Draco, Apple, North West.... seriously?

[Gypsy]

What is UP with weird baby names in the last decade?

I remember I went to school with a Life and a Summer and that's ONLY because we're 45 minutes from Berkeley and BOTH kids parents were hippies. And you could TELL that neither of them liked their names very much.

It's so ironic that each of the star parents want their kids to have 'unique' names. But really all they are doing is conforming to the (stupid) unique name TREND.

I'm all for uncommon names. Or names with meaning. Heck when I HAVE looked at baby names (we're not pregnant, but who hasn't looked) it's always been a desire to find a name that means something, and is beautiful, and uncommon, but still a RECOGNIZABLE name-- not a fruit or a direction!

 

[Trekkie]

Ugh. That annoys me too! Fine, you're making a statement about what a special snowflake you are, but a name is something most of us have for life, so put some thought into it! Ask yourself if this name will look good on a business card 30 years from now. If not, step away from the scrabble board!

And hey, at least Draco, Life and Summer are somewhat recognisable. My mother's brother has three children (three different women - what a surprise ) and each of them has a name that looks and sounds like puked up alphabet soup. I have no idea how he ended up so ghetto - he's intelligent, educated and quite well off. My grandmother gave him, my mother and my aunt beautiful names that were uncommon but not weird. One of life's great mysteries, I guess.

My name is quite popular for my age group (in my country) and it has what is apparently the "posh" spelling, but my American friends say it makes me sound like a hillbilly because it's hyphenated. Whatevs. I usually go by the first part of it anyway.

I always said that when I have kids they'll be either Matthew, Mark, Luke or John... But now I work for a university and Matthew is such a common name here that all the Matthews are known by their surnames, including one who has a girl's first name as a surname.

 

[Meezermom]

Sometimes I suspect that these are not the true names of these children, but fake ones for the sake of their privacy.

 

[Trekkie]

Sometimes I suspect that these are not the true names of these children, but fake ones for the sake of their privacy.

Oh, I hope so. I really, really hope so.

 

[ponder]

Sometimes I suspect that these are not the true names of these children, but fake ones for the sake of their privacy.

Oh, I hope so. I really, really hope so.

I doubt it. It's a strong trend that I see everywhere. At my daughter's preschool there is a Bear, siblings named River and Valley, and a little girl named Jemima (as in the syrup). Beyond the odd names, the insanely odd spellings drive me even more nuts. As I pass by their labeled cubbies I frequently stop and have to phonetically sound out some names in my head because the spelling is so odd. I feel for these kids. I have a couple friends with slightly odd spellings of regular names and they always lament about having to spell their names for people because it's not the most common spelling.

 

[Trekkie]

Sometimes I suspect that these are not the true names of these children, but fake ones for the sake of their privacy.

Oh, I hope so. I really, really hope so.

I doubt it. It's a strong trend that I see everywhere. At my daughter's preschool there is a Bear, siblings named River and Valley, and a little girl named Jemima (as in the syrup). Beyond the odd names, the insanely odd spellings drive me even more nuts. As I pass by their labeled cubbies I frequently stop and have to phonetically sound out some names in my head because the spelling is so odd. I feel for these kids. I have a couple friends with slightly odd spellings of regular names and they always lament about having to spell their names for people because it's not the most common spelling.

Jemima is an old English name that is very popular in the UK at the moment. This was on my niece's list for her little girl but she eventually crossed it off because it was so popular where they live (Bristol).

 

[TC1987]

... a name that looks and sounds like puked up alphabet soup. ...

and choking on my coffee. Thank you very much for that perfectly apt description. I shall treasure it forever.

 

[packrat]

Maybe b/c they're in the public eye, and people fawn over them so much, they feel they are on a different level than the rest of us lowly people of the "everyday", so they don't want their children to have (what they would consider) "mundane workaday" names like James or Anne. My kids have "different" names b/c I spent my whole life being Missi w/an *I* b/c there was a Missy w/a *y* in my class, or Missi J while she was Missy A. Two Melissa's in my brother's class. My brother's name is pretty common too. But we didn't go completely crazy and call them Sasquatch and Zippitydodah either. Celebs seem to think they need to outdo each other. And really, these kids have bazillions of dollars and will likely never have to lift a finger or worry about what their names portray to people, what it looks like on a business card, or a resume or a name tag.

