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CeCe8579
member
Trends I'm noticing in answers about names here.
CeCe8579
member
in Baby Names
Honest answers. Not looking for arguments, I am just wondering why people feel the way they do in general. This is meant to get everyone's personal opinion only 
1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you?
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why?
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles?
Carly
(Former UN: iloveshanej)
Birdie born 05/01/2007
Rainbow Surprise Baby due 05/26/2017
Rainbow Surprise Baby due 05/26/2017
Potato Launcher
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Trends I'm noticing in answers about names here.
I'll go first, haha!
1. A mispelled name to me is something that is off the wall or looks strange. Changing one letter doesn't bother me but changing it and adding 5 different letters that don't need to be there constitutes missplelled. I think if there is a one letter change or something it's not misspelled, just not traditionally spelled.
2. I love unisex names. Not sure why. I guess because I named my daughter after a family name and she is such a Ryann and she is so beautiful to me. I also like them because of my friend named Devin who died. I have always been fond of them since we were friends.
3. I am both. I like traditional names and unique names. I tend to stick with traditional for middle names and unique for first names.
Sorry, if I misspelled or typed something wrong in the OP or this one. I am exhausted. Capt. Brain Fart has struck again. I wish I could change my UN to that sometimes, haha!
Rainbow Surprise Baby due 05/26/2017
This is just my opinion, not the whole groups, but I think my opinion is pretty similar to many on this board.
1. A name that is misspelled is one that is not spelled correctly. Names like Katherine or Caitlin do have a few varied ways to spell them that are all correct, but just because you've seen Madison spelled Maddysyn does not make it a correct spelling.
2. There is a difference between unisex names (names that are commonly accepted for boys and girls) and giving a girl a boy name. Unisex names would be like Chris, Alex, Jamie, Taylor and Jordan. These are names that I still see commonly on both boys and girls without batting an eyelash. It's obvious boy names on girls that I hate. Many times when boys names go to the girls they become to girly and can never be used as a boys name again. I don't understand the Avery, Elliott, Addison and Carson trend. These are boys names.
3. I'd say I'm traditional in my naming styles. I'm not a huge fan of modern names.
1. Any name that is spelled differently than the normal, regularly accepted versions, or that throws a Y in for the fun of it.
2. I'm indifferent about unisex names. I do not like strong boy names being used for girls (Ryan for example, sorry), effectively stealing boy names (also my son is Reeceand I don't care about it being unisex since it doesn't lean strongly either way)
3. I think I like less traditional names, but I tend to veer toward more popular girl names.
1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you? A misspelled name. A name with a "Y" where there should be an "I", or any extra letters that are unneeded to be "kreative". <---- misspelled.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why? I like some, not all. For example, Hayden for a girl = terrible. Reese for a girl = bearable.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles? I like both. I like Olivia, I like Harper and I like Millicent.
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1. Misspelled is one letter wrong. Tayler =/= Taylor (sorry). My computer even changed Tayler to Taylor at first.
2. I like a few unisex names such as Lane and Rowan. But really, I love them for boys mostly. Too many people say they love unisex names but really, they just love a name of a boy for a girl. That makes me mad bc all the good boy names are going to be taken.
3. I am more traditional. I think everyone is trying too hard to be unique it's making me like the classics more and more. Although I like names that aren't popular, they certainly aren't unique I think.
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1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you?
A misspelled name is when a name is spelled in a way that is different from a legitimate, established variant for me. So Catherine, Katherine, and Kathryn all have an established history as a spelling of the same name, but Kathrinn doesn't, so I consider it misspelled. I really think they need to bring phonics back into schools, as some people don't realise that vowels are not interchangeable.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why?
Hate them. I consider very, very few names to be unisex- for the most part they are just boy names or patronymic surnames being used on girls, and I hate that for a variety of reasons that I'm too sleep deprived to express eloquently. What is it about feminine names that isn't good enough for some people? There's an underlying sociological slant to it- women not being good enough- and it really bothers me.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles?
