Why do parents insist on giving their children stupid "unique" names?

Question

The last thing any kid wants is to be different or unique. They just want to fit in and be normal like every other kid. Why would you do that to your child? I don't get it.

Answer 1

Why would you name your child something that is so common, do you realize that when they start school if they have a common name, there is at least 2 other kids in the class with the same name. I don't like common names, because just that, they are to common. My daughters are named LeAnn (my middle name) and Reece. If we have another daughter I will name her Annaliese. I am not sure what name I would use for a boy, but prob an old time name like Ford. Having a unique name gives them individuality, they are not like everyone else, and their name helps them stand out.

Some parents do take the unique named to the extreme sometimes, but its all parents choice on what we name our kids and its no one elses business.

Answer 2

I think you have to draw a line between whether a name is "unique" and just plain stupid - but then we could begin a second argument which could go onto the end of time about how to define whether a name is stupid or not.
I think it's nice that there is a variety of names and in this day and age people are reliving the older names 'Martha' 'Phyllis' - my brother's friend is even called 'Sid' etc and then jazzing around to recreate new names. I have to say, I'm not really fond of the old names spelt in a new way: Jennefur for example, and names that are all mish mashed together, i.e. Jayda-Lyn and all sorts.
I think for a child it is hard to decided whether to go with "unique" or "boring" because primary school is the time when you want to fit in but when you get to secondary it's all about wanting to stand out and having an unusual name it no longer such an issue.

Peaches Honeyblossom Michelle Charlotte Angel Vanessa Geldof.

Try saying that ten times faster, but whilst she may have not been so fond of it as a kid, she loves it now. I always told my parents they should have called me Peaches.

As to why parents do this... well, pyschological issues regarding self image, the final chance to name a child something they've always wanted to (Britney being a classic example), and I suppose a deperation to make their child stand out in a world that will a million to none never notice them. That's sounds very pessimistic, but it's true.
Then again, they might just call them 'silly names' because they do genuinely just like the name.
As for me I'd give my kids fairly usual (but not too common) first names and then have fun with their middle names.

Answer 3

I have a unique name, and asked my mother why. She said she just thought it sounded so pretty. She wasn't necessarily trying to give me a unique name, just a pretty one. However, I do agree that to some extent, a name and the child's personality match. Most children I've met w/different names are very outgoing and creative - not to say that the opposite is true either. But think about this, what comes to mind you hear the name, Mabel or Hazel or Clyde or Homer, not exactly the image of darling little child, right - though those are perfectly nice names for some people.

Answer 4

I grew up with a very unique name. It's a real name, just unique.
I have actually only met one other girl with my name and have heard of about five others. When I was in elementary school I hated it with a passion, the other kids would make fun.
Then when I went to middle school I loved it because it was unique and that was cool in my school. Now that I'm older I have gained an appreciation for my name it's just a part of who I am and I wouldn't change it for anything.
By the way if the child really hates their name they can have it legally changed if their parents permit or they can just do it when they are 18 without their parents permission.

Answer 5

I think it is better to have a unique name than to be one out of 10 Jennifers in a class.
I hated my name growing up because it was too common. I wish I had a name that only 1 or 2 people had.
My kids all have somewhat unique names (at least they were when I named them, they are more common now) and they all love being the only one in their class with that name.

Answer 6

How do you know what children want? I know a lot of kids with unique names that love their names. They fit in. There are so many unique names out there now, that it's the children with the traditional names that don't fit it as well.

Answer 7

Why would you want you kid to be like everybody else??? You don't have to have the same name to fit in if that was the case then u only be friends with people that have the same name as you, if they don't like you or make fun of you because you have a different name they need to get a life and grow up. I named my son Hailen and I don't think it is stupid, unique is wonderful.

Answer 8

You're right, why do we bother with trying to instill any kind of identity in our children? How could we be so cruel as to make them stand out by giving them a name different from those of their peers? Why do we bother giving them names at all? We should all start giving our kids numbers instead of names, that way there's no chance of them being singled out because of some unique trait that other kids could exploit for their own amusement. We wouldn't want our children to have to face reality any more than strictly necessary after all.

Answer 9

People who feel that they are just another unimportant nobody (deep down inside) fear that the same fate will befall their children. They therefore give their kids odd names like "Unique" and "Enchanter" in hopes that it will help them avoid the ignominious fate of being insignificant in this big, big world.

Let's face it: the majority of us ARE insignificant. I can understand the drive to give a kid a unique name.

I think that more traditional names are always replaced by newer names in every generation. Then the newer names become old fashioned, and people have to come up with new names.

So people naming their kids unusual sounding names like "Magenta" are not really anything new. In another couple of generations or so, their grandkids will be saying "Magenta? What an old fashioned name! I'm going to name MY kid something UNIQUE like Q-Tip."

Answer 10

Well, maybe what you think is stupid they might think having the name "jim" is stupid. My parents taught us that being unique is a precious gift. Kids will tease no matter what their given name is. I would rather name my child something that isn't considered what society deems as "normal" .