(no subject)

[audiobiblio.livejournal.com]

How much does the actual meaning of a name (not what a name means to you) factor in when you're choosing? We finally settled on a first name for our son, due at the beginning of June, and the meaning itself when you look it up isn't exactly flattering. It's not offensive or anything, just not as "cool" as some of the other names that I had on my list. I highly doubt we'll be changing our minds either way, but I was just curious as to whether the meaning of a name was a huge issue for most people or if you prefer to choose a name that you like for other reasons.

Comments

[schexyschteve.livejournal.com]

I don't really care about the meaning of a name. If it has a good meaning, that's a bonus, but a bad meaning doesn't necessarily sway me.

[audiobiblio.livejournal.com]

This is what I keep telling myself. The average person isn't going to know what his name means unless they look it up. I just have a hard time shaking it myself, since it took time for me to warm up to the name in the first place. Now I'm comfortable with it, especially since it also has a nice nickname option, but this is the one hang-up in the back of my mind, lol. I'm sure I'll forget about it pretty quickly, especially once he's here.

[schexyschteve.livejournal.com]

What's the name, if you don't mind sharing?

[audiobiblio.livejournal.com]

Calvin. And it means bald, lol. I actually posted about it a while back when I was still unsure, asking for opinions. When my husband first suggested it, right after we found out that we were having a boy, I balked at the thought of using it. But then it grew on me more and more. I've been having weekly ultrasounds because I have gestational diabetes and now that he's grown to look like an actual baby (rather than an alien, lol), I think he really looks like a Calvin. And he already has a lot of hair, so the meaning already doesn't apply to him, ha ha.

[carafbaby.livejournal.com]

you can see hair in the ultrasounds?! I'm pretty sure my little girl is going to be bald (i almost said a calvin lol). I like Calvin its classic but not too common.

i forgot to answer the actual question, I don't think the meaning should ruin a name you love they are more for fun than anything.

[audiobiblio.livejournal.com]

You sure can! I was shocked because I never had ultrasounds this late with either of my girls. The ultrasound tech said "Wow, he's got quite a bit of hair already!" and showed me. It looks like little spiky bits on his head. He's measuring two weeks ahead, but I technically have 5 1/2 weeks to go, so I'm anxious to see how much hair he has when he's born.

[carafbaby.livejournal.com]

that is so neat! i am only 25 weeks and i don't think we will have another ultrasound except we are going to do an elective 3D ultrasound in a few weeks. I take my glucose test Thursday and I am pretty nervous but at least now i know there is at least one perk if I do have it!

[http://users.livejournal.com/___heyvanity/]

It's a bonus if the name has a nice meaning. We do stray away from names that have negative meanings (we like Calvin but it means bald and that does run in my husband's family). It isn't a huge factor for myself but I do have a few friends who are huge on meanings--just depends on the person I guess!

[audiobiblio.livejournal.com]

HA HA HA! Oddly enough, the name we chose is Calvin. Luckily, hair loss doesn't run in our families and most of the elderly men are still sporting a decent head of hair. But yeah, it's just not a flattering meaning at all. But I'm hoping that most people just won't know that this is what it means. Especially since the reference for us is Calvin and Hobbes.

[http://users.livejournal.com/___heyvanity/]

I love Calvin. :-)

I don't think many people will know the meaning and since baldness doesn't run in your family, I thin you're fine!

[gf-girlie.livejournal.com]

It has some significance, but I don't let it ruin the name if I love it.

[retrodancekitty.livejournal.com]

To me, meaning is everything. When naming babies (or pets!), I will discard a name that I like the sound of, if I don't approve of the meaning of find it fitting.
That said, I don't have to *adore* the meaning, so in your place, I'd most likely go with the chosen name ;)

[bingybingy.livejournal.com]

I say it doesn't matter but..... I was looking at some names the other day and came across one that meant crooked nose. All I could think was that they'd be cursed with a crooked nose. That's just my weirdness, so yeah, it doesn't matter.

[iam-katie.livejournal.com]

I don't really care very much about meanings. These days so many names have zero meaning or they are a variation of another name. My name is Katie and everything gives me the meaning of Katherine.. But my name isn't Katherine just Katie. I like Calvin it's friendly, solid, and not weird or overly popular!

[silvermidnight.livejournal.com]

It only matters to me if it's a horrible meaning like "evil one" lol.

