# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/121 "2002-09-05T05:54:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Jodi, the one you’re missing is Pixie. Fifi Trixibelle is bad enough, but Peaches Honeyblossom and Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily (her daughter with Michael Hutchence)? All I have to say is :o That’s it! Pixie! And she had a fourth she named Heavenly Hiraani etc etc? What thought process says “there’s a name my child would love to carry through life”? What was she, on drugs? [sub]Okay, that last part was in rather bad taste but, hey, it’s late.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/122 "2002-09-05T06:47:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cessandra \* > \*\*I love my name (Michelle). I’ve always loved it, and even though it was in the top ten from 1966 (when the song I was named for came out) through the year after my birth (I was born in 1981), I have only ever know four other Michelles in my life. And only one was my age. > > I wanted to name my son Henry David (as in Thoreau). But my husband came with an Aryanna and an Aoghdan. Traditional spellings of very old names. So our youngest got another – Seamus. > > BTW, I like Scout and Tallulah. I would be pleased to be named for a character from a famous piece of literature or a great actress. That’s why I love Michelle so much, because of the song. And why I loved Henry David. > > BTW, I also loved Edgar Allan, but Aoghdan’s middle name is already Alan. \*\* Aoghdan?? AOGHDAN??? I have tried to pronounce that for the last 20 minutes, and am having no luck at all. I think it the first syllable, it never seems to end; **Auuuwwwggghhhhhgahhhhhhhkgk-gkkg–kkk-gk\_DAN** You might as well name the kid [Hfuhruhurr or Uumellmahaye](http://us.imdb.com/Plot?0085894). ---
**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 5, 2002, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/123 "2002-09-05T07:22:10Z")
**Fear** : “Ogden” ---
**Author:** ![plain\_jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@plain\_jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plain_jane)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/124 "2002-09-05T07:29:12Z")
Count me as another person who dislikes trendy or mispelled names. Using twice as many letters to spell the same name is just ridiculous and the person gets to spend their life spelling their name. Or people that pronounce their names totally differently than they look. Like De-bor-rah instead of Deb-'rah. Then there are the names that are actually nouns… Or the name I saw on Judge Judy once… “AquaNetta”. Heh. The one that makes me truly cringe is “Jewelya”. It’s just plain awkward looking. I want to pronounce it with a pause: “Jewel… ya.” And, also, those names that look like they were invented using fridge magnets. You know, the ones with different words on them and you put them together in various ways to create silly sentences? I think some people use these to create names. One says “Ta”, one says “Da”, “Te”, “sha”, “na”, etc. TaNeesha, Laneesha, LaQweeta, etc. And names that you’re supposed to automatically know have invisible accents. Like LaChante. You’re supposed to know that the last e is invisibly accented so it’s pronounced “ay”. We all form opinions about people based on different things, and names are one of those ways. I think it’s important to have a respectable sounding name. Imagine: “All rise, the honorable Judge Spring-Peaches McPherson presiding.” ---
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/125 "2002-09-05T09:41:41Z")
My least favorite “new” name is Conor. Before, I was the only Conor in the universe, but now all the time I hear my name and turn around to see some mother calling her little brat toddler. So many little kids have this name now. If it hits the top 10 and the world ends up infested with Conors, I’m going to be pissed. So future parents, unless you’re really F-ing Irish/Scottish, don’t even think about it. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/126 "2002-09-05T11:12:35Z")
Name trend I hate: boys names for girls. I don’t care that you spell it Ryanne, I know it’s Ryan! Rhys/Reece, Riley/Ryleigh, Evan/Evanne Cody/Codee\* etc. Codee Lee is my newest cousin :rolleyes: Rory is a boy’s name! Sydney is a boy’s name! Logan is a boy’s name! There are a lot of girl’s names, why use a boy’s name?? **Fear Itself** Aoghdan is an Irish form of… Aidan, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/127 "2002-09-05T12:22:42Z")
As a side note, I have a Carl, a Francesca (“Frankie”) and a Jackson (“Jack”). When my sister was named (in 1966) she was given a very unusual name. She was named after a flower…a delicate blue flower which is tiny and grows near the edges of moors. A very unusual name, and one which my parents had only heard once or twice in their lives. “Heather.” So it just goes to show…you never can tell. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/128 "2002-09-05T12:43:47Z")
My mother’s aunts and uncles: Stina, Runa, Nina, Torfi, and Steve. Such is your lot if you’re born to an Icelandic family. My son is named Matthew Christopher. White-bread and Waspy, but it beats what his father wanted to name him. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/129 "2002-09-05T12:59:24Z")
It’s funny - looking at some of these names, you get the feeling that the parent was naming the child using the same thought process that goes into coming up with names for cars and such. Products that are not so much products as they are lifestyle accoutrement. Having a Cody or a Tahoe would so complement my little American Dream. I’m curious as to what extent this style of naming occurs in other countries besides the US. I’m sure it does, I’m just unaware of it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/130 "2002-09-05T15:31:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > **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?** Gotta have at least one black sheep in every group. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/131 "2002-09-05T16:26:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Flamsterette\_X \* > \*\* > > By the way, I know who Dylan Thomas and (obvoiusly) Bob Dylan are, but can someone please enlighten me as to who Dylan McKay is? I’ve heard the name, but can’t place it… a TV or movie star, maybe? I really have no idea. > > F\_X \*\* Blasphemer! Dylan McKay was the resident bad-boy on _Beverly Hills, 90210_ (a show I shamefully know like the back of my hand), a motorcycle-riding, classic-Porsche driving, pouty, brooding, puppy-dog eyed son-of-an-imprisoned-pseudo-mobster who relieved Brenda Walsh of her virginity on prom night, watched his wife die in his arms (after she was mistakenly gunned down by a hitman hired by her own father), dealt with alcohol, cocaine, and heroin addictions, and finally found the love of his life with Kelly Taylor, whom he sorta two-timed Brenda with when she and Donna were in France. Now you know. Entirely too much. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/132 "2002-09-05T17:06:35Z")
