Baby names

[Inspector Fowler]

It's not a secret or shock that baby names are somewhat generational. It seems like every 10 years or so the old names get rotated out and new ones come marching in.

Why do you think that is? Is it a conformist behavior? Do parents do it on purpose so their child won't stand out? Do the baby name books do this so people won't just pass down the 1926 version of 100 Top Baby Names or something? Where does everybody get the "vibe" to spell Megan as Meghan all of a sudden, or name their kids Colin for five years?

If my wife and I had a kid (unlikely), we have agreed on a traditional Irish name since the bulk of my ancestry is Irish. Screw the rest of society.

I notice this a LOT because of dorms. I have to walk by hundreds and hundreds of dorm room doors each shift, and every door has between 1 and 4 names on it. I've noticed a lot of new spellings that weren't common when I was a kid, and a lot of names that I didn't know at all, but repeated like 5 times a night. I'm about 13 years older than the average college freshman, so when I was in middle school "Meghan" must have been all the rage.

[MrBibbz]

Well I guess it depends, I mean my first name Aaron has several different spellings, and I've seen them all in one form or another across the few years I've been alive.

[Mike Kelehan]

Is it a conformist behavior? Do parents do it on purpose so their child won't stand out?

Yes. When someone, let's say a celebrity, gives their child a unique name, people call it "child abuse." My name is Mike, my roommates are Paul and Pat, my friends include such names as Jon, Ben, Katherine, Josh, and Amanda. Putting together a guest list for anything nearly puts me to sleep. I don't know what my kids' names will be (it's a two party conversation and the other party is still undetermined), but if any other kids in their class have the same name, I'll consider the naming effort a failure.

And none of this "same name as everyone else but spelled differently" crap, either. They'll already have to deal with that thanks to their last name.

[NFSMike]

I believe this topic, among a bunch of other interesting topics, is covered in a book called Freakomonics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything authored by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. (In fact, I just checked Wikipedia and it's Chapter 6 of the book.) It's been a couple of years since I read the book, so I can't repeat how it works, but he makes some interesting connections. You might be interested in picking it up in your local Chapters and just reading that one chapter =P

If you are interested in buying it, here's the Amazon link: Amazon link (http://www.amazon.com/Freakonomics-Economist-Explores-Hidden-Everything/dp/006073132X)

[TheKeck]

I don't know what my kids' names will be (it's a two party conversation and the other party is still undetermined), but if any other kids in their class have the same name, I'll consider the naming effort a failure.
Anecdotally, I actually find this to be what so many people are into. There's this strange (in my mind) desire to have "unique" names. Personally, I'm so not about that. I llike me some good standard names. :)

[TurboKinny]

I don't know how or why it happens- I figure it is like any other fad, except unlike gladiator sandals or scrunchies, it's one that the poor kid has to live with for the rest of his/her life.

On another message board, we call those "unique" spellings assnames. It's a very appropriate descriptor.

[wyeast]

assnames... *snicker*

[Hawkzombie]

We named my Son Isaac Michael Robert...I am named Christopher Michael Wayne

First name was a throw-away (for me...for Isaac it's after my great-grandmother's father) The Michael is something my parents started with the boys in our family (as well as two middle names) and the second is the middle name of the father's best friend. At least for the first born. My brother is William Michael James and I dunno what the James is for.

Before, I seriously wanted to name my kid (hold laughter until the end, please).....Vash Xavier Cross. Yes, Vash after Trigun.

Oy.

EDIT: My point...start a tradition if your family doesn't have one in naming. I dunno why, but I felt really proud to be able to carry it on, even though my parents were the first to start it.

[rein]

I'm not sure why people do what they do when naming their child but I don't hold it against them. Regardless, I feel bad for children that have to grow up with the parents mistake. I can't say we were perfect naming our daughter. Her initials turned out to be TNT. It wasn't planned because I chose the middle name Nicole years earlier because I promised someone I would name my first girl after them. Her mom chose Taylor and well... ...my last name is Terry. Pretty much the way it worked out. If we had stayed together and had a second daughter she would have been cursed with the same initials because we were going to name her Tatum.

If I had multiple daughters I would most likely have given them all the same middle name. Not to be funny but because it would have been a name they could share after they grew up and married off. I thought that up when I was young because my grandparents had four girls and no boys. I always felt bad that none of them shared a name after they were married.