[audiobiblio.livejournal.com]

LOL, yeah, I think I'd have a really hard time using a name that meant anything like that, regardless of how much I loved the name otherwise.

[ladydreamfire.livejournal.com]

I think Calvin and Hobbes, and I mean that in a good way. Calvin in the comic shaved himself bald and tried to hide the fact by coloring his scalp with yellow highlighter/marker. His hair is normally spiky too, so this whole thing had me a bit amused.

I think I am more interested in name meanings than some of the others, but bald isn't exactly a deal breaker name meaning, especially when you already know the kid has hair. :)

[audiobiblio.livejournal.com]

I don't think I ever knew that Calvin shaved his head and colored his scalp! HA HA! I'm sure my husband knew... he's an expert. But yes, as soon as I saw the spiky hair on the ultrasound, I thought that his name was perfectly fitting. It's pretty unlikely that he'll have blonde hair, though, lol.

[r0ck-y0ur-s0ul.livejournal.com]

For me, meaning means A LOT. Can't really tell ya why but I just know when I think of a name and I like it but don't like the meaning...I instantly am turned off to the name. Used to like the name Cameron...then I found out it means crooked nose and I know we'll never use it (that and it's my nephews name). I like Gaelin because it means healer and Felicity because it means happy. Those are just two of my favorites...

That being said I enjoy the name Calvin and he's your little man so name him whatever you like...pay no attention to weird meaning obsessed people like me ;) (sometimes I wish I could turn it off and just enjoy a name!)

[audiobiblio.livejournal.com]

I think I'm having a particularly hard time with it because my main choices were Griffin/Gryphon and Gideon and I loved the meanings of both of those. So giving in to my husband AND agreeing to a name that means bald was a bit difficult, lol. But I do really like the name now, and the nickname Cal, so I'm hoping that I quickly move past the meaning. And at least one of his middle names has a good meaning, so that helps.

[composure.livejournal.com]

My son's name is Tucker, and basically it means someone who sews cloth. Lol. That didn't really matter to me though, because he was named after someone.

[pleasure-past.livejournal.com]

I've been really turned off of a few names because of the meaning (Cameron, Claudia, etc.) but as long as the meaning isn't unflattering I generally don't care.

[so-there.livejournal.com]

I don't have a clue what any of my kids names mean, and I never knew calvin meant bald.

[behindgrey-eyes.livejournal.com]

Pretty much the only name meanings I remember are my own and my dad's. Mines means famous warrior and my dad's means twin. Not many people will know what names mean and tbh, it doesn't mean a whole load to me either unless I stumbled upon a meaning that was a bit negative or not something that would fit the baby.

[audiobiblio.livejournal.com]

What's your name, if you don't mind sharing? Our little guy is going to have two middle names, one of which is Mark (which means warlike) and the other is either going to be Courtland (which means land of the court) or Lewis (which means famed warrior).

[behindgrey-eyes.livejournal.com]

My name is Louisa. I've read 'famed/famous warrior' and 'fame and war'. Which makes sense with Lewis :)

[countessof-roth.livejournal.com]

I love the name Calvin and I TOTALLY think of Calvin and Hobbes- promise us that you'll give him a toy tiger for his lovie! LOL!!!! Seriously the name "Caleb" means "Dog heart" and I know of at least 3 Calebs!!!

[audiobiblio.livejournal.com]

Oh, he's totally going to have a tiger. It sort of breaks my heart that there isn't any REAL Calvin and Hobbes merchandise out there, so finding a Hobbes look-a-like has proven difficult. But I did find this guy (http://www.amazon.com/Jellycat-Merryday-Tiger-Stuffed-Animal/dp/B001WLRK04/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1335136008&sr=1-1) and I think he'll fit the bill.

[frost.livejournal.com]

It depends on the name. If the meaning is really bad, then I'd throw the name out. Otherwise, it's not something I really think about (and let's face it, most of the general population doesn't know name meanings anyway).

[skate97.livejournal.com]

For us, it's a bonus if the name we choose has a cool meaning.

Our son's name is Kieran. We liked it and it was on the list and we looked up the meaning, which is "Little Dark One". We didn't think much of that at the time, and we had a few other names we were deciding between, and were actually leaning towards Edward.

When he was born, it was after a very long, hard labor that ended in an emergency c-section, on a very rainy day, and he came out with a mess of black hair. We decided he was definitely our little dark one, and Kieran won ;)