# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/101 "2014-08-29T03:50:39Z")
> [@PeskiPiksi](#): > > Is it too soon for another “You named your kid _what_?” thread? Because I just saw the list of kids in my son’s pre-k class and felt like sharing. 😃 In one class we have: > > Jaxsen > Jaylen > Kai > King > Kinleigh > Maleyah > Ripley > Semi > > Some of these are more out there than others, I admit. I’m dying to meet Ripley (is that a girl?) and find out if she’s named after the character in the Aliens movies. (Kinda cool, actually, IMHO.) That might be a mom I could be friends with, even if I did go with normal, non-trendy, old-fashioned names for my own kids. > > Anybody else have some good names to contribute from the back-to-school lists? Kai is a perfectly acceptable named in Hawaii… ---
**Author:** ![MrsTime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@MrsTime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrsTime)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/102 "2014-08-29T05:47:08Z")
Then there are the fairly common names that become weird. The friend who’s last name was Parker and wanted to name a boy Carr, or the fellow who’s last name was Harry, married a girl maned Mary, or terry, I thought Very would make a good name. ---
**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, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/103 "2014-08-29T14:12:58Z")
> [@MrsTime](#): > > the fellow who’s last name was Harry, married a girl maned Mary, or terry, I thought Very would make a good name. This is only an issue if you think all those words have the same vowel sound. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![right\_said\_fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@right\_said\_fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/right_said_fred)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/104 "2014-08-29T18:44:36Z")
A knew a music teacher that named his daughter Amanda Lynn. The marriage did not last long enough to produce a proposed sister, Claire Annette. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/105 "2014-08-29T21:26:28Z")
> [@Turpentine](#): > > My husband and I have an ongoing joke about the stupid yewnique names that middle class suburbanite white Gen Xers give their kids. When we see toddlers in public being annoying, we whisper to eachother what their name might be. We guess possible names like Palin, Gryler, Quinoa, Blayden, Grayden, Maydenne, Kevlar, Bucket, Pointer…you get the idea. > > It’s become shorthand between us. We know not to eat at certain restaurants at certain times because it’s bound to be a “Gryler-fest”, and maybe we should hold off until later. One of these days somebody’s going to actually name their kid “Gryler” and I’m going to laugh my ass off. Hahahahaaaaaa! “Gryler-fest!” That rules! ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/106 "2014-08-29T21:37:24Z")
> [@Philliam](#): > > Rotifer Stentor (think back to your Biology 101 class) > She’s all grown-up now but we still kid her about being Lil’ Rotifer sometimes. That’'s so cool!! I used to have a herd of Sea Monkeys who were all named “Rotifer,” except one. So I’d introduce them as, “Rotifer, Rotifer, Rotifer, Rotifer, Rotifer, Rotifer, Rotifer, Rotifer, and Skip.” ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/107 "2014-08-30T14:14:54Z")
> [@Lasciel](#): > > Just so this isn’t a total hijack, I attended college with someone named Precious. It wasn’t Precious Love was it? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/108 "2014-08-30T14:26:02Z")
> [@Arrendajo](#): > > I think Pepper is a great name, especially for a girl. Or a dog. Or a scooter. Or a condiment. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/109 "2014-08-30T14:40:13Z")
JonBenet ETA: And my daughter goes to school with a Zzyzx (pronounced Zy-zicks) ---
**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 30, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/110 "2014-08-30T15:56:27Z")
> [@Arrendajo](#): > > I think Pepper is a great name, especially for a girl. Or a dog. Or a scooter. I knew a guy with one white, one black cairn terriers. Salt & Pepper. ---
**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 30, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/111 "2014-08-30T15:59:01Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > This is only an issue if you think all those words have the same vowel sound. 🙂 They do, in most English dialects and without excessive inflection. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/112 "2014-08-30T16:29:20Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > They do, in most English dialects and without excessive inflection. Not to rehash this, but what do you mean by excessive inflection? I just say the words normally and the vowel sounds are different. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/113 "2014-08-30T18:51:02Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Urea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Urea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urea)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/114 "2014-08-30T22:41:37Z")
I don’t actually have kids of my own, but I’m suppose I’m quite young so my peers have atypical names, at least to me. Some of them just aren’t common American names while others are a bit hippie. I could go on forever, but they include: Moth Marielena Ilee (eye-lee) Wren Zayah Havanah Arwyn Quincifer Kaz River Sunshine Kellen Souvaghini (soh-VA-guh-knee) Syrus (sigh-rus) Rowan Kiddest (ki-DEST) Also, it’s hard to tell what’s common anymore. Among girls, I see lots of Sophie variations, Rachels, and Emmas/Emilys. If I did an inventory of people who are named Daisy or a variation of Lily (Lillie, Lilly, Lillith), it’d be about ten. With guys, the current 2013/2014 baby names list applies well, even if the people I know weren’t born yesterday. Most notable of all, perhaps, is a guy named Buster. What a Buster. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/115 "2014-08-30T22:55:51Z")
Quincifer - A cross between Quincy and Lucifer? Souvaghini - A dish combining souvlaki and pasta? I can tell you, Emily is pretty common these days, more so than when I was born. The other day I was riding the bus with a group of kids from a day camp. One of them (a boy) was named Tanner. Not as bad as some of the other names in this thread, but it’s a name I hadn’t heard before. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/116 "2014-08-30T22:57:10Z")
> [@Urea](#): > > Wren […] River […] Syrus […] Rowan [Wren](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Wren), [River](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Tam) and [Rowan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowan_Atkinson) are all fine names. Syrus would make more sense to me it was spelled [Cyrus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_the_Great). Maybe it’s referring to something else, though. As for the rest, well… mixed bag, I guess. Arwyn and Kellen may sound a bit hippyish, but I’m pretty sure they’re perfectly cromulent Welsh names (and Arwyn just sounds lovely, too). But Moth? Seriously? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/117 "2014-08-30T23:07:22Z")
I’ve known Jeanna (pronounced Gina) literally her whole life, almost 30 years. ---
**Author:** ![Urea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Urea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urea)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/118 "2014-08-30T23:48:14Z")
Arwyn makes me think of Arwen, a high elf in lotr. Definitely a pretty name. Moth, Rainbow, Sunshine, Onyx, and Lyric… all real names. ---
**Author:** ![DingoelGringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DingoelGringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DingoelGringo)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/119 "2014-08-30T23:52:40Z")
> [@MeanJoe](#): > > We are expecting our first in February, a girl. So our discussions (negotiations) on baby names continues on a daily basis. Over the last 48 hours these two conversations occurred: > > Wife: How about Mal? I like that name. > Me: Really? _amused look_ > Wife: What? > Me: As in Mal from Firefly? > Wife: Oh, yeah. I still like that name, Mal. > Me: We can always name her Mallory and just call her Mal. _big grin_ > > And then this morning… > > Wife: How about River? A snowboard flows down a mountain like a River. (I am an avid snowboarder) > Me: _amused look_ River… as in River Tam? > Wife: Who? Oh, from Firefly. I still like that name, River. > Me: Me too baby, me too. _big grin_ > > Clearly I have been a positive impact to my wife’s culture influences. And I don’t think either option is weird, pretentious, or bizarre… right? Since mal means bad in Spanish and presumably other Romance languages I’d stay away from it if she is ever going to be near Latinos, and she will. ---
**Author:** ![DingoelGringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DingoelGringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DingoelGringo)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566/120 "2014-08-30T23:53:40Z")
And there is always La-a. How is it pronounced? The dash isn’t silent. It is Ladasha! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pretentious-or-bizarre-names/696566.md?page=7)