Are you naming your child for YOU or for him/her?

Question

I keep seeing all kinds of cutesy, childish, "unique" and/or made-up names in questions here. PLEASE consider that the name you give your child will affect him for his entire lifetime! What seems cute and unique to you could be setting him/her up for a lifetime of mediocrity. Studies have shown that people with easy to pronounce and easy to spell names are more successful in school and jobs and actually make more money than those with "unique" or unusual names. There's nothing wrong with being different, but please consider your child's future with whatever name you choose.

You all obviously didn't read the part where I said there's nothing wrong with being different! Just don't be odd.
I asked the question only to give you something to think about in naming your child. I would hope you'd want your child to have a name they can be proud of, not embarrassed by. Sometimes being too different is not a good thing. Kids want to be like other kids. That doesn't mean they should have the same name as everyone else----just don't make it so unsual that they will be teased.

For those of you who think I like plain jane names, you are wrong. My children have somewhat unsual, though not peculiar, names. And there is nothing wrong with naming a child something that has to do with their ethnic or cultural heritage. Those names would not be odd. I mean names like "Dandy" Lyons, or
Moon Unit Zappa.
I hope I've clarified myself.

Answer 1

When I read about the family that named there kid "4 Real" - I thought there's a fine line between unique and OVERBOARD... and they crossed it.

Answer 2

I chose names that I liked and didn't want to make a poor choice, also had to compermise with the X, and also pay attention to the initals of the name.
I wanted to name one of my son's Bjorn. but my X said no way.
I had friends who wanted to name their little girl. Dawn
Ann ......which is lovely but then they realize that with their last name it wouldn't beso good.. Leave out the middle name as most of us do and you have Dawn Keys. I am sure you can figure out that one. LOL

I wanted a scandinivan name for my fist child. I thought there would rarely be kids his name. It is a good solid name. But.....others had the same idea. He had a birthday party once where all invited had his name except one kid. I had to look back and remember I thought I was being original.
His name is Eric.

Answer 3

I'm with you on that. People forget that personalities are what make kids different, not their names. Just because my guys kids name is Alexander (AJ for short) doesn't mean he will try to take over the world, it's just his name and what he is known by. He is unique, his name doesn't have to be 'unique'. I'm fine with slightly edgy names, ethnic names (though some say ethnic and you look them up and they are just full of BS).

It's true though, I work in HR and at my white collar company we do not hire people with 'out there' names.

Answer 4

i agree with everything BABYGIRL said. You may be content with the simple and plain, your choice to settle for the ordinary. I love the extraordinary! it leaves an impact! you're a prime example, you have made the not so plain-jane names a topic of interest. You started off posting a question but then quickly turned it into an opinion that only matters to you. Are you posing your opinion on Americans? What about names of cultural significance? Children that are coming here from different countries that are named unique or unusual names?

Answer 5

Well I think some people name their kids for the attention. Like when Gwenth named her daughter Apple.. I think she did it for the people to talk about her.
But there are some names that are pretty nice even tho they are unique.
Now I'm 5months pregnant and I'm thinking(if its a girl)
Adriana Raeann( rae is my middle name and ann is my grandmothers name who passed away when i was younger)
Titana Victoria( i like how Titana is different)
Natalia Haylee/Raeann( Natalia is another unique name that I love)
So I think some unique names are good. I think there are too many names that are the same that are too much. Like Christopher, Andrew, Micheal, Matthew, Adam,Angel etc...
So having something different is nice sometimes, just not too crazy.

Answer 6

I agree strongly.....you should always take into consideration many things when deciding on a name for a child. If your not sure fill out an application with that name on it and see how it fits. also take into consideration the combo of initials and make sure it's nothing that will get them teased to the point they hate their name

Answer 7

I'm only sixteen, and no I don't plan on having any kids until after I'm married, but I really like the name Enrique Romeo (ro-may-oh) [Since i'm hispanic, I want my kids to have hispanic names]

I don't think it's really that "cutesy" at all. To me it sounds kind of like a "movie star name"

And who cares if a person wants their child to have a unique name! My name is different. My names, Alegria (al-a-gree-uh) [which is spanish for joy/happiness]

And I like my name. I'm the 0NLY one in my school [of over 1,000 students] with MY name.

Why give my child a name that almost every other kid is going to have?

I D0 realize that MY child is going to have to live with the name I [and my future husband] will choose, but I'm happy with that name, and I wouldn't regret it.

And if the parents [not all of them] these days knew how to raise their childern, then those childern W0ULD N0T be making fun of childern with different unique names.

Answer 8

i'd rather give my child a made up or not so common classic name than the run of the mill horrid "madison"! the teacher will call on them in class and 10 kids will turn their heads...saddening really.

but yes, i do agree with you. there are some names that are just rediculous. keep it spellable and easy to pronounce, but not too common.

Answer 9

I totally agree with you but unfortunately, you will not sway those who see things differently and that is very unfortunate for their children. Like it or not, our names are a big part of who we are, and many will judge us on our names alone without even seeing us first. You could also have a child grow up hating his name and have to go through the hassle of changing it himself when he is a legal age (my boyfriend did this after he graduated high school).

Answer 10

George (Saint George, Utah or George, Washington; there somewhat is a city in Washington jokingly named after the 1st U.S. President) Kamuela (Kamuela, Oahu Island, Hawaii; it is "Kamuela" to the submit place of work, in spite of the undeniable fact that it is formally Waimea as there is yet another Hawaiian city named Waimea on Kauai Island) Cortez (Cortez, Colorado) Helena (Helena, Montana) Bernandino (San Bernandino, California) ________________________ those could be some. possibly Bernandino customarily.