 

[Kunzite]

As an astronomy nerd I don't have a problem with Draco. I believe Danica McKellar has a degree in mathematics so I'm sure her intent was more towards the geeky and less toward Harry Potter. Now Pilot Inspektor is another story! Jamie Oliver named his son Buddy Bear Maurice around the same time my oldest was born so it somehow became his nickname for a few months

I'm with Ponder though, the strange spelling of a seemingly normal name bothers me much more. I sold something on Craig's List a few months ago and the pregnant mom told me how much she loved my name and how she'd picked it out for her new baby, except take out this letter and that letter and add this letter and another one. The end result was horrifying and I didn't know how to respond!

 

[Trekkie]

... a name that looks and sounds like puked up alphabet soup. ...

and choking on my coffee. Thank you very much for that perfectly apt description. I shall treasure it forever.

I'm glad you enjoyed that!

Maybe b/c they're in the public eye, and people fawn over them so much, they feel they are on a different level than the rest of us lowly people of the "everyday", so they don't want their children to have (what they would consider) "mundane workaday" names like James or Anne. My kids have "different" names b/c I spent my whole life being Missi w/an *I* b/c there was a Missy w/a *y* in my class, or Missi J while she was Missy A. Two Melissa's in my brother's class. My brother's name is pretty common too. But we didn't go completely crazy and call them Sasquatch and Zippitydodah either. Celebs seem to think they need to outdo each other. And really, these kids have bazillions of dollars and will likely never have to lift a finger or worry about what their names portray to people, what it looks like on a business card, or a resume or a name tag.

Packrat I actually thought of you when I read this post (could you not FEEL my cyberstalker vibes??? ) because you're one of the parents who, imo, got it right: your kids' names are different but not Frank Zappa/Jermaine Jackson weird.

Actually, that's something else that annoys me - faux African names. I live in Africa and trust me, whenever we see or hear those names we roll our eyes...

 

[Trekkie]

As an astronomy nerd I don't have a problem with Draco. I believe Danica McKellar has a degree in mathematics so I'm sure her intent was more towards the geeky and less toward Harry Potter. Now Pilot Inspektor is another story! Jamie Oliver named his son Buddy Bear Maurice around the same time my oldest was born so it somehow became his nickname for a few months

I'm with Ponder though, the strange spelling of a seemingly normal name bothers me much more. I sold something on Craig's List a few months ago and the pregnant mom told me how much she loved my name and how she'd picked it out for her new baby, except take out this letter and that letter and add this letter and another one. The end result was horrifying and I didn't know how to respond!

OMG! This freaks me out every time I see it. Don't these people realise that they are sentencing their kids to a lifetime of having to spell out their names? There's a difference between alternative spellings of accepted names (Graham vs Graeme or Jane vs Jayne) and being semi-literate. Harsh? Maybe... But whenever I see "alternative" spellings I can't help but think the parents are uneducated and not terribly bright. More often than not, I'm right...

 

[Tekate]

If one wants an uncommon name how about Jane? Alice? Mary! Jean? boys : thomas! Richard! Allen! I mean no one NO one uses these names in 2 decades at least... Bear.. there' s bunches.. Tigerlilly.. seriously.. you give your kid a complex.. if they want unique look back.. don't just make up dumbutt names.

 

[innerkitten]

Ha! Yes I had hippie parents and went to hippie co-op pre school so I knew lots of kids with unusual names. I remember a Love, a Sunshine, a Rainbow, a Flower, but the strangest name at my pre school was a boy called Wheat Berry. He later changed it.

But it wasn't the hippies or the modern day celebrities who first gave their kids weird names. It was the puritans.

 

[innerkitten]

Maybe b/c they're in the public eye, and people fawn over them so much, they feel they are on a different level than the rest of us lowly people of the "everyday", so they don't want their children to have (what they would consider) "mundane workaday" names like James or Anne. My kids have "different" names b/c I spent my whole life being Missi w/an *I* b/c there was a Missy w/a *y* in my class, or Missi J while she was Missy A. Two Melissa's in my brother's class. My brother's name is pretty common too. But we didn't go completely crazy and call them Sasquatch and Zippitydodah either. Celebs seem to think they need to outdo each other. And really, these kids have bazillions of dollars and will likely never have to lift a finger or worry about what their names portray to people, what it looks like on a business card, or a resume or a name tag.

Very likely.

 

[Maisie]

Sometimes I suspect that these are not the true names of these children, but fake ones for the sake of their privacy.

Oh, I hope so. I really, really hope so.

I doubt it. It's a strong trend that I see everywhere. At my daughter's preschool there is a Bear, siblings named River and Valley, and a little girl named Jemima (as in the syrup). Beyond the odd names, the insanely odd spellings drive me even more nuts. As I pass by their labeled cubbies I frequently stop and have to phonetically sound out some names in my head because the spelling is so odd. I feel for these kids. I have a couple friends with slightly odd spellings of regular names and they always lament about having to spell their names for people because it's not the most common spelling.

