# Do you feel that people who get proprietary over baby names have a point? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 14, 2025, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853 "2025-07-14T15:20:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2025, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/101 "2025-07-15T19:24:46Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > her dream was to have a daughter to name Autumn She couldn’t name a son “Autumn”? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2025, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/102 "2025-07-15T19:31:07Z")
Well, it certainly wasn’t her dream. Probably all for the best. Can you imagine if she did have a kid, and it turned out to be real klutzy, and was always FALLing down? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2025, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/103 "2025-07-15T19:36:41Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Can you imagine if she did have a kid, and it turned out to be real klutzy, and was always FALLing down? “Hey, Autumn! Have a good FALL?” People would say that even if it didn’t happen a lot. Heck, if it didn’t happen often, bystanders would forever be thinking they came up with an original joke. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2025, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/104 "2025-07-15T19:45:20Z")
Hah! I got that reference! Never had kids, but always thought if I had a daughter I’d lobby for her name to be Kalynda Rhiannon Surname. The first name lends itself to enough nicknames that she can be whoever she wants. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2025, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/105 "2025-07-15T19:53:05Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Lorita had a custom of giving her guide dogs a middle (if one didn’t come preinstalled). When she gave Glory the middle name _Autumn_, she was careful that Joan (her best friend, whom I later married) not find out. Joan had been plagued by issues with her reproductive system and couldn’t bear children, but when she thought that was still a possibility, her dream was to have a daughter to name Autumn. Once in one of my classes, a student was looking at the box of tissues in the room, and saw the brand name on the box, “Willow” (Aldi’s house brand), and pondered that it would be a pretty name for an eventual daughter. I told her that if she ever did end up having a daughter named “Willow”, she had to promise me that she’d never tell the poor kid that she was named after a box of tissues. > [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Do parents who do this have any idea what it is like for a kindergarten teacher to get her roster of students for the fall, and have a Madasin, Madysen, Madicein, Maddisan, & a Maddyson, all in the same class, and know she will be expected to memorize each spelling, and which one goes with each child, or imperil herself by the parents’ wrath? And which one is supposed to be pronounced slightly differently. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2025, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/106 "2025-07-15T20:13:07Z")
Like “Zathras.” ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2025, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/107 "2025-07-15T20:58:26Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Luke Schweitzer? Ha, no. The Vorkosigan Saga. I find it rather ironic that my autistic son is named after a Machiavellian social genius. I can’t wait until he asks me where his name came from and I can dump 19 books on his desk and say, “Get reading.” Maybe he’ll learn something. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2025, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/108 "2025-07-15T22:45:31Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Eh, I’ve taught classes with 4 or 5 students with the same popular name, like Tiffany or Justin. It’s usually fine. I went to an all boys school. A small private school at which my father taught. There were 18 boys in 4th grade. 7 of them were named Jo(h)n. One went by Jack. The Jon went by Jonathan. The other 5 had to fight it out. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2025, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/109 "2025-07-15T23:24:54Z")
Twice in the past year I’ve had four of the same name in a class. One of them was Elizabeths, which fortunately has a very large number of variants. The other was Graces, which doesn’t. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s noticed that the popularity of boys’ names mostly stays fairly stable (John and Michael and Peter and so on will always be near the top of the list) but that girls’ names come in waves. I think that it’s because men will often name their sons after themselves, so what’s popular in one generation will still be popular in the next… but women will often name their daughters after their own grandmothers, so what’s popular now is what was popular three generations ago. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2025, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/110 "2025-07-15T23:29:15Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > I don’t really understand the hysteria. People can and do get possessive about everything imaginable and unimaginable. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2025, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/111 "2025-07-15T23:31:40Z")
My son, born 2006, is named John. My husband and I were not fans of Maddysin/Haydyyn/Eeainn (when you’re in love, the whole world is Welsh) or “Neveah”-- “Heaven” spelled backward…uh, wait-- WITEOUT! but our son is actually named after my oldest childhood friend, who sadly died when we were 34. He probably would have been called something like “John,” though. We thought briefly about Stephen Jay Gould Maccaby. Oddly, among his classmates, he had one “Jon” classmate who was a Jonathan, and our John has always gone by Johnny, so, no issues. We asked him a couple of times, around his bar mitzvah, and again when he was around 16, if he wanted to be “John” now that he was older, and he did not. A few years after Jonathan, there was another John who went by Jack, and later a John, jr., who went by JJ. That’s about it for classmates also named John. In high school, there is a girl Joanna, who went by “Jonie,” pronounced like “Johnny,” but he never had a class with her. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2025, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/112 "2025-07-16T00:32:51Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > then how does Al refer to Johnny’s son Tony? Al would call him “Tony Uncle Johnny.” But then again, “Tony Uncle Al” is never called that on the show as an adult. He is Tony Blundetto and he only ever gets called “Tony B.” So, maybe you make a switch as an adult or when the show’s writers realize “Tony B.” is easier to type out than “Tony Uncle Al.” ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2025, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/113 "2025-07-16T10:12:46Z")
