# What are your favorite and least favorite names? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 25, 2002, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487 "2002-04-25T02:58:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/1 "2002-04-25T02:58:34Z")
What are your favorite names? If you had (or will have) children, would you use those names for your children? Why or why not? And if you have any least favorite names, what are they and why? Remember, guys: this is IMHO, not the Pit! (so please don’t slag other people’s choices; if you must, do so politely) Mine are: (well, the ones I can remember, anyways…) **Favorite Names** [ul] [li]Soren (I used to have a crush on someone named Soren; while I like the name, I wouldn’t necessarily name a Chinese baby that)[/li][li]Jesse, Nick (Nicholas), and Trevor (I remember my three big crushes on people with these names… ah, the memories! Of course, I am aware that naming your child after your past crushes is not a good thing to do, but I like these names on their own merits, too. 😛 )[/li][li]Nina (I used to know a girl named Nina, and thought it was a really pretty name; I would choose it for my child)[/li][li]Tatiana (I read \*[Nicholas and Alexandra/i] by Robert Massie, and liked the name Tatiana; I’d choose it for my child)[/li][li]Sebastian (I used to know someone in elementary school that was named Sebastian, and I liked that name even then; I might choose this name for my child)[/li][li]Eleanor (I used to have a friend with this name; I might choose it for my child)[/li][li]Gloria (I know several people with this name, and always thought it pretty; I’d choose it for my child)[/li][li]Bronwen (this is a pretty name, but I might not choose it for my child simply because it sounds “clashy” with a Chinese surname)[/li][li]James (I’ve always liked this name; and I’d choose it for my child)[/li][li]Claire (the name of one of my favorite characters in the _Outlander_ series by Diana Gabaldon; I’d choose it for my child if it didn’t sound too clashy with a one-syllable Chinese surname, or I might go with Clara instead)[/li][li]Damien (for some reason, I think this name is a stong name)[/li][li]Scott (I know a good many people with this name, but I think what cemented it in my affections was when I met a boy named Scott at the summer camp I went to; is it any wonder why I like the names Matthew and Paul also? [his brothers] ) {no, this is not about **scott evil**! 😛 :rolleyes:}[/li][li]Sarah, Ryan, Brian. Jessica, Eric, Patrick, and Karen (I’ve always liked these names, but probably wouldn’t choose them for my child simply because they might be too popular… then again, they do say go with what your heart desires, so you never know)[/li][li]Graham (reminds me of an excellent drummer at my high school; I’d choose it for my child)[/li][/ul] **Least Favorite Names** [ul] [li]Britney (two words: Britney Spears; I wouldn’t mind if it was spelled “Brittany”, though)[/li][li]Petrina (somehow, that name just doesn’t appeal to me; if I wanted to name my child with a feminine form of the name Peter, I’d name her Petra)[/li][li]Shane (that name just has bad associations for me; in elementary school, a kid by that name always bugged me)[/li][li]Leanne (same as above, only this girl and I fought all the way from elementary school to high school)[/li][li]Terrence (I don’t know why I don’t like the name; maybe it’s because I prefer “Terry” and “Terrence” sounds too formal)[/li][li]Ellen (I have a friend called Ellen, and I like her just fine; however, I find it sounds too much like “Helen”)[/li][li]Cynthia (for some reason, I picture a way serious, pedantic person whenever I think of this name; I prefer Cindy because to me, it sounds more light-hearted)[/li][li]Humphrey, Gertrude, and Louise: for some reason, I keep picturing old people in my head whenever I hear these names![/li][li]Chloris (in a book I was reading quite some time ago, this was the name of one of the characters; the character was all right, but I wouldn’t choose the name itself for my child)[/li][li]Gladys (I know two people with that name; they’re all right, but somehow I don’t like the name, I don’t know why)[/li][li]Maximillian (the name makes me think of some huge overlord who has control of everything and everyone; if I wanted to name my child that, I’d change it to “Maxwell”)[/li][li]Alyssa, Alissa, etc. (to my mind, they sound too much like Melissa)[/li][/ul] **Standard Disclaimer 1:** No, I am not a one-trick