Jemima is an old English name that is very popular in the UK at the moment. This was on my niece's list for her little girl but she eventually crossed it off because it was so popular where they live (Bristol).

One of my great aunts was called Jemima. She was known as Mima. I thought it might be a gypsy name as my dad's side of the family were Romany gypsy.

The little girl on the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang movie was called Jemima. I think it's quite pretty.

My children have pretty straightforward names. Thomas, Ashleigh, Lucia, Samuel and James.

I wonder how many children with unusual names change them when they grow up.

 

[amc80]

I hate creative spellings. A creative spelling of a name doesn't make it unique, it makes it look like the parent doesn't know how to spell. I have a friend who is pregnant and wants to use Micah for a girl, but spell it Mykka.

 

[JewelFreak]

The movie people spend their whole lives striving for attention & name their kids accordingly -- not for the kids' sakes, but for their own. I think non-famous parents do it to show how "free" they are of "society's strictures." Poo! Bizarre spellings of normal names may be part of the same impulse: "I'm too artsy-fartsy to be hemmed in by old-fashioned rules of pronunciation."

I have a friend who is pregnant and wants to use Micah for a girl, but spell it Mykka.

That's DUMB on 2 counts: 1. Micah is a man's name. 2. It will be pronounced Micka, short "i'. Using very old names like that for the wrong sex makes me crazy too. There's a tv commentator named Jedidiah, also an old Biblical name, but she's a woman. I can't stand her, only because her name is nuts. It's as if I named my daughter Igor.

I wonder too how often these kids change their names. How can you go through life named Brown Bunny or Pasture, for pete's sake? Maybe, though, after growing up with parents like theirs, they're just as goony.

Actually, that's something else that annoys me - faux African names. I live in Africa and trust me, whenever we see or hear those names we roll our eyes...

+ a million, Trekkie.

--- Laurie

 

[Christina...]

Creepy but true...there was a girl in my school whose parents had the cringe worthy need to name her Pussy Willow. I assume her parents set aside the giggle smoke long enough to realize what a horrible mistake they had made and later shortened it to just Willow....although it was more likely by demand of the public school system. I would totally question my parents love for me if they had named me something so horrible!

 

[Christina...]

Didn't George Foreman name all of his sons George? And doesn't he have like 5 sons?

 

[Sparklelu]

I hate creative spellings. A creative spelling of a name doesn't make it unique, it makes it look like the parent doesn't know how to spell. I have a friend who is pregnant and wants to use Micah for a girl, but spell it Mykka.

As a teacher I have seen my share. Serious...Amonia and Barbku ( pronounced.... Bar-b-que!!
We cring when the class lists come out!

What irks me the most, is these parents who rearrange the spelling Addysin get pissy when we make a mistake and spell it wrong or pronounce it Addison very quickly remind us it is Addy sin!!!

Or the child who corrects the teacher .. It's Kali with an al not KAli with an A
when the girl with same spelling is sitting right next to her and spells it KAli!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Too weird of names are kind of disrespectful to kids. As kids, don't they all just want to fit in (?) and giving them weird names creates torment for a child unless he/she has a REALLY strong back-bone.

Basics, though, like being able to buy a personalized toothbrush or a name plate for the back of a bicycle will never happen for these Apple Draco's of the world. It never really seemed like a big deal to me b/c both my kids have names in the top-30 common names, but I did try and find a personalized ornament for a little one born with an unusual spelling and couldn't and that made me realize that for some kids, they'll go their whole life never having their name being recognized as part of the group. I could have purchased a blank ornament and made a total mess of it by attempting to paint the child's name on it!

Don't torture your kids...give them normal names!

Who's child is named North West?

 

[audball]

Who's child is named North West?

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West gave their daughter the first name North with dad's last name West. She is literally North West.

 

[Dee*Jay]

When I (briefly) went to junior high in the mountains of Idaho I knew a kid named Stormy Winter. The was a whole family of Winters and all of their names seemed wacky to me (coming from a big city filled with Elizabeths and Richards), but Stormy is the only one I can recall right now. And one of my best friends there was named Eyron (as in Aaron/Erin). In our 9th grade year book the photographer renamed him Byron. Oops.

 

[ponder]

Didn't George Foreman name all of his sons George? And doesn't he have like 5 sons?

Correct. All five of his sons are named George, and one daughter ended up with Georgetta. All the other girls escaped unscathed, at least from George, and have odd but individual names.