I really hate the word 'unique' to describe a name. Unique by definition means there is nothing else like it, and maybe I'm a stickler for language, but the only way to get a 'unique' name is if you make it up. And it would have to be pretty bad for nobody to have made it up before. My son's name is uncommon (Gareth), but it is a very old name with a well-established history.1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you? If the name is not spelled correctly. Example, Gavin is spelled Gavin, if someone spells it Gavinn they have spelled it wrong. This was an odd question for me.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why? I hate them. I also find a lot of people don't really understand what a unisex name is and simply use a boy name for a girl. I hate that even more. EDIT I want to add names like Chris which could be Christine or Christopher or Christian is fine with me. Names that are short for an actual boy or girl name are ok. Names parents have chosen so no one knows if their child is a boy or girl or to be "cool" annoy me.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles? I am traditional. I don't mind unique when it means something less common but still a real name.
Overall, I think that I'm more tolerant than most. My biggest grievance is the resurgence of "old people" names, like Walter and Edith, that many posters drool over. I just don't get it; they'll go out of style just as they did in the past. To answer your questions:
1) I'm okay with some unique spellings, as long as they're not youneek.
2) It depends on the name. I really like some (Dylan, Emerson, Reese) and dislike others (Eliot, Micah, Spencer). Unisex names are very commonplace where I live, so I rarely side eye them. This trend does make it harder to name boys, though
3) Somewhere in the middle. I like modern twists on traditional names. For instance, I much prefer Leo vs. Leonard and Norah vs. Eleanor. (These are probably not the best examples. I'm a little brain dead today.)
1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you?
Anything that strays from a legit spelling i.e. Aidan is the Irish version and Aiden is the English version - anything that strays is misspelled. Andplusalso, changing any vowel into a 'y' just makes a name look stupid.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why?
Not all unisex names bother me, but the majority of them do. Sorry to break it to you, but Ryann is one of them. Adding an extra letter onto a boy name =/= a girl name. I guess that also applies to your first question.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles?
I am traditional, but can appreciate unique names that are legit and spelled correctly.
Ditto, all of this. It's like you read my mind. Especially, the bold!
1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you? Like PP said, if it's not on Behind the Name, I consider it a misspelling.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why? Technically DD's name is unisex (Renee), so I guess I'm ok with it. It really depends on the name.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles? I like uncommon traditional/traditional. Renee, Colette, Audra, Elizabeth, Lauren....even though I think Audra is more "unique", but it's not weird or made up.
1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you?
As many PPs stated, misspelled for me is anything other than the traditional spelling(s) of a name. Adding Y's wherever you please definitely falls into this category.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why?
I generally hate unisex names. The biggest reason is because eventually those names become unacceptable for use on a boy (think Evelyn, Aubrey, Ashley, etc.). It may be considered "cute" for a girl to have a boy name, but it's not considered cute the other way around. Some names should just be left to the boys.
For example: I recently heard someone say that they think James is cute on a girl. (?!?!!?) That drives me crazy! Well established unisex names like Taylor or Alex don't really make me cringe, but I think it's rare that a name stays acceptable for both genders.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles?
I like traditional underused names. I generally stay away from anything that has become so popular that you can tie it down to a specific generation, but I also don't really get excited about names that have been used repeatedly for generation after generation (ex: Elizabeth, Catherine-- they're nice names, but nothing to write home about). Above all, I hate the modern names that are so "in" right now (I'm looking at you Nevaeh & Brooklyn!) .
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1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you? When it doesn't follow general rules of English diction (which are very lax in the first place). Or when someone uses a name that is a word and then spells it wrong- ex. I've seen DS's name (Mason) spelled a few different horrible ways- Mayson, Masyn, Masen, eww. The name and meaning is based on stone masons....hence why it's spelled m-a-s-o-n.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why? luuuuuurve but DH likes incredibly feminine names, unfortunately. I think there's something really cool about a gorgeous little girl with a unisex name. I like beautiful, feminine names as well, but sometimes it can get a bit over the top to me.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles? I'm sorta all over the place- especially for girls. For boys I seem to lean towards -en/-an/-on/-in endings and they tend to be names that make me think of a child who is "all boy". Girl names, I like classic as well as different.
1. I would say a name looks misspelled if it substitutes vowels, has random apostrophies or added silent letters. I've seen Eliot and Elliott, so that doesn't get me as much. Caitlin becoming Caitlynne or Catelinn would be a mispelling.