[Inspector Fowler]

My buddy wanted to name his kid Gregory Owen D****** (last name withheld since he's not here to give permission). The initials would have been GOD, which I thought was sweet but his wife didn't agree.

She let him name the kid Gregory Cooper D******.....and the Cooper is named for the Mini Cooper.

Oh, and NFSMike - that's cool. One of the advantages of working at a university is the huge library where I can find almost anything (http://discovery.library.colostate.edu/Record/.b27130708)...with 6 month checkout periods! I'll pick that up next time I'm working.

My parents gave me the middle name Loren, and I will never forgive them.

[Ultima Thulian]

It's just a fad.

[KamaItachi]

Apparently giving your sons 'unique' names can cause issues in development and make them more prone to depression. Apparently this has no affect on girls.

In naming our children we never went out of our way to pick something unusual, but give them a name they can do something with. For example, Our kid's called Dashiell, when he's older and wants to be more of a lad he can use 'Dash' or use his middle name to entice the ladies (along with a hopefully well developed Irish brogue).

I'm fairly happy with my name, Richard, because I can shorten it to Ricky to be more informal. When I'm a crusty old bastard, swathed in a rubbish old cardigan, soaked in whiskey, rotting away in my old mausoleum study I can use change it again to 'Dick'. That's a good name to call someone who keeps peering over their bi-focals disapprovingly.

[Kelegacy]

I work in healthcare and I've seen some children with some bizarre names. And these days even boys names are being messed with...and not kindly I think. E's and A's are being replaced with Y's, making feminine looking names. My full name is Kenneth...but in the "modern" world it might be Kennyth. Or Jonathyn. Jaydyn. Trafdyn. Camdyn. It's...ugh.

We named our son something not common, but nothing bizarre either. I was a lit major but never read Catcher in the Rye until after college. When we were brainstorming names, it didn't take much. I saw the book on my shelf and said, "How about Holden?" and she loved it. I just hope my son doesn't grow up to act like Salinger's Holden. :)

I'm sure he'll go to school with about 10 other Holdens now, and I'll be pissed. Copycat parents.

[Serapth]

I had decided years ago if I had a boy his name would be Connor and if we had a girl we would be fucked.

Since coming to that decision, everybody and their dog named their child Connor and we had a daughter...

That was an epic pain in the ass and it sure as hell wasn't because of me. It was flashback to my house hunting days where if my wife didn't like the @$#@#$ing wallpaper, the house was a pass! :( God that was annoying, but NOTHING and I mean NOTHING compared to coming up with a girls name...

Every name was based around people she knew in her past, and lets put this simply, women mostly hate each other ( other women that is ), so the number of names that were taken off the table because "Oh, I knew an XXXX and she was such a bitch!" was frustrating as hell.

Me, I had a simple criteria as a dad. Any proposed name I ran through a very familiar scenario from my single years... I ran each name through the "Next up on stage is XXXX!" If the name sounded like a good stripper name, it got put in the no pile.

Thus, my daughters name is not Cinnamon von BallPolisher.

[Serapth]

We named our son something not common, but nothing bizarre either. I was a lit major but never read Catcher in the Rye until after college. When we were brainstorming names, it didn't take much. I saw the book on my shelf and said, "How about Holden?" and she loved it. I just hope my son doesn't grow up to act like Salinger's Holden. :)

I'm sure he'll go to school with about 10 other Holdens now, and I'll be pissed. Copycat parents.

You lying bastard! You said if I donated the sperm you would name your child after me!!!! All those nights having sex with your partner were for nothing?!?!?!?!!?!??!?!

[rein]

I work in healthcare and I've seen some children with some bizarre names. And these days even boys names are being messed with...and not kindly I think. E's and A's are being replaced with Y's, making feminine looking names. My full name is Kenneth...but in the "modern" world it might be Kennyth. Or Jonathyn. Jaydyn. Trafdyn. Camdyn. It's...ugh.