pony! I am well aware that I have started exactly **one** thread about names in the time I’ve been here, and that wasn’t even started until last week sometime, I believe. I’m just interested in names, that’s all. Just in case any of you had any doubts, that should clear it right up. **Standard Disclaimer 2:** If anyone here has any of the names on their “least liked” lists (or has chosen them for their children), let it be understood that we’re not maligning these names, as such. Sometimes people simply do not like a name, but that does not mean that they don’t like people who have that name or choose it for their child. (I would hope) People are so much more than the names they have or choose for their children. **Standard Disclaimer 3:** I am aware that I may not marry a Chinese guy, but I am working on that assumption. If I happen to marry a non-Chinese guy, then I might use the names I deem too “clashy” for people with Chinese surnames! **Standard Disclamer 4:** I am not against popular names, but sometimes they can be TOO popular, y’know? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/2 "2002-04-25T03:06:12Z")
Alanna is my all-time favourite girls name (Australian pronounciation: Uh-LAH-nah). James is current front runner for favourite boys name, although I also love Thomas. I’m about to try to email you - if it happens that you have your email address concealed, could you email me instead? ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/3 "2002-04-25T03:17:31Z")
“Cynthia (for some reason, I picture a way serious, pedantic person whenever I think of this name; I prefer Cindy because to me, it sounds more light-hearted)” I have a serious, pedantic friend named Cynthia. Actually, she’s got kind of a split personality. Sometimes she’s serious and pedantic, and the rest of the time she acts like she’s four (actual age: 20). Favourite Names: Gabriel Augusta- I have a stuffed hippo by that name. Anyone get it? Please? I know it’s silly. Sigh. Lillias Michael Eric Rowan Least Favourite: Winnifred Frank Howard Randolph Phyllis I’m also a Diana Gabaldon fan, but I’m afraid that Claire (as a name) still isn’t one of my favourites. Geillis is cool, though. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2002, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/4 "2002-04-25T03:55:38Z")
Favourite names: Cynthia Cassandra (although due to its mythological connotations, I wouldn’t use it for a child - maybe for a cat.) Artemis Kevin François Gaétan Dimitri Alexandra Zoé Tom ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/5 "2002-04-25T04:01:35Z")
I’ve got a few favourites, but NO: 1 in my list of ‘Oh My God, How Could Your Parents Have Been So Cruel’ names is… WAYNE. Every ‘Wayne’ I’ve met has fitted my prejudiced perceptions unfortunately. And that name is followed closely by Narelle, Cheryl, Darlene, Charlene and anything else ending in ‘ene’. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/6 "2002-04-25T07:51:24Z")
**cazzle** , I got your email… thanks for the info. I’ll check the site out and let you know about it, one way or the other! 🙂 **Lissla** , you like Diana Gabladon, too? That’s so cool! I’m not going to say any more than that, otherwise at least a part of this will get moved to Cafe Society. (which I do not want) It’s true that Geillis sounds like one of those interesting foreign names (and I don’t dislike the name because of the character), but not with my heritage, perhaps. But if it works for you, then all the more power to you! Go for it, I say! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/7 "2002-04-25T11:49:30Z")
**Favourite** Luke Phoebe Diana Meredith Caroline Ruby Illyria Lots of things beginning with L: Lola, Lyra, Leia, Lois, Laurel, Lauren, Lyrie Felicity Gabriel Juliet Hmm. There aren’t many boys names that I really, really like, but that’s OK, because I’d only ever call my child Luke. **Much Disliked** Hannah Kelly Rachel Donna All those awful Aussie cricketer names: Wayne/Shane etc Any of those US starletty names: Britney/Madison etc UK cleaning lady names: Gladys, Brenda, Mavis, Doris, Ethel US surname names: Chesterton, Clayton, Benson etc There are scillions more, but it would take forever. ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/8 "2002-04-25T13:05:53Z")
Likes: Sophia Olivia Frances Catherine James Charles Hannah Dislikes I second Wayne and any female name ending with -ene Misty Mandy any name ending with -inda Tammy Dawn Chastity (odd to name a kid something that was not possible in order for the kid to arrive in the first place?) Mindy ---
