I'd rather be distinguished by my behavior any day, bad or good.

[SecretMethod70]

Originally Posted by Mondak

My favorite is all the vapid sex-in-the-city clones who named their kids "Aiden". There are like 9000 Aidens out there right now.

Yeah Onodrim's nephew is named Aidan

[meanSpleen]

I think the best name I have ever come across was when I was working at a summer camp as a counselor. The name?

WAVERLY !!!!!!!!!

Of course, we all thought her parents were hippies or something. But we all agreed that it was one of the best names EVER.

And I know no Aidans. I guess I'm lucky eh?

[Grasshopper Green]

My nephew is named Aidan. However, he goes by Bubba, and no, I'm not joking.

[ngdawg]

I can not stand cutesy names!!! Imagine a 70 year old "Corey".
My son's name is consistently on top 20 lists and that's ok. It fit him as a newborn and will fit him as an old man. Same with my daughter-she has an oldfashioned name, common spelling. Both names can be shortened to a variety of nicknames(although I personally hate every shortened version) so that they could choose what to be called. But they prefer their full names.
Funny thing, though-I did not choose my daughter's name-I wanted to see her face first, but passed out from exhaustion. Her name was one of 3 I had in mind(all traditional ones, one being my grandmother's)-her father forgot I wanted to see her and gave the name she has to the nurse handling the paperwork. But, it fits her well.

[Plan9]

Originally Posted by Johnny Rotten

I do think that following name trends is uncomfortably close to treating your children as accessories. And as someone whose last name isn't spelled quite the way it's pronounced, I can assure you that naming your kid Davyd, Mykal, or Meri will be a periodic annoyance throughout their lives, rather than a mark of distinction. I'd rather be distinguished by my behavior any day, bad or good.

How about Gucci Rotten?

[Seer666]

As long as we are talking about odd names......

http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_fullstory.asp?id=3828

Optimus Prime is heading out to the Middle East with his guard unit on Wednesday to provide fire protection for airfields under combat.

"On Sunday, we were announced as the best firefighting unit in the Army National Guard in the entire country," said Prime. "That was a big moment for us."

Prime took his name from the leader of the Autobots Transformers, which were popular toys and a children's cartoon in the 1980s.

He legally changed his name on his 30th birthday and now it's on everything from his driver's license, to his military ID, to his uniform.

"They razzed me for three months to no end," said Prime. "They really dug into me about it."

Prime says the toy actually filled a void in his life when it came out.

"My dad passed away the year before and I didn't have anybody really around, so I really latched onto him when I was a kid," he said.

[Plan9]

Originally Posted by Seer666

As long as we are talking about odd names......

http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_fullstory.asp?id=3828

HAHAHAH... Autobots kill Dirka-Dirka?!

[albania]

Originally Posted by filtherton

Well, me and my lady are geeks. I wanted to name the kid after a notable scientist or mathematician, but it turns out that convincing someone to name their daughter something like gauss or feynman is nearly impossible, so we named our daughter after the greek letter commonly used to denote an angular variable. It sounds nice, and when she's older she can appreciate the brevity of having a name that is also a symbol- at least i would if i was in her shoes. The middle name is just a merging of her grandmothers' middle names.

Hmm that’s pretty, although you have consigned your daughter to a life of adoration by geeks. Depending on how you look at it, it can be either good or bad.

Damn, the thread title really makes me want to quote some Romeo and Juliet.

[spindles]

Originally Posted by Johnny Rotten

Davyd

this one is ok, if you happen to be Welsh

Our boys are Rory and Thomas. We just both liked Rory and it is uncommon enough to make us feel unique. Thomas is pretty old fashioned, so not really very trend there.

[Jetée]

Originally Posted by Mondak

My favorite is all the vapid sex-in-the-city clones who named their kids "Aiden". There are like 9000 Aidens out there right now.

Originally Posted by SecretMethod70

Yeah Onodrim's nephew is named Aidan

Originally Posted by Medusa

My nephew is named Aidan. However, he goes by Bubba, and no, I'm not joking.

Oh, yeah my point was redundant... sorry.

[OzOz]

Originally Posted by Medusa

And last, names that are just ... in my opinion, weird...Brittley, Jazlynn, Khara, and Gage.

I wonder about the weird ones too, and I'm thankful that I don't have celebrity parents who feel a need to make some kind of statement with their kids' names. I hate to think what Moon Unit Zappa had to put up with.

[AllyM]

My nephew is Aidan. My Grandparents are from Ireland though, and he does indeed have bright red 'fierey' hair! (not to mention his temper!)

[Miss Mango]

My teacher told the class once about a kid named Kannsass. You know, like the state, Kansas (stupid enough right there) but with 2 Ns and 2 Ss.