Poll: When selecting a name...

agytay

It amazes me that a lot of people don't know the meaning of their child's name. Just curious, when you decide on a name, do you decide based on

a. sound but I look up  the meaning 

b. sound only

c. meaning only

 

jess60

A.

DoublePortion

A. I think that meaning is very important! As a child I always looked up my name to find the meaning in different baby name books I came across and I think I would have been very disappointing if my name meant "stinky lump of lard". Not that any names mean that, but you get my drift... lol

firsttimeauntie

I go for sound first and if it has a good meaning then that is just a bonus. I'm not sure that a lot of people look up the meaning of their name.

TheWop

A. I guess.  I know the meaning of my DD's name, but there are names I would use regardless of meaning because family significance is more important.  For example, Athena is a family name and if the H agreed, we would use it no matter what the etomology meaning was.  That's not to say I wouldn't look it up eventually, but I wouldn't think anything of it if the name had a less than desirable meaning. 

bsinno

A.

 

We liked the name Marilyn but i didn't love that it meant "bitterness" so we crossed it off the list.  

MrsWindyCity

I guess A, but I don't really care about the meaning, so I would be looking at it more out of curiosity. Unless the meaning was very common and known (and "bad"), it would not turn me off from a name. I don't even know if my name has a meaning, lol. I definitely wouldn't expect my friends and family to know or care about it.

this decaf life

B 

I don't care what the name "means" 

MrsWindyCity

TheWop:

A. I guess.  I know the meaning of my DD's name, but there are names I would use regardless of meaning because family significance is more important.  For example, Athena is a family name and if the H agreed, we would use it no matter what the etomology meaning was.  That's not to say I wouldn't look it up eventually, but I wouldn't think anything of it if the name had a less than desirable meaning. 

 

See this is a name I actually know the meaning of, because it's my mom's name and she likes to remind me very frequently that she is "wise." lol 

Zimger

d. both

BrittKav

I know what my kids' names mean, but the meanings don't matter much to me. At one point we were highly considering the name Mallory for DD2, which means "unlucky".

Pas1224

A

MrsJ723

MrsWindyCity:

I guess A, but I don't really care about the meaning, so I would be looking at it more out of curiosity. Unless the meaning was very common and known (and "bad"), it would not turn me off from a name. I don't even know if my name has a meaning, lol. I definitely wouldn't expect my friends and family to know or care about it.

capulet

 I'm kind of a special snowflake too.  I am not as concerned with etymological meaning as family or historical significance.  DD's name is my mom's surname and DS's name is Lincoln.  Both names are technically place names, but we chose one to honor my family and the other because of our admiration for the president.  We like how both names sound and wouldn't have chosen them if we thought they were ugly, but what helped us make the final decision in both cases was the personal meaning of the names to us.

mgm84

Really A, but I have been trying to find a name based on meaning and it hasn't been going well. 

luckylauren14

Like PPs, I'm a bit of a SS.  DS is named after his grand-fathers. I did look up the meaning to his first name and liked it, but I don't think I would have changed his name if I didn't like the meaning.  

For this one, I would fall into category A if it's a boy. If it's a girl, we are naming her after our mothers. I know my mom's name means "the annointed one" (Kristine). Otherwise, I have no idea what my MIL's name means.

 

queenbone

A, but technically I'm a SS too.

I liked the sound and meaning of DS1's name, "divine gift." DS2's name literally means freeman, which isn't necessarily meaningful, but the relative and the saint for whom he was named are meaningful to us.

So while I look up a name's meaning, it doesn't necessarily take it off the list if it has a neutral or negative connotation. ie I'd still use Mary because of the saint even though the name means "bitterness."

Notwifezilla7

Other, I need to know the meaning and if it's not something I appreciate then I won't consider it. On the contrary, our girl's choice for this next baby was finalized when we discovered the meaning. 

kmichln

A.     when I look up the name, what it means doesn't usually draw me away from the name though. it would have to be something crazy like devil spawn. lol

NydaP

A.  

I won't even consider a name if I don't like the way it sounds.  But I may consider using it if I like the sound but not the meaning.  It just depends on how much I like the name.  But I always look up the name.

nlscroggins

A. for sure. 

brenaxtruthx

A - needs to have a nice flow but the meaning is extremely important in my opinion

ariaforte8

A. However, for pur boy name choice, we woulf use it regardless of meaning because of family significance.

austenreader85

Can I be a special snowflake?  I will absolutely cross a name off my list if I don't like the meaning, it doesn't seem special enough or if it's associated with something bad.  But I wouldn't pick something that sounded bad with our last name either.  And when it comes to picking a middle name, I think the way it sounds or flows is least important but, it's still something worth weighing.

CaraLynn91

this decaf life:

B 

I don't care what the name "means" 

 

This.  

katie6/26/04

meaning is very important (like it will make or break the name for me) but I need to like how it sounds

lh80

this decaf life:

B 

I don't care what the name "means" 

 

exactly, it is never relevant! 

raefre

A - I knew the meaning and didn't care. I knew of historical people with the same name and didn't care. The name had no meaning personally to me. 

swimiz500

MrsWindyCity:

I guess A, but I don't really care about the meaning, so I would be looking at it more out of curiosity. Unless the meaning was very common and known (and "bad"), it would not turn me off from a name. I don't even know if my name has a meaning, lol. I definitely wouldn't expect my friends and family to know or care about it.

I agree with all of this.  

Lue94

A.

Elsa1984

B.

come to think of it....I don't think I have ever looked up my LO's name.

And it annoys me when people jump down other people's throats about "do you even know what that MEANS?! How dare you name your son/daughter that name!!" Not everyone cares about the meanings. I don't even think I have ever looked up my own name..... 

Mamapoo

I find names that I like the sound of, and look up the meaning.
The meanings definitely help to narrow down my name lists, but it's not a deal breaker unless I DON'T like the meaning.

missamERICA

A. I don't think anyone has ever introduced themselves to me by saying "Hi my name is ______, it means ____________." Who cares? Meanings are nice, but really, it's the name our children have to live with, not the silly "meaning."

kim1989

A. We found a name we both loved then found out the meaning afterwards. I don't know the meaning of my own name and I don't think it's a big deal