# What awful baby name could this have been? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 3, 2017, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-awful-baby-name-could-this-have-been/785771 "2017-05-03T12:29:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-awful-baby-name-could-this-have-been/785771/61 "2017-05-05T21:21:05Z")
“Klaus” from A Series of Unfortunate Events “Gilbert” from Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell (or the Anne books which are back on TV again) “Seeley” from Bones (who isn’t really that much of a reader - but is book adjacent) “Everett” from Backstrom Either “Hap” or “Leonard” from Hap and Leonard Some name from Shannara (I don’t know if any of the characters is “a reader” but the names are all things that could be inflicted on some kid) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-awful-baby-name-could-this-have-been/785771/62 "2017-05-05T22:26:36Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Mackenzie. Wait, what’s wrong with “Mackenzie?” ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-awful-baby-name-could-this-have-been/785771/63 "2017-05-05T23:33:13Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Spelled “Damien,” it was also the name of the little-boy-Antichrist in the Seventies movie _The Omen_. Also no particular literary tie-in that I can think of. Damien Echols is an avid reader who has published an autobiography that is supposed to be very good, although I have not read it. As much as most people regard him as innocent, a lot of people might think it’s bad luck to name a child after someone who spent years on death row. > [@Miller](#): > > Wait, what’s wrong with “Mackenzie?” Nothing. I just meant it was once a top baby name, that is now the name of mothers of preschoolers. It was one of those names that came out of nowhere (though, I have a theory that girls who watched _One Day at a Time_ as pre- and early adolescents became enamored of it, and 10-15 years later, gave it to their daughters), was popular for about ten years, and pretty much disappeared. It will probably re-emerge in another 25 years. Some names really mark a person as being born during a particular time: Mackenzie is one. Jennifer is another. 95% of Jennifers you meet will be Gen-Xers. On the other hand, there’s no telling when an “Elizabeth” was born. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-awful-baby-name-could-this-have-been/785771/64 "2017-05-05T23:38:44Z")
My top contenders are these (in this order): Sherlock Tyrion Brick Oscar I don’t care that Benedict Cucumber, or whatever his name is, has a large following. Probably most of the people objecting are older relatives who don’t want to get into his pants, and maybe don’t even know who he is. BTW, I’ve given that show a shot (actually, about five shots), and I always end up doing something else and miss the end, and don’t care. I should try doing five shots and watching it, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-awful-baby-name-could-this-have-been/785771/65 "2017-05-06T00:11:44Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Wait, what’s wrong with “Mackenzie?” It’s a bit odd to call a girl “son of” anyone. I was re-reading “The Bonfire of the Vanities” recently, and the “hero” seemed to have a little daughter named “Campbell”. It seems strange to use family names as given names, that’s all. I mean, nobody would call their kids “Smith” or “Brown” or “Trump”. Oh god, on second thoughts, I bet somebody somewhere does.:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-awful-baby-name-could-this-have-been/785771/66 "2017-05-06T00:14:51Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > … > > I don’t care that Benedict Cucumber, or whatever his name is, has a large following. Probably most of the people objecting are older relatives who don’t want to get into his pants, and maybe don’t even know who he is. > … Benedict would be sort of okay, but imagine being a child named “Cumberbatch”.😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-awful-baby-name-could-this-have-been/785771.md?page=3)