(no subject)

[lustdumpster.livejournal.com]

i was talking to my boyfriend last night about baby names, which is something he doesn't usually participate in, but this is the first time he's brought up a valid point as to why he doesn't like the names i like:

i like names like katherine, cecilia, lillian, ect. he thinks they sound old, and he said he doesn't see anything wrong with "trendy" names because he thinks the names should fit the child's generation.

he doesn't have any names that he does like, really, but that was his main reason for not liking my names. i'm not planning to have children for at least another eight years or so and he very well not even be the father, but i'm still curious as to what you all think of that.

Comments

[0o-faerie.livejournal.com]

Interesting, I've never thought of it like that! I think his point is valid to some extent, but on the other hand; Katherine won't go out of style. And you could always shorten it to Kate!
I guess what I'm trying to say is that in 40 years, Katherine or Cecilia will still fit Katherine or Cecilia. I think the names you like fit all generations, whereas Aiden/Jayden will be very dated within 10 or 20 years.

Then again...if you don't mind a name going out of style...his point makes sense!

[lustdumpster.livejournal.com]

that's exactly how i feel. a lot of the trendier names to me don't seem like they'll age well, and i'm an ashley of the late 80s and i feel like my name belongs on a five year old. i don't want my kid feeling like that. i don't think my name passes the business card test, you know?

the way i see it is that the kid is going to be an adult for more time of its life than it will be a child, so why not give it a name that can be shortened to something more childish but will still let them sound professional later?

[blosmbee.livejournal.com]

So he'd rather give his child a name knowing it will eventually sound dated rather than a classic name that will last the child throughout life.
If you need to convince him, go back and point out trendy names of the past. I can't imagine anyone under age 50 named Doris or Beverly, and 50 years from now people will be saying things like "Kaylee and Jaden are such ugly 'old people' names!" but a classic name will never go out of style. Similarly, in 40-50 years our nursing homes will be filed with Stephanies and Ashleys and Tiffanys which were all really popular names in the 80s. I just can't imagine old people with these names. It feels a little bit ridiculous. A classic name fits any age.


edit to add: I just read your comment above that your name is Ashley. No offense meant on my old people comment! I'm an 80's kid too :}

[lustdumpster.livejournal.com]

lol no offense taken, that's exactly how i feel! to me there is a difference between an "old" name and a classic name. katherine, cecilia, lillian, ect to me are beautiful, timeless names whereas your doris and beverly examples, plus other names that you ONLY hear on a certain generation are old and very outdated.

like i remember when i was nine i had a friend named katie but her full name was katherine. and at the time i was like ew i'd never want my name to be katherine, but now that i'm older i would so much rather my name be katherine because mine sounds so immature.

[giveitfullheart.livejournal.com]

I don't feel those names are "old"...like everyone else said, they're classics that don't really have a specific generation. I have a dead great aunt Catherine and I went to school with quite a few (variations on the spelling but it's the same in the end) and they just went by Kate/Katie...and hell, a few girls went by Katherine! I love classic names. Now, if it were something like Edna...I'd understand. Even those are kind of making a comeback though!

[lilacmermaid.livejournal.com]

I really don't think he's right. Especially for a name like Katherine, I know tons of people from different generations with that name. And I think there's a difference in trendiness if you're talking about a name that was just sort of uncommon before and has become super popular at a particular time, or if it's a name that may as well not have existed before its popularity exploded.

And ultimately, I don't think it's that big of a deal if it doesn't fit the generation ... Gertrude or Enid or something might be a bit much, but I've known people my age named Linda or Ellen or Donna or something ... and while at first it might be a bit surprising, you get over that pretty quickly, and it stops being a big deal.

[daydream11.livejournal.com]

Both sides have pros and cons, but as far as I am concerned, there is nothing great about contemporary names. Yeah, sure, the child won't be burned by the fact that their name isn't off, but - and this is purely a late 90s, 00s trend - most trendy names are spelt so awfully and are so tacky that they bring to mind childish, irresponsible adults... or at least the adults these children will be in around 18 years. Who is going to trust a Kaylee to defend them in court? How about little Aydyn trying to become a global marketer? An Alyvia leading team in brain surgeons, how is she going to fare? How about Serenity, can you picture her lobbying for Congress? With plenty first impressions being made via the web, and with the next generation growing up completely with brilliant technology, what messages are going to be communicated?

The guys have it easy... for what it's worth, most of the Aidan names aren't tacky in the sense of their sound. It's the spelling - and a lot of the girls' names - that will make it difficult.

Little Cecilia and Lillian and Katherine will have a serious advantage, for all of their individuality.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

Trendy very quickly becomes stale... after all, the child is supposed to be able to live with what you choose for 70-90 years.

OTOH, it is reasonable to find a happy medium, maybe by finding a trendy name he likes, and looking for the most similar fashionable classic.

[searlait.livejournal.com]

I think baby names should reflect on the taste of the parents and the parents only. I don't care much about generations.