Tests

[biancasablancas.livejournal.com]

I was thinking last night when I couldn't sleep about names (is that a bad sign?) and the tests people use to assess whether a name is legit/acceptable or not - i'm talking about the business card, the "hi, this is my lawyer/doctor..." tests.
I remember someone that posts here really likes the name Cordelia and it certainly passes those tests, but what about when they are young adults and dating, it's got to be a bit weird on the teen boyfriend's part to say, "this is my girlfriend, Cordelia!" It just seems so out of place. Same goes for other really old-fashioned names - they're just so out of place for the ages 13-25 on a real person.
I mean absolutely no offense to the girl that likes the name, it was just a thought! 

What other tests do names you like have to pass before they're used on a real person?

Comments

[anapology.livejournal.com]

Names grow with the people, so something you think sounds out of place now probably won't.
As long as it's spelt correctly and not cutesy.
People in England seem to be forgetting that their babies won't be babies forever- all the names being used are like Archie, Alfie, Maisie & Gracie.

They don't work so well on adults..

The old fashioned names are coming back no, so they'll sound on trend in 10 years.
I love Cordelia :-)

[misohappi.livejournal.com]

Testing names...????
Maybe some parents just like the sound of the name or just to honor the name for someone but not really thinking about the baby's future career namewise.

Think of Oprah and Condoleezza..smart and powerful women over their 40's. I wonder how they were treated as kids or if they were nicknamed something else when they were children.

[sarahrose.livejournal.com]

The yell-it-out-the-back-door test. LOL

Someone posted a pretty good list at one point, but I can't remember others. Things like that. Everyday things. Yell it, whisper it, say it altogether. Say it happy, upset, sad. Think about it in print (birth announcements, IDs, wedding announcements, birth announcements as parents, etc.) and such.

[rainbowshine.livejournal.com]

I always think of what it would look like on a CV to a new employer. Would they be able to tell the gender? Would they be put off by the name?

I also want something that can be shortened but also look grown up so the child has a choice. I would have loved a cute nickname as a child and hated my name - but as a grown up I like it.

Also think about saying it a zillion times a day. Do you get your tongue in a twist? Do you end up shortening it to something you don't like eg "Char" for "Charlotte" etc. even though you would never consciously call your child that? What if you are telling your child off or shouting them for dinner....is it too much of a mouthful or even too short to really notice?

Think of your child on their wedding day saying their full name in the vows. Will they be embarrassed?

I also have a thing that I would hate my child to be one of many with that name in their class or school. I want something unique but not too unusual...and thats what I am aiming for...combined with all the above!

[spikes-sexkitty.livejournal.com]

x10

i think "how would this look on a resume or application?" if it passes that, then i move onto...

"ok, is there a nn or shortened version that can work on a child/teen/young adult?" if yes then i move onto the verbal tests.

i say it angrily, i yell it, i say it laughing/happy, etc.

taking the above's example: Charlotte. I've thought of using this name b/c it passes my tests.

I'd nn my daughter 'Charlie'; i could shout/exclaim/cry that name or 'Charlotte'... and it's a childish/young feel to it for when she's younger. and as she ages, she can keep it or simply go by Charlotte.

[memorymaze.livejournal.com]

Chances are they will go by a nickname, such as Delia, Lia, Lilly etc.

And they grow with the person. By the time that kid has any personality, you wouldn't be able to imagine them as anything but "given name"

[songspell.livejournal.com]

Wasn't Cordelia the name of a character on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" series? Late '90s and the character was a teenager...

Anyway, I don't think it's old fashioned at all.

[pythianlegume7.livejournal.com]

Yeah Cordelia reminds me of Buffy which means that it wouldn't be odd at ALL for me to hear someone say they were dating a Cordelia because it reminds me of a really pretty ditz.

[tryyingtoevolve.livejournal.com]

Same here!

[spikes-sexkitty.livejournal.com]

lol yup! love her. Cordelia is a guilty pleasure name of mine... and it CAN work on a child/teen/young adult... the nn Cordy/Cordie or (as MemoryMaze listed) Delia, Lia, Lilly....

[tryyingtoevolve.livejournal.com]

I actually think that old fashioned names work on young adults, too. My friend's girlfriend's name is Esther, and you'd think it would seem weird, but when she pulled out her cell phone and said, "This is my girlfriend, Esther," it didn't seem weird at all. But then again, I love old fashioned names, so maybe I'm a weird case.

The only criteria I really have is that (a) they're not trendy, which is different than popular - what I mean is, no names that suddenly shoot up in popularity and then die down just as quickly. Therefore names like Emily are okay, names like Madison are not; (b) the name is clear which gender it's for, at least for the formal name. I'm okay with unisex names or boys names on girls for nicknames, but NOT for the formal name. Therefore Joey is okay as a nickname for Jocelyn or Josephine, but not on its own for a girl; (c) it passes the lawyer/doctor test.

So that's how I came up with my current favorites:
Margaret Adrienne/Meg
Eleanor Barbara/Ellie
Catherine Dena/Cate
Charles Michael/Charlie
William Carver/Will
Samuel Peter/Sam

[0o-faerie.livejournal.com]

I agree about a name like Cordelia being somewhat weird on a young(er) girl, but that's probably only because we're not used to seeing it on a younger person (anymore).
A girl I go to school with is called Cornelia, and at first I also thought 'Woah, that's old-fashioned'. But you get used to it.
Besides, there are always nicknames! Nicknames sound young to me, most of the time.

[hotchpot.livejournal.com]

I think you should use the Supreme Court Justice test: All rise for Supreme Court Justice Kyleigh Grace June!

Or the wedding invitation test:

Mr and Mrs Jones
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter

Ayla Tallulah Rayne

to

Mr. Braydean Atticus Smith

[traezer.livejournal.com]

Lovely sounding couple, lol. ;)

[thejoysofjess.livejournal.com]

The catch, of course, is that when Kayleigh is old enough to be a surpreme court justice, Kayleigh will be a dated old person name. Just like although I don't feel like Jessica is a proper name for someone who is in their 40s, when I am 40 there will be a shitload of Jessicas and all of the Kayleighs having babies will think of it as an old person name.

[thejoysofjess.livejournal.com]

I just thnk "Do I like this name?" and generally it will be an agreeable name that sounds find no matter what the profession and will age well, since those are my tastes.

[emtotherescuee.livejournal.com]

My dad was going to name my little brother "Jack", but then he said that he decided not to because he could never imagine someone offical like a Supreme Court Judge named Jack.
So...yeah:]

[jerseygrits.livejournal.com]

One of my tests is to imagine revealing the name to some of my older relatives. If I'd feel embarrassed to tell them the name or if I think they'd be weirded out by it, it's probably not a good choice. I think it's a pretty good test because my favorite names are used rarely but are still recognizable as names. If it's uncommon but still sounds good to a conservative great aunt, it's probably a good option. :)