# Extraordinary names



## amikama

It seems recently that there is a fashionable trend among Hollywoodian stars to give unusual names to their children. But I'm sure there are lots of lots of anonymous persons out there (and I'm among them) bearing unusual names given by their parents.

So I'm curious to know what do you think about giving unusual names to newborns. What is the general attitude on this issue in your country? Is having a unusual name advantage or disadvantage?

Thanks.


(P.S.: By "giving an unusual name" I don't mean immigrant parents giving their child a name that is very common in their original country but unusual in their new country, for example "Boris" in Japan.)


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## Joelline

I think  it depends on the name and the culture.  If, in the US, you name a child "Pig" or "Dumbo" or "Slut,"  the child will have a distinct disadvantage and will probably change the name as soon as possible and resent his or her parents forever!  On the other hand, many unusal names are either that--unusal but certainly not a problem, and some are downright lovely.  I have had male students named Jade, Roosevelt, Tippley;  I have had female students named Tisane, Ottawa, and Jehanne (the latter student wasn't of French ancestry).  They didn't seem to attract nicknames or have either advantages or disadvantages (except, of course, that I remember them very well even after many years, while I've forgotten many of the Bills and Marys!).


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## maxiogee

amikama said:
			
		

> It seems recently that there is a fashionable trend .....



Already I'm disagreeing with you!  

Zowie Bowie
Peaches Geldof
Moon-Unit Zappa
... and many more must be well into middle-age by now!


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## GenJen54

Hi amikama,

You might look at this similar topic HERE, where several unusual names were mentioned. 

*Mod Note:*  It would be nice to carry on this discussion as just that, a discussion about different cultural "trends" with regard to naming children.  I would ask that forer@s please refrain from simply "listing" names, however. 

Thank you.


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## Yuribear

Hi Amikama,

In Mexico, every now and then you will find people that will give native names to their children. I am one of those. They gave me a beautiful "native" name from the Purepecha people in central Mexico. My grandfather being a historian wanted to give such a name to one of the female offsprings in the family... and here I am.  However, I hated my name while I was groing up. I had to repeat my name more than twice.... I still do. Often people would not be able to pronounce my name... in particular people who do not pronounce the spanish "r" (roll the "r").  

Then as a teenager I began to love it, because it made me different... and the meaning of my name is also very nice, which  made me feel special and in accordance to the meaning (me being an environmentalist, my name means Lake of different colors).

However, it still gives me lots of problems because if I shorten it to Yuri in order to make it easier for people to call my name, and they don't see me, they think I am a russian guy, or a japanese girl.... or even worse.. they call me Judy or July. Nevertheless, I love my name and  I do not mind anymore having it or repeating it 10 times to the same person.


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## Bettie

Well, once somebody told me that a boy was named Usnavy, because his parents saw a Ship that said U.S. Navy, and they thought it was the Ship's name and it was cute  

The same with Anivdelarev, that's the abbrevation of Aniversario de la Revolución, but people think that is some Saint's name


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## osloborger

Bettie said:
			
		

> Well, once somebody told me that a boy was named Usnavy, because his parents saw a Ship that said U.S. Navy, and they thought it was the Ship's name and it was cute
> 
> The same with Anivdelarev, that's the abbrevation of Aniversario de la Revolución, but people think that is some Saint's name



I´ve heard that in the northern part pf Colombia, they use  Usnavy, as you mentioned, and Onedollar, aswell... after "one dollar". 
I now live in Norway and there are some strange names here... they don\t sound so strange in Norwegian, but maybe in english, like Odd and simen.


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## amikama

Thanks Bettie and osloborger for your posts, but I'm not interested in listing unusual names. I repeat my original question:



> I'm curious to know what do you think about giving unusual names to newborns. What is the general attitude on this issue in your country? Is having a unusual name advantage or disadvantage?


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## Brioche

In Australia, the mothers most likely to give their children uncommon or unusual names are those on the lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder.

It's a reasonable bet that Kate's or Emma's mother has more education,  money and a better job than Kaeylah's or Pashience's.


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## TimeHP

In Italy we don't give a lot of funny or very unusual names. 
I think that looking for odd names is a kind of egocentrism. Parents should keep in mind that their children will be adults in future... 
We should give names that our children could like. And usually children do not like to be odd, having funny names, bizzarre clothes and eccentric parents. They just want to be like their mates.

Ciao


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## Markus

I know a girl named jetaime. It's pronounced just like that -- je t'aime. 

My opinion on unusual names -- I do agree that parents seeking unusual names for their children tend to do it out of some sort of egocentrism. Wanting to make their children stand out in some way rather than just letting them be whatever it is that they are. That in mind, I take it as a reminder _not_ to treat someone differently when they have a weird name -- they've certainly heard it before and they're almost certainly tired of it.


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## maxiogee

Brioche said:
			
		

> In Australia, the mothers most likely to give their children uncommon or unusual names are those on the lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder.
> 
> It's a reasonable bet that Kate's or Emma's mother has more education,  money and a better job than Kaeylah's or Pashience's.



I think it's the same here (and I think the UK too.) I think that the age of the mother can also be a factor. The younger the mother the more likely that the child will be honoured by bearing the name of some ephemeral celebrity.


