# What do you think of these names? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 26, 2011, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398 "2011-12-26T04:22:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/1 "2011-12-26T04:22:42Z")
Paul Tristram and Soren Sebastian. (That’s a first and middle name each). I don’t actually care how you like them. 😉 I’m more just wondering if there are any obvious “they’re going to make fun of them for that name” or “that name is likely to bring up bad associations in most people’s mind for reason X” type considerations. In other words, it’s a “stop me before we make a terrible mistake” post. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/2 "2011-12-26T04:27:31Z")
I like Paul and Sebastian. Tristram sounds a bit made-up, but is not offensive. Soren makes me think of a skin infection, but hey, your kid. Congrats! ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/3 "2011-12-26T04:29:19Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > I like Paul and Sebastian. Tristram sounds a bit made-up, but is not offensive. Soren makes me think of a skin infection, but hey, your kid. Congrats! Thanks! Soren, like “sore” I guess? Hrm… The Kierkegaard association does enough in my head to rid me of the “sore” association but don’t know if that’ll work for most people… Tristram is a real live actual name from Wales… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/4 "2011-12-26T04:31:14Z")
A made up country name if ever there was one. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/5 "2011-12-26T04:44:41Z")
I like Sebastian Soren better than Soren Sebastian. Other than that - I like. Tristram makes me think of the Diablo games. ---
**Author:** ![slm2955](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@slm2955](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slm2955)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/6 "2011-12-26T04:46:20Z")
Soren Sebastian will definitely get made fun of, keep the first one! ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/7 "2011-12-26T04:48:26Z")
Soren=sore. Tristram is just stupid. Seriously, WTF? Paul and Sebastian are nice names. Why not name the kid either Sebastian Paul or Paul Sebastian? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/8 "2011-12-26T04:50:23Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > Soren=sore. > > Tristram is just stupid. Seriously, WTF? > > Paul and Sebastian are nice names. Why not name the kid either Sebastian Paul or Paul Sebastian? This. I hate Tristram, Soren sounds pretentious and horrible- sorry. Paul and/or Sebastian I can abide. ---
**Author:** ![slm2955](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@slm2955](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slm2955)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/9 "2011-12-26T04:56:57Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > Soren=sore. > > Tristram is just stupid. Seriously, WTF? > > Paul and Sebastian are nice names. Why not name the kid either Sebastian Paul or Paul Sebastian? Yea, Paul Sebastian sounds wayyyyy better! ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/10 "2011-12-26T04:57:58Z")
To clarify: These are two separate names for two separate kids. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/11 "2011-12-26T04:58:59Z")
Those of you who have said Tristram and Soren seem pretentious or made up, what kinds of names do you like? ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/12 "2011-12-26T05:03:04Z")
I think kids will definitely see the “sore” in Soren. Tristam reminds me of Tristam Shandy, which is neither positive nor negative, I guess. It is, however, close enough to Tristan, a more common name, and I bet your son will have to correct everyone he talks to. ---
**Author:** ![ProbablyProcrastinating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@ProbablyProcrastinating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProbablyProcrastinating)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/13 "2011-12-26T05:16:06Z")
I like Soren. Is it after the town in Germany? Kids can make fun of any name. I had to put my daughter in time-out and give her a serious lecture for calling a boy “Liam-Pee’em”. Liam is one of the most popular names out there right now. I wouldn’t shy away from names out of fear of bullying unless they have the name of a bodily function right there in the name. Bullying can happen for any reason. I hate Tristam. Sorry. Paul and Sebastien are fine. As my cousin once pointed out, though, it’s your kid. You can’t please the whole world, and most of the time you can’t even please the majority, no matter how hard you try. Go with what you like. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/14 "2011-12-26T05:23:20Z")
