Two Part Post

[requiem-morrow.livejournal.com]

Good Evening All!

An eariler post got me thinking about diversity of opinions in this community. As a population sample, from what I've observed, the community appears remarkabley homogeneous. As someone with "different" taste in names, I must say that I've enjoyed the discussions this list has generated, even if it hasn't really impacted my name choices. I spent two years in undergrad and grad school studying names and perceptions of names. I thought I'd take a moment and outline my personal name "rules," which are pretty simple.

1. Not uber-popular (I don't want a child to be one of six ____ in their class, but some names may be worth it.)
2. Meaning (I prefer names that convey strength, beauty, and loyalty either by meaning or association)
3. Must pass the business card test to be used on a real person
4. Traditional gender of names do not bother me if I really like the name
5. I don't care for names that are extremely masculine or extremely feminine
6. Most "made up" names are out, but words can be names, too. All names started from a word, otherwise names would have no meanings.
7. The spelling must make sense. It can be creative, but it has to make sense. A ridiculous amount of extra letters doesn't make sense.

Now, that being said, I am comfortable in my opinions but will not beat anyone else over the head with them. Its your baby, find a name you love and use it! You can't please everyone. You might think its the greatest name in the world, but someone else will hate it.

That being said....some people take it toooooooooooooooo far (imo). This leads me to Part II of the post.

Part II

Names that made me laugh today:

Angary
Melkin
Mojievan
Kenevious
Bre'Shonaca Lasha (I actually laughed out loud)
Recheal Dearnique
Tiffany Crystal (ok by themselves, seems like a commercial together)
Catoya Breeanna
Edric
Toddrick
Alleggra E'vonn
Lekeebrion Diquion
Jordunn

I would love to hear about everyone else's "rules" when it comes to naming (what's classic has already been covered in previous posts----although if names were cars, any name still around after 20 years would be classic:)

Comments

[crzydimond.livejournal.com]

After seeing some of those names [LOL] I would have to say that my only rule is no apostrophes!

[requiem-morrow.livejournal.com]

Say Bre'Shonaca Lasha out loud:)

[tryyingtoevolve.livejournal.com]

My rules:
1. Must be "classic." Popularity doesn't matter that much, but I tend to stay away from top 10 names, unless I REALLY like it.
2. Must sound good on any age.
3. First name possibilities can't be the first name of a living family member.
4. No names that don't clearly state the gender of the child. I figure my kids are going to have enough trouble with their two moms; they don't need more questions about gender/sexuality than they're already going to get. I wouldn't use a name that has been common on the opposite gender in the last 30 or so years. That is, names like Noah and Elliot are BOY names; names like Marion or Shirley, which became feminine decades ago, are fair game.
5. No creative spellings. I don't care if the spelling makes sense, but the butchering of classic names like Michael piss me off. It's Michael, not Mychael or Micheal or Mikel or Mykel, etc.
6. Must have a decent nickname possibility that I could live with, regardless of whether or not I'd use it.
7. Initials can't spell words, like "ASS" or "PMS"

[requiem-morrow.livejournal.com]

LOL! My neice's initials are NAG:)

[tryyingtoevolve.livejournal.com]

Oh man! Poor kid. That'll be fun for her future daughter-in-law, though, lol.

[requiem-morrow.livejournal.com]

Mine are LAH. At work our email addies are 1st and middle initial with our last names. If you say it fast enough it sounds like lush!

[requiem-morrow.livejournal.com]

When I was a teen I discovered the show the young ones. There is a male character named Vyvyan. I loved it! 20 years later, I still love it, but if I gave the name to a real person I would spell it Vivian or Vivienne. I prefer classic spellings for real people:)

[0o-faerie.livejournal.com]

I don't really have rules, but I do want 'my' names to be pretty and strong at the same time =). Oh, and I want them to have a meaning! ;)

[crzydimond.livejournal.com]

I don't even think i can!!!
LOL

[jordle.livejournal.com]

I had a friend who was going to be Natalie Ann G. but luckily her parents realised and called her Natalie Marie. Funnily enough I met another Natalie a few years later (Who is now a dear friend) and her name is Natalie Amanda G!! So I know a NAG anyway!

