# Sure, name your kid G'uennnhwuyFurr, but expect people to point and laugh **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 3, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233 "2003-10-03T00:28:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/121 "2003-10-06T03:22:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cher3 \* > \*\*But it turned out to be “Rohan.” \*\* Chalk up another one, I work with a 30-something **Rohan** who admits to Tolkein inspired parents. (I’ve also met a **Thorin** who said the same thing). ---
**Author:** ![Stage\_Manager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stage_manager/32/7267_2.png) [@Stage\_Manager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stage_Manager)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/122 "2003-10-06T05:26:44Z")
I know a guy in college named **Amadeus.** He doesn’t talk to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/123 "2003-10-06T18:10:02Z")
Rohan is a perfectably acceptable Indian boy’s name. I’m Indian-Goan & Maharashtrian- burdened with a name unusual even for my community. Anagha-which is close to impossible for most Americans given the language background needed to produce the “ghk” sound. Given that I’ve never met another Anagha under the age of 50, I’m pretty certain my parents named me the Indian equivalent of “Edith” or Mildred. Usually, I end up skulking around as “Anu,” which is pretty common. ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/124 "2003-10-06T19:19:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baker \* > **…So my kids would have been Thomas Walter Dale and John Steven Desmond.** **Baker** , that’s quite a coincidence. My eight-month old son is named Walter Desmond. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/125 "2003-10-06T19:48:24Z")
OTOH, always check the Social Security Popular Names list when you have a baby. We took forever to find a name for the now-6-month-old baby. I liked Sarah (esp. my husband’s ancestress Sarah Justice, I thought that would be a great name to have), but we discarded that one because Sarah was so popular and every other kid we knew was a Sarah. Once she was born, she was clearly an Emily, and Emily she therefore is. A week later, we found out that Emily was the single most popular name in the US last year. Sigh. Might as well have named her Jennifer. Oh well, I take comfort in the way she was so obviously Emily. Even worse, I’ve always loved Jacob for a boy, and it’s #1 too. ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/126 "2003-10-31T19:56:21Z")
We’ve had our MiniDillos’ names picked out for a while. For girls, we like Zoe, Arianna, and Rhiannon. Are these mock-worthy? Tell me now, so I don’t have to pointed and laughed at when I’m vastly pregnant and therefore hormonal and insane. I’m of Mexican and Italian descent, and his family is Czech, so I guess we fall into the category of muttley-Americans who pick Irish/Welsh/Gaelic/Celtic names with no similar ethnic background, with Rhiannon. I am fascinated with fairy tales, myths, legends, and fokelore, and have several volumes of Celtic and Welsh mythology. I don’t claim to be any sort of expert on the subject in any way at all, I just thought Rhiannon was a beautiful name. I’ve wanted to name my first daughter Zoe since I was a young pup. Checking the Social Security list, I see that it’s steadily climbing in popularity, from #502 in 1990, to #61 in 2002. By the time we get around to having kids, it’ll probably be the new Madison. Sigh. ~mixie ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/127 "2003-10-31T20:06:41Z")
I dig Zoe, but be warned that it is the name of a small, frenetic muppet. That probably accounts for much of its recent popularity. 🙂 Arianna is a lovely name, but be prepared for Rhiannon to be subjected to countless Fleetwood Mac jokes throughout her lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/128 "2003-10-31T20:20:58Z")
> [@](#): > > **mrsface** On another note - one thing I’m noticing here in the UK is the baffling popularity of “leigh” in girls’ names - eg: Ashleigh, Kayleigh, Amberleigh, and the latest - Kimberleigh. Why “leigh”? Where does this come from? To me it looks like a misspelling of “ly” or “lee”, but maybe I’m just a name snob. Leigh, with that precise spelling (albeit among others) is an old English name which has been around for centuries. It means “clearing in the woods” or “meadow”. It’s been used frequently as both a first and a last name, by males and females, since the 1600’s. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/129 "2003-10-31T21:49:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Obvious \* > \*\*We are so tired of these stupid ass names. Sioban, Katelyn, Hewie…what are you people high? Whatever happened to regular names like Bob and Jenny? > > Get over yourselves…just because your kid has Welsh name or an African chieftain name, doesn’t change the fact that your double-wide needs a new roof and welfare only gets paid twice a month, inspite of your $50-a-day crack habit. > > Sincerely, > > Lemonjello and Orangejello Smith > > 🙂 \*\* Dear Mr and Mr Smith, Apparently you are not up on current list of what’s hot in baby names. The names that are to be the new ‘Jennifer’ and ‘Britney’ are old fashioned names: Sophia Isabelle Emily Olivia etc Your pal, Babs (who was crushed to find out this out and is due in two months!) Guin, I like name Olga, too. It’s a family name. Alas, Mr Baboon has nixed it. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/130 "2003-10-31T22:07:26Z")
The absolute worst is names that sound okay in one language, but are laughably horrible in another. Just like the poor Indian fellow who (I kid you not) was named “Ramee Updias”. Say it out loud … 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/131 "2003-11-01T00:45:37Z")
