# First names: the good, the bad and the fugly

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-the-good-the-bad-and-the-fugly/728423>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [August 21, 2015, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-the-good-the-bad-and-the-fugly/728423 "2015-08-21T12:34:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-the-good-the-bad-and-the-fugly/728423/121 "2015-08-30T03:14:34Z")

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I always wondered what made someone pick some of the strange names I’ve seen over the years.

I have a strange, negative reaction to “Bernie”, both male and female versions.

Bernard and Bernice are two Bernie sources, and I loathe them both. I have an aunt with the name Bernice, but I like her enough. The name though, has got to go to the dumper.

Other names…

For a woman:  
Bernice, Blanche, Maude (and then there’s Maude!), Bertha, Dorinda, Dorcas, Lizbeth, Bronwyn, Dagmar

Man:  
Bernard, Floyd, Sylvester, Frank, Hector, Terrence, Harold, Gomer, Wally, Elmer

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**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-the-good-the-bad-and-the-fugly/728423/122 "2015-08-30T06:35:24Z")

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Just wait until you meet a real stunner with a name that you held in contempt, as I did with Gretchen. Oooo, you unrestrained little minx, you!

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**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-the-good-the-bad-and-the-fugly/728423/123 "2015-08-30T16:55:42Z")

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Mona Lisa Simpson:

> [@](#):
>
> I DO let them call me whatever they want. It is a hassle though. Cashing a check made out to Lisa Simpson can be dicey. A former bank of mine would not cash a check…even with a Drivers License, Birth Certificate, Governent issued (photo ID)health card; my passport, a credit card issued in my full name and a credit card with middle name only. They refused to cash a “third party check.”
> 
> It’s me dammit.
> 
> I went to a credit union, opened an account, and Never looked back.
> 
> Still… I advise parents. Unless there is a really good family reason, just plan to call your child by his first name.

I suspect you just got a bad/stupid bank. I have two names, and go by my second name among friends, and have never had a problem at any bank I’ve dealt with depositing checks made out to either my first name or my middle name. My wife has a Hebrew name and an English name which are pretty similar but not identical. Only the English name is on the bank account, but we’ve never had a problem with checks made out to her in her Hebrew name either. And we’ve been with several different banks over the course of our marriage.

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