2. I hate unisex names. I think the whole concept of unisex is something modern and last time I checked the "unisex" names aren't actually newly formed names. Of course we see made up names all the time, but no one is clamining Brinley is unisex, I only see it as a girl name. They all come from the boy category. I honestly do not know of a single name that started girl and is now called unisex. That's not to say there's not a man out there named Sue (to pay homage to the Johnny Cash song) but it's not what most people would call unisex. My exception is nicknames. I'm still not crazy about them but Alex going for Alexander or Alexandra is ok. I would recommend in situations like work e-mails to list the full name though so people know who they are dealing with.
To take the subject to a different level: I think gender is important. I don't mean stereotypical gender roles or sexual orientation. I mean, it's part of our biology. I am a woman whether I'm a lumberjack, doctor or homemaker. Whether I'm straight or a lesbian. I can be the sole wage earner of my family, a stay at home mom with traditional responsibilities or something of a blend. But to hate my gender would be like hating any other part of my body, which is all useful and beautiful. I think wanting to hide gender makes for bad self-esteem. Should your gender affect other people's expectations? No. But I think being comfortable with your gender is just the same as being comfortable with your height, weight, or any other physical attribute and a person that can accept and love themselves despite flaws and their gender even if it means clashing with others expectations has good character and is a person I want to be around. Obviously children don't name themselves but it makes me side eye a parent if they want their child to have a unisex name.
3. Definitely traditional. In a day and age where there are hundreds of thousands of names available to anyone with a computer or who can read I really don't see the need to create a unique name. And how can you ensure that it is truly one of a kind? Someone across the country or on the other side of the world might pick the same name. If not already, than probably eventually. Even if you choose to give your child the name 74&3 and pronounce it See-fa-indy. And the age old argument that giving your child a unique name does not make the child unique. Each child is already unique. Only a day and age where there is such a group mindset would think that Neveah will be more special than Mary, just because of the name. I'm a historian, so I frequently think about what life would be like if I lived during a different time.
1. It's misspelled when it's misspelled. Phonics exist for a reason. There is a correct way to pronounce and spell things in the English languaage. Adding random letters when they serve no phonetic purpose (Kevinn v. Kevin). "Y's" aren't always suitable substitutes for "I's". Like the "Jaxson" argument the other day. The "x" makes there be a double "s" sound in the middle of the name. And it just looks ridiculous. As bad as it looks, "Jaxon" is at least phonetically correct (though it still looks ridiculous).
2. I'm getting sick of unisex names. Just seems like people are trying too hard. What's wrong with girls having girl names and boys having boy names? The sexes are different for a reason, and they should be easily recognized based on one's name. I always judge and side-eye this one. If it's a family name, and it just HAS to be used, use it as a middle name. Give a little girl a nice feminine name. Give a little boy a nice masculine name, and save them the confusion as they grow up.
3. I don't really understand this question. Modern? Does that mean names like "Kinley" or "McKenna" or "Nevaeh"? Because if those are modern, then I'm traditional, because those are awful and trendy. But there are some "modern" names that are growing on me. I'm still not sold on the old lady trend that seems to be coming back--names like Hazel or Ethel. I still can't get a handle on those, but I don't hate them. They just don't sit well with me because I still know a lot of old women with these names. Maybe once that generation dies off, I'll find them appealing. So I guess I'd go "both". I hate the modern names that are ridiculous but still not sold on old people's names.
1. A misspelled name to me would be a spelling that is not widely/commonly accepted. As a English language/lit scholar, I get that language changes over time and that what is correct about any word's spelling or meaning, including names, is whatever is accepted by the majority of adult native speakers.
2. I like unisex names ok. I wouldn't be fond of a boy named Su, but some names naturally swing both ways.
3. I guess I'm traditional verging on hipster in that I like old lady names in terms of what I would personally choose. However, an example that springs to mind is a blogger I read who has a daughter named Fable, which I think works beautifully as a name.
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Sorry, I guess I meant more modern names or names that aren't traditional. I guess I worded that wrong. I'm a little off today, not feeling so hot.
