Animal Names?

[cosmos-calling.livejournal.com]

What do you think of naming a baby a name that is also the name of a species of animal?

I am thinking specifically of the name "Kestrel", (for a boy).

By the way, Kestrels are a type of falcon. Is it weird to name a child after an animal? I first thought of this name without knowing if it even existed on any level, and was surprised that is was bird, and more surprised that I may have even seen an American Kestrel, since there are plenty of birds like that around here.

What do you think of the name Kestrel? Does it make a difference that it is an animal name? (I don't know of any humans being named Kestrel.)

Comments

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

To be honest? Unless there's some history of the animal's name being used it comes across to me as either a bit pretentious (as I'm afraid Kestrel does to me) or trashy (as, for instance, Fawn). And in nearly all cases, totally soap-operaish.

It's very very hard to pull off, and rather rough on the child who has to. There are a few that are used enough to work (Raven, Robin come to mind) but usually they work for other reasons.

It's not ghastly, just... trying way too hard.

[cosmos-calling.livejournal.com]

I live in a city that is very diverse, and has some incredibly strange hippie names, and all sorts of other kinds of names. I don't think it will considered "pretentious" in my area, nor do I think it will make my child's life hard in any way.

Also... trying too hard...? I didn't even know it was a name of any sort until I looked it up online, and I think most people would not know if they were introduced to a person named Kestrel.

[tiphanism.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised that people wouldn't recognise Kestrel as the name of the bird, but I take your word for it. I like the sound of it, but it's the bird of prey foremost to me. There are precedents though - Robin and Merlin spring to mind.