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## Vanda

> In Australia, the mothers most likely to give their children uncommon or unusual names are those on the lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder.


 
I wonder whether this is a universal trend. Same here. Television, movies have a big influence in naming children mainly on the lower classes. Names otherwise simply written gain unusual spelling as - I guess - the parents must think the more ww, yy, double letters the fanciest the name. 
Thathyanny (Tatiane), Lady Daiana, Dayanna, Glenda Dayane, Dayvid, Deivyde, Deyvydy, Jullyanny (Juliane), Lucyanna (Luciana), Erika Elainy (Elaine), Gracy Kelly.
Down this path, funny things happen. There´s this case from the Northeast part of the country where a couple, tired of Silvas and Sousas surnames (genuine Portuguese surnames), omitted these ordinary surnames in their 3 children´s names and created a pompous "noble family": Kewvyland.
- Boy, what´s your name?
- Charles Kewvyland!
- Parents names: 
- Francisco William Silva and Eliezita de Jesus Sousa...
Some weird names:
Umdoistres de Oliveira Quatro - Onetwothree de Oliveira Four
Antônio Americano do Brasil Mineiro (!)
Antonio Noites e Dias - Antonio Days and Nights
Antonio Cacique de New York(!)
João da Mesma Data - John of the Same Date

Some people with weird, unusual names often suffer during their entire childhood. The first thing they do when they grow up is omit them, or exclude them in the case of marriage whenever possible. Many simply adopt nicknames.


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## LaSmarjeZ

Bettie said:
			
		

> Well, once somebody told me that a boy was named Usnavy, because his parents saw a Ship that said U.S. Navy, and they thought it was the Ship's name and it was cute
> 
> The same with Anivdelarev, that's the abbrevation of Aniversario de la Revolución, but people think that is some Saint's name


 
Well, I knew one named Piovi, because in the calender there were written Pio VI...


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## tatis

Brioche said:
			
		

> In Australia, the mothers most likely to give their children uncommon or unusual names are those on the lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder.
> 
> It's a reasonable bet that Kate's or Emma's mother has more education, money and a better job than Kaeylah's or Pashience's.


 
I think the same happens with hispanics (I am a hispanic residing in the U.S. and I notice this too) Other times, they pick the first syllables of, let say... their grandmas' names, and put them together to make a name: Example: Grandmas' names are Alejandra and Yamila. The little one was named "Aleyami"

It is funny to read the newspapers (in México) with all the new names. For some time the "Ladidi(s)" were abundant thanks to Lady Di.


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## soxlady

I hope having an unusual name is not such a bad thing.  I named my daughter DREANA, whenever she goes to Guatemala people have such a hard time with it, even here is the US some people struggle with it.


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## Bettie

Ohh ok, well in my city, for some reason native people, people with Mayan lastnames like to name their kids with American names, like Harry Pech a very normal name there too is Leydi, I think from Lady, in my State, Goverment is trying to pass a law against strange names or names hard to say. Once I read about a person named Ymen, names like that are the ones this law is trying to about

About the Popes in Mexico there is one very common, but I can't remember one right know.


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## GenJen54

I think names are relative to the culture of that time period.

When I was born in the late sixties, it was very common practice for many parents - especially those part of the "hippie" culture - to name their children something evocative of their lifestyle.  As such, I have known people of my generation with names such as "Sunshine," "Moonbeam," "Flower,"  "Misty Dawn," etc.

Trends such as this come and go with each successive generation.  For some while in the U.S., Irish and/or Gaelic sounding names were also very popular - and still are to an extent. 

Several young women I've known who were born in the mid-eighties were named after a popular Soap Opera character of the time.  More recently, since the arrival of "Emma Grace," born to the character Rachel on the popular U.S. comedy _Friends_, there has been an increase in little girls being named...you guessed it, Emma Grace.

As for whether having an unusual name gives anyone a particular advantage or disadvantage, I'd say more the latter, but of course, it depends entirely upon the name.  If it is something completely "out of the box" (Moon Unit, perhaps), then yes, that would pose a great disadvantage. Of course, if one's last name is Cruise or Pitt-Jolie, I suppose there are certain inherent advantages that come by just being a part of that family.  No name - no matter how weird - could change that!


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## tatis

Bettie said:
			
		

> Ohh ok, well in my city, for some reason native people, people with Mayan lastnames like to name their kids with American names, like Harry Pech a very normal name there too is Leydi, I think from Lady, in my State, Goverment is trying to pass a law against strange names or names hard to say. Once I read about a person named Ymen, names like that are the ones this law is trying to about
> 
> About the Popes in Mexico there is one very common, but I can't remember one right know.


 
Jajajaja! Ymen...oh well... I think that the government would be right in doing so, to spare the children of future pain and suffering...of embarrasment and tiredness of having to repeat their name over and over.

I personally like native names very much, like aztec and mayan, no matter how complicated they may be.  I just feel sorry when the person lives in a different country where is a real problem for others to say it, and even a worse problem to write it correctly! and sometimes they even give up and change the spelling to make it "easier"


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## Valmar

I think people may give their children unusual names for three reasons basically. Argentinian examples follow:

1) Fashion, after a famous celebrity or character: This is the case with all the men named Diego (after Diego Maradona), or Catriel (after a famous soap opera character), or the women named Eva (after Evita).