[fireyirishangel.livejournal.com]

I had to try four times before I could get it out - it's like a tongue twister.

[waitingonsunday.livejournal.com]

I used to think Adam was so common that it wasn't immediately thought to be a Biblical name anymore. Then I started dating an Adam.

...His sister's name is Mary.

Sometimes his friends call me Eve and think it's hilarious.

[bobinwales.livejournal.com]

1. Don't really want a hugely popular name, but some just are worth it!
2. No names where you have to ask them to repeat it 60 times, and spell it out - ie no Kry8'Iv names.
3. I have to love the name.
4. It can't sound stupid with the last name, or spell silly things with the initials. Which means I can't use Carys, as Carys Morris doesn't sound so good :/

[christhiane.livejournal.com]

Rules.
The name must
1. work in Norwegian and English (VERY limiting).
2. be 'Real' names e.g. no fantasy characters.
3. not be in the top ten.
4. be easy to read.

[coolteamblt.livejournal.com]

1. Must sound good with my name, my fiance's name, and our last name. Quinn Huff sounds bizarre to me. So does Dean Huff and Ivy Huff. Gavin is out because my fiance's name is Kevin. Any K names for a first child is out, because we would be Kayt, Kevin, and K___.

2. Goofily spelled names are right out. Being Kayt sucks. It's mine, and I've worked so hard to get people used to it, I still use it, but I wouldn't make that poor child go through the same crap.

3. I generally like names to be gender-specific, like James and Daphne. My one guilty pleasure on this is Avery, for a girl.

4. We definitely can't have hyperpopular names, like Aiden or Isobel. Huff is a common last name where we live.

[starskye.livejournal.com]

Name rules
1. Most important- The name must sound good with the father's last name and with my last name (in case the father is not involved) which I really really hope never happens to me. I Always try out any name possibilites with my last name, too.
2. Popularity is semi important. Generally speaking, if I like a name I will use it. I like a lot of names that are quite popular and I like tons that are very old and not heard of much anymore. I like uncommon names that are old. I really dont like uncommon names that are just strange.
3. middle name and first name together must have a "ring" to it. I know people who have a middle name that was their grandmother's name or something, but it does not sound good with their first name. Some people give their child a first name and a middle name to honor relatives, but the names don't necessarily sound nice together. They were only thinking of honoring relatives and not about how the names sound. This is a no no for me. Name must have a "ring" to it.
4. Speaking of honoring relatives, It's okay, as long as it's a name I like and it sounds good with the other name. I would not name my child after someone just because they want me to or just because that person died. I have to actually like the name. I've considered using my grandmother's name, May, as a middle name with many of my favorite first names, but this is mostly because it sounds nice.
5. Initials and what they spell....there is one combo I am super consious of and that is ASS. I am so consious of this because I happen to love a lot of "A" names. I would never use an A name with an S middle name. Ever. Even if the child's last name did not begin with S, I still would not use an A name with an S middle name for a girl, because she could marry someone with an S name someday. That one is major. I guess things like GAG and NAG are pretty bad, too, but the ASS one really bugs me. Whenever I see people posting names like "Audrey Scarlett" or "Amy Sarah" I start to cringe.
6. I don't like names that have a million spelling possibilities. Kaitlyn, Caitlin, Caitlyn, Katelin, etc. I's bound to be spelled wrong more than it's spelled right. I mean, I like the name Caitlin, it's pretty, I just imagine that it must be a pain to keep having to correct people all the time.
7. Which brings me to those Kry8tive spellings. No. Just...no. Spell the name the way it sounds. Spell the name the right way. Just name the kid Madison, not Maddysynne.