Have you ever "ruined" a name for someone?

[bookity.livejournal.com]

My sister has for a while really liked the name Ethan Alexander. She would write stories and use the name for a character, or mention it whenever there was discussion about possible future names for her kids. Well, recently the name subject came up again and I mentioned how everytime I hear her talk about that name I think "Ethan Allen", the paint brand, or store (I don't remember what it is, but everytime I hear it I think PAINT). Well she has told me since that she can't think of the name the same way she used to. I feel kind of bad for making her lose her love for that name.

So have you ever done something like this?

Comments

[blosmbee.livejournal.com]

I thought the same thing when I read the name. I associate it with a furniture store, but still...
I'm not sure if it would be enough to ruin that particular name for me, but if it was for her, maybe it's just as well.
I remember when I was pregnant with #2, I proposed the name Asher Cole to this community. Somone replied that it reminded them of Ashes Cole, and I couldn't think of it the same way after that, but I think that was a good thing. Sometime a parent (or potential parent) is just too close to the potential name to see problems objectively.

[bookity.livejournal.com]

Yes, I use the term "ruin" loosely. And I don't know why I keep thinking paint, maybe I saw a commercial related, but it's definitely a furniture store.

[iftherainstops.livejournal.com]

I guess I did. My brother and his fiance had a name picked out for their to-be child. If it was a boy, they were going to call him Jaxon. I've always kept my short list of names a secret, but my number 1 choice for boy was Jackson. I was kind of miffed. I knew he hates anything Twilight related, so I mentioned that I loved the name Jackson, and I love that it was the name of the guy who plays Jasper. Well, that was the end of that name for him. They've since found out they're pregnant with a girl, so problem solved anyway.

Also, a family friend named their son Evan Allen, and all I can think is the Ethan Allen furniture store.

[nobodynomore.livejournal.com]

Funny about Ethan Allen...that was the name my parents almost named my now 15 year old sister (Alyssa Catherine). And then my mom was like, "OH! I guess it makes sense why it flowed so well!" After they made that realization, they switched over to their #2 name - Aaron Thomas. Buuut she came out a girl. Haha.

But, yes, I have. My friend was for some reason OBSESSED with Caledonia. And I said, "Sounds like some sort of pasta." She was peeved & now it isn't even an option. However, I'd prefer it to her current obsession with Phoenix Orion. Kill me.

[twinklieetoes.livejournal.com]

I was seriously concidering this tonight. It might be a bitchy thing to do on my end but I'm so darn mad!! When I was pregnant with my son I had the name Sophie Violet picked out incase he was a girl. Since he's a boy, my SIL suddenly decided to swipe Violet from me and declare it hers, even though she is not even pregnant. So here I am pregnant with my second and I can't get the damn name out of my head, yet it's "untouchable" because it's "hers"

I feel like telling her I think of Violet the blueberry on Willy Wonka and leave it at that. But we'll see. >:)

[mamasammy.livejournal.com]

Your icon is friggin' hilarious!

[duckduckcaboose.livejournal.com]

Giiiiiiiiirl, use Violet anyway if you like it, that's ridiculous.

[hwar.livejournal.com]

seriously, you can't have dibs on a name unless you are pregnant, or it's a family name (and in the case of a family name, you should be okay with others using it as well).

[duckduckcaboose.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't know about "can't have dibs unless pregnant" but since the name was stolen by the SIL, I say steal it back.

[hwar.livejournal.com]

I guess a person can SAY they have dibs, but it doesn't really resonate for me if they aren't pregnant, unless the name has some special meaning to them (i.e. family/friend connection). They may not get pregnant, they may not have a child of that gender, etc. Names are a first come, first served kind of thing in my book.

[blue-roan.livejournal.com]

Fortunately my sister and I have pretty different tastes in names, so I really hope that would never be a problem.

[hwar.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Plus there are SO MANY NAMES to choose from. It's like being mad because someone bought "your" car (the one you wish you had, not the one you actually own). Either you love it enough to use it no matter what, or you pick another dang name that is just as good.

[duckduckcaboose.livejournal.com]

I think of Ethan Allen furniture pretty much any time I hear Ethan + any A-name. I think that's why I only like Ethan as a middle name, because it kind of breaks up the association for me.

I posted my friend's name list (http://community.livejournal.com/baby_names/3916670.html) back in March 2009. Although I wouldn't say that I *ruined* certain names for her I definitely pointed out some names on her list that I don't think she should use, like Emma: a name that her sister Carrie used, but Emma died in infancy.