# Weird, pretentious, or bizarre names... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 26, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566 "2014-08-26T16:34:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/81 "2014-08-28T16:52:43Z")
[QUOTE=Greg Charles;17674969 There’s a football announcer named Ian Eagle, but he pronounces it Eye-An. I kept thinking it should be “_I’m_ An Eagle”, which is at least grammatical. What does he do if he’s announcing a Philadelphia game? [/QUOTE] I grew up with a kid named Ian, which he pronounced “Yahn”. And I’ve told this story before, but I was a student teacher at a school once that used to have a girl, last name Salt, first name Pepper. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/82 "2014-08-28T17:59:42Z")
What’s in a name? > [@MeanJoe](#): > > What is the justification for this type of law? Declension. Putting it in terms of a feature we have in English, it’s like conjugation for nouns. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/83 "2014-08-28T18:09:43Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > For those not playing the home version, it’s Heather, spelled backwards. And I agree that it’s awful. > > And RE: my earlier post, that wasn’t a typo. People are naming their kids Neveah, which if you look carefully, is _ **not** _ heaven spelled backwards. :smack: Even worse. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/84 "2014-08-28T18:12:38Z")
_Semi_?! ---
**Author:** ![Philliam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/philliam/32/3011_2.png) [@Philliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philliam)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/85 "2014-08-28T18:28:24Z")
Before our daughter was born we used to plague our parents with claims that we were thinking of naming the kid one of the following: Mizithra Brie (everyone likes cheese, right?) Rotifer Stentor (think back to your Biology 101 class) If a boy - Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh (Chum-lee Fan-shaw) She’s all grown-up now but we still kid her about being Lil’ Rotifer sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/86 "2014-08-28T19:07:33Z")
My parents best friends had two daughters: Hope and Joy. I felt so sorry for them. Even as a child, I felt like they were somehow being set up for disappointment in life. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/87 "2014-08-28T19:21:01Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > _Semi_?! I’m picturing a freakishly large baby. Like 32 pounds at birth. Mouth full of teeth at birth, as well. Semi. ETA: facial hair. Baby’s got a moderate beard and 'stache at birth. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/88 "2014-08-28T19:28:42Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > I grew up with a kid named Ian, which he pronounced “Yahn”. He must be jealous of all the "Rafe"s (spelled Ralph). > [@](#): > > And I’ve told this story before, but I was a student teacher at a school once that used to have a girl, last name Salt, first name Pepper. And ditto on the pretell, but my mother had a student in the 1980s named Sunday Monday. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/89 "2014-08-28T20:27:24Z")
> [@MeanJoe](#): > > What is the justification for this type of law? Protecting kids from asshole parents. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/90 "2014-08-28T21:07:35Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Protecting kids from asshole parents. Just wait till your father gets home. ---
**Author:** ![Tess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@Tess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tess)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/91 "2014-08-28T21:17:28Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > My favorite bad name is Neveah, “Heaven-spelled-backwards.” Umm, maybe you should have filled that out before they gave you the pain pills. My mother spent years as an OB nurse. She swears every parent who used that name would declare the baby’s name was “Neveah,its heaven backwards.” Mom began to wonder if they all felt the need to explain how clever and original they were, or if Neveahitsheavenbackwards was becoming the newest trendy name. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/92 "2014-08-28T21:39:07Z")
Caitlin and its variations were popular for a while. I feel sure that most of those parents didn’t know that in the old country it’s pronounced kat-LEEN. If they knew, they might have named all those girls Kathleen. A couple we knew from college announced that their baby daughter Cami. The mother-to-be got downright peeved when I said that sounded good, and “you don’t have to be black to make up names for your kids.” Later, I found out that Cami is not a new name, and girls in my parents’ generation wore it. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/93 "2014-08-28T21:47:12Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > Caitlin and its variations were popular for a while. I feel sure that most of those parents didn’t know that in the old country it’s pronounced kat-LEEN. I was among the leading edge of those who thought it was a fine, old, slightly forgotten Celtic name and chose it in 1989. If I Had Only Known. One of my sources was a professor specializing in Irish, Gaelic and Welsh, who said the correct original pronunciation was “kaishLEEN,” but not to bother because everyone would say “Geshundheit.” As I’ve said, we choose fine old traditional first names but go a little wild on middle names. I’d bet there isn’t another person with my daughter’s two given names, no matter how common her first name got… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/94 "2014-08-28T21:53:06Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > A couple we knew from college announced that their baby daughter Cami. The mother-to-be got downright peeved when I said that sounded good, and “you don’t have to be black to make up names for your kids.” Later, I found out that Cami is not a new name, and girls in my parents’ generation wore it. Cartinly Camille and Camilla have been around for a long while. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/95 "2014-08-28T21:56:01Z")
Our neighbors named their little girl Sawyer. I’m always tempted to ask them if they plan on having a boy named Cobbler, or possibly Programmer. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/96 "2014-08-28T21:58:18Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Yeah, that reminded me of a family I knew growing up. They had six girls, all with “…een” names; Coleen, Darlene, Noreen, Marlene, etc. Keppt trying for a son and kept having daughters. The seventh baby was a boy and they named him Jerry.:smack: Do you know the McDonald’s? Probably not, but I went to school with Colleen, whose sisters (I think) were Janine, Maureen, and Darlene. Their brother was James. My nephew went to school with Xiounamey. I think I’m spelling that right. Pronounced like “tsunami.” …and I used to work with a Jesus who was nicknamed Zeus. Makes sense in pronunciation. “Hey, Zeus!” ---
**Author:** ![apollonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@apollonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apollonia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/97 "2014-08-28T22:57:56Z")
> [@Tess](#): > > My mother spent years as an OB nurse. She swears every parent who used that name would declare the baby’s name was “Neveah,its heaven backwards.” > > Mom began to wonder if they all felt the need to explain how clever and original they were, or if Neveahitsheavenbackwards was becoming the newest trendy name. The newest backwards name I have heard recently is “Legna.” “It’s angel spelled backwards!” I assume to go along with Nevaeh. I believe it’s supposed to be pronounced “Lehn-ya,” Italian-style, but on first glance looks like “Legg-nuh” which sounds too close to “smegma” for my liking. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/98 "2014-08-29T00:53:38Z")
There’s a Briaunnah in my daughter’s preschool. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/99 "2014-08-29T01:51:35Z")
I think Pepper is a great name, especially for a girl. Or a dog. Or a scooter. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/100 "2014-08-29T02:45:49Z")
> [@apollonia](#): > > The newest backwards name I have heard recently is “Legna.” “It’s angel spelled backwards!” I assume to go along with Nevaeh. I believe it’s supposed to be pronounced “Lehn-ya,” Italian-style, but on first glance looks like “Legg-nuh” which sounds too close to “smegma” for my liking. Jeez, what is the problem with just naming the kid Angel? Or Angela? You want them to be the opposite of an angel? Which people don’t become anyway – they become saints. I guess Tnias was too hard to pronounce?! “It’s Tee-nigh-ass, duh!” ETA: Ooo, it could be pronounced to rhyme with genius! This could work. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566.md?page=6)