# Don't name your child after a JOKE in a TOM HANKS MOVIE! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 4, 2002, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896 "2002-09-04T01:08:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/81 "2002-09-04T19:19:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by belladonna \* > \*\*Ok **Max Harvey** , I have to ask. What’s wrong with Phil(ip)? > Last I checked it was perfectly traditional, and not at all “made up”. > > bella–who bets you can all guess what her son’s name is \*\* Take it easy, **bella** , he wasn’t dissing your boy’s name. That list is from the Simpsons. It’s the names of all of Cletus’ children. 🙂 And BTW all, my son’s name is Diego. And no, neither I nor his mother are Spanish or Hispanic. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/82 "2002-09-04T19:28:08Z")
One of the things I enjoy about bad baby naming is the rationale people have for doing so. When I was pregnant, I went on a baby naming message board and read that a woman was naming her daughter Sierra because it was so petite and feminine sounding. When I asked if she meant petite and feminine like the Sierra Nevada mountains, it didn’t go over well. ---
**Author:** ![Kn\_ckers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/96bed5/32.png) [@Kn\_ckers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kn_ckers)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/83 "2002-09-04T19:29:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Torque \* > \*\* > … my brother’s wife was first tossing around “Sierra” or “Ciera” but then was thinking about changing it to “Cera” or “Sera”. Whether she actually did, I do not know. … \*\* Sounds like she really wanted to name the kid Sarah - it sounds like all these other ones, and it’s an actual freaking name! As someone with an unusual (but “real”) name, I know what a pain in the ass it can be to be constantly misspelled. Names should be, if nothing else, comprehensible. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/84 "2002-09-04T19:32:31Z")
I started a thread with this one a few months back, but I once came in contact with a woman whose name was Lolita. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Tir\_Tinuviel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tir\_Tinuviel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tir_Tinuviel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/85 "2002-09-04T19:37:40Z")
This reminds me of a site I found on names in [Utah](http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/3450/) It was set up by a woman who heard some other womans name on a TV ad, and guessed that because of the name (Odonna) she had to be from Utah, and whoopie do, she was. Some of these are classics! “Abcde” - “Allora LaLovi” - “Ann-Toy” - “Antrim Zeezrom” - “Ara-Om” - “Apathy” - and those a just a few choice pickings from the A’s! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/86 "2002-09-04T19:42:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > \*\*The only reason anyone would name their daughter this is that it was a joke in the movie “Splash,” starring Tom Hanks, that the mermaid claimed her name was “Madison” because she saw it on a street sign. The joke in the movie was that it was a stupid name but was the best the naive mermaid could come up with. Prior to “Splash,” the name was unknown as a girls’ given name. \*\* Well, based on the origin, they could always go into advertising when they grow up. At least they didn’t name them after the mermaid’s real name. “Come here, EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/87 "2002-09-04T19:47:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin \* > \*\*Even worse than deriving _Madison_ from Splash… > > Actor Frank Dicopoulos named his son _Jaden_. It’s the name that Star Trek’s Data took when he had amnesia and didn’t know who he was. Yes, Jaden Dicopoulos – not even named after an actual Star Trek character, only the fake name of an android. And his father repeatedly (and proudly) told this story in interviews. \*\* Err. My niece’s is Jayden, for the exact same reason. In my brother’s defense, however, he grasped onto Jayden in a blind panic, because his wife’s choices were Axl Rose or Phaedre Love (both for a girl) and Axl Rose or Wolfgang Love (for a boy)… and my brother’s last name is very obviously Italian. They were watching Star Trek and the wife said, “Oh, Ja(y)den… that’s kind of pretty, and it would work for a boy or a girl” to which my brother said, “YES! It’s perfect! I love it!” His other two daughters are (mercifully) name Victoria and Abigail. On another note: I know of two families who have done horrible name things to their children. One family’s kids are Maris, Ainsley, Briar, Camden and Vail. The other family has four boys: Apollo, Demetrius, Omnipotence and CURLY. ---
**Author:** ![Tir\_Tinuviel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tir\_Tinuviel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tir_Tinuviel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/88 "2002-09-04T19:48:04Z")
Oh my god… I just found the names “Chinchilla Zest” and “Tugdick” on the above mentioned site (my last post)! hee hee heeeeeeeeeeeee 😃 oh, and apparently “Confederate America” is a good girls name, and stuck on what to name your new son, why not “Iron Rod” what goes through these peoples heads! 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/89 "2002-09-04T19:57:04Z")