2) Socio-economic factors: I agree with what someone said before, the younger or less educated the mother, the child has more chances of bearing an unusual name. As an example, I know a baby born to a 14 year old mother called Keanu (of course, after Keanu Reeves)

3) Downright snobism: For a long time people who had not a drop of English or American blood in them kept giving their children English sounding names, combined with Spanish sounding last names. Real life examples: Kevin Martínez, Braian González (yes, with that spelling), Yésica Rivas (again, yes, with that spelling).

As to whether these names pose an advantage or a disadvantage, I think much of this depends on the child's attitude to their name. A child who is constantly teased and feels uncomfortable or ashamed of their name will definitely see it as a disadvantage and will probably consider legally changing their name in the future. But a child who pays no attention to jokes based on their names, and is therefore not teased (or at least not so much) will probably see it as an advantage. After all, as Joelline said in an earlier post, unusual names are more likely to be remembered than regular ones!


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## heidita

Well, to have an unusual name is very unpleasant for a child. I should know, as my name is so unusual, that i don't know any other person with the same name.

My German name is really Heiderose, which means in Spanish something like "rosa del brezal", which doesn't exist. So far it goes, that once I assisted classes and the Austrian Teacher told her mother, oh my Heiderose is going to freeze to death , while it was very cold in my country, and the mother answered, what are you talking about, a heiderose doesn't exist, because she didnt even think that her daughter was talking about a person.
I did suffer from my name, because children have the tendency not to like strange and unusual things, so I was teased so much for the name that I cannot recommend giving a child any unusual name.
Now that I am old and wise, I think my name is beautiful, just because it is so unusual, but I did suffer from it.


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## Just_Wil

Well, I'm gonna mention my name "Wilfredo". It's not very usual in Costa Rica, and I don't like it because it's not musical at all, it's "square". Sure there are funny names : Eustaquio, Petronila, Domitila. Here in Costa Rica, the north-american names are "in", so it's usual to hear some: Derek Lopez, Jason Porras, some european names, why not?: Jurgen Villalobos, Giancarlo Zuñiga. It's pretty silly, because those names don't belong to us and their only intention is to keep safe the kids from the jokes of other kids. So, there some neutral names (that's why the half of our male population is called "Carlos"), those that are taken from the Bible: Juan, Pablo, Marcos, etc.
It's the same deal with the women: God forbid you call your daughter: Patrocinia, Celestina, Séfora, etc. so, you will hear the usual north-american names: Janette, Leslie, Alexandra, etc.


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## Brazilian dude

My grandmother always talks about her sister-in-law Patrocinia and I can't help imagining a duck (pato) every time I hear that name.

Brazilian dude


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## lablady

I accidentally discovered a disadvantage for children with uncommon names when I gave my youngest daughter a beautiful name I loved, but at that time (early 80s) it was a bit old-fashioned. 

In the US, it is very common to find stores selling things like pencils, lapel pins, Christmas ornaments, signs for their bedrooms, etc. with names imprinted on them. I didn't realize how much joy young children have in searching the display and finding their names until I watched my two girls hunt for theirs. One daughter had no trouble finding her name, but my youngest daughter's was rarely there. She was always heartbroken until she got a little older and her classmates started complimenting her on her pretty name.

There are now several very tiny girls with the same name in this area - a few of them the children of my daughter's friends. I guess they agree it's lovely.  And we're starting to see it on things in stores. _(Before someone asks, it's Madeline  )_


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## Pivra

Pivra is somewhat a women's name in Thailand. But the problem is that Im a guy. I remember that every first day of a new school year when the teacher is doing an attendence he would be looking for a girl for someone name Pivra. My little sister's name and my name make us sound like 2 sisters. Nabhasra and Pivra lol


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## tvdxer

Personally, as a Catholic, I think parents should stick to giving their children the name of saints or Biblical figures.  That's not much of a demand, however, since there is quite a selection of both to choose from!


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## ElaineG

tvdxer said:
			
		

> Personally, as a Catholic, I think parents should stick to giving their children the name of saints or Biblical figures. That's not much of a demand, however, since there is quite a selection of both to choose from!


 
Is that all parents that should do that?  Or just Catholic ones?


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## maxiogee

tvdxer said:
			
		

> Personally, as a Catholic, I think parents should stick to giving their children the name of saints or Biblical figures.  That's not much of a demand, however, since there is quite a selection of both to choose from!



......Why?


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## heidita

Just as a matter of fact, I have just googled my name and did find 145.000 entries with this name (just to see the difference: Heidemarie, 1.500 000 entries), though most of them are Hotels and other such things, However there do exist some public figures with this name, I was not aware of.

I agree with Pimpy, why not take "normal" names in your own country and not follow the tendency to "borrow" names from other nations and "strange" names like "Hollywood" ?

I have had the personal experience with a strange name and was teased much for it. You should think about the consequences for your child's future while choosing a name. 
I consider a name like a present: don't give the present you would like to get, but the one *the other person* might like!