We named our son something not common, but nothing bizarre either. I was a lit major but never read Catcher in the Rye until after college. When we were brainstorming names, it didn't take much. I saw the book on my shelf and said, "How about Holden?" and she loved it. I just hope my son doesn't grow up to act like Salinger's Holden. :)

I'm sure he'll go to school with about 10 other Holdens now, and I'll be pissed. Copycat parents.Judging by your list of names it looks like people are using the random name generator in WoW to pick their sons names. :p

And Holden rocks as a boy name. Damn, I wish my parents had named me something cool like Holden instead of John. On the plus side my name has been in the list of top 20 names since the beginning of time.

[Adam Blue]

I named my daughter Hera because it's not that common, yet not bizarre either. I can't stand common names.

[Serapth]

I named my daughter Hera because it's not that common, yet not bizarre either. I can't stand common names.

... I have been very self absorbed with my family and launching Flexamail, so I haven't paid a ton of attention to the world at large, but...


You have a daughter?!?!?!

Congrats.

[Thanasimos]

Whatever, I'm going to make Violet popular again.

[Serapth]

Whatever, I'm going to make Violet popular again.

Immediate associatation... Willy Wonka.

[Thanasimos]

Immediate associatation... Willy Wonka.

By the time I have kids, though, nobody will remember the movies. And it won't have a pretentious last name. :D

Oh, and spoiled kids deserve whatever they get, my future daughter included.

[Serapth]

By the time I have kids, though, nobody will remember the movies. And it won't have a pretentious last name. :D

Oh, and spoiled kids deserve whatever they get, my future daughter included.

What goes against that argument is, I am thinking the Gene Wilder film, not the new one.... :)
<Highlander I Want to Live Forever Music>Some things last forever!</Highlander I Want to Live Forever Music>

[Inspector Fowler]

We decided not to have kids, but before we settled on Irish names, I wanted to name him Bruce Wayne Fowler (Fowler's not my real last name, though).

Women are so picky!

[Hawkzombie]

There is nothing wrong with Bruce Wayne Fowler. Your wife needs to realize that you're preparing your son for a life of crime fighting...and your early deaths :p

[pomeroy]

I believe this topic, among a bunch of other interesting topics, is covered in a book called Freakomonics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything authored by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. (In fact, I just checked Wikipedia and it's Chapter 6 of the book.) It's been a couple of years since I read the book, so I can't repeat how it works, but he makes some interesting connections. You might be interested in picking it up in your local Chapters and just reading that one chapter =P

Yeah, I remember that. Basically, it comes down to levels of education and socioeconomic status. The richer and smarter people are, the more unique names they pick. These names then bleed down to the poor folk, until the names become passe. Really interesting stuff.

[stardolphin]

Whatever, I'm going to make Violet popular again.

Three days ago, my daughter was born. Her name is Violet. :)

[Thanasimos]

Three days ago, my daughter was born. Her name is Violet. :)

You, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar. And congrats on the kid, too. But say goodbye to your video games!

HOWEVER do not encourage too many others to follow suit. ;) Even though I love the name, if that were anywhere near the top fifty, even, I wouldn't name a kid that. I've noticed that it sucks to have a common name, because it guarantees a nickname, and those are often shitty.

[Serapth]

Three days ago, my daughter was born. Her name is Violet. :)

Congrats!!!

Oh, and in about 9 - 11 months, my condolences! ;)

[TheKeck]

Whatever, I'm going to make Violet popular again.
The first girl I ever kissed........ yeah, anyway.

Speaking of horrifying names, though, apparently, there is a boy in my sister in law's elementary school class named Shih-theed. Well, that's how it was supposedly pronounced anyway, but it was spelled differently. I'll let you figure out how it was spelled. I don't understand how that could not be brought to civil services or something. :(

[Bad Buddha]

My oldest daughter worked at a Blockbuster in Harlem when she was in college. Three women that worked there were named "Unique", but they all were spelled differently.

[diablopath]

My name was almost Adolphus.

My dad didn't go through with it. That is how I know he loves me.

[JediSanf]

I saw an admit note on a kid, first name: D'q

Pronounced (phonetically): Da-postrophe-q

[Expugnare]

I saw an admit note on a kid, first name: D'q

Pronounced (phonetically): Da-postrophe-q
I had a teacher that taught in a really poor part of town tell me about a girl named La-a, pronounced Ladasha.

She also had two students that were brothers, one named 41 and the other 43. They were the ages of the father when the kids were born.