Thanks for all the responses! I love hearing other people's reasonings and opinions on things!
Rainbow Surprise Baby due 05/26/2017
1. im pretty open to many spellings of names. i think some changes do look foolish and do agree that different vowels make different sounds and you cant just interchange them but then say that the pronunciation of the name hasnt changed. i cant stand it when people say if its not on a certain site then its not a real name, my name, my brothers name, and a male name thats been in my family for over 5 generations can all not be found on behindthename.com. somebody at one point made up all the names we have today, at one point every name was not established. names change over time, take william, it was once spelled wilhelm. sometimes people jump on others saying they are spelling a name wrong but really they are using the spelling of a different culture.
2. i have no problem with unisex names, and i have no problem with people using names that are considered one sex for the other. the world has enough gender stereo types we dont need to already be judging someone we havent met by what name they have and what sex we consider them.
3. i like both, but i find that most traditional names that i like are all family names that have some meaning to me.
1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you?
I'm ok when maybe a letter is changed, but if you started adding random letters to a name then I hate it. Honestly I think it depends on the name too. I hate it when some names have leigh added onto it when it doesn't belong. Like Kimberleigh or Ashleigh. Those look terrible to me.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why?
Again I think it depends on the name. There are some names that I like for both a boy or girl, but those are very few and far between. For me personally I probably wouldn't use one, it doesn't bother me one way or the other what someone else names their kid though.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles?
I think I'm both. I like some classic names, but I tend to like names that you don't hear very often. When I think unique names, I don't think unique spelling at all!!!!! I think real names that are uncommon. I guess one way to put how I feel about youneek spelling is every time I see "youneek" it makes me think I should pronounce it like eunuch.......and that means phonics is definitely important when it comes to spelling a name!An obviously misspelled name trying to be unique like Rhyleigh or something bothers me just because it looks like the parents are just trying too hard.
I really don't have a big issue with unisex names. I don't really like Obvious boy names on girls like Edward or Steve but names that have definitely "jumped the fence" like Emerson and Riley don't bother me at all. I just wouldn't want them for my boy.. and can totally understand when women are pissed that their son's name has become one of these trends- I know my friend who has a boy Riley is!
I don't dislike common names but def. wanted to give my own girls names that weren't so popular and a bit more memorable. For some reason the boy names I like are very common tho- think Jack, Matthew, Evan, Ethan with also a few unique ones like Everett, Eamon, Donovan
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why? I dislike them for the reasons PPs have mentioned. One of my BILs is named Whitney, which was an acceptable male name until shortly after he was born. He gets a ton of mail addressed to Ms. Whitney LastName. There's little way for those of us who have boys to predict which boy names will suddenly become trendy girl names. Biblical names seem to be safe (usually), but that's about it.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles? My tastes are traditional but my actual kids' names are unique and/or trendy - DD's name is my mom's maiden name, which to my knowledge is truly one of a kind as a first name, and DS is Lincoln (falling in with the trend of random surnames/presidential names as first names; we deliberately named him after the president). DH's tastes are different from mine, so it's what we could agree on.
1. A mispelled name is one that is not spelled in the traditional way. (Ex. Madison - correct spelling/Maddysen - mispelled) Some names have more than one spelling that is acceptable and that is perfectly fine. (Ex. Eleanor and Elinor.)
2. I hate unisex names. I'd never call a boy Emily. Why would I call a girl Spencer? Plus, as a mom of boys, I'd hate it if a masculine name that I had chosen for my son name all of sudden became a "girl name" a few years later. (I'd hate it the other way around, too, but it's much more common for this to happen with boys names.)
3. I think I tend to be more traditional, although I do shy away from super common/overused names. I definitely do not like youneek names. I do like some classic, underused names that have not made a big revival. Some people may consider some of those names to be unique, since they're definitely not in the top 100.
1. To me, a misspelled name means it's not spelled the traditional or "socially accepted" way. Or when someone gives their child a youneek spelling of a common name just to try to make it less unique. This makes no sense to me because you are just setting your child up for forever having to correct people who spell their common name the traditional way and not the youneek way that you just made up. (some people are totally fine with this, I am not) That being said there are many names that have more than one traditional or socially acceptable spellings, like Katherine, Catherine or Kathryn. Someone on this board also said something about this that I think is very true. Names are words just like other words, and should be spelled correctly.