I am the proud contributor of several names to the Utah list, including Elvoid. Here’s another fun one: [What are we naming our children?](http://www.thesugarbeet.com/archive/4-1/top_stories/statgraph.html) My kid is Katie, short for Katherine, and everyone seems to assume it’s Kadie or something equally original. My personal criteria for a name, esp. a girl’s name, is that it has to sound reasonably dignified with the words “Supreme Court Justice” in front of it. Supreme Court Justice Stormie? I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/133 "2002-09-05T17:14:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ooner \* > \*\*My least favorite “new” name is Conor. > > Before, I was the only Conor in the universe, but now all the time I hear my name and turn around to see some mother calling her little brat toddler. So many little kids have this name now. If it hits the top 10 and the world ends up infested with Conors, I’m going to be pissed. So future parents, unless you’re really F-ing Irish/Scottish, don’t even think about it. \*\* You can probably blame this one on “Highlander,” though of course the recent obsession with Scottish and Irish names could have propelled Conor/Connor forward all on its own. In my hometown you can’t swing a dead cat in a classroom without hitting ten kids named Duncan, Macleod, Siobhan, Connor, or some other horrible, ridiculously spelled silent-consonant-laden Gaelic name that any self-respecting Scot or Irishman would never give his kid. Sadly, the worst female name of all time, “Bronwen,” appears to be making a comeback as a result. The Onion ran a joke about naming conventions last year, which I will try to copy as best as my memory will allow: What Are We Naming Our Kids? Caucasians: Duncan, Austin, Siobhan Blacks: De’Trey, LeTeisha, Shawana Asians: Michael, David, Catherine ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/134 "2002-09-05T18:04:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Syzygy \* > \*\*Might as well throw in a [link](http://inch.stormpages.com/index.html) on the topic (not up to date, but entertaining). > > Madison is a horrible girl’s name. But then again, so is Shannon, and I like that name. If I have a daughter, she’ll be Eleanor. Family name, and interesting derivation. I’m called Scott, and I’ve been told that it’s a 20th-Century boy’s first name, so I won’t inflict any Scott, Jr. damage on my son. As a matter of fact, I’ve no idea what I would name a son. Maybe Shannon? 🙂 \*\* Hey! :smack: Shannon would be a great name for you little boy, if you want him to be made fun of daily for having a girls name. Yeah sure it’s a unisex name, but I bet at least 85% of us under the age of 30 are females. The two boys I knew who shared my name hated their name, and the older one hated his parents…funny, Courtney hated his folks too for some reason. Oh well, some people want to torture their kids, right? I like the name Tallulah slight better now that I’m watching a show with a character named that- her nickname is " Tally" and it’s sort of nice. I wonder though if she has a brother nicknamed “Sum” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/135 "2002-09-05T18:31:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GingerOfTheNorth \* > \*\*My son is named Matthew Christopher. White-bread and Waspy, but it beats what his father wanted to name him. \*\* A weird-name thread, and you’re not going to tell us the weird name your kid almost had? Come on… ---
**Author:** ![Kricket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f14d63/32.png) [@Kricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kricket)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/136 "2002-09-05T19:23:43Z")
You wouldn’t believe how many people asked if we were naming Dylan after Mckay. He was going to be Mark Anthony but my sister in law already had a Mark. We had big issues with naming our children. I didn’t want any Juniors because my father and father in law had troubles with that. (long storys) I didn’t want to name them after anyone in the family because I didn’t want hurt feelings over who didn’t get chosen for the namesake. So, each of our children has a piece of their parents name except for Sabrina. Her mother named her after a character in a book, and Josh has a different father but has a piece of his name. I also looked into what their names meant. Allyssa is named after a flower and we plant them every year for her. Aubreigh Renee means Elven ruler queen, and oddly enough she is a very petite child. ---
**Author:** ![Morgainelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Morgainelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgainelf)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/137 "2002-09-05T20:11:23Z")
I have a fondness for unusual names, but names that are a joke are just annoying. I have one. It is annoying. My first name, Dawn is in the medium/common category, and thus doesn’t raise any eyebrows. Pair it with my middle name, Eve, and you see how goofy it is. The two names alone are quite pretty. Together they’re a train wreck. Damn hippie parents. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/138 "2002-09-05T20:31:02Z")
I think the US has reached it saturation point for the name Madison. I think any couple that goes for the labor classes should be shown a list of the top 100 names of the last 5 years and be told, guess what, you have to pick something else. That way we spread out the names. ---
**Author:** ![Dravin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Dravin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dravin)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/139 "2002-09-05T21:37:31Z")
I’ve got to agree with the names with completely funky spellings that require you to sound them out several times till you can figure out which more common name it is supposed to sound like. Nothing wrong in concept of made up names though. As for people hating the more ‘trendy’ names, methinks it’s just an extension of the, “hating anything popular is cool” mentality that seems to permeate the internet. Anyway, that’s the two cents of a David Michael. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896/140 "2002-09-05T21:45:13Z")
My father wanted to name me Wolfgang, but my mother wouldn’t hear of it. Drat! I am glad to see that my kids’ names haven’t popped up in this thread (yet). And for middle name of Ann(e). My two sister’s middle names are Ann and Mary. Ann was my mother’s mother’s name and Mary is my father’s mother’s name. So that could be how those became popular as middle names. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-name-your-child-after-a-joke-in-a-tom-hanks-movie/126896.md?page=8)