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## Anajo

I love unusual names, if the name is poetic and not too weird. Moon Unit, for example, is not a name that I find attractive. 

I seem to be the only one here who thinks that a lovely, unique name is an advantage. When I meet someone with a unique name, I tend to think that they are unique.

I find it interesting that some people think that having a unique name is snobbish while others found that having a unique name was the sign of being from a lower class.


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## castellano

I know that in the Basque Country they are  bit different as for the names they have as compared with other parts of Spain.
There used to be "traditional Basque names" such as Iñaki, Kepa, Ane, Sorkunde, Peio, Koldo, Gaizkane...which sound ok and , in my opinion, are nice.

However, in the last years there has been a trend in the Basque Country consisting of giving the new-born kids names of mountains, meteorological factors, rivers and concepts, etc, which, in my opinion, is ridiculous. Besides, some names sound "badly" or "ugly" (to me). 
I will give some examples: Iraultza (=revolution), Ekaitz (= storm), Zuhaitz (=tree), Ilargi (=moon), Hodei (=cloud), Oskartz, Arnatz, Harriet,Ustariz, Jarobit....I once met a boy named "Baloia" (=ball), who is now 23. I suppose some laugh at him because of his name...

My perception is that when kids are small it's ok to name them like that, it sound funny........but when they will grow up it will be strange to say "Please, could I speak to Mr. Arnatz González" (some people in the Basque Country contend it'll not sound "serious").

I respect others' options, but I would resort to conventional names thinking more in the future of my kid rather than in my own excentricities.

Regards


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## TimeHP

> I find it interesting that some people think that having a unique name is snobbish while others found that having a unique name was the sign of being from a lower class.


 
I don't think that choosing an unusual name is a prerogative of the lower class. 
(What do you mean by lower class, exactly? Little money? If so, students, artists, writers, musicians can be members of the lower class: less rich, but sometimes more cultured and smart... And this could be true for manual workers as well).
Moreover: _unusual_ can be beautiful.
But I wouldn't have liked to be named _Harrypotterina,_ just because Harry Potter is trendy... 

Ciao


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## Anajo

I wasn't bringing up the class issue as my own opinion. I was only noting what others had said.


> Brioche said:
> "In Australia, the mothers most likely to give their children uncommon or unusual names are those on the lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder.
> It's a reasonable bet that Kate's or Emma's mother has more education, money and a better job than Kaeylah's or Pashience's."





> Maxiogee, from Ireland, responded to Brioche:
> "I think it's the same here (and I think the UK too.) "
> Vanda, from Brazil, responded to Brioche:
> "I wonder whether this is a universal trend. Same here"





> Tatis, from Mexico, responded to Brioche:
> "I think the same happens with hispanics (I am a hispanic residing in the U.S. and I notice this too)"


etc etc
So you see that this is not my statement. I was just reacting to what others said. And they were speaking of low on the socio-economic ladder.
I have a problem, though, with connecting "social" and "economic" as though they are the same thing and my ideas on this topic come closer to what you feel about all of this.


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## TimeHP

I agree with you.  
And my question about lower class was addressed to those who used this expression... (_You_ plural)

Ciao


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## Vanda

TimeHp

Have you considered that what we have said hasn´t to do *only* because   they are of a social lower class? That they aren´t the only ones doing that? It´s a trend especially among them. Whenever we find these kind of weird names - well I can only speak for MY place - they are mainly among that class. It´s a matter of adding two and two...We are not discussing  classes here, but that´s the truth for my place.   
One thing I´ve learned from this cultural forum is that there are so many, varied customs spread among the various countries represented in here. This has being a lesson of culture for me - to learn what is different in different places and not being judgemental, simply admitting that things can be different from where I live or from what I know! My 2 cents!


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## la reine victoria

Anajo said:
			
		

> Many people are usually poor in terms of economic status, and rich in terms of intellectual status. It is just a matter of "social" and "economic" being two separate concepts no matter which culture we are speaking of.


 

I disagree with you there Anajo. In the UK those in the lower socio-economic class generally have a lower than average IQ, are less well educated, have fewer social skills, exist on a sub-standard diet of fast food and ready-made meals. They have poor communication skills, both verbal and written. Many of them choose not to work because of the generous state benefits paid to them by the UK tax payers (= goverment funds).

I am in no way denigrating all of these people, (but have no time for the work-shy). By accident of WWII, when our house was bombed, and emergency accommodation had to be found for us in London, I spent my early years growing up among them. Many of them were fine, respectable people.

However, it is this group who tend to choose unconventionall names for their opffspring. They are normally based on the names of pop stars or celebrities from the world of TV and films. Many of these ''stars and celebrities'' came from humble origins which is why they inflict such weird names on their children. Or they are simply pulling off yet another publicity stunt (like the Beckhams and Geldofs*).

People higher up the *socio*-economic scale will generally choose from the ''conventional'' names. 


LRV

Edit:  * Acknowledging the late Mrs. Bob Geldof.


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## Jana337

Unfortunately, I don't have time to chip in but I can offer this link, _How do babies with super-black names fare_? You will find an empirical confirmation of what Brioche, Maxiogee, Vanda and others said. The article also contains links to 20 whitest and blackest male and female names.