2. Unisex names - I don't hate them but I would never use one. I wouldn't want a teacher or employer looking at a student roster or resume and wonder, is this a male or female? With gender specific names, you elimnate the confusion.
3. I think I am "middle-of-the-road" here. I like traditional names, but think it's better to use them when there's family significance or as mn's. I like normal names (for example, a name that the general American population has heard of) that haven't been very common (in the past 20 years or so).
1. What constitutes a misspelled name for you? Anything that is not the traditional spelling or a slight variant.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why? I'm okay with most of them, but I think they eventually start becoming associated with girls. Jordan, Avery, Harper, etc are girl names to me now, although I know boys with all of those names.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles? I tend to like trendy names. I have a very unpopular name, so I want my kid to have a more popular name, I guess.
1. Anything not on Behind the Name or with an established history.
2. I honestly think there are only a few truly unisex names. Most of them are either (a) boy names given to a small sample of girls (let's say Elliott as an example) that pretty much stay boy or (b) boy names that "go girl" and never return to the boy side (Ashley, probably Avery, etc.).
Also, another thought just occurred to me: do any parents of boys tell people they purposely chose a unisex name for their son? I doubt it. It's mostly parents of girls, right? And when you say that you like unisex names, you mostly mean for girls, right? I just find all of it very interesting and am not sure what it says about ideas about feminine versus masculine gender.
3. Like pps, I'm not sure what this question means, so I'll say this: I prefer names that are familiar. One thing that really bugs me about some people who post on this board though is that they seem to think that if they want a "unique" name for their child, they have to go with something like Maddisynn (which isn't unique at all, as we regs know) rather than just looking for a legit name beyond the top 1,000.
*slow clap* I agree with everything you said, but especially this. People don't seem to understand the implications of what they say. If you are okay with a boy name "going girl" but not the other way around, why? Why would you be concerned if your son's name became predominantly used on girls but not if your daughter's name has a history as a male name (ex. Addison) or is used more frequently on boys?
The reasons for this are similar to why most people are okay with their daughters wearing pants and playing with trucks but would freak out if their son wanted to shave his legs or get a Barbie for Christmas: sexism is still alive and well. People are okay with girls doing traditionally masculine things or being identified as such because it is seen as "tough" and "strong" but not with their sons being identified with traditionally female things because it is still seen as "weak" and, yes, worse than being masculine.
1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you? If the letter order does not work phonetically, it is misspelled.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why? I like some of them, but I dislike surnames for girls--Kennedy, Marley, and the like.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles? I like traditional names, but less common ones. I am pretty bored with the Jack/Henry/Theodore trend...can it be called a trend? I am not sure.
1. A mispelled name is a smooshed name or an obvious attempt at being unique. This does not include variations that are common in other countries (I'm fine with that).
2. I do not love unisex names, but I do like names that are unisex, take Quinn for example or Spencer...these, to me, are boy names. However they are losing that edge. It makes me sad.
3. It depends on what one means by traditional. I have family names that are traditional in my family but not traditional like Elizabeth. I like some names that most consider traditional. I also like unique names. Thankfully my family has a few names that are handed down traditionally but are also unique (due to our heritage). So I win either way.
1. I don't necessarliy mind people changing things when it comes to spelling. there are some variations that are acceptable. There are names like meghan or megan (withsome other spellings also) that I do not think are wrong or bad. Then there are names that are just spelled awful. People try to be unique or create their own name in ways that just don't work. I just saw the name Lauren on tv spelt this way L'wren. That is the kind of spelling that I do not like. There are better ways to be unique then destroying a name.
2. Umm I'm kinda 50 50 on this one. I think there are some names that work for either gender but it is a very limited list. Lately, I have been noticing that people are taking it upon themselves to make a name unisex. Most names a very clearly male or female do leave it that way.
3. I like names on both sides. I think people need to stop worrying if a name is popular or to old fashioned or uniqe. If you like a name then like it.