> [@ProbablyProcrastinating](#): > > I like Soren. Is it after the town in Germany? > > Kids can make fun of any name. I had to put my daughter in time-out and give her a serious lecture for calling a boy “Liam-Pee’em”. Liam is one of the most popular names out there right now. I wouldn’t shy away from names out of fear of bullying unless they have the name of a bodily function right there in the name. Bullying can happen for any reason. > > I hate Tristam. Sorry. > > Paul and Sebastien are fine. > > As my cousin once pointed out, though, it’s your kid. You can’t please the whole world, and most of the time you can’t even please the majority, no matter how hard you try. Go with what you like. Soren, if it’s after anything, is after Kierkegaard. (I’m a philosophy prof, is why it would have occured to either of us.) But really, we just like the sound of it. I am actually surprised by the feelings expressed here about ‘Soren.’ It honestly seemed completely unoffensive to me. I mean, I know it’s a Danish name and not a proper English (much less American) one but it’s not, to me, particularly weird or exotic sounding. In fact to me it sounds positively dignified. I agree with you about the “will kids make fun of it” thing but the other person who is involved in the decision does not… We’ve had this discussion already. 😉 Tristram I’m not surprised if people think it strange–I would not be surprised if there were not a single person alive today named Tristram. Why we like it I can’t explain. But yeah, the name for us comes from the novel Tristram Shandy, though I wouldn’t say we’re naming anyone “after” that character. We just like the name. Our first two kids we ended up naming some of the very top most popular names for their years, which suprised us and (as I am very pretentious) disappointed me. Perhaps we’re trying harder on that front this time, I don’t know. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/15 "2011-12-26T05:24:26Z")
Keepnmindnow, perhaps to give a little psychological background, I _like_ the name Pilot Inspektor. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/16 "2011-12-26T05:33:31Z")
Paul Tristram is fine, since Tristram is a middle name, the kid will have a lot less correcting since for most people he’ll be Paul T. Frylock if the middle name’s involved at all. Soren Sebastian sounds a little comic booky to me. If it were my kid I’d totally be game for Sebastian Soren but it’s not so whatevs. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/17 "2011-12-26T05:47:50Z")
One thing that a lot of parents (me included, with my 1st) don’t think of when picking names: you need to find a name that has a nice short version. Like Sam for Samuel, or Mike for Michael. What would be short for Soren? For Tristram? I guess “Seb” for Sebastian, but is that what you want? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/18 "2011-12-26T05:55:41Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Those of you who have said Tristram and Soren seem pretentious or made up, what kinds of names do you like? Genghis Bob and Atilla James. As for the others, I like Søren. What are the kids going to do? Yell, ‘Hey _Kierkegaard!_’? Actually… [kicks Søren in the butt] ‘Hahaha! Do you have a sore end?’ Tristram I don’t care for. If kids are aware of Triscuits, they may imagine a streetcar full of crackers. ‘Triscuit Tram’. Also, I just don’t like the ‘tram’ part. It doesn’t flow easily off the tongue. I prefer the ‘Tristan’ variant of the name. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/19 "2011-12-26T05:59:10Z")
Paul is a fine name. So is Sebastian. Tristram I automatically associated with the novel, which is OK and if I met a kid with that middle name I’d just assume his parents were literary fans. My only hang-up is that people may think it’s a mistake with “Tristan,” which is more common. Also, I personally find it a little hard to say; it just doesn’t come out of my mouth well. And that /tr/ combo is hard for little kids, it’s going to be years before he can say his middle name correctly. I don’t mind Soren, because I know a Danish kid with that name, but it’s definitely weird in the US. Plus it means “stern, severe.” You really want that? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/20 "2011-12-26T05:59:24Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Soren, if it’s after anything, is after Kierkegaard. (I’m a philosophy prof, is why it would have occured to either of us.) But really, we just like the sound of it. > > I am actually surprised by the feelings expressed here about ‘Soren.’ It honestly seemed completely unoffensive to me. I mean, I know it’s a Danish name and not a proper English (much less American) one but it’s not, to me, particularly weird or exotic sounding. In fact to me it sounds positively dignified. Now that I’ve read the rest of the thread, I see you mentioned Kierkegaard. Søren is a perfectly good name in many places. Kids in the U.S. will call him ‘Sore End’, but as I said, I like the name. I think you should spell it with the ‘ø’. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398.md?page=2)