judge strikes back at stupid names for kids

[MystyGlyttyr]

When my brother and sister-in-law were debating names for their children, they tested the hell out of every name they thought of. They'd give one to me and see how fast I could rip it to shreds. If it took me longer than a minute to come up with something, they'd keep the name as a contender. Then they did searches on name meanings, they tested initials, tried out nicknames and rhymes, etc.

It took them maybe three months, tops, to come up with a name for their son, and maybe a couple weeks to name their daughter (although granted, my nephew had more to do with that than anything). And they were only discussing it every once in a while, not constantly.

I mean, a name is something that a person is going to carry with them for 80 years, on average. If you were going to hand something to someone that they had to make work for 80 years, isn't it worth a LITTLE effort on your part to make sure it's not something brutal?

I still like the idea of milk names, though.

[Lace Neil Singer]

If you must pick a stupid/unusual name for your kid, at least give them a regular middle name, so if they so wish, they can use that instead.

I won't ever have kids, which is probably for the best seeing as I favour Shakespearean and myth names. XD

[Slytovhand]

Yeah..I'm with the 'please be considerate of your children when it comes to naming' crowd. I mean, really... do you actually love and respect your child? Or are you having kids so you've got your own personal punching bag for jokes? Are they merely there for your amusement..."Hey look Fred, here's my daughter Number 16 Bus Shelter..hahahahaha???"

Nope - that's just plain stupid! And insulting.

I also agree with the idea of a 'milk' name, or a name for one's youth, and then one chosen by the individual to actually mean something later on in life...

Btw Lace - I prefer Celtic names - or those from ancient history (like..Darius...)

Slyt

[Lace Neil Singer]

I want to have two boys and call them Othello and Loki, just for kicks. XD

[Lachrymose]

At least "Sex Fruit" is accurate.

[Slytovhand]

I want to have two boys and call them Othello and Loki, just for kicks. XD

I should have a kid and name them Football - just for kicks

[Lace Neil Singer]

Or Rugby. XD

[Skunkle]

Bullies can and will make fun of just about any name, it's true. I went to school with some abysmally stupid (but creative) kids who *never* matured. And they got incredibly creative with my name...

But I think at least a fair share of parents who give kids these awful names are so caught-up in the silly cuteness that they never think for an instant what sort of repercussions it might have. They just need a good poke with a clue-by-four and I believe most of them will 'get it'. My mom's ex-boss James Benz anmd his wife named their daughter Mercedes, and I'm certain they thought it'd be adorable. One of the best ways to remind people how a name can be bad is to ask them what sorts of horrors bullies came up with using their (likely very ordinary) name, and how much they hated that; then remind them that that's just using an ordinary name. Pass bullies some fuel and they'll be even worse.

Some of the older ones were obviously the result of the enlightened, spiritual movements of the 60s and 70s (Rainbow, etc.) or the product of drugs and/or an open desire to be bizarre for its own sake (Dweezil and Moon Unit Zappa) but I think a lot of these modern parents name with cuteness in mind and NEVER think beyond that.

Not quite as abad, but still having potential, two girls in my neighborhood were named Star (not too bad), and Island (???). And not to sound racist, but when I was in 2nd-4th grade, the trend of African-American kids being given African-esque names like Tanysha came in, and these were never bad. But that trend has given rise to some really horrible twistings that must be embrassaing. The cliche "Laquisha" is one of the less painful examples I've heard. There's a point at which they stop sounding tribal (many of them do) and begin to get ridiculous. And they'll make loads of teasing fodder with the hardcore racists who use "ShawannA" or the like as a modern version of "n***er" (I've heard an asshole learning that his buddy had a black woman move in next door comment "Oh, you got a Shaquisha in your building too, huh?")

Yes, I agree with the court changing the child's name. It is a bit sharp, but if the kid hated her name, perhaps they'll give her a say in a new one.

[violetyoshi]

Sex Fruit, are the parents pedophiles?

[ta2ooed1]

A couple that is good friends with my sister are really into SCA and family history and have been naming their children with the various surnames of the family tree. Their last name is Ball, thankfully my sister intervened when they decided to name their first male child Dickson!

[violetyoshi]

Not quite as abad, but still having potential, two girls in my neighborhood were named Star (not too bad), and Island (???). And not to sound racist, but when I was in 2nd-4th grade, the trend of African-American kids being given African-esque names like Tanysha came in, and these were never bad. But that trend has given rise to some really horrible twistings that must be embrassaing. The cliche "Laquisha" is one of the less painful examples I've heard. There's a point at which they stop sounding tribal (many of them do) and begin to get ridiculous. And they'll make loads of teasing fodder with the hardcore racists who use "ShawannA" or the like as a modern version of "n***er" (I've heard an asshole learning that his buddy had a black woman move in next door comment "Oh, you got a Shaquisha in your building too, huh?")

There was a skit on Mad TV with a Black woman, named Bunifa Latifah Halifah Sharifa Jackson:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MADtv_r...harifa_Jackson

[crashhelmet]

This is giving me flashbacks of when my ex and I were trying to pick out names for our soon to be son. At the time, we didn't know what the sex was and were tossing names out.

She was pulling names out of her ass that only served the purpose of having our child get bullied their entire life or work a brass pole in clear heels. Thankfully, her mom was there to side with me.

We ended up settling on Aedan, which couldn't have been more fitting. From what I understand, it means "born of fire" which couldn't be any further from the truth.

CH

[Flyndaran]

Stupid names will not automatically get a kid bullied in school, just like how a perfectly normal name and appearance is no protection.
Bullies will bully, and kids will get bullied for arbitrary reasons. Despite being a fat bespectacled nerd never caused me any hint of trouble, while being normal in most ways didn't protect my love muffing from horrific bullying.

A stupid name is just ripe for promoting a really cool nickname. I always thought it odd that we name kids long before they have a chance to show a personality that calls for a specific one. Naming a kids Bob that eventually becomes rail thin and proper is just as wrong as naming a shy kid Randy Danger.

[bunnyboy]

A stupid name is just ripe for promoting a really cool nickname.

Hence my Great Grandmother "Margret" Thirty Kroll... yes Great Great grandpa named her Thirty (was a journalist, so think about it, and no she was no thirty) First day of School the teacher didn't believe it so one of her friends said her name was Margret, stuck with her for almost 90 years.

I always thought it odd that we name kids long before they have a chance to show a personality that calls for a specific one. Naming a kids Bob that eventually becomes rail thin and proper is just as wrong as naming a shy kid Randy Danger.

Oddly I love the cultures that have a name given at birth that ultimately is more of a hey you, then at around age 13 they get a name that really reflects them.


I still wonder just how much fun my "nephew" Xide (pronounced Zide or Kside) is gonna have when he goes to school.

[Skunkle]

Hey, OT, Bunnyboy. Are you the Bunnyboy from CS? If so, I was absolutely floored to see your post mentioning a friend who shows you lots of weird alcohol, and I'm 90% certain it's me... but I canNOT seem to figure vout who you are. Of course, my memory sucks. Hints: Furry. Otter. Skunk. Renton.