Names that Children Like?

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2007
Names that Children Like?
9
Fri, 11-23-2007 - 3:53pm

Like a lot of people, I like uncommon names -- not made-up names, mostly, in my case, but names with some history that I don't hear frequently.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-14-2003
Fri, 11-23-2007 - 6:02pm

I think you are right in most cases. From my experience as an elementary school teacher, it doesn't bother most kids to even have another kid in their class with their same name. Often they become the best of friends.


Also when you are little there's all those personalized pencils and things that more unusual names find harder to find and that bothers many people when they are kids. For my own part, I NEVER had a hard time finding Stephanie things unless they were already sold out!


Another thing that kids care a lot about is the gender of their name. They identify themselves very strongly with their name and gender and from my experience it is very tough on kids when others make fun of them having a name related to the opposite gender.


That is just my experience as a teacher and mom!


Steph

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2005
Fri, 11-23-2007 - 7:58pm

The PP makes some excellent points! I think if you absolutely adore a name that you know others will consider to be strange, or other people have expressed concern that your child will hate it, you could always choose a "tamer" middle name, or they can use a nickname if they decide they do hate it.


I'm 22, and I've been good friends with a girl since we met in middle school. She loathes her first name with a passion, so a good way to know how close a friend she considers you to be is if she tells you what it is. Of course, after that, you are sworn to secrecy on pain of death. LOL!


I guess what I'm trying to say, is that if worrying your child will hate their name is the only reason you hesitate to use a name you love...try to give them options with their middle name, or just trust that if they do grow to hate it, they'll switch to a nickname on their own.




iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Fri, 11-23-2007 - 10:51pm

My real name is very common and I always had to share it with classmates, roommates, co-workers, even in-laws, and I HATED that.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2007
Fri, 11-23-2007 - 11:29pm

Well, I have an extremely uncommmon name and the main problem I had with it as a child is that people were not sure of the pronunciation or spelling. I remember sitting in class every new school year bracing myself for the incorrect pronounciation and ready to correct the teacher. As an adult, I love having an uncommon name, and

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-16-2003
Sat, 11-24-2007 - 10:13am
I think a lot depends on how the parents convey to the child the *why* behind their name.

Andi


iVillage Member
Registered: 11-24-2007
Sat, 11-24-2007 - 10:43am

With my experience as a former Nanny. Kids with unusual names like Grey,

Keli :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-01-2005
Sat, 11-24-2007 - 2:02pm

Well, I have taught, but older "kids" (like 17-19ish). In my experience (and as a mom) I think you're right about the fine line.
I have a friend named Emma who HATED her name growing up. She's 39, and the only comment people ever made about her name was "oh, my grandmother's name is Emma!" Funny how things change!
My name is quite common (I always had 2-3 in my class) but stoopidly spelled (IMO). I hate it and I've always hated it. It doesn't match me, but more to the point I just always kind of felt like my parents didn't put any effort into it. They liked the sound of it was all. Yeah, and so did lots 'o' other parents.
DH's name (Mike) is even worse. Hello - BORING. It's almost like you are just a generic person when you have such a common name, and like your parents just glanced at a list of "most popular" and went with that.

My mother thinks I obsess over names, but I'd rather my kids think I thought long and hard about their names than that I just randomly picked something!




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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2007
Sat, 11-24-2007 - 9:42pm
Don't you think that it depends a little on how the name is presented to the child. OK not like "now that you're 5 years old I think your old enough to know your name is Brick". I think it's more like if you tell the child from day one how special their name is, not unique, but special and important, that the child will grow up proud of their name. You should tell them the story of how their name came to be, why you picked it for them. Just my 2 cents...
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2007
Sun, 11-25-2007 - 12:58am
Thanks, I really appreciate everyone's input. My parents always told me the story of my name with pride (grandmother's name), and nevertheless, it was such an old-timey name that it always made me cringe at school, at camp, etc. I guess ultimately it depends on at least 3 separate factors, only 1 of which is fully within our control: (1) how the name is presented to the child; (2) the child's personality (part nurture, but part nature); and (3) how the name is perceived culturally, at the given time and place. As much as I'm in love with a few really uncommon names, I'm thinking I'll keep thinking about it for awhile longer. Too bad there's not a name board staffed by kids, who could tell us what they think!