 

[VRBeauty]

When I was born, the custom in the culture I was born into was to name a child after a valued (dearly departed) relative - which could be viewed either as obsequiousness or a downpayment on an inheritance. The new baby was often given a name that was some variant of the dearly departed's name, and if it was a large family, there could be a whole passel of male and female "grandpa's names" running around.

The other culture I was born into combined a generational name and a first name divined through astrology.

I was named with these two names combined, so I have three names: I'm named after a relative, and I have a "good luck" name and a generational name.

In all, a lot of deference to tradition and to the past.

I agree with JF - many of today's parents seem to be intent on showing that they're not beholden to tradition or custom ... or in some cases, to common sense.

 

[baby monster]

I hate creative spellings. A creative spelling of a name doesn't make it unique, it makes it look like the parent doesn't know how to spell. I have a friend who is pregnant and wants to use Micah for a girl, but spell it Mykka.

That's funny. Mykka in Finnish means mute. I used to go to school with Micah. He was Polish.

I sort of view it from another direction. The world is a much smaller place now. People work with others from multiple cultures and languages so it makes sense to pick names with easiest spelling and pronunciation that are universally recognized and don't have negative connotations. It might be impossible to check every language but at least do main ones.

 

[packrat]

... a name that looks and sounds like puked up alphabet soup. ...

and choking on my coffee. Thank you very much for that perfectly apt description. I shall treasure it forever.

I'm glad you enjoyed that!

Maybe b/c they're in the public eye, and people fawn over them so much, they feel they are on a different level than the rest of us lowly people of the "everyday", so they don't want their children to have (what they would consider) "mundane workaday" names like James or Anne. My kids have "different" names b/c I spent my whole life being Missi w/an *I* b/c there was a Missy w/a *y* in my class, or Missi J while she was Missy A. Two Melissa's in my brother's class. My brother's name is pretty common too. But we didn't go completely crazy and call them Sasquatch and Zippitydodah either. Celebs seem to think they need to outdo each other. And really, these kids have bazillions of dollars and will likely never have to lift a finger or worry about what their names portray to people, what it looks like on a business card, or a resume or a name tag.

Packrat I actually thought of you when I read this post (could you not FEEL my cyberstalker vibes??? ) because you're one of the parents who, imo, got it right: your kids' names are different but not Frank Zappa/Jermaine Jackson weird.

Actually, that's something else that annoys me - faux African names. I live in Africa and trust me, whenever we see or hear those names we roll our eyes...

Haha thanks! We're awful pleased w/them..tho London has expressed that she would like to change her name, and she has been told NO. She has mentioned changing it b/c it's a city and no one else has it-she picks names of girls on tv shows she likes or books she reads. Can't win for losing!

For the record, if the last name was something else, North would be a cute name, in my opinion. The whole North West thing makes me think of a woman I worked w/many years ago who was pregnant and the girl's name her husband had picked out was Easter, b/c it made him think of little bunnies and pretty colors and what could be more girly. She thought that was too out-there and she couldn't figure out why she didn't like it. I knew why. I told her to say it out loud, like she was calling roll at school. Easter West. Easter West. "There's just something about it I don't like..."

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Who's child is named North West?

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West gave their daughter the first name North with dad's last name West. She is literally North West.

Ugh, that is horrible. I don't keep up with the Kardashians (is that show still on?) so I haven't been paying attention. I envisioned the Pacific Northwest when I read that name. They could have named her Pine Tree and the same images of Washington would pop up.

 

[SB621]

When I (briefly) went to junior high in the mountains of Idaho I knew a kid named Stormy Winter. The was a whole family of Winters and all of their names seemed wacky to me (coming from a big city filled with Elizabeths and Richards), but Stormy is the only one I can recall right now. And one of my best friends there was named Eyron (as in Aaron/Erin). In our 9th grade year book the photographer renamed him Byron. Oops.

Totally off topic Dee Jay but on Wipeout the sibling show there were a set of brothers whose last name was Winter. They were Vision and Gentle Winter . They said they had several siblings all of them had horrible names and one of them was Stormy (others were Calm, Loyal, One, Now, Liberty, Courage). And they are from IDAHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[audball]

Who's child is named North West?

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West gave their daughter the first name North with dad's last name West. She is literally North West.

Ugh, that is horrible. I don't keep up with the Kardashians (is that show still on?) so I haven't been paying attention. I envisioned the Pacific Northwest when I read that name. They could have named her Pine Tree and the same images of Washington would pop up.

Yeah, I can proudly say that I have NEVER watched an episode of the Kardashians. But people are so obsessed with them I can't log on to Facebook or any kind of news without seeing something about them occasionally.