# Irksome names for children **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 13, 2003, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434 "2003-04-13T15:04:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/221 "2003-04-19T18:10:51Z")
When **DrJ** was doing peds rotations in med school, one of his attendings told him there was often a direct correlation between the “cutesiness” of a name and the amount of time a kid had spent in the neonatal ICU. Names like Precious, Angel, Darling, and Cutesy-Wootsie Poopsie (okay, I made the last one up) are quite common for preemies, apparently. As for Cash Money, I’ve seen a lot of pit bulls with such names, but never humans. Hmmm, I wonder if the puppies and this kid belong to the same people. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/222 "2003-04-19T22:05:40Z")
Parents definitely do experiment more with boys’ names than girls’, which is why we still have a fair few Michaels and Davids being born, but not many Sandras or Muriels. You also get ‘old-fashioned’ names repeating in cycles of about sixty years, as people realise that their Grandparents’ names are now uncommon, and they want to honour their Grandparents, so we get a fresh rash of Henrys and Mauds (and the names become common again). Guess in another twenty years or so we’ll see babies called Janet, Roger, Derek, and so on! Naming a child requires a lot of detective work. How popular is this name? Do you want a popular name or not? Are there any tragic or embarrassing stories associated with this name? Any famous people you might not want associated with your child? How does it sound with the desired middle name and surname? How does it sound with the surname alone? Do the initials spell anything undesirable? Do you or the father have a bad history with that name (heart broken by a Daniel, for example)? Is the name so unusual that the kid might get picked on? Is it easy to spell and pronounce? How does it look written down? What is the etymology of the name? How about the nicknames, do you dislike any of them? How does the nickname sound with your surname? What do your friends and family think? Does the name have any connection with your family history? (Do you want it to?) Lastly, do the parents BOTH _like_ it? It’s not surprising so many people give up and go with what’s popular. I ended up with a little Juliette Georgia. The middle name is after my Grandfather (it’s also a more common name if she decided that she hated Juliette when she was older). Juliette sounds good with my surname, and I was writing a thesis about Shakespeare at the time. It’s not common but it’s not weird either. If I’d had more time I might have chosen differently (she was ill at birth and I had to name her quickly), but it quite suits her. I had planned to give her a second middle name at a naming ceremony, and I might still do that. The most common names among her friends are Sophie, Chloe and Emily for girls, and Jack and Joseph for boys. Harry’s also pretty popular, as is Alfie and Alex and Josh. Quite nice names really, this generation is faring better than the Tracys and Darrens of mine. Btw, for a boy I liked the name Gabriel, but when I said that to a couple of my friends they burst out laughing. Would that really be such an odd name for a boy these days? ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/223 "2003-04-19T22:21:27Z")
I think Gabriel is a sweet name. If I knew I was going to have three boys, they’d be Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. But I admit for a long time, Gabriel sounded like a girl’s name to me. ---
**Author:** ![austen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@austen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/austen)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/224 "2003-04-19T23:48:49Z")
I love the name Gabriel. I’ve known two Gabe’s in my time, and both were great people. Use it. Gabrielle is a girl’s name - I guess it depends on how it is pronounced. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/226 "2003-04-21T23:49:57Z")
My grandmother was never named by her parents. Everyone always called her “Pet”. Note that this is not the same as being called “Blanket”. “Pet” was term of endearment back then. When she was old enough to go to school she had to have a name so she named herself Rachael. I don’t know if anyone ever called her that though. My mother had the combination name Ruth Alice and was called that by all her relatives. Her sister had a combination name too. Because my mom hated it so much she didn’t give my three older sisters middle names. I have the plainest name of all (Jane) and I like it fine. Some close friends call me Janie and that’s fine, too. I don’t intend to have children but if I was doing any naming they’d be sensible names like John (Jack), David and Suzanne. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/227 "2003-04-22T03:29:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SciFiSam \* > \*\*Are there any tragic or embarrassing stories associated with this name? > Any famous people you might not want associated with your child… > Is the name so unusual that the kid might get picked on? > \*\* Tragic/embarrassing things that can happen after the fact. I know someone who changed her 5-month-old son’s name from Marc David to Shane after a person named Mark David something-or-other shot John Lennon. (In Colorado you can do this without too much paperwork in, I think, the first year.) Ditto with people getting famous. And I had one of the most common names in grade school, in fact there were three of us in a row on my street (some interesting kind of name tic-tac-toe) and it didn’t stop me from getting picked on! the person formerl;y known as Suzy ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/228 "2003-04-22T12:59:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by House \* > \*\*Crap, I didn’t know that! Thanks alot, you just ruined that name for me.😃 \*\* Here’s the original (fabled) [Lorelei](http://www.loreleytal.com/loreley/). It’s not a Styx thing. Heck, they didn’t even invent Styx, just appropriated it. Hmm, maybe Charon would be a good boy’s name? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/229 "2003-04-22T13:53:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ShibbOleth \* > \*\*Here’s the original (fabled) [Lorelei](http://www.loreleytal.com/loreley/). It’s not a Styx thing. Heck, they didn’t even invent Styx, just appropriated it. Hmm, maybe Charon would be a good boy’s name? 😉 \*\* Well, thanks. Now that song makes even less sense than it did before. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/230 "2003-04-22T14:08:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by asterion \* > \*\*Well, thanks. Now that song makes even less sense than it did before. \*\* Oh yeah? Try this one: _[The Sails of Charon](http://worldlyric.com/html/scorpions/the_sails_of.html)_ by Scorpions. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/231 "2003-04-22T17:19:35Z")
