Bump names you hate?

emmy236 · August 2014

I'm sorry but all of those who are throwing around "I hate the Gaelic names that no one here can pronounce" makes me stabby because it makes me think you're a little xenophobic. What gives you the right to tell people not to use a traditional name from their culture because you can figure it out? I'm sorry as a grandchild of immigrants who came through Ellis Island, you guys are no better than the people there who couldn't be bothered to figure out how to spell peoples' last names so instead gave them "Americanized" ones.

It's their culture, it's normal to them and quite frankly it's normal to a lot of people too. Maybe it's the NYer in me who knows how to pronounce names from many cultures because it's just common knowledge and curtesy. Maybe others aren't as fortunate to travel, study, experience other places and cultures. But never should anyone tell someone not to use a culturally significant name because you don't know it. Ask questions, learn something. Don't teach your children how to be ignorant too.

allthecheese · August 2014

SadieSue82 said:

Sloan/Sloane. I seriously loathe it. It doesn't sound remotely feminine to me.

wait. I didn't see this the first time. I'm not at all familiar with the name, irl only for a road name close to use. But..... it's supposed to be a girl's name??????

magsugar13 · August 2014

Wyatt

sawyer

archer

beckett

hazel, matilda and 90% of other old lady names

penelope

fiona

oliver

cora

daphne

evangeline

caleb

allthecheese · August 2014

Ok since I ranted about the names with a million vowels I guess I should apolagize. Hate is defenitly too strong a word for how I feel about them. And If they mean something to someone I say absolutely they should use them! I'm not really embracing the names of my parents culture so I probably came across and unfeeling. I guess it's just that I also pity people like me who are completely clueless. I work in a deli where people fill out their sub order on paper, write there name on it hand it to us. when their order is filled we call their name and give them their order. And honestly it's annoying when you can't figure out what in the world the name is or how to say it. If I get an order that says "Aibhlinn" I'm just gonna write the name on their order and set it on the counter rather than butcher the name. We get all cultures in there and we don't want to offend anyone but horrifically mispronouncing their name. I'm not saying the names are bad, I'm just saying others are going to get rather frustrated sometimes.

And I think this was terrible! "Quote -

immigrants who came through Ellis Island, the people there who couldn't be bothered to figure out how to spell people's last names so instead gave them "Americanized" ones.

unquote"

@emmy236 mjreilly2 and whoever

Kitty Holland · August 2014

mjreilly2 said:

emmy236 said:

I'm sorry but all of those who are throwing around "I hate the Gaelic names that no one here can pronounce" makes me stabby because I makes me think you're a little xenophobic. What gives you the right to tell people not to use a traditional name from their culture because you can figure it out? I'm sorry as a grandchild of immigrants who came through Ellis Island, you guys are no better than the people there who couldn't be bothered to figure out how to spell people's last names so instead gave them "Americanized" ones.

It's their culture, it's normal to them and quite frankly it's normal to a lot of people too. Maybe it's the NYer in me who knows how to pronounce names from many cultures because it's just common knowledge and curtesy. Maybe others aren't as fortunate to travel, study, experience other places and cultures. But never should anyone tell someone not to use a culturally significant name because you don't know it. Ask questions, learn something. Don't teach your children how to be ignorant too.

@emmy236 Jinx and ::claps:: — Well said.

Just post a similar thought on the Aibhlinn post.

I seriously side eye the whole "This is 'Merica, you need to spell it so us 'mericans can pronounce it." Do you even realize the number of non-English speakers, non-American born, non-"only English names are okay" people that live in the US? This is not a one language, one culture country. Educate yourself if you don't know how to pronounce something, FFS.

Speaking only of Gaelic names: I'm one that hates obscure Gaelic names. I was born in Ireland and don't live in the US and I can pronounce those names. So it is my culture I am talking about. That someone in Minnesota whose only connection to Ireland is the "kiss me I'm Irish" shirt that she wears on the 17th of March wants to use an obscure Gaelic name is just silly to me. If you want to connect to your heritage, great!

Maybe it also has something to do with the fact that up until very recently, Irish in the US (or Ireland for that matter) would never think of using such names, so it also comes off as horribly trendy.

BananaLettuce · August 2014

In response to the "use easily spelled/pronounced names" comments, I work at a college. I see a lot of names on a daily basis that I may not know how to pronounce. Some are obviously cultural. If I find myself speaking with a student whose name I cannot pronounce, I usually politely ask them how to say it. Or if I have to call a student and ask for them by name, I actually Google the name to see if a pronunciation guide is available and if the name is typically masculine or feminine.

It's not the student's fault I can't pronounce their name. I usually take it as an opportunity to educate myself. For instance, I learned today that the bh in a traditional Gaelic name makes a v sound.