1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you? A spelling that is not reflective of any particular language. I like legitimate variant spellings if they reflect one's ethnicity. I'm a horrible speller though, so all these 'creative' spellings make it even harder for me to memorize the 'correct' way to spell something. Also it makes it hard to decipher how to pronounce a name; there are phonics rules for a reason.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why? I don't think I hate them, but I don't like them. I'm proud to be a woman. I don't want to be a man; therefore, I don't want to have a male name or give one to my daughter.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles? Traditional, but underused because our LN is in the top 10.
1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you?
Anything that isn't considered a "legit" spelling on Behind the Name. I trust that website a lot with origins, meanings, spellings, etc. If it says "variant of ___", to me it's misspelled. Doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing, but in most cases for me it is. It annoys me that Aiden and Brayden are the most common spellings of the nice names Aidan and Braden. They aren't the worst spellings, and I wouldn't hate on someone for them, but I still consider them misspelled. Oh.. also, in a lot of cases if a squiggly red line shows up under it, it's probably misspelled (though not always as I'm sure not all names are in the spell check database!).
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why?
If you mean boy names on girls, hate 99% of the time. It just doesn't make sense to me that people think it's "cute" or something to name a little girl Ryan, Elliott, Dylan, or other masculine names. I think it causes confusion. Plus there's the double standard I hate. As soon as someone hears ONE person use it on a girl, they say "oh, it's a girl's name now, I can't use it." People need to stop doing that! I can understand if it's a close friend or family member, but if it's some celebrity or your hairstylist's mom's cousin's sister in law, who cares?
I also have a pet peeve of calling certain names "unisex". Unisex to me is a name that has a long history of use on both sexes. So something like Jordan is unisex to me because it's been used for quite a while on both boys and girls. Riley is a boy name on a girl because it's only recently become more popular for girls, so I do not consider it "unisex". I know, I'm annoying, but it just bugs me. I have weird pet peeves :-)
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles?
I've decided my style is traditional with a twist. I like names that have history, but aren't super popular. I also like names that are specific to their sex, but aren't overly girly or macho (I like Brennan and Serena, I don't like Graciella or Robert as an example).
1. What constitutes a mispelled name for you? I agree with most pp. The superfluous y, adding unnecessary letters, any spelling that is done with the intent of making the name more you-neek.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why? I hate them with a passion. I can't really verbalize why. I just think that there are so many beautiful girls names out there and it sucks that so many great boys names are being used on girls. I also just think it can be difficult for girls with traditional boys names. I'm a teacher and I remember one year I had a Hunter (male) and my colleague also had a Hunter (female). The kids called them "Boy Hunter" and "Girl Hunter". I don't mind traditional girl names that can have male nicknames though. I'm a Veronica who goes by Ronnie. I love that I can use either depending on the situation, but I would've been really pissed if my parents flat out named me Ronnie.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles? Extremely traditional. My sons are Joseph David and Benjamin William. If we ever have another boy, he'd most likely be Alexander or Samuel. Our top girl choices are Margaret, Anna, Elizabeth, and Julia.
1. A name that veers away from traditional spelling. My own name, Lindsay, is the Scottish spelling of the English name Lindsey. I would say that "LinZee" would be misspelled.
2. Meh, they aren't really my style. My own parents named all of us names that have either been used for the opposite sex in the past or are unisex: Jordan, Alex, Lauren (Loren,) Hilary...
3. Traditional. There are thousands of years of perfectly good names out there. No need to mess up a perfectly good name with a cracked out spelling. Why not find a unique name that is spelled correctly?
1. What constitutes a misspelled name for you?
If it's spelled differently at all from the historically most common spelling for the language/culture (with a certain amount of wiggle room). I'm pretty harsh about this; even Madelyn or Kaleb is too much for me. I don't even like Katharine.
2. Do you love or hate unisex names? Why?
I don't like them because I feel there really aren't any that are truly unisex--even old standbys like Leslie or Casey feel either feminine or masculine to me. I don't necessarily think all children should be called either Biff Lanternjaw or Fifi Trixibelle, but unisex names generally aren't.
3. Are you traditional or unique in name styles?
Generally quite traditional, but to be honest, I prefer a totally made-up or very obscure name to one which is misspelled, pretentious, or has an unattractive sound.