Here's a follow-up article.

Jana


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## maxiogee

Anajo said:
			
		

> There are dumb and rich,


Of course there are, and we all recognise that. How else can one explain Paris Hilton? And, on-topic here for a change, what was the intellectual richness of the person who gave her that forename?
When 'that' video began doing the rounds of spam, I wondered by a classy hotel would have been featuring in the title!

The world is full of thick third-generation (and later) moneyed idiots who probably figure quite high on socio-economic rankings, but then every method of 'measuring' or 'classifying' people is going to have inconsistencies. Those inconsistencies don't negate the usefulness of the system. Allowances need to be made, and usually are. That's why generalisations are always wrong, but continue to be made. We all know that the Irish are abcdef, but we probably all know an Irish person who isn't, or Britons who are more uvwxyz than the 'normal' Briton.


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## heidita

I have seen the same happen in Spain. It is normally lower intellectually cut people who give names like Vanessa, Jazmin and Jonathan Or even Kevin Kostner de Jesús (imagine that one!!!) to their children. 

More intellectually cut people have come back to beautiful old-fashioned names like Jacinta, Gimena or Filomena.


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## Just_Wil

I didn't think it was a matter of social class as well, but I have to admit Heidita is right. Kids in lower classes are usually called "Romario", "Sadam Hussein", etc, etc


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## TimeHP

> Have you considered that what we have said hasn´t to do *only* because they are of a social lower class? That they aren´t the only ones doing that? It´s a trend especially among them. Whenever we find these kind of weird names - well I can only speak for MY place - they are mainly among that class


 
But sometimes our society is more severe towards people of lower class.  




> In the UK those in the lower socio-economic class generally have a lower than average IQ


 
How can you say such a thing? 
I really don't see any connection between IQ and weird tastes.



> I have seen the same happen in Spain. It is normally lower intellectually cut people who give names like Vanessa, Jazmin


 
Really? I think that Vanessa is a beautiful name in all languages, all countries and all sort of classes. And Jazmin is a flower, so it is nice for a girl... 

Ciao


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## zebedee

MOD NOTE:

Time to bring this thread back on topic. 

This is the original post question:


			
				amikama said:
			
		

> So I'm curious to know what do you think about giving unusual names to newborns. What is the general attitude on this issue in your country? Is having a unusual name advantage or disadvantage?


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## la reine victoria

> "I am named, as you may have noticed, after a fruit," wrote the 14-year-old daughter of Boomtown Rats singer *Bob "Live Aid" Geldof* "I'm not Jane or Sarah or Samantha: I am Peaches. This doesn't make sense to me at all."


 
Thus spoke Peaches Geldof, of her ridiculous name.  She is extremely upset by it and hears many lewd comments from young men about the potential ''delights of her peaches''.  That she is a ''luscious piece of fruit - ripe for plucking'' etc.

So, yes, she has been disadvantaged by her silly name.  I am sure, when she can, she will change it.


LRV


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## heidita

Now there is an extraordinary case of name giving for you and where else could this happen but in Hollywood?

Where else could  a catholic mother (Kati Holmes) and a cientologist father (Tom Cruise) give their daughter the name Siri, a Jewish name, which obviously means little princess?


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## amikama

heidita said:
			
		

> Where else could a catholic mother (Kati Holmes) and a cientologist father (Tom Cruise) give their daughter the name Siri, a Jewish name, which obviously means little princess?


It's S*u*ri, and it's not a Jewish/Hebrew name. 

The moral?
1. Consult with the Hebrew forum first  
2. Refrain from uncommon names that "mean X in an obscure language" you don't speak or aren't familiar with.


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## heidita

amikama said:
			
		

> It's S*u*ri, and it's not a Jewish/Hebrew name.
> 
> The moral?
> 1. Consult with the Hebrew forum first
> 2. Refrain from uncommon names that "mean X in an obscure language" you don't speak or aren't familiar with.


 
I should have quoted as it was not my thought I was reflecting in the post.(seen on TV, and read in a Spanish nationwide newspaper)
As you know the correct spelling and the origin, why don't you share it with us?
In any case it isn't a name of American origin , is it?


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## badgrammar

There are some cases of naming that I admit I do attribute to "lower socio-economic groups".  FOr example, giving a child a name without understanding its meaning (I remember some famous story about an unfortunate young girl named "Clamidia", because her mother thought it was pretty).  Or, changing the spelling of a name to something exotic (maybe like Myshelle for Michelle), or the U.S. phenomenon of giving girls presumably French sounding names by beginning them with "La" and tagging on whatever sounds good behind (Lateesha comes to mind).

Other than that, in France at least, "celebrity" names like "Kevin" "Jennifer", etc. definitely stigmatize the bearers (or atleast they stigmatize the parents) as being from a certain background.

I wanted to add that I do not think that lower socio-economic classes = lower IQ's (although due to poor pre- and post natal care and diet, nutritional factors during growth, and a less stimulating intellectual environment, maybe there is a correlation).  

I think it may have more to do with less education, not less brains.