Every American has descended from another culture. My ancestry is Scottish, English, and Native American. And not surprisingly, I prefer names of those origins because I feel a stronger connection with them. I may be a souther woman who's never been to Scotland, but that doesn't mean I haven't researched and found an appreciation for my heritage. It's why I like names like Isla, Fiona, and Graham.

MoFree · August 2014

Cora
Freya
Grant
Henry
Parker, especially for a girl
Reid
River
Savannah

sarahchrismck · August 2014

I've never gotten the appeal of Piper and Harper for a girl. To me, they don't sound like names.

queenbone · August 2014

emmy236 said:

I'm sorry but all of those who are throwing around "I hate the Gaelic names that no one here can pronounce" makes me stabby because it makes me think you're a little xenophobic. What gives you the right to tell people not to use a traditional name from their culture because you can figure it out? I'm sorry as a grandchild of immigrants who came through Ellis Island, you guys are no better than the people there who couldn't be bothered to figure out how to spell peoples' last names so instead gave them "Americanized" ones. It's their culture, it's normal to them and quite frankly it's normal to a lot of people too. Maybe it's the NYer in me who knows how to pronounce names from many cultures because it's just common knowledge and curtesy. Maybe others aren't as fortunate to travel, study, experience other places and cultures. But never should anyone tell someone not to use a culturally significant name because you don't know it. Ask questions, learn something. Don't teach your children how to be ignorant too.

I agree with you with the exception of the bolded. Here is a fascinating little article that explains why that simply isn't true. Names were not changed at Ellis Island.

vulpini · August 2014

mjreilly2 said:

emmy236 said:

I'm sorry but all of those who are throwing around "I hate the Gaelic names that no one here can pronounce" makes me stabby because I makes me think you're a little xenophobic. What gives you the right to tell people not to use a traditional name from their culture because you can figure it out? I'm sorry as a grandchild of immigrants who came through Ellis Island, you guys are no better than the people there who couldn't be bothered to figure out how to spell people's last names so instead gave them "Americanized" ones. It's their culture, it's normal to them and quite frankly it's normal to a lot of people too. Maybe it's the NYer in me who knows how to pronounce names from many cultures because it's just common knowledge and curtesy. Maybe others aren't as fortunate to travel, study, experience other places and cultures. But never should anyone tell someone not to use a culturally significant name because you don't know it. Ask questions, learn something. Don't teach your children how to be ignorant too.

@emmy236 Jinx and ::claps:: — Well said.

Just post a similar thought on the Aibhlinn post.

I seriously side eye the whole "This is 'Merica, you need to spell it so us 'mericans can pronounce it." Do you even realize the number of non-English speakers, non-American born, non-"only English names are okay" people that live in the US? This is not a one language, one culture country. Educate yourself if you don't know how to pronounce something, FFS.

I think this might be partly directed at me for the Caoimhe thread. I'm not American-born or originally English speaking, nor is most of my family. The first alphabet I learned to read and write was not the Latin alphabet. Nor was the second. My in-laws are also foreign-born with my husband being first generation American on one side of his family. I don't think only American/English names are ok or have anything against people preserving their culture while living in a different country from where they were born.

I just know from the inside how frustrating is is to have a name that everyone butchers because the English language doesn't have the letter combinations/sounds that your name has. My friends and family members who have this issue often use fake names when dealing with people they'll only see once in their lives just to avoid the "How do you spell/pronounce that? Say it again? (butchered pronunciation)? Where are you from? How do you like America?" conversation. Many of them have legally changed their names to the English equivalent or to a more pronounceable nickname. They also tend to give their kids "international" names that can be easily pronounced in both languages so that their kid has an easier time.

It's not about being anti-foreign for me. I just view the spelling/pronunciation issue from the same angle as people on this board view it when it comes to the made-up and yoonik spelling names. Obviously the foreign names are legitimate and have a history and a connection to the culture, but the day-to-day life with an oddly spelled/pronounced name is the same for both kids.

marthah05 · August 2014

I have a long list of names I hate and rather rip my ears off than hear again.
Sofia, Sofie or any other spelling.
Isabelle, Isabelle, lily, Emma, Emily, grace, Aidan, Caden, Brayden, Jayden. Madison, Kennedy, people please stop naming your children after presidents you have no idea what they did, and being named after their parent! Give your child your their own name and own sense of identity.
With all that being said it is very hard to pick out a name for our baby because hubby loves these names... [-(

vulpini · August 2014

Wyatt
Declan
Isla
Reid
Beatrice

allthecheese · August 2014

@queenbone that article may be true but I know an older lady that came from Holland with her parents when she was very young. And their last name got changed. It may not have been by the people in that article but somewhere between when they left their home in Holland to when they reached their home in America, their name did get changed.

drunkindonuts · August 2014

Fiona
Beatrice
Sloane
Declan

amberej · August 2014

Isla
Jasper
Piper
Olive

I don't hate these, I just don't get the big hoopla over them!

thejucheidea · August 2014

Ha, none of my names have been listed thus far!!

