WDYT Reagan? FN & MN

macska3

Recently I've been crushing on Reagan for a girl. It's totally not my style (Elsa, Diana, Belle, etc) but I like it. 

Maybe as a middle name?

Elsa Reagan

Diana Reagan

Bridget Reagan

*Also, would you think I wanted another son if I had a sibset of something like Jude, Dean, and Reagan?

madfam0405

I love the names Reagan and Jude! If our last name didn't sound ridiculous with it, we would have used Jude.

Helenahhandbasket

I like the name as well even though it isn't my typical style either. I adore Bridget Reagan.

macska3

mjreilly2 said:

Hate it. I can't find a single thing to like about it even a little, honestly. 

Extremely trendy, masculine, presidential surname, Watergate. 

It seems out of place with Jude and Dean (which are great). Middle name if you must.

I think if it is used, I'm going to use it as the middle name. I think Jude, Dean, and Elsa or something sounds better. 

SuperMom17

I really hate Raegen... Like a lot. Maaaaaybe in the mn spot, but I just don't care for it even a tiny, tiny bit.

luluwoo

It makes me think that you are either a Republican or a really big fan of The Exorcist.

BulgariHeart

Dislike with a passion. Sorry.

BlueRidge8

luluwoo said:

It makes me think that you are either a Republican or a really big fan of The Exorcist.

I feel like there's a joke here but it's not coming to me as I'd like it to.

nittanyllama

I don't like it. I'm ok with surnames sometimes and I'm ok with not-very-femine names too, but I hate Reagan.

Jags8

I like Reagan on a boy, but it's terrible for a girl.

divinemsbee

I do not like it. If it was a family name, I guess maybe in the MN spot, but I really strongly dislike it. I would think you were a huge neo-Con conservative Tea Party Republican who prays to Saint Ronnie. Because every girl I know with that name comes from that type of family. I brought it up as a name to my dad (who really hates Reagan, like with a virulent passion), and he was very clear that if I had a child named that he would call said child by another name. No way, no how.

bumpuser9353653

well my DD is Raegan Claire, so I'm biased and very on favor of it on for a girl :-)

I like Bridget Reagan from your list.

I love Dean and Jude together with Raegan as a sister.

capulet

divinemsbee said:

I do not like it. If it was a family name, I guess maybe in the MN spot, but I really strongly dislike it. I would think you were a huge neo-Con conservative Tea Party Republican who prays to Saint Ronnie. Because every girl I know with that name comes from that type of family. I brought it up as a name to my dad (who really hates Reagan, like with a virulent passion), and he was very clear that if I had a child named that he would call said child by another name. No way, no how.

My mom would probably say the same thing. I'm not going to comment on whether it's appropriate to honor the president with your child's name (my DS is Lincoln, after all), but I think it's naive not to realize that many people over a certain age (including me, and I'm only in my late 30s) will believe you did, and will remember Reagan vividly and possibly have voted for or against him. This is one name in particular where you really should think hard about the reponse other people will have, whether or not you intend the association yourself, and whether you're okay with that.

bumpuser9353653

RugbyMamma said:

well my DD is Raegan Claire, so I'm biased and very on favor of it on for a girl :-)

I like Bridget Reagan from your list.

I love Dean and Jude together with Raegan as a sister.

oh, and I will add that I do not come from or associate myself with super right-wing tea party folk, and I have never seen the Exorcist, so I had no idea that was even a name from that movie. I just prefer less feminine/super girly names and I liked the nn Rae.

Not everyone will think you are in love with the former president. (I don't automatically assume every kid named Clinton or Ike has some presidential association, so why should Reagan be any different?)

hollygb22

I think it's always interesting that people refer to this name as..it's a president

so is Lincoln, Jackson, Taylor, Harrison, Madison, Monroe, Kennedy, Tyler, Grant, Carter...just to name a few

It's on my DH's list of names for a girl (Reagan)..I'm so so on it. I just think it's funny that everyone immediately makes the president comment...

capulet

RugbyMamma said:

Not everyone will think you are in love with the former president. (I don't automatically assume every kid named Clinton or Ike has some presidential association, so why should Reagan be any different?)

Ike existed as a NN before Eisenhower.  Clinton is a more common LN than Reagan, so the association isn't as strong, and it was more popular as a FN more popular before Bill Clinton was president (it was consistently in the 100s/200s for decades and actually declined after his election!).  Whereas Reagan wasn't consistently in the top 1000 until the 1990s - its popularity clearly has something to do with the president, even if people who use it as a FN aren't directly honoring him. 

Just saying, obviously not everyone will make that association (I never said everyone would) but it is different from the examples you gave.  The associations people have with it, as with any other name, are something I personally would take into consideration.  Hell, DH and I realize that there are people nowadays who aren't very fond of Lincoln, either; I just don't care about people who dislike him for racist reasons.

capulet

hollygb22 said:

I think it's always interesting that people refer to this name as..it's a president

so is Lincoln, Jackson, Taylor, Harrison, Madison, Monroe, Kennedy, Tyler, Grant, Carter...just to name a few

It's on my DH's list of names for a girl (Reagan)..I'm so so on it. I just think it's funny that everyone immediately makes the president comment...

Everyone doesn't, immediately.  I'm actually surprised more people don't.  I feel like I'm always one of the first ones to chime in and say, "The name makes me think of the president, and I cannot possibly be so old that I'm the only one who remembers him."

We named DS Lincoln after the president.  I would frankly be disappointed if people didn't immediately make that association because 1. to me the point of using a name is because of its history, meaning, and associations, not in spite of them and 2. educated Americans should know enough about history to make those associations.  I don't know, maybe I'm in the minority - not on the BNB so much, because people here actually care what names mean - but just in general, because so many people like names for how they look and sound and not anything else.  Which, I guess there's nothing wrong with that in the big scheme of things, it's just not how I work.

MrsCase1

Love Reagan but was shocked how high ranking it was in popularity.

kweaver123

I love Reagan but my husband doesn't.

macska3

MrsCase1 said:

Love Reagan but was shocked how high ranking it was in popularity.

How popular is it?

macska3

Moidonna said:

I hate it.  Sorry.  All I can think is Ronald.

Haha, it's better than Weasley!

macska3

VioletteGrayskies said:

nadchael said:

MrsCase1 said:

Love Reagan but was shocked how high ranking it was in popularity.

How popular is it?

Combining all the spellings, it's #72.
https://www.namenerds.com/uucn/pop.html

That's shocking..wow

macska3

HisGirlFriday929 said:

nadchael said:

VioletteGrayskies said:

nadchael said:

MrsCase1 said:

Love Reagan but was shocked how high ranking it was in popularity.

How popular is it?

Combining all the spellings, it's #72.
https://www.namenerds.com/uucn/pop.html

That's shocking..wow

I am actually really surprised by this!  I am a fan of this name, but DH said no because of The Exorcist.  That is apparently all he can think of.

Still haven't seen The Exorcist!

macska3

HisGirlFriday929 said:

@nadchael - maybe don't see it, if you like the name

Haha it's okay, I still like Patrick after American Psycho and Jeffrey is still an OK name in my book, even after watching Dahmer and reading about him!