**Author:** ![fizzestothetop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@fizzestothetop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizzestothetop)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/9 "2002-04-25T13:07:23Z")
I kinda collect names and at home I have over 80 pages of names (most of them are unusal) but alas I don’t have my favorites with em so I’ll have to remember them off the top of my head. For girls I like: Ashton Nadine Kirby (its my best friend’s name and she’s a girl, I adore it) Arwen Beth Blythe Mae (as a middle name) Coralie I’m sure there are more, but I can’t quiet think of them now. For boys I like: Darren Stanley Alexakis (as in Art Alexakis, cause he’s just cool) Alexakis James (just so I could call him AJ) Nicholas/Nikolas Trent Troy Caden Logan Brady Noah Jackson Dominick Some of the names I really dislike are: Bertha (any parent to name their child Bertha deserves to suffer cruel and unusal punishment) Any over the top spellings of traditional names such as Genypher or Typhanie, or Mikal (Michael). Overly popular names like Britney, Ashley, Adam, Brian, Jessica, and Kaitlyn. There’s a dozen of each at every corner. Names that are just plain silly like Precious Angel, Sugar, Star, Candy (Candice is fine, but just Candy is a no-no) or any others that could be miscontrued as a future porn star name. I’m also not real fond of Rob, Roy, Todd, Bob, Ed, Eddie, Paul, Peter, Mary Joe, Dan, or anything else that is just rather plain and uninteresting. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/10 "2002-04-25T13:18:12Z")
I DO like Irish names (for the most part) especially Finbar! My youngest kid almost got this one, except his old man kicked up a stink. And for some reason, I’m partial to some feminized blokey names like Georgia and Philippa but NOT Danielle or Josephine (although Josie is pretty cool). ---
**Author:** ![Simetra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Simetra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simetra)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/11 "2002-04-25T14:39:41Z")
Favs [ul] [li]Alexander[/li][li]Celes[/li][li]Charity[/li][li]Cor/Cora (I have a “c” name thing)[/li][/ul] Un-Favs [ul] [li]Patrick/Patricia[/li][li]Cheryl (or any derivation thereof eg. Cher, Sherry, etc…)[/li][li]Gary[/li][li]Any “ey” name eg. Britney, Courtney, etc…[/li][/ul] This is the much abridged list. ---
**Author:** ![Serendipity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Serendipity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serendipity)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/12 "2002-04-25T15:29:27Z")
I used to keep a gigantic list of names I loved, but I’m sure if I looked back on it now I’d be appalled at my lack of taste. 😉 Moving on to names I’m fond of now… **Favorites** Catherine (but not Katie) Emma Sophie/Sophia Celes Kirby Aidan Stephen (but not Steve) Juliana Sebastian Luke (but not Lucas) **Names That I Would Never Give My Children** Richard Cheryl Heather (although one of my closest friends is named Heather, I’m not a big fan of it in general) Austin, Madison, Dakota, and most trendy place names (Heather’s brother wanted to name his soon-to-be-born son Dublin, but thankfully his wife talked him into changing it to Liam Patrick) Wayne (my God, do I hate this name) Pamela Nicholas George Eric ---
**Author:** ![Ludo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Ludo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludo)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/13 "2002-04-25T15:45:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fizzestothetop \* > **For boys I like: > Logan** Hey! Thatsa my name! Logan is a wonderful name, and I stand firmly behind anyone who wishes to name their child that. Except for me. Logan, Jr. just sounds silly. Actually, all Jr’s sound silly to me. Names I like: Judy Jane Josh (I like the J names 🙂 ) Cecil 😃 j/k, Cecil is fine for our patron saint, but it just sounds too basebally. Sara (without an ‘H’) Names I don’t like: Everything else 😃 Well, not everything else, I’m open to suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/14 "2002-04-25T17:50:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cazzle \* > \*\*Alanna is my all-time favourite girls name (Australian pronounciation: Uh-LAH-nah). \*\* ::doing happy dance:: Alanna is