Sorry, also wanted to add the idea that your name might be very strange to someone in another language.  For example, I think the name Sara is the term for medical condition like epilepsy in Turkish, and the name "Ella" means "With hand" in Turkish.  But those are acceptable names in many other languages.  Just as "Suri" probably has many different meanings in many different languages, as it is a simple double vowel-consonant combination.


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## amikama

heidita said:
			
		

> As you know the correct spelling and the origin, why don't you share it with us?
> In any case it isn't a name of American origin , is it?


As it goes off-topic, let's continue the discussion on the name "Suri" in this thread.


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## sammie4

I think the advice that is given on naming your mascota "Don't give your dog a name that you wouldn't want to yell at 2Am while standing in front of your neighbors house in your pajamas" applies with children also.  (Anyone who has a dog and can't remember doing that has a bad memory.)


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## nycphotography

amikama said:
			
		

> So I'm curious to know what do you think about giving unusual names to newborns. What is the general attitude on this issue in your country? Is having a unusual name advantage or disadvantage?


 
Well a "distinctive" name is of course an advantage.  But getting a distinctive name, without becoming tacké is of course a challenge.

Can you imagine "Samuel Longhorn Clemens" (or Mark Twain for that matter) with any other name?  But its easy to imagine "George Bush" with almost any common name.  Fred.  Joe.  Tom.

I think that whatever name you give, it SHOULD be flexible enough that the child can work both with it, and around it, as they see fit.  Mr Clemens could easily have gone by "Sam Clemens" and been fairly nondestript.  Or he could choose to use his full name and, through the uniqueness inherent in the name he was given, gain some degree of distinction.


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## fenixpollo

In the United States, I haven't observed the practice of choosing non-traditional names associated with race or class, as British foreros have pointed out.  Wealthy parents and poor parents alike want to choose a name that is to their taste, whether it be a saint's name or an original invention of the parents.  It's just that some parents' taste inclines towards making their child stand out from the rest.

As someone who has the second most-popular name in America, I can tell you that it would be nice to have a name that was unique to me.  Instead, every time someone calls me in a crowded room, at least three other chickens turn around.  


			
				heidita said:
			
		

> In any case it isn't a name of American origin , is it?


 You mean like Tatanka-Iyotanka?  The only truly American names are _Native American_.


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## beakman

Hello!
I've read this thread with interest and want to clarify one point. Many of foreros say that less educated people give their children the unusual names. I agree with this statemen. But also I can add that sometimes a "normal", conventional name adopted in many European countries can sound unusual and be weird for people who haven't got education in some contries. My son's name is Alexander. I realise that for many people here (we live in Andalucía) this name is very strange (they have their version Alejandro) and they don't want even to repeat "Alexander", they say: ¡Qué nombre tan raro tiene tu hijo! - What a weird name is that of your son! However, at college my son's classmates call him Alexander, when we go out for a walk and meet his friends, they also call him Alexander or Alex. The children seem to show more acceptance than their parents. So, I take it easier than at the beginning when the problem "of name" was a real headache for me.
Regards,
Beakman.


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## mansio

Who has got problems with calling his son Enemyrepeller or Defenderofmen (which is the meaning of Alexander)?


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## frenchtranslater

My name is itay and for some time I studied in an International school. My name made many japanese wonder who was the idiot who gave me my name, because in japanese itay means ouch, though in hebrew, itay was a biblical hero. The fact is that most people, highly educated or not, are surprised by uncomon names. I think that I have always percieved my name as glorious rather than stupid.


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## heidita

I agree with this forer as in one country the name can be very unusual and in another very much the opposite.

So, just a small anecdote: 
I took my cat to the vet and they were opening a file for my baby, so they asked me

*Name?  Heidi*

*No, Your name !*

Well, you can see my name is only fit for an animal in this country.....


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## Brioche

heidita said:
			
		

> I agree with this forer as in one country the name can be very unusual and in another very much the opposite.
> 
> So, just a small anecdote:
> I took my cat to the vet and they were opening a file for my baby, so they asked me
> 
> *Name? Heidi*
> 
> *No, Your name !*
> 
> Well, you can see my name is only fit for an animal in this country.....


 
May be you could use the Spanish form: *Adelaida*, or the French _*Adélaïde*_, or restore its full German glory _*Adelheit.*_


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## heidita

Brioche said:
			
		

> May be you could use the Spanish form: *Adelaida*, or the French _*Adélaïde*_, or restore its full German glory _*Adelheit.*_


 
*Adelheid* in German is different from my name: Heiderose

both are normally abbreviated to Heidi.