Worst one I’ve ever heard comes from the neonatal ward in the hospital where my stepmother works. I still can’t believe it … the name is pronounced **sha-thee-id**. How is that spelled, do you think? Give it some time. Then see below. Shithead. Yes - Shithead. ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/232 "2003-04-22T17:29:53Z")
Trendy names annoy the Hell out of me, too. A friend is naming her son Kaden. What the Hell is that? But then I try to remember that all words were made up. All words. ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/233 "2003-04-22T17:37:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > \*\ ***People, I have a request.** > > Someone’s name can be a very personal thing, so please don’t make fun of anyone’s name; you might as well be making fun of how they look. > > If you’re not fond of a name, that’s fine, and by all means say so. But saying, “Bleeech!” or “What were her parents thinking?!” or even “I hate that name. HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT!” is being insensitive. Some of the posts to this thread I consider offensive, but they’re confined (for the most part) to the first page or so, so hopefully they’re out of everyone’s system. > > Thank you. 🙂 \*\* Whoops, read this _after_ I lambasted “Kaden.” I hear what you’re saying, **Achernar** and I would **never** tell my friend I don’t like the name. I don’t think she posts here… If she does, I’m sorry. It’s not awful, just not a name I would choose. ::slinking sheepishly away:: ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/234 "2003-04-22T19:12:23Z")
Just a general question about names that has been irking me for awhile now. I understand when shortening names you usually take a derivative of the first syllable (Jonathan becomes Jon, Raymond, becomes ray, etc) How come Elizabeth turns into Betty? And how does Richard turn into Dick? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/235 "2003-04-22T19:35:56Z")
Dick I’m not so sure, but Elizabeth—\>Beth—\>Bette—\>Betty also Eliza, Liz, Liza, etc. For another “nickname” that seems completely out of the blue, how about “Penny” from Margaret? That’s one I’ve come across quite a few times in older women. ---
**Author:** ![sirkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@sirkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirkle)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/236 "2003-04-22T19:46:40Z")
My parents managed to get four fairly good names four my siblings and I. Well, for my three siblings at least. I was named after my father, but rather than be called Junior, or Little Eric, they called me Hoss. (The origins of me being called this are lost, everyone I’ve asked has a differant reason.) I went by Hoss until I started elementary school, at which time my mother informed me that they would probably call me Eric at school, and asked if that was OK? I just thought it was really cool that I had a differant name, so, jumped on it, and wanted everyone to call me Eric. After a while I got sick of it, and wanted to go back to Hoss, but once someone has it in your midn that that’s your name, that’s what it is to them. The result, I pretty much go by both. However, at college the only people who call me Hoss are my friend from HS. My siblings names, Bodie Shane, Jentre Jan, and Josey Leesa (the Leesa being a combination of two of my aunts names.) Names I like: Abbigail, Gabbriella, and Jaqueline for girls, for boys, Cortland, Floyd, and Matterych. ---
**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:** [April 22, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/237 "2003-04-22T20:00:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > \*\ ***People, I have a request.** > > Someone’s name can be a very personal thing, so please don’t make fun of anyone’s name; you might as well be making fun of how they look. > > If you’re not fond of a name, that’s fine, and by all means say so. But saying, “Bleeech!” or “What were her parents thinking?!” or even “I hate that name. HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT!” is being insensitive. Some of the posts to this thread I consider offensive, but they’re confined (for the most part) to the first page or so, so hopefully they’re out of everyone’s system. > > Thank you. 🙂 \*\* **Achernar** , please meet me in the [Pit](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=179019). Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![HoviBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HoviBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoviBaby)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/238 "2003-04-22T23:35:53Z")
Ive been trying to convince my wife to go with warlord/despot/dictator/conqueror names for our children. Ive suggested (and I am serious) Alexander Hussein (this ones getting tougher tosell every minute) Evita (Madonna made her pretty!!!) Hannibal (no chance) and my personal favorite: Napoleon. If I had my way, my children would be picked on for the rest of their lives. Makes um tougher. Go back about your buisness ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/239 "2003-04-23T00:43:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ceejaytee \* > \*\*My son is Aaron George, a nice old-fashioned name. If we could just get past all the people who think his name is “Erin” we would be set. \*\* That’s strange. My name is “Erin” and growing up everyone thought it was “Aaron”. I still get that. When someone is writing down my name they ask, “A-a-r-o-n?” and I have to correct them. I have strange tastes in boys’ names. I like “Leif” , “Wolfgang”, or “Augustus”. If I had to pick more traditional I would pick “Alexander” or “Benjamin”. For girls I like “Clarice” or “Eleanor”. As for nicknames, I always thought the nickname “Corky” for “Charles” was kind of bizarre. A neat nickname for a kid, but kind of odd for an adult. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/240 "2003-04-23T00:54:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by HoviBaby \* > **Hannibal (no chance)** I think Hannibal would be an awesome name, except of the new stamp of infamy it’s had for the past twelve years. You wouldn’t want your kid to be called a “Cannibal” on the schoolyard. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![benson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@benson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benson)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434/241 "2003-04-23T01:03:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gazelle \* > \*\*A friend is naming her son Kaden. What the Hell is that? > \*\* My aunt and uncle named their son Kadin. Our last name sucks too so he’s going to have to spell his whole name for everyone his entire life. Last year my step-grandfather died and the obituary listed all of his surviving relatives, including step-grandchildren. Kadin was listed as “Katie”. :rolleyes: They had another baby in January, and named her Marlies Jamena. Marlies is my aunt’s middle name so I’ll give them that but Jamena? Huh? The little boy I take care of goes to some playschool thing with about 12 other kids. THREE of them are named Connor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irksome-names-for-children/168434.md?page=13)