Hey, originality isn’t everything. Didn’t Bob Geldof’s exwife – the one who died – name her kids some awful names? I believe they were three girls, named . . . um . . . well, I think _one_ was named Peaches and I _know_ one was named Fifi Trixibelle, and I can’t remember the name of the third. But I have always remembered the horror of “Fifi Trixibelle.” And Demi Moore and Bruce Willis’s daughters are named Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah. _Tallulah_?? I’m not pulling for boring names, but on the whole I’d rather be a Jennifer. ---
**Author:** ![Kn\_ckers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/96bed5/32.png) [@Kn\_ckers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kn_ckers)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/90 "2002-09-04T20:04:49Z")
Wow - those Utah names are terrific, \*\* Tir Tinuviel \*\* ! Simply incredible. My favorites: Girls: Bree-N, Chinchilla Zest (Is that what you get when you peel a chinchilla?), JaNe’e (no, it’s not “Jane!”), and Saunsceneyouray Boys: Tugdick (was this intended as a dirty joke?), J’Dee, DavidO, and Vernal Independence (nonsensical, but catchy) Kn(LMAO)ckers ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/91 "2002-09-04T20:06:01Z")
What we whisper passing a cow-orker’s office door: _Run Floris… Run!_ ---
**Author:** ![Kn\_ckers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/96bed5/32.png) [@Kn\_ckers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kn_ckers)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/92 "2002-09-04T20:10:36Z")
I swear, I listed my favorites before I knew \*\* Tir \*\* had posted again. I stand by Chinchilla Zest and Tugdick. If I ever have kids… Kn(please, God, no!)ckers ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/93 "2002-09-04T20:11:40Z")
The only reason Jaden’s popular now is some celebrity has a kid named Jaden. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, I think. (Of course, “Jada” is as bad as “Jaden.”) ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/94 "2002-09-04T20:18:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Corrvin \* > \*\*2. You cannot name your child after a town or state, unless you have lived there. (Madison, for pity’s sake…nice town, but…) > \*\* Hear hear! Do you know how funny it is to hear of kids named Trenton and Camden? Horrid places, both of them. Whats next? Bayonne and Perth Amboy? ---
**Author:** ![Zappo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b3f665/32.png) [@Zappo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zappo)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/95 "2002-09-04T20:32:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Green Bean \* > \*\* > > Hear hear! Do you know how funny it is to hear of kids named Trenton and Camden? Horrid places, both of them. Whats next? Bayonne and Perth Amboy? \*\* Well, it’s not as bad as Grover’s Corners or HoHoKus. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/96 "2002-09-04T20:37:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zappo \* > \*\* > > Well, it’s not as bad as Grover’s Corners or HoHoKus. 🙂 \*\* Or French Lick. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/97 "2002-09-04T20:51:12Z")
I’m sorry but any woman who’d name a baby girl Axl Rose needs to be beaten with a clue stick. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/98 "2002-09-04T20:57:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JuanitaTech \* > \*\*Every other girl seemed to have Lynne or Anne as their middle name, too. I never quite understood that peculiarity, either. > > … \*\* it was the law. (my sister got “Ann”, I got “Lynn”) My poor son (Benjamin), while I was pregnant, his dad wanted to name him: Ryder Boston Austin or Denver. I won. 😃 Many of my clients have odd, unusual names as well. combinations, odd spellings etc. And my boss used to make snide comments about them. Of course, **her** name was made up from a combination of her father’s and mother’s names. ---
**Author:** ![knarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@knarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knarf)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/99 "2002-09-04T22:11:57Z")
At this point I’d like to thank my parents for the normal names they gave me and my siblings, a practice that was thankfully continued with my son and my sister’s kids. Unfortunately, if my brother reproduces any time soon, things will probably go straight to hell. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/100 "2002-09-04T22:21:35Z")
Well, dammit, I want to stand up for the goofy names. I like Madison. I like Sierra. I _really_ like Siyerah. Cram as many superflous "y"s into that name as you possibly can. We don’t use that letter nearly enough as it is. It’s not going to ruin their lives. Y’know why? Because by the time they’re grown up, _everyone is going to have names like that._ I even like Axl Rose as a name. C’mon, by the time the kid’s old enough to care, who’s going to know who Axl Rose was, anyway? Hell, I think most people _want_ creative, original names. Look at the people who are posting to this thread. None of them picked screen names like Steve, or Carol. We’ve got wring and Zappo, Green Bean and Gundy, Coldfire and unixrat, Mystery Dog and… Jeff Olson? Who the hell let him in here? Anyway, my point is I think these names are all pretty good. (well, maybe not Tugdick) Variety is a good thing. And if the kid really hates his name, he can always change it later. What’s in a name? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896.md?page=6)