# 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:** 2
**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, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/21 "2011-12-26T06:01:12Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > 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? Ren, Tram and Bastian. But that’s assuming that Frylock wants to use a diminutive and that the kid wants a diminutive. My sister was called Pockets for years because when she was first learning to communicate, she refused to wear anything without them. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/22 "2011-12-26T06:11:47Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Those of you who have said Tristram and Soren seem pretentious or made up, what kinds of names do you like? If I ever have son/s, here are names I’d pick: George Donald Carl Edward Paul Allen/Alan I look at my Facebook feed and see my peers, people I went to high school with, having kids all over the place. The names are always Jayden, Kayden, Brayden, Skyler, etc…fuck that. My kid is getting a traditional name. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/23 "2011-12-26T06:13:10Z")
Tristram! No, no, it was supposed to be Trismegistus! No, seriously, Tristram is a good name. Paul Tristram will be “P.T.” of course, so I of course remembered the “Are you P.T.?” bit kids did in my day. But whatever, not a problem. The real fun starts when his age group discover Tristram and Isolde. Soren Sebastian is fine. He will be “S.S.” so expect Nazi and sailing ship jokes. Also “Sea Bass.” ---
**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, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/24 "2011-12-26T06:14:00Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Those of you who have said Tristram and Soren seem pretentious or made up, what kinds of names do you like? I had (still have) three sons, and I named them Scott, Jamison (Jamie), and Nathan. All perfectly fine names. I suggest one of these names. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/25 "2011-12-26T06:18:23Z")
I’m old fashioned and prefer the basic John, James, and Thomas type names. But that doesn’t seem to be the way it’s done now. For those names, I don’t see anything particularly vulnerable to mockery in them. But there’s a way to twist any name into something cruel if you’re hell bent on it. The middle names aren’t all that important, they just get reduced to an initial most of the time, if used at all. So Paul is quite common. Soren not so much around here, but not absurd or anything. Are these family names, or process of elimination from the baby name book (or website)? ---
**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, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/26 "2011-12-26T06:44:49Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’m old fashioned and prefer the basic John, James, and Thomas type names. But that doesn’t seem to be the way it’s done now. Those three names are extremely popular right now. The top one hundred names are almost without exception quite traditional and monosyllabic in sentiment if not in reality… [/quote] > [@](#): > > Are these family names, or process of elimination from the baby name book (or website)? They’re literally just names we liked the sound of. (Well, Paul is from her grandmother Pauline.) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/27 "2011-12-26T06:54:45Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > They’re literally just names we liked the sound of. (Well, Paul is from her grandmother Pauline.) Well there’s nothing awful sounding about them. You’ve got to be a pretty clueless parent to end up with something like ‘Gaylord’ that’s going to be a magnet for ridicule. Aside from that kind of thing, every kid’s going to get some ribbing. I’m sure the other kids will find some mannerism or physical attribute to make fun of anyway, so they won’t feel left out. Best bet is to be a good father, and a little teasing won’t have much effect on your kids. I notice whenever there’s a giver and a taker, at least one is lacking something on the family side. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/28 "2011-12-26T07:06:56Z")
I think Soren is a really interesting name! Sebastian is also cool. Paul is boring as heck, and I’m on board with the crowd saying Tristram is lame. I believe the British would call it “Twee” if I have my slang correct. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/29 "2011-12-26T07:52:37Z")
I personally think “Tristram” is hard to say. Wait until you’ve had a couple of beers, and then say the name. “Tristan” is better, IMHO. I remember the actor Tristan Rogers on “General Hospital,” LOL. And wasn’t Soren a bad guy in one of the Star Trek movies? Truly, though, it’s YOUR kid. I like the idea of naming a child after a grandmother. It’s a nice way for the memories to live on. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/30 "2011-12-26T08:46:23Z")
Speaking as a Paul, I am pleased to see it put forward as a name for a child of the current generation. It’s a name that is inexplicably dying out from popularity. I like the names okay. They aren’t contrived, which is a plus, even if they are a little unusual. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/31 "2011-12-26T10:27:13Z")
“Soren” can also be turned into the nickname “soaring.” But if you choose this name, please don’t put the slash through the “o.” There is no such letter in the English alphabet. In Northern European countries, The “o” and the “o with the slash” are pronounced in two different ways if I remember correctly. You will be making too many troubles for him later in life. The “o with the slash” can be difficult for those who don’t speak a Scandanavian language to pronounce. I too like “Tristan” much better. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/32 "2011-12-26T11:18:08Z")
“Soren Sebastian” would be a great name for a dermitologist. Soren = sore Sebastian = sebaceous “Tristram” is going to get mispronounced and misspelled in too many ways. “Paul” is good. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/33 "2011-12-26T12:44:04Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > If I ever have son/s, here are names I’d pick: > > George > Donald > Carl > Edward > Paul > Allen/Alan > > I look at my Facebook feed and see my peers, people I went to high school with, having kids all over the place. The names are always Jayden, Kayden, Brayden, Skyler, etc…fuck that. My kid is getting a traditional name. My friend has two very young boys, George and Henry. I think their names are awesome. mmm ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/34 "2011-12-26T16:42:10Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > “Soren Sebastian” would be a great name for a dermitologist. > > Soren = sore > Sebastian = sebaceous > > “Tristram” is going to get mispronounced and misspelled in too many ways. > > “Paul” is good. This. We’ve already had folks in this very thread critiqueing “Tristam”, not realizing they were critiqueing the wrong name. If a name can fool even Dopers, you can just image what the Unwashed Masses will do to it. I’d say it also depends on their last name(s). My family name is made-to-order for childish teasing. So my parents made sure to give us simple and unteasable first & middle names. If our last name had instead been Smith or Jones this wouldn’t have been nearly as important. You also didn’t say where on Earth these people live. Tristram & Sebastian may be commonplace names where they live. Not so much in Kansas. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/35 "2011-12-26T17:03:39Z")
If you like names other than Frank, John, Mary, Lillian, and that ilk, I wouldn’t ask for opinions here. ---
**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:** [December 26, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/36 "2011-12-26T18:00:36Z")
Tristram is cool, but it does make me assume that you forgot to wind up the clock. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/37 "2011-12-26T18:10:00Z")
Tristram is very hard to say, for an English speaker. It’s that 2nd “r” that seems like it shouldn’t be there. Don’t give a kid a name that is hard to pronounce. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/38 "2011-12-26T18:10:10Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Tristram is cool, but it does make me assume that you forgot to wind up the clock. It would be Paul’s middle name. He could be Paul T. Frylock, or just Paul Frylock if it doesn’t go over. Much ado about nothing (not you in particular, yours was just a convenient post to quote). ---
**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:** [December 26, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/39 "2011-12-26T18:18:11Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Tristram is very hard to say, for an English speaker. It’s that 2nd “r” that seems like it shouldn’t be there. Don’t give a kid a name that is hard to pronounce. Are you implying that there are people out there who don’t know about [the novel?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristram_Shandy) I’m shocked! _Shocked_, I say! ---
**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, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398/40 "2011-12-26T18:19:33Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > We’ve already had folks in this very thread critiqueing “Tristam”, not realizing they were critiqueing the wrong name. If a name can fool even Dopers, you can just image what the Unwashed Masses will do to it. A lot of dopers spell Gandhi Ghandi. Is Gandhi too difficult for english speaking people or are dopers just not engaging in basic edit-checking? Tristram is a nice strong name, it has an appropriately interesting heritage and it’s just being considered as a middle name so I really don’t think it’s all that dire. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-these-names/607398.md?page=3)