What do you think of unusual names?

Question

This morning my 6th grader starts telling me about a boy in class that everyone makes fun of but she didn't know why because he was very nice. His name is Colen, pronounced COLON! My husband once knew a set of twins who were Lightning and Thunder, they didn't make it through the 9th grade. It just made me wonder if people who give thier children "unusual" names really think of the affect it will have on thier child later in life. Have you come across any horrible unique names and what do you think of them?

After reading sane_nut response I thought I just had to mention my Grandpa's name get ready it's a long one, he was named in honor of his five uncles: Bradford Tucker Turner Quincy Hastings Joseph Pretti. Now say that five times fast!

I like uncommon names too. My daughter is Clarina, I don't think she'll ever have a classmate with the same name. I am referring to those who go overboard. There are some great examples here. Pilot Inspektor!?!

Answer 1

I think that people who name their children with names that potentially cause problems for them later in life, or names that are hard to spell, easy to mispronounce and that make no sense do so because they are selfish. They are putting their own desires first and not the child's. I don't think we need to have more Jennifer's, Jason's, Robert's, and Mary's in the world but why purposefully name your child something that haunts them the rest of their lives. You aren't going to be there when Thunder and Lightning are getting their sponge bath in the nursing home at age 90 and have to listen to "Now Ms. Thunder, turn over dear!".

Parents have a responsibility to protect their children and not put them up for ridicule. That goes for horrible names too.

My dear departed mother in law was named "Thelma Ernestine". When I named my twin daughters, I named one of them after my mother "Patricia". My mother in law begged me not to pass on her name cause she hated it all her life and didn't want her grandchild to be stuck with it. Now that is love.

Answer 2

Research over the years has shown that a child's name can
affect how popular they are, how their teachers view them,
how much money they'll earn as adults and a whole list of
other things. If that's not enough to make you panic at the
sheer weight of giving your child the right start with the
right name, I don't know what is.When choosing a name for your baby, one of the most important considerations should be how it sounds.
A name that's easy to pronounce and pretty to say is far less
likely to become a nickname you can't stand.
I find a difference between a unique name and one that is horrid.
I hate to see people give their baby more than 1 middle name to. I know of a little girl who's name has two middle names, Needless to say, she is five and still cannot write her full name....

Answer 3

I've heard of many celebrities that name their children very odd things - like Phinnaeus, Banjo, Pilot Inspektor, Hazel, Berlin, Apple, and I could go on. I do appreciate not wanting your child to be one of 8 "Johns" in his class, but please. I mean, I wanted to give my children unique names, but something that everyone would say were nice names. My husband chose my oldet child's name - Annamarie (I know, no the most original) and my youngest is named Anastasia. I think they are nice names and unique enough that people don't necessarily hear them all the time, but they won't get made fun of on the playground, either. I think that when people choose these names, they're trying to get more attention for themselves (since they're the ones who chose the names) and they just don't think about the consequences that their children will have to face.

Answer 4

My parents gave me a name from another culture and I was teased about it sometimes because people didn't understand my name. I never let the teasing get to me though. Now that I'm married I have a first and last name that I constantly have to spell or correct the pronunciation. I'm all for "normal" names so I gave my son a normal name with the most traditional spelling for it. I go by a nickname now that is not so unusual as my real name. I don't like unusual names or when parents give their child's name an usual spelling. Constantly spelling, pronouncing and explaining your name get old rather quickly.

Answer 5

I was talking about this just the other day - I mentioned a child I met whose name was spelled "Tyr-Irn" and I pronounced it "Tyre Iron" and his mother got angry with me - it turned out his name should be pronounced "Tyrone".

I'm mildly surprised at the odd names my friends have given their offspring, just so they would be "different" at school. There's going to be so many odd names now I don't think anyone will think they are different or odd at all in a few years! The parents just want to be fashionable and different, I don't think they are pondering the future at all.

On a different level - the name Cain/Cane/Kaine/variant of Kayne is now very popular in the UK - I am somewhat confused why a parent would give their child a Biblical name with such unpleasant connotations! But there are thousands of little boys with that name now.

One place I worked a man came in with his daughter (who was about 3 years old) and her name was Yoni. (Please look it up if you don't know it - I blush to explain it here, and I think Yahoo might get cross too.) We were all a bit surprised by that, and it turned out he knew exactly what it meant!

I was at school with a girl whose name was "Mother" - which was an "exotic" name where she came from (sorry I can't recall the exact place - it was a small African country) and she eventually had her name legally changed by the time she was 15. She told us about friends and relatives with names like "Ladidi" (pronounced "Lady Di" - after Lady Diana) - their parents just wanted to give them unusual names, and of course it isn't quite so odd in another country, just "unusual".

Answer 6

My screen name I used to hate because people would say leeta bo peeta etc.
I love it now, I get compliments all the time! I went to school with a girl name Pepsi and a guy named Delliciao (rhyms witih felliciao) My sister gets made fun of because her name is Channonn and it gets pronounced CHA! I saw a game show and a girls name was Ketchup!
My sisters' friend name was fantasy. Ghetto names I hate Precious, coy, chiquita, shawala, anything to do with food or liquor.

Answer 7

My Dad used to work with a guy named "Harry Finger" I think unusual names are fine but when they are so wierd that the child will be made fun of, you should consider finding a different name!

Answer 8

Some are okay, although lightening and thunder are going to get their asses kicked all over the recess area.

My friends kid's name is Data Reign (I ask you). I also know a brother and sister named TikkaQ and Tykendric.

The worst one though was a pretty normal name, but both parents missed the hidden meaning, and had to get it changed when the kid was like 6 months old. They named their kid Drew, and their surname was Peacock. (say his name and surname 3 or 4 times over out loud and you should get it) BUMMER.

Answer 9

my name is rare, but it's not out there like "lightening". i mean, it's normal sounding, it's just unique. anyway. sometimes i don't think parents think about the future when naming their kids.

i've known kids with names star, rain and summer....i know summer isn't bad, but i'm still not a fan.

i think it's a shame, really, b/c as parents we sometimes forget how brutal childhood can be. instead we get so caught up in how we view life now, that we forget about the viewpoints of children.

Answer 10

i went to school with a guy named colon. he didnt really get made fun of though. i like unusual names. but you have to bear in mind that children are cruel, so not too unusual. i named my boys phoenix and jackson. i dont think that they will be made fun of later in life. i do have a friend that named her daughter marvalous alice faye. i thought that was kind of out there.