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## illerdi

castellano said:
			
		

> I know that in the Basque Country they are bit different as for the names they have as compared with other parts of Spain.
> There used to be "traditional Basque names" such as Iñaki, Kepa, Ane, Sorkunde, Peio, Koldo, Gaizkane...which sound ok and , in my opinion, are nice.
> 
> However, in the last years there has been a trend in the Basque Country consisting of giving the new-born kids names of mountains, meteorological factors, rivers and concepts, etc, which, in my opinion, is ridiculous. Besides, some names sound "badly" or "ugly" (to me).
> I will give some examples: Iraultza (=revolution), Ekaitz (= storm), Zuhaitz (=tree), Ilargi (=moon), Hodei (=cloud), Oskartz, Arnatz, Harriet,Ustariz, Jarobit....I once met a boy named "Baloia" (=ball), who is now 23. I suppose some laugh at him because of his name...
> 
> My perception is that when kids are small it's ok to name them like that, it sound funny........but when they will grow up it will be strange to say "Please, could I speak to Mr. Arnatz González" (some people in the Basque Country contend it'll not sound "serious").
> 
> I respect others' options, but I would resort to conventional names thinking more in the future of my kid rather than in my own excentricities.
> 
> Regards


 
Hi Castellano,

I respect your opinion but i'll give you an opinion of a basque person:
You can think that some basque names are ridiculous but I think it's because you don't live here. 

For us all that names are very usuals (ones more than others) and they are a part of our culture. Some of them (Hodei, Ilargi...) come from the basque mythology.

You can see all the basque names in a list made by Euskaltzaindia.

I invite you to ask basque people about their opinion about spanish names.
Good luck,

Naiara


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## danielfranco

Yuribear said:
			
		

> In Mexico, every now and then you will find people that will give native names to their children.



I am one of those people. But it had nothing to do with cultural customs. It was just a personal preference of mine. My wife named our boy, and she said I should name the girl. I chose a name out of a novel I liked a lot, that is supposed to be in an ancient Mexican language word that means "always". My wife went back on her decision and gave our girl a middle name, "beloved", also in a foreign tongue.
I believe it's very nice and all, but my daughter has spent many, many hours trying to train people to say her name correctly. She's still little, so she finds this rather vexing...


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## ppracie

In China, parents to give the unusual names to the newbrons is, on one hand, showing that they (the parents) are well-educated as they many know more Chinese characters, which are either rarely used or has profound meanings, than others and, on the other hand many bring some advantiages for their children, unless in identify themselves.


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## lizzeymac

As to whether unusual names are a problem for children - It depends on how homogenous your neighborhood is.  In New York City unusual is the norm.  If you go to a school with children of many different ethnic backgrounds then different names are rarely a problem.  A child is just as likely to be teased if their name is rhymes with or is also a nickname for a silly word or a vulgar word.  John is a common name but it is also a nickname for the toilet - as in "going to the john".  



			
				heidita said:
			
		

> I should have quoted as it was not my thought I was reflecting in the post.(seen on TV, and read in a Spanish nationwide newspaper)
> As you know the correct spelling and the origin, why don't you share it with us?
> In any case it isn't a name of American origin , is it?




I imagine this will be deleted as an off topic comment but it seems these terms are used by non-Americans in ways that are "questionable" to an American so here is my comment:

An "American name" is the name of any American.  
I like to think that what you meant is that Suri isn't a "common" or "modern" name in America, or an old-fashioned American name, or do you just mean Anglo-Saxon names like Edward & Mary?  You referred to the name as "Hebrew" which is a language spoken by Jews - Judaism is a religon, not an nationality or ethnic group.  Just as a point of information, there have been Jews in American since at least the late 1500s so they & their names are as American as anybody.


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## timpeac

Of course if extraordinary names catch on and become popular then they stop being extraordinary. I don't know how many Kylies Australia could boast before Ms Minogue wiggled into our collective consciousness, but certainly there can't have been many in the UK. However, now there are a glut of 10 year olds with that appellation - and I was on the pier the other day and honestly heard one harrassed looking mother exhorting little Kylie to stop hitting littler Dannielle!

I don't know if this is apocryphal but I heard about parents who wanted to call their child "gooey". After enquiries from concerned well-wishers as to why they wanted to condemn their soon-to-be-born with such a ticket to wedgie-heaven they investigated the pronounciation of "Guy" - which up to that point they had only seen written down


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## Oche Gruso

In the hospital that I work at, there is an African American woman that was impregnated out of wedlock and the father of the child left her.  When she had the baby (a beautiful and healthy boy), she named him Yafaa.  We all thought that it was a tribal name until a month later, when asked about it, the woman clarified things by telling us the name was indeed an acronym that stood for "Your Father's An Ass."


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## mora

Hello

I have an unusual name, and all my life I must explain how to say it and spell it . Some of my friends for years still cannot say it correctly. 

As I child I was teased, but it did not bother me, I always felt special because I had a unique name. I felt sorry for the kids who had common names, especially the ones who had to share their names with others in the same class. 

Unusual names enrich the language, sometimes they may proclaim one's history and culture, and often are a great conversation starter. 

Mora (sorry, only a pseudonym for the forums)


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## mjscott

River and Joaquin Phoenix
Calista Flockhart (Calista being a feminized form of a moon of Jupiter)
Moon-Unit Zappa (haven't quite figured out what her parents were smokin' the day she was born....)
Denzel Washington
Condoleeza Rice

I'm guessing that what you make of a name speaks more volumes than the name given you at birth.


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## Oche Gruso

I'm wondering, How popular are the names Shaquanda and Moe Moe (sp)?  I never heard them before...


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## Blackleaf

What about the English surname Featherstonehaulgh?  It's pronounced "Fanshaw."


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## panjabigator

Id say shaquanda is pretty popular.