I had a student whose parents apparently liked French names. They named her son _Jauckque._ In college I had a friend with eight long names and they were not even short ones. We called her “Sonny.” That wasn’t one of them. I am SO OLD that I didn’t know anyone named _Debbie_ until Debbie Reynolds became well known in the mid- 1950’s. _Brittany_ was ONLY a place name. _Madison_ was a city in Wisconsin and an Avenue in NYC until the movie _Splash_ came out. _Emily, Isabelle, Amy, Grace, Samantha_ and _Anna_ were hopelessly dated. (These are favorites of mine now.) I think I’ve decided to add a name to my original given name. My maiden name was Welsh and I think that I will add _Bronwyn_ to it. It makes me feel like a small brown bird and seems appropriate for “the autumn of my years.” > [@](#): > > **belladonna** : I dig Zoe, but be warned that it is the name of a small, frenetic muppet. That probably accounts for much of its recent popularity. Are you calling me a sock puppet, dearie? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/132 "2003-11-01T02:46:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hibernicus \* > By the way, London\_Calling, Farquhar is not Norman but Scottish. It corresponds to the Irish name Fearrchair which is anglicised as Farraher. The “quh” is an attempt to render the Scottish “ch”. Well I’m farquhed, I had no idea. Thanks hibernicus, who might sound Roman in origin but isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/133 "2003-11-01T05:15:01Z")
Wouldn’t it be weird to have a common first and last name – like Jack Jones – then put in a really bizarre middle name: Rings-Around-the-Moon-Two-Cheeseburgers-Annna-Pepsi-Holloway? ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/134 "2003-11-01T05:28:03Z")
> [@](#): > > **MixieArmadillo** : I’ve wanted to name my first daughter Zoe since I was a young pup. Checking the Social Security list, I see that it’s steadily climbing in popularity, from #502 in 1990, to #61 in 2002. _Really_? Are you serious? It’s gaining in popularity? You’re not going to believe this, but I’ve always wanted to name my daughter _Mixie Aemadillo_. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/135 "2003-11-01T07:29:27Z")
“I have an Indian girlfriend. Her name is Urvashi, and really nobody in my family can say her name yet. I think I heard my brother call her Earth Shoe, and I know last Thanksgiving my dad called her Herbalife.” - Kate Clinton The thing that drives me nuts is the way people misspell my first name with one T (Mathew). Matthew is the most common damn spelling of the name! Are you Christian? It’s spelled the Exact Same Way as the first book in the New Testament!! (Of course, the new misspelling I’ve been encountering is Matthiew, which is kind of understandable considering it’s mostly French-speakers who make it - the equivalent name in French is Mathieu.) ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/136 "2003-11-01T15:21:17Z")
Last week, I met a cute six year old girl. Her name was **BABY**. I’m sure she won’t get teased in High School :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Corrvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbce88/32.png) [@Corrvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corrvin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/137 "2003-11-01T15:45:19Z")
> [@](#): > > Cornelia was my mother’s name, and yes, her nickname was Corny, but I think it’s a lovely name. My great-grandmother was a Cornelia and went by Nell. I think it’s a lovely name, although probably that’s mostly because I hold high admiration for my great-grandmother, long feared as the terror of the neighborhood children (“Don’t you step on those flowers!”). As for the -leigh names-- I’ve run across one that will haunt my nightmares forever. It was a child named after the motorcycle. H-A-R-L-E-I-G-H. > [@](#): > > I think the worst ever (first and middle) was Bad Fuck. Mom said she named him after his father. And no one’s suggested the Welsh version, Badh Leigh, yet? > [@](#): > > Wouldn’t it be weird to have a common first and last name – like Jack Jones – then put in a really bizarre middle name: Rings-Around-the-Moon-Two-Cheeseburgers-Annna-Pepsi-Holloway? It is weird, but I like it. Of course, MY middle name isn’t nearly as hyphenated as yours. I like the three N’s in Annna, though. May I subject our firstborn to that? (A.) Corrvin (Smith), one of two Corrvins that I know ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/138 "2003-11-01T21:57:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tapioca Dextrin \* > \*\*Last week, I met a cute six year old girl. Her name was **BABY**. I’m sure she won’t get teased in High School :rolleyes: \*\* Heh. \ **NOBODY puts Baby in a corner** \ Is that how you spell Swayze? I knew a girl named Christal Chlear. I swear. Brittney makes me think of dogs. Brittney Terriers? My sister-in-law’s sisters are Hannah, Ruth and Chelsea. She’s an Amy. She hates it. Her brother is Sam. Her stepbrother is Logan. A friend I had in High School was named Tanyale (Tan YELL) Her seven brothers and sisters were all T names. **Turquoise** was the most memorable. I don’t plan on procreating, but names for animals are always being bandied around here. Our newest (kitten) is Jacob Murphy Chambers. (think the Dark Tower Series, the Murphy is because of the sounds he makes when he meows). Other names: Duncan Connor (great names, and Highlander references) Chester Tucker Samantha/Samuel (Sam) Paul Logan (Logan’s Run) Isaac (Asimov) Arthur (C. Clarke) etc. I’m a Nicole. I hate it. It’s great for others, but it just doesn’t fit me. I’m a Niki. ONE K! ONE ONE ONE ONE ONE! Not two, no C, or H or Q or anything. Grrr. My SO is Cameron. I ADORE that name. Always have. However, every eight year old boy seems to be named Cameron. As for twins, I have twin friends who grew up with the names Rebecca and Elizabeth. As little kids, they were Becky and Betsy. But at school, they didn’t have to have cutesy matching names. Very smart. I also know a family who’s parents gave them all names that were appropriate if they were to be president one day. Samuel Ford Johnson. But, to his friends, he’s Sammy. Nice. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/139 "2003-11-02T22:53:23Z")
> [@](#): > > Our newest (kitten) is Jacob Murphy Chambers. (think the Dark Tower Series, the Murphy is because of the sounds he makes when he meows). Isn’t Jake actually short for John, in the books? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233/140 "2003-11-02T23:10:52Z")
There was a human interest story in the New York Daily News about twins. I do not remember what the story was actually about but there was a shot with a young mother and her two twins. Beautiful babies. Their names? Alize and Hennessy. I guess that’s what she and her boyfriend were drinking that night in the back seat of their car. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-name-your-kid-guennnhwuyfurr-but-expect-people-to-point-and-laugh/205233.md?page=8)