# Names you loathe... and why! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 13, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991 "2010-04-13T21:59:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/241 "2010-04-19T15:56:22Z")
I had to fight my husband to name our daughter something that is at least spelled right. We ended up with a name that is uncommon but spelled like it sounds, is a real name, and can be shortened to a common name. She also has Nicole as a middle name. So all else fails she can go by that. He has a really common name and refused to even consider a name that was in the top 100 names. Sigh. I fear for the next child. ---
**Author:** ![edinbourgeoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@edinbourgeoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edinbourgeoise)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/242 "2010-04-19T16:09:39Z")
My cousin has a son named Kohan, which always sounded to me like someone with limited vocalization capabilities who is wielding a scimitar. Combine this with a German surname and welcome yourself to a whole new realm of idiotic. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/243 "2010-04-19T17:00:11Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > I hate super-pompous white names, stuff you’d only expect to see in the upper middle or upper classes. They make my skin crawl. > > Avery, Sophie, Emma, Ella, Phoebe, Madison, Isabella, Ava, and so on. > > An old friend had a girl in one of his biology classes named Nky. Short for Nicole, normally Nikki, right? Nope. Nky. But Sophie, Emma, Ava, Isabella and Madison are all in the top 10 girl names in the US. They can’t be super-pompous or “stuff you’d only expect to see in the upper middle or upper classes” because they are wildly popular! The most common names you can find in fact. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/244 "2010-04-19T17:34:47Z")
You know, upon rethinking it (I woke up 3 hours earlier than usual, I’m a little out of it!) you’re right. They’re quintessential suburban names. Which is worse 😛 ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/245 "2010-04-19T17:59:22Z")
So, to get this straight, a name in the top 200 is desirable, as long as it is not in the top 10. Got it. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/246 "2010-04-19T18:25:43Z")
Add me to the Jodi(e) haters. What kind of name is that? Is it short for something?? Urg. And Valerie. I hate it. But mostly because I hate someone named that… ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/247 "2010-04-19T18:32:15Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > So, to get this straight, a name in the top 200 is desirable, as long as it is not in the top 10. Got it. I know you’re being sarcastic, but yes. Top 200 or perhaps 400 even is unique enough that people have heard it and can pronounce it phonetically, but not so ridiculous that there are multiple kids with that name in a classroom of 25. Seriously, I had three Ericas in one class in high school, four John’s and two (or three?) Michaels. In one classroom - there were more per actual grade, and my graduating class was a paltry 150. I mean, do you _really_ need to name your kid Michael or Katelyn? Two of my very close friends in high school were variations on Kaitlin, and so one was forced to take up a nickname so we didn’t constantly have to say - and so she didn’t constantly have to ask - “which one?”. Have you ever really asked people if they like their names? I love my name, but most people are either ambivalent or outright hate their names and go by a different one (middle, nickname, etc). ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/248 "2010-04-19T19:24:35Z")
> [@Surly\_Chick](#): > > And Valerie. I hate it. But mostly because I hate someone named that… And to think I had to find out this way how you really feel about me. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/249 "2010-04-19T19:32:07Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I heard somewhere that “Madison” as a name was attributable to the 1984 film “Splash”. In which Darryl Hannah sees it on the street sign for Madison Ave and adopts it as her name. > > According to the Social Security office, the name doesn’t rank in the top thousand before 1984, was #628 in 1985, #366 in 1986, #107 by 1992, #10 by 1997 and is now the #4 girl’s name for a new baby (peaked in 2002 at #2). Not all because of “Splash” of course but that seems to be the genesis of it. > > Point being, I roll my eyes at the name Madison. Exactly the name I wanted to say, for the same reason. HEY PEOPLE, YOU’RE NAMING YOUR DAUGHTER AFTER A JOKE IN A MOVIE! ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/250 "2010-04-19T19:39:50Z")
> [@yellowval](#): > > And to think I had to find out this way how you really feel about me. Hah! The Val that I hate absolutely knows. Although I **did** have to check your location just to make sure that you are not she! ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/251 "2010-04-19T19:43:32Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > I know you’re being sarcastic, but yes. Top 200 or perhaps 400 even is unique enough that people have heard it and can pronounce it phonetically, but not so ridiculous that there are multiple kids with that name in a classroom of 25. Seriously, I had three Ericas in one class in high school, four John’s and two (or three?) Michaels. In one classroom - there were more per actual grade, and my graduating class was a paltry 150. > > I mean, do you _really_ need to name your kid Michael or Katelyn? Two of my very close friends in high school were variations on Kaitlin, and so one was forced to take up a nickname so we didn’t constantly have to say - and so she didn’t constantly have to ask - “which one?”. > > Have you ever really asked people if they like their names? I love my name, but most people are either ambivalent or outright hate their names and go by a different one (middle, nickname, etc). The problem is that it is extremely difficult to predict, in many cases, if there will be three children with the same name in one class. I’m pregnant right now and am finding myself in the position of wanting a name that’s not too popular (no top 100 for us), while trying to determine if the names we like are suddenly going to shoot through the roof in popularity. Is our name going to be the next Emma or Jacob? I have some names picked out that I thought were pretty safe, but now it seems like every pregnancy or naming board I visit has moms declaring those same names as their favorite. Do I really have to name my child Leonard or Gertrude just to avoid this? It’s beginning to seem like it, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/252 "2010-04-19T20:56:46Z")