I agree on Declan. To me, Freya is a dog's name because our Corgi is named Freya. That is not a human name. I also hate Harper, which is hard because that's, well, my name. I hated it growing up and went by my first name, but my family still calls me by my middle name, which isn't even part of my legal name anymore. Saddling a child with Harper is just mean.

Unknown · August 2014

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Unknown · August 2014

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WashingtonQueen · August 2014

aditigirl said:

mjreilly2 said:
@aditigirl Join the club, sister! Multiple counts on all four here too (well, mostly three). Apparently my future minions are doomed too.
They got my chosen boy FN, too!

(Isaac)

I'm shocked that none of my kiddos names were mentioned.

egad1980 · August 2014

aditigirl said:
Man what's with all the Cora hate?!

I was thinking the same thing!

AmandaR204 · August 2014

Hazel, Josephine...all the old lady names bother me. Probably because I used to work at a retirement home and that was everyone's name.

ThirdChild2014 · September 2014

Cora! It just sounds old and craggily!

Engineer81 · September 2014

Quinn for a girl. Not feminine or pretty. Plus I don't like unisex names.

Engineer81 · September 2014

aditigirl said:
Man what's with all the Cora hate?!

I know! It's my choice for a girl, but it is my great grandmothers name and I always thought it was pretty. Oh well, no one has to like it but me and DH.

laurapage81 · September 2014

Rhys

saham07 · September 2014

conradraging said:

conradraging said:

I don't actually hate them, and would suggest them to others if they fit, but nms: Maeve Beatrice Isla Josephine And for some reason almost all V names like Victoria, Veronica, etc. I honestly don't know why I just really don't like them. Also, Desmond. But I can't say that out loud because my best friend is name her son that. (Meanwhile, despite my attempts to change it, were naming DD a name that every one of you would crucify me for... *buries face in shame*)

Are you burying your face in shame because you think we won't like it or because you dislike the name and aren't proud to use it? If it is the former, it's your kid, we'll get over it. If it's the latter, then ffs just don't use it! Never use a name you don't really like, even if it's the name of your SO's recently deceased grandma who raised him and saved his life in combat after eliminating hunger in a small third world country!
Oh I like the name. I used to love it more, and thus have considered other options since, but H is so in love with it now that I can't bring myself to change it. But I know how TB feels about it, and it's not good hahah.

now you must tell the name......

Unknown · September 2014

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kellyfo14 · September 2014

Happy_Yahoo_Personaler said:

mjreilly2 said:

Happy_Yahoo_Personaler said:
Ditto to the "old lady names."

Sadie (for example) sounds like a Golden Girl, not a sweet little infant.
See, I wouldn't consider Sadie an old lady name. I think it sounds incredibly juvenile and doesn't work for anyone above age 3.

When I was in grade school, one of the 80-something cafeteria ladies was a Sadie, so I've always associated it with an old and incredibly nosy old lady (she used to absolutely *grill* me about why I didn't eat my sandwich crusts - I *still* don't eat them to this day).

To me Sadie is what you name your golden retriever...

Trouble81 · September 2014

Yvonne, Liam, Ily (I love you), and lol to whoever said Sadie... I think that's the most frequent dog name next to Gracie.

kerrycharpe · September 2014

all the Aiden/Braden/Caden/Jayden manifestations. Where we moved from it's like every other kid.

Charlotte. It's a nice enough name, but I lived there for 8 years and hated every minute of it.

Violet. My mind instantly goes to "Violent"

don't hate, but also don't get all the old-lady names. I just think of grumpy mean old ladies in the grocery store.

I really don't get the mindset that you need to choose or spell a name so that everyone else can spell/pronounce it. I grew up with a really, really German last name that everyone butchered. When I got married the first time, I was thrilled to death to switch to a super-easy, phonetic name. WRONG. No one ever spelled it correctly. EVER. It was literally spelled exactly the way it's pronounced. The vast majority figured out ways to say it wrong. Then I got remarried and switched to a lovely French name that seems pretty obvious to me. Not only does no one spell or say it right, they just straight up change it to a different name and ignore me if I correct them. Moral of the story is, what's the point? Unless your name is John Smith most likely there'll be some correcting and spelling regardless. Where we live now there's such a huge population of people from other countries and cultures it seems even more narrow-minded to dictate that everyone needs an easy, 'Merican name.

also don't get all the hate for unisex or boy names on girls when it's based solely on that fact. I have a boys name, as do my SD and DD. It's never occurred to me that I should dislike my name for that reason. I asked both girls if that bothered them....they looked at me like I had 3 heads. IMO there are quite a few "boys" names that just don't seem remotely masculine to me. To each their own, but I don't fully understand why people get so worked up about it when it's not their name.