Mainstream

[reclaimeddreams.livejournal.com]

Ok. So.

How come when names become popular and 'mainstream' such as Aiden and Elijah, everyone who previously liked them suddenly goes 'Eww. They're so mainstream.'? I mean, seriously? I've liked the name Aidan since I was a little girl. And I almost named my eldest son Elijah before it became a fad, becuase I loved it so much.

I don't think that I should have to compromise the tastes that I have in the names that I choose for my children simply because everyone thinks I'm only choosing it becase it's mainstream. Which wouldn't be the case at all.

I've seen people who LOVE the name Aidan. And then, they find out that everyone's naming their son or daughter a variant spelling on the name - and suddenly the name's not so appealing. What the heck? I mean, if you liked the name before - why don't you like it now? Can somebody please explain that to me?

Comments

[spikes-sexkitty.livejournal.com]

i can say personally, i liked the names Aiden & Caden for a long time growing up. they were names from my family tree - the irish side - and i'd never really heard of anyone with them other than an actor (Aiden Quinn). but now that i've reached the time and age in my life when i can start having children, ppl have picked up on them and butchered it to be 'yoo-neek' & 'kree-8-yv' and it is ANNOYING. so yea, i won't use them. mostly b/c growing up i had friends like me, who had names that weren't so common in our classes, and then friends who had at least 4-6 other girls in our class/grade with the same name. and they hated it. they wished they had something to make them differentiated.

when i was 19 i made my list of names. (before i foudn this site) and Caden Asher was my absolute #1 favorite! until i did research and saw how many ppl had that name or a derivitive thereof. and i don't want my kid growing up in school where when the teacher calls out: 'Caden!', five boys have to respond: 'which one?' when my son is being spoken to i want him to know it. ya know?

but that's just me. maybe i'm partial b/c of growing up with a not-so-common name that i liked that feeling and wish my kids to know it. so yes, popularity and common-ness of a name does infulence my choice in using a name.

[reclaimeddreams.livejournal.com]

Growing up with a name that was at least spelled differently than everyone else's was a unique experience for me. My name is Tanyia. Pronounced Tawn-yuh. I can sympathize with the idea that you'd want your child to have a different name than every else.

But why comprimise what you like - love - because of the choices of a whole bunch of other people you don't even know?

Christianity is a 'popular' religion and nobody sacrifices their beliefs because 'everyone else is doing it.' Why should naming a child be any different?

[spikes-sexkitty.livejournal.com]

b/c i chose the name for family and heritage pride. it's 1/2 the reason why i fell in love with them. the other 1/2 was b/c they were names that were around, but not so common that if you swung out in a crowd you'd be gauranteed to hit at least 2-3 with that name.

and i don't want my kid to have a different name in the sense that i'm gonna mispell or research such an obscure name that NO one knows what the hell kinda drugs i was one when naming my kids.

for example, my name is Alexandria. Chosen b/c my dad is a history nut; he gave me my full name from Ancient Greek/Egypt, but my NN 'Alix' was from Russian history. now, the name/nn 'Alex' is not bizzare or unusual. MOST girl 'alex's are Alexandra's rather than Alexanria's. there are boy 'Alex's too. but growing up it wasn't THAT common. i liked that.

i would and choose to NOT use the name Aiden or Caden b/c *my* reasoning and what i would tell my son when he asks how i chose his name, would not be what ppl saw. they wouldn't see or bother to listen (or if they did , go "pfft! right.") that i did it for love of where my family came from. they'd see that i was just anther 18-30 year old in the early 2000's to jump on the stupid bandwagon.

and i get the correlation btwn religion and a name, but at the same time i don't see how choosing ones faith and naming a child is the same. b/c you personally choose what you want to believe - you don't choose your name. but you can change both. :)