When my friend named her daughter Ava 20 years ago, it was very unusual, practically unheard of. Now it’s in the top 10. I named my daughter Clara when it was #309, but it is shooting up the charts in popularity. You just can’t know. Just name your kid something reasonable that you like. ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/253 "2010-04-19T21:23:20Z")
Small aside. My husband and I recently adopted two little ones (brother and sister). We had been waiting for quite a while to be chosen and when our two came up I took one look and said, “These are our kids!” My husband looked at me like I was nuts. I hadn’t read anything, only looked at the profiles for a second. He asked what I meant and I proclaimed, “Look, their names are spelled correctly and normal!” Turns out they are perfect for us in every other way, too. Every other child we had considered/were being considered for had either trendy names (Caden, Cody, etc.) or extremely creative spellings. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/254 "2010-04-19T21:51:10Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > I know you’re being sarcastic, but yes. Top 200 or perhaps 400 even is unique enough that people have heard it and can pronounce it phonetically, but not so ridiculous that there are multiple kids with that name in a classroom of 25. Seriously, I had three Ericas in one class in high school, four John’s and two (or three?) Michaels. In one classroom - there were more per actual grade, and my graduating class was a paltry 150. > > I mean, do you _really_ need to name your kid Michael or Katelyn? Two of my very close friends in high school were variations on Kaitlin, and so one was forced to take up a nickname so we didn’t constantly have to say - and so she didn’t constantly have to ask - “which one?”. > > Have you ever really asked people if they like their names? I love my name, but most people are either ambivalent or outright hate their names and go by a different one (middle, nickname, etc). Second this one. I have three sisters, all of us born in the sixties. Of us, I had a Michael as an SO for eight years, one sister has both a husband and an ex-husband named Michael and one lived with a Michael for a few years. We used to joke that since 1946, every third male born in the US must be named Michael by law. 😛 It’s no better with generations that followed us. I have a 28 year old nephew who refers to most of his friends by last name just to avoid the confusion over which Chris or Josh. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/255 "2010-04-19T22:12:36Z")
I’ve never meet a Brianna I’ve liked. They’ve all been bitches. Double bitch points if you go by “bree.” ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/256 "2010-04-21T15:53:29Z")
I’m odd that I like the name Alexander but not Alex. Alex sounds like a homeless cat. Alexander is strong and powerful. If I ever have a kid named Alexander, I’m never shortening his name, even if I’m calling for him in a fire 😃 > [@yellowval](#): > > The problem is that it is extremely difficult to predict, in many cases, if there will be three children with the same name in one class. I’m pregnant right now and am finding myself in the position of wanting a name that’s not too popular (no top 100 for us), while trying to determine if the names we like are suddenly going to shoot through the roof in popularity. Is our name going to be the next Emma or Jacob? I have some names picked out that I thought were pretty safe, but now it seems like every pregnancy or naming board I visit has moms declaring those same names as their favorite. Do I really have to name my child Leonard or Gertrude just to avoid this? It’s beginning to seem like it, unfortunately. There’s always Hortese! 😉 That’ll never come back in popularity unless time travelers from the Victorian era take over the world. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/257 "2010-04-21T15:56:17Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > Have you ever really asked people if they like their names? I love my name, but most people are either ambivalent or outright hate their names and go by a different one (middle, nickname, etc). Sounds like a poll in the making. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/258 "2010-04-21T16:22:33Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > Have you ever really asked people if they like their names? I love my name, but most people are either ambivalent or outright hate their names and go by a different one (middle, nickname, etc). Not me - I hate my middle name. [Guess why](http://www.newsoftheweird.com/wayne.html). ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/259 "2010-04-22T02:28:56Z")
> [@yellowval](#): > > Is our name going to be the next Emma or Jacob? I have some names picked out that I thought were pretty safe, but now it seems like every pregnancy or naming board I visit has moms declaring those same names as their favorite. Do I really have to name my child Leonard or Gertrude just to avoid this? It’s beginning to seem like it, unfortunately. I’d never name my kid a name I saw several times on a naming/pregnancy board if you held a gun to my head. Sorry. I’ve worked with enough children (Children’s Museum intern, swim coach, et al) that I can tell you you do your kid a major disservice - and I mean _major_ disservice by giving them a popular name. > [@Sigmagirl](#): > > Sounds like a poll in the making. 🙂 You’re right, it would make a good poll; I’ll start it on Sunday night so it gets the full M-F treatment of a new thread. I’m not laying claim to the poll of course - if some doper is more inclined than me, they’re welcome to as well! ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991/260 "2010-04-22T07:22:17Z")
I have a very unusual first name - in almost 40 years, I’ve only ever heard of 2 other people with my name. Three days ago at the shops, I heard someone calling to a little girl, using my name! I went up to her and asked her to be sure I heard properly, and yes, not only does the little girl have the same name as me, there are 2 others in her kindy. So you really do never know what will become popular. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/names-you-loathe-and-why/535991.md?page=14)