It’s a English tradition anyway, and Aus was still a bit English at the time, but me and my friends in class (Melbourne, Melbourne, Melbourne and Melbourne) all went by our last names. As it happens, we were outnumbered by the group with variations of the name Chris, because that group included both girls and guys. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/114 "2025-07-16T17:10:50Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > In middle school, my daughter had FIVE friends named Jessica, so I told her she could only have friends of that name, to make it easier on me. 😁 I have often counseled that folks married or in other committed relationships should only date other people with the same name as their SO. That can avoid a LOT of embarrassment after using the wrong name in a moment of excitement or inattention. ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2025, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/115 "2025-07-17T10:43:53Z")
What if a member of this compliant clan of Reusses decided _not_ to name his son Henry 48 or Heinz 57, or what-the-Hank-ever the kid’s scheduled to be named? If Henry the 17th named his boy Fritz or Jocko or Axelrod, would he be fined or jailed, and by what authority? How many of these unfortunate H+Xs change their name to Bill or George or anything but Heinrich “The Next” Reuss on the day they turn 18? Are they particularly forbidden by law to change their names? That doesn’t sound very fair, or very enforceable. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2025, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/116 "2025-07-17T13:06:32Z")
Hmmm… I’m named after my Uncle, my cousin is named after her aunt (my mom). Another Aunt named her child and a different aunt named her child the same thing. Close to the same age. We now have 5 Lisa’s in our life. My Wifes two best friends are named Lisa. Our realtor is named Lisa. One of my best friends name is Lisa My Wifes boss is another Lisa. Context helps, but it does get pretty darn confusing sometimes. “Wait, who are you talking about” ---
**Author:** ![sunacres](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@sunacres](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunacres)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2025, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/117 "2025-07-17T13:36:19Z")
I was named after my older brother, who died at birth 12 short months before I came along. When I worked on the North Slope of Alaska, my team of 10 had 5 Steves, one of whom was Steve Stevens. When I worked in Saudi Arabia, fully half of the Saudi men I worked with were either Abdullah or Mohammed. All of which was good practice for becoming a classroom teacher later in life. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2025, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/118 "2025-07-17T13:48:33Z")
Of course there’s a lot of nuance built-in here. It’s not possible to steal a name like Greg since it’s so common. If you never mentioned to your cousin that you planned to name your child Pubert, it’s not like she intentionally stepped on your toes. More likely you both picked up subconscious cues about an emerging trendy name, and you both should reconsider because it’ll probably be seen as played-out in 5-10 years. But in general, if the person could’ve been aware of the conflict, I’d put this in the same category as someone out-dressing the bride on the wedding day. Of course there’s no law against it, people can do as they will, but if you’re inconsiderately stealing someone’s “thing” then you’re not a very nice person. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2025, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/119 "2025-07-17T20:56:42Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > A boy I grew up with was given the same name as a 7-year older brother who had died at an early age of leukemia. Iirc, they were both named after a predeceased relative, per Jewish custom. I always wondered how the parents referred to each of them between themselves. Billy One and Billy Two? Our first Jimmy and our second Jimmy? It was so sad, I couldn’t reconcile it. A good friend of mine was named after his parents’ first child who died as an infant. He never minded it, and it comforted his mom (who he adored). > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I had a Yorkie named Gracie. > > According to my DIL I ruined the name for her to name her baby girls. The dachshund my siblings and I grew up with was named Carla. I always felt just a tiny bit weird when I met people-Carlas IRL. > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > A family friend has a son named William and a daughter (so his sister) named Delores. > He is dating a woman named Delores who has a brother named William. We had (three of the four are now deceased) two sets of neighbors. Both husbands were Jim, and both wives were Karen. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2025, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853/120 "2025-07-17T21:24:15Z")
One of my brother’s friends married for the second time to a woman who had the same name as his first wife. At first I was confused when he talked about either one of them by name until I asked him to clarify. He said it made things simple: didn’t have to change any monograms or worry about blurting out the wrong name at the least opportune times. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-feel-that-people-who-get-proprietary-over-baby-names-have-a-point/1020853.md?page=7)