my mid-dle name, doo-dah, doo-dah… ---
**Author:** ![Simetra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Simetra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simetra)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/15 "2002-04-25T18:00:51Z")
Oh… I forgot. I wanted to add in a name that I can’t decide whether or not I love it or hate it. **Amarice**. I met a girl once with this name. She was this tiny little thing, ya know, 5 foot nothing and a 100 lbs. soaking wet. She pronounced it AH-mah-rees. Something about the name just totally fit her, but I don’t know if it would fit anyone else. It’s a pretty sounding name, but it also sounds kinda like avarice which wouldn’t be such a great name. Either way, I can’t decide whether or not I love it or hate it. So, there ya go, one name for the fence. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/16 "2002-04-25T18:12:09Z")
Like for boys: Joshua, David, Ethan, Jacob, Justin, Nathan, Samuel, Caleb, Jack, Jake, Declan. Like for girls: Amanda, Catherine, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Sarah, Jane, Virginia, Victoria, Molly, Anne. Dislike for boys: Geoffrey, Dwayne, Calvin, Denis (though I don’t mind it if it’s spelled with TWO “l’s,” otherwise I can’t help but want to pronounce it as “Dee-nis,” rhymes with…well, you know), Mortimer, Hubert. Dislike for girls: Tiffany, Brittany, Ashley, Dawn, Mabel, Opal. Particularly dislike: Any deliberate misspelling for cuteness’ sake (i.e., Syndie, Mikel, Mollye, etc.). Particularly like: Charlotte Nicole, Jason Nicholas, Sheila Marie. (OK, I admit it–these are my kids’ names! :D) ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/17 "2002-04-25T20:33:36Z")
I’m due with a girl in early August so have been thinking about names a lot. For girls I like heavy English or Biblical names. Here is my list of top choices: Abigail Eleanor Anna Alice Charlotte Katherine Sarah Caroline Hannah I also like Margaret and Madeline but our last name starts with M and I don’t care for the aliteration. Today Alice is the front runner out of the names above, though no middle name chosen yet. If we go with Anna the middle name will be Katherine and if Abigail it will be Margaret. Names I don’t like are any of the current trendy ones such as Jordan, Jayden, Makenna, or Caitlin (a lovely classic badly overused right now). I really dislike the use of surnames as first names like Payton or Taylor, and cannot stand names that have been creatively misspelled such as Madisyn or Abbygaile or (god forbid) Gessika. For boys names I like Solomon, Joshua, David and Benjamin - again heavy on the Biblical influence. Twiddle ---
**Author:** ![Pencepon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@Pencepon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pencepon)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/18 "2002-04-26T01:02:07Z")
I like names that have dignity and substance, and don’t sound ridiculous on an eighty-year-old. (We hope these kids will be eighty someday, don’t we?) Names from the Bible are good, although I met a girl not long ago named Oholibama, and no matter how firmly rooted in the Bible it may be, that is over the top. I don’t like “thing” names: jewels (Ruby, Opal, Pearl, etc.); plants (Heather, Fern); flowers (Rose, Pansy, Daisy, etc.); animals (Fawn, Doe, Coyote, whatever) - probably some of the names I like could have had roots in names for animate or inanimate objects, but I want that relationship to be so abstract that I am completely unaware of it. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/19 "2002-04-26T02:04:08Z")
I like my name, it’s the prettiest of all, but I wouldn’t name my kid that way. 🙂 I prefer: Gabriel/Gabriela Aurora Alejandro Sofía I don’t like: María Luis José Carlos is very pretty, but I’m surrounded by them! (Many guys, friends named Carlos, and my name is one third a Carlos!) ---
**Author:** ![NardoPolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NardoPolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NardoPolo)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487/20 "2002-04-26T11:06:02Z")
Favorite Name: **Ginger** You see, **Ginger** means gentle. As in, “he touched her arm gingerly.” And yet **Ginger** is also a fairly flamboyant spice. And it is this inherent self contradiction that best captures the essence of all that is good about humanity. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-and-least-favorite-names/105487.md?page=2)