[Kelegacy]

My oldest daughter worked at a Blockbuster in Harlem when she was in college. Three women that worked there were named "Unique", but they all were spelled differently.

The irony. :)

People sometimes pick out names that are good for little boys/girls or babies, but they don't seem to be adult names. Or, the opposite could be true and you name your newborn Gertrude. And old-lady name for a baby! I realize probably our names here on CoG will someday be old-man/lady names and out of date, but it still sounds bizarre calling a baby Gertrude.

I do like older names, old names that aren't "expired", and names that aren't too strange. For some reason I really like the name Roland, and it's an old name. We were going to name our son Elliot, but I think we'll be saving that name for our second child (if we ever have another and it's a boy). That sounds too much like a little-boy's name for me though I like it, but when I mentioned that at work someone mentioned Law and Order SVU and Elliot Stabler..."Now, he's a MAN," she said, swooning. True, very true.

I had a teacher that taught in a really poor part of town tell me about a girl named La-a, pronounced Ladasha.


WTF.

[Narradisall]

Some people are just cruel with naming. It does seem to be down to lots of people wanting different names, names that stand out or just something unique (the above unique comments are lol worthy though).

I pity people that get named things like Mecerdes, Fi-fi Trixibelle and other random shit.

I decided I'll take the Homer Simpson approch and shoot down anything that could be used in a childish rhyme. Of course having the sir name "Day" pretty much shoots that idea down anyway. Oh the originality of that particular rhyme died decades ago.

[Kelegacy]

Narradisall Day,
you're so gay!

Kids will always find ways to be cruel. My last name is Bartlett. I heard things like Fartlett sometimes...usually right before I crushed their skull.

I already thought of what my son would called before he was even born--but it doesn't matter because they'd think of something no matter the name. So he'll probably be ButtHolden, or Assholden. Assholden Fartlett. Sounds nice, huh?

[Jeffool]

I hope my one-day son will be alright with "Samuel Phred Bridges."

As for the second child, I have no plans, but the third will be "Jeff W. Bridges III." (I was my father's second, and I'm Junior. I plan to keep this tradition up.)

Of course, I plane to have 13 children, so I need to get crackin'! (Of course, I don't mind adopting.)

[Kelegacy]

I hope my one-day son will be alright with "Samuel Phred Bridges."

As for the second child, I have no plans, but the third will be "Jeff W. Bridges III." (I was my father's second, and I'm Junior. I plan to keep this tradition up.)

Of course, I plane to have 13 children, so I need to get crackin'! (Of course, I don't mind adopting.)

I love the name Sam, but my grandfather, uncle and about 3 generations before that were named Samuel. I wanted to honor my grandfather (he's still alive) by naming a daughter Samantha. But we had a boy and Kim doesn't like the name Samantha. GRRRR.

We decided to come up with our own middle name as well, since too many people use a grandparent or some other relative as a middle name. We decided to throw tradition out the window.

I'm a II as well (nor junior, though it's the same of course) but I definitely did not want to name my son the same thing. I want him to be his own person, with his own name (and I hated being yelled at across the house as a child only to find out it was my father mom was yelling at) The funny thing is, I'm nothing like my father and they should have named my younger brother after my dad instead.

[Digital Outlaw]

I just had a son 3 months ago and named him Vincent Savo Genovese.... He will be giving offers that cannot be refused within 5-10 years

[Jeffool]

I love the name Sam, but my grandfather, uncle and about 3 generations before that were named Samuel. I wanted to honor my grandfather (he's still alive) by naming a daughter Samantha. But we had a boy and Kim doesn't like the name Samantha. GRRRR.Gah, unfortunate man. (Maybe you can negotiate the middle name?) Mine's a mix of a best friend and Clemens, but...I definitely did not want to name my son the same thing. I want him to be his own person, with his own nameI wouldn't say I'm like my father, though I love the man.

But I wouldn't say being named after him has made me feel like I have a mold to fit, which seems to be the complaint. Maybe it's because my folks were divorced, or maybe it was because people who didn't know/recognize the name as my fathers thought of the actor, but I don't suppose I ever felt like I owned my name. Instead, I see it more like something that I was handed, and can pass on that no one else can take away. As much a possible tradition as a title. (His second was junior, my third will be the third.)

Okay, now I'm just getting into 'blog' territory. Enough.

