Kid name to Adult Name??

HSTeacherHeidi · November 2014

I've heard some discussion of things being ok for a kid name, but not a professional name (advice to me and others). While I do understand what you are saying, I talked to my mom about it and I thought her response was interesting.

She said "you think of adult names as Mary, Monica, Susan, Debbie now....but that's just because they were the popular names 50-60 years ago. The names being used now will be fine adult names since that will be what's common 50-60 years in the future".

Has anyone put this thinking to much thought?

HSTeacherHeidi · November 2014

@Idani‌ - that makes a lot of sense. And of course can see how that would be annoying. I guess an adult name like Tenley would never work? I just see that and think-I like that name too! Ha...I'm screwed.

But in 50 years there will be lots of people with those names above...it just seems it won't be uncommon anymore. But I do see the nn thing...

delujm0 · November 2014

I think there's some truth to it...certainly there will be more Kensleys as adults in 20 years. But I still can't get behind using a cute nn as a name (kenzie, ellie, etc). If you like the cute nn that's great, just give your kid the full legal name so that they have the option to use that, or a different nn, as an adult if they want to.

Unknown · November 2014

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rosieo52 · November 2014

I have had this same thought before. There are certain names that I think of as 70 and 80's names Stacy, Tracy, Tiffany, Tasha etc. It would be interesting to see if those were considered cutsie/trendy names back then. I would not bat an eye at a professional with a name like that now because it's common now. I don't like a lot of those trendier names now, but who's to say in 30ish years they won't be considered trendy anymore. But I do agree with giving a more formal name so your child has the option.

Helenahhandbasket · November 2014

I mean, I think your mom's argument has some validity.

I have a name that was a top 10 name the year I was born. It's now hovering somewhere in the low 800s (on the SSA list) and has fallen every year. So, needless to say, it's a time stamped name.

I think when I was young- in grade school and high school- if you heard my name, you would assume I was young. Now, I am sure if you hear my name you think of a woman in her 30s/40s (which I am). And I am sure in another 30 or 40 years, you will think of my name as an old lady name.

So, I think this can hold true for very trendy, time stamped names, which is why the advice on the board in general tries to sway posters from picking a name like this.

Beevol · November 2014

There are two issues that I think are best addressed separately. First is how cutesy is the name and second is how trendy is the name.

If I see the name "Katie" I will think that we are talking about a girl, not an adult woman, because Katie is a cutesy nickname. But Katherine or Kate could be an adult woman of any age. If I see the name "Jen" I will think that we are talking about a woman in her 30's or thereabouts because Jennifer was SO trendy in the 70's and early 80's. If I see the name "Jenny" I will assume that we're talking about a girl, not a woman (unless it's a friend from childhood - I still call them all Katie/Jenny/Mandy even though professionally they're Kate/Jennifer/Amanda).

So, while Livie is a precious nickname for a 5 year old it is too cutesy as a given name for an adult woman, even though Olivia will forever be stamped as having been born in the aughts/teens.

le bebe xo · November 2014

I agree with your mother. The hiring managers of our children's generation will have stacks of resumes with masculine girl names, Nevaehs, Brixlees, Trixlees, etc etc. The hiring managers are likely to have a similar name themselves, as they will probably be ~10 years older.

I do think names listed above will be date-stamped and seen as a sign of these times, but will they be judged as harshly on name value alone, as they are here on this board? no, probably not.

jraeohyeaaa · November 2014

I have definitely thought of this!!! For this reason I will not be naming any of our sons Jaden, Aiden, etc. I love names that can be shortened to something cute when they are little or a cute nn...and then a strong, mature name as an adult. I hate the cutesy little girl names, although I do think it is harder to find the balance between cutesy and old-lady for girl names.

HSTeacherHeidi · November 2014

Thanks you guys-def gave me a new perspective. A boy name will be a short, solid (probably biblical) name. And I hate trendy boy names. For some reason I feel different about girl names and what appeals to me-but I think this has changed how I look at the girl names now.

Maybe I should wait 4 weeks till I know