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## KateNicole

amikama said:
			
		

> So I'm curious to know what do you think about giving unusual names to newborns. What is the general attitude on this issue in your country? Is having a unusual name advantage or disadvantage?


Hi,
I don't see a problem with giving a child an unsual, yet pre-existing/not recently invented name like Loretta, for example.  It's not very common, but it's not unheard of in the United States.

In the United States I think it is unadviseable to name a child something that sounds blatantly invented (such as Shaquasia), because the general public seems to view such names as unprofessional sounding and tacky.    Obviously parents have the right to choose whatever name sounds good to their ears, but I think it's important to at least wonder how other people outside of one's immediate social circle might view the name, because it's something the child will bear everywhere.  

What particularly bothers me is that I have seen a trend in naming children after alcoholic beverages.  I think it's incredibly unfair to the child, but it appears to me that many parents honestly think they are giving their child a _classy_ name by doing so. (The same thing happens with naming girls after luxury cars like Infinity and Lexus).  I _honestly_ have met children named Champagne, Chardonnay, Cabernet and Alizé.  These children already get made of fun of for their names and I think it will become more troublesome as they become older. The sad part is that it was all out of their control.  I don't think anyone should be judged by their name, but it obviously happens, and the judgement won't likely positive if you're named after a trendy liquer.


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## fenixpollo

Then there's the famous brothers whose names were pronounced leh-MON-jeh-low and oar-RON-jeh-low.... 

.

.

....but they were spelled Lemonjello and Oranjello, after their mother's favorite foods.


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## fenixpollo

OK, you got me -- that is an urban myth.  However, I think that KN's statement about people not viewing such names positively is a little subjective.  Although it has been documented that WASP hiring managers will discriminate against people with names that are "unusual" (for them) or "ethnic" (meaning, not THEIR ethnicity), not all WASPs or HR people are biased in that way.

If names were truly an obstacle, then how would you explain the rise of Jeb Bush, Condoleeza Rice or Barak Obama?


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## KateNicole

Hi Fenix,
I wouldn't count Barak Obama because it's foreign, not made up (I think). I don't think Jeb is invented either, just unusual. Obviously it's not impossible to succeed in life if you have an off-beat name. Hey, look at Oprah.  It's just that in the US, I would argue that the majority of people with a higher education will prefer names that do not sound invented. That's not to say that their opinion is more important though.


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## lizzeymac

fenixpollo said:
			
		

> OK, you got me -- that is an urban myth.  However, I think that KN's statement about people not viewing such names positively is a little subjective.  Although it has been documented that WASP hiring managers will discriminate against people with names that are "unusual" (for them) or "ethnic" (meaning, not THEIR ethnicity), not all WASPs or HR people are biased in that way.
> 
> If names were truly an obstacle, then how would you explain the rise of Jeb Bush, Condoleeza Rice or Barak Obama?



Hi -
Jeb is a very old American name, often a nickname for for Jacob, & the nickname/acronym of a famous Civil War general. It might even be considred a Southern WASP name.
Condoleezza Rice says her parents invented her name, she comes from a musical family.  It is derived from the Italian musical term con dolcezza meaning "with sweetness."
Barack Obama is named after his father, a native of Kenya, though Mr. Obama Jr. was born in Hawaii.


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## Oche Gruso

I don't know.  I think that some made up names are cool.  Take that kid Yafaa that I told you about earlier.  His name is an acronym for "your father's an ass".  If you ask me that's one heck of a convorsation starter!  :^P    :^)


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## panjabigator

My parents were very afraid of racism and they gave my sister and myself American names to I guess shelter us from that.  But they still like the names alot.  When I was younger I hated my name because I didnt feel Indian, but now I love it and it really makes a great conversation starter...


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## Oche Gruso

panjabigator said:
			
		

> My parents were very afraid of racism and they gave my sister and myself American names to I guess shelter us from that. But they still like the names alot. When I was younger I hated my name because I didnt feel Indian, but now I love it and it really makes a great conversation starter...


 
I have to ask, what constitutes as an American name?  We are such a melting pot that it is hard to tell anymore.


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## fenixpollo

I disagree that the US is a melting pot, but that's another thread. I believe that the dominant culture of the US has been, and continues to be, Anglo-Saxon and Protestant. I think most people consider typical/common "American names" to be WASP names.  See also post #46 & #51.


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## panjabigator

I responded to both Fenixpollow and Oche Gruso in this new thread "Is America a Melting pot" so we dont go off topic.


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## Hakro

LaSmarjeZ said:
			
		

> Well, I knew one named Piovi, because in the calender there were written Pio VI...


This reminds me of a girl born in Finland about 150 years ago:
The parents were Swedish-speaking, and so was the priest. They had the calendar only in Finnish. In those days there was a lot of important information in the calendar, for example about the weather.
So, as the parents and the priest checked the calendar, they found exactly on the day of the birth of the baby girl a beautiful name: Lunta Sadetta.
So the baby got this name. Which means literally: snowy, rainy.


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## fenixpollo

panjabigator said:
			
		

> I responded to both Fenixpollow ...


 Here's one risk of having an "extraordinary" name -- people misspell it all the time!


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