[bapenguin]

Despite the name becoming pretty popular, I wanted to go with Isabella for our daughter. I've just always liked that name for as long as I can remember.

Of course we maxed it out with as much Italian as we could: Isabella Nitalia Puleo

It's gonna be a bitch for her to fill out those bubbles on the SATs.

[Serapth]

Despite the name becoming pretty popular, I wanted to go with Isabella for our daughter. I've just always liked that name for as long as I can remember.

Of course we maxed it out with as much Italian as we could: Isabella Nitalia Puleo

It's gonna be a bitch for her to fill out those bubbles on the SATs.

Its actually not that common, unless of course you are Portuguese, in which case one in three women are named Bella.

[bapenguin]

Its actually not that common, unless of course you are Portuguese, in which case one in three women are named Bella.

We call her Izzy anyway...which ends up getting shortened to Iz.

God we're lazy.

[Serapth]

We call her Izzy anyway...which ends up getting shortened to Iz.

God we're lazy.

... we call our daughter K, so don't feel too bad.

[Kelegacy]

We don't call our son anything. Kim grunts, I just use hand motions.

[Scull]

Despite the name becoming pretty popular, I wanted to go with Isabella for our daughter. I've just always liked that name for as long as I can remember.

Of course we maxed it out with as much Italian as we could: Isabella Nitalia Puleo

It's gonna be a bitch for her to fill out those bubbles on the SATs.
Isn't the chick from Twilight named Bella? Yeah, your daughter isn't going to have a unique name for long ba.

[Kelegacy]

I'm sure there will be some girls named Sookie as well. People copy the most stupid shit. Sheep.

[Bad Buddha]

We don't call our son anything. Kim grunts, I just use hand motions.
I just call all of my kids "Dude".

[pomeroy]

I just call all of my kids "Dude".

And the kids...they abide, man.

[NFSMike]

Oh, and NFSMike - that's cool. One of the advantages of working at a university is the huge library where I can find almost anything (http://discovery.library.colostate.edu/Record/.b27130708)...with 6 month checkout periods! I'll pick that up next time I'm working.


ROFL! I use the library quite frequently, yet I always forget to mention it when discussing books =P I always say, "drop by Chapters...blahblahblah." =P

[Shamrock Jimmy]

The two names I've come up with are Miri (from star trek, but at least it doesn't sound to weird) and Murphy.

[TurboKinny]

The two names I've come up with are Miri (from star trek, but at least it doesn't sound to weird) and Murphy.Miri? Really (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1007028/)?

[Shamrock Jimmy]

Crap I didn't think of that.

[Matthias]

But it's okay because people aren't going to remember that after a couple years, and Elizabeth Banks is really cute anyway.

As for myself, I've always liked the name Elizabeth, but it's way too common and now has weird associations in my head...


EDIT: And you can always go with Miranda and just shorten it to Miri as a nickname.

[hunterx280]

The wife and I don't plan on having kids but we picked out a couple names just in case or if we ever change our minds. If it's a girl her name will be Tatyana Jayla Bodin. If it's a boy I have been given permission to give him a geek based name. So far I'm thinking Kyle Rayner Bodin. BTW, the last name is pronounced BO-DEAN.

[TurboKinny]

If it's a boy I have been given permission to give him a geek based name. I want to have a son, so I can name him Anthony Rhodes. :D

[hunterx280]

I want to have a son, so I can name him Anthony Rhodes. :D

That's a good name. I'm still deciding if I like the name Kyle. Most people I know named Kyle don't really leave a positive image in my mind (nor really a negative one for that matter) but I dunno. I have plenty of time to think about it. Babies are something that is hopefully very far away, if ever.

[Serapth]

Anthony Michael Hall ruined the name for me. All Anthonys are now the geeky character from 80s movies.

Do you want your son to turn out like this?

http://celebritykids.name/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/anthonymichaelhall31.jpg

[TurboKinny]

Anthony Michael Hall ruined the name for me. All Anthonys are now the geeky character from 80s movies.

Do you want your son to turn out like this?

http://celebritykids.name/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/anthonymichaelhall31.jpgNo, I want him to turn out like a mix between Tony Stark and Rhodey. Duh :p

(Rhodey cancelling out the drunken, womanizing parts of Tony, of course)