Obama

JustDandy

I swear to goodness, one of my high school students named their son this. She's going to be out for the rest of the year and her mother e-mailed me about some paperwork and such. She said, and I quote/copy and paste, "------ had Obama last week. He even looks like his namesake! HA!".

Compared to some other names I've had students bear on their children, I guess this one could be worse. But...really?!

 

 

PS: It feels so good to be back

juniper19

If Reagan, Kennedy, Lincoln, McKinley, Carter, Jackson, Ford, Truman, etc, etc, etc, can be names, why not Obama?  Especially if you think he's doing a decent job and you're proud of the historical significance of his election.

JustDandy

juniper19:

If Reagan, Kennedy, Lincoln, McKinley, Carter, Jackson, Ford, Truman, etc, etc, etc, can be names, why not Obama?  Especially if you think he's doing a decent job and you're proud of the historical significance of his election.

 

I'm not going to lie and say I like Obama. Because I don't. 

 

However, I do think it's a little too soon to name a baby Obama. Maybe because he's still in the news every day? I'm not quite sure why the naming choice bothers me. 

 

I just thought it was a little unusual.

bananers

Yeah, but Regan, Kennedy, Lincoln, etc. are all fairly common last names - not to mention they're not in the news every day! Obama is so unique, and too current. I think it's weird. Not to mention he's fairly polarizing at the moment. I personally like him, but I know there are a lot of people who don't. I just wouldn't want to name a kid something that has such a negative connotation for so many people.

plunderb

bananers:

I just wouldn't want to name a kid something that has such a negative connotation for so many people.

I assure you that many people feel the same way about Reagan.

You all might find this interesting ? examples from the census of babies named for every president from Washington through Obama.

Traycee1242

JustDandy:

juniper19:

If Reagan, Kennedy, Lincoln, McKinley, Carter, Jackson, Ford, Truman, etc, etc, etc, can be names, why not Obama?  Especially if you think he's doing a decent job and you're proud of the historical significance of his election.

 

I'm not going to lie and say I like Obama. Because I don't. 

 

However, I do think it's a little too soon to name a baby Obama. Maybe because he's still in the news every day? I'm not quite sure why the naming choice bothers me. 

 

I just thought it was a little unusual.

ITA. And Obama is a horrible name regardless if you like him or not.

tct1219

i don't dislike the president but i agree that it's a little odd because:

[1] he's the current president so it's different from naming a baby kennedy years after jfk was president

[2] it's so obviously connected to him, unlike some others that were names before they were associated with their respective presidential namesakes

at the same time, the argument could be made that using a name of an inspirational person [i assume that's why it was chosen] is better than choosing something random just because you like it. name trends change so much more rapidly now, too, so i'm not surprised.

as far as the high parent thing goes, i just hope she has supportive role models in her life.

Lambie.

I'm going to say too soon.

PhilsWife07

Is it too soon for me to name my next baby Bush?

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(I can't even type that and keep a straight face!)

kiyote72

I'm cool with it....seems to me a valid choice and is a WHOLE lot better than all the misspelled names and made up names out there.  

He is a prez and this is a normal trend.    

zaramarie81

I think the weirdness element is because he is still a sitting president. It seems kind of... taboo may be the wrong word but... just off to name a child after a sitting president.

zaramarie81

plunderb:

bananers:

I just wouldn't want to name a kid something that has such a negative connotation for so many people.

I assure you that many people feel the same way about Reagan.

You all might find this interesting ? examples from the census of babies named for every president from Washington through Obama.

Actually, although I do like Reagan among other former presidents, this why I take issue with presidential  names... politics are rarely pleasant or agreed upon even decades after events have occurred.

forensicmama

Wow... I guess it was good he was named after a president and not a favorite car or doll haha!

anna7602

juniper19:

If Reagan, Kennedy, Lincoln, McKinley, Carter, Jackson, Ford, Truman, etc, etc, etc, can be names, why not Obama?  Especially if you think he's doing a decent job and you're proud of the historical significance of his election.

I strongly dislike the last names as first names trend and dislike the use of presidential names even more. I still don't like it, but can at least see the reasoning behind using a family last name as a first name, but not a politician you are not related to.

If you really, really wanted to honor the president, why not go for Barack?

BeenThere22

I agree with PP's reasoning for not naming your child Obama---at least not now.

 

I also thought maybe it would have been better to name your child Obama after he carried out his term(s) because a lot of things could go wrong or a scandal could erupt.

I'm sure if a parent named their child Clinton during his term and the Monica thing happened, they'd get crap about it from others. 

TanyaKM

kiyote72:

I'm cool with it....seems to me a valid choice and is a WHOLE lot better than all the misspelled names and made up names out there.  

He is a prez and this is a normal trend.    

Same here. I would never name my child that, but I think there are MANY names (especially the whole youneek trend) that deserve more of a side-eye than naming a child after the President of the United States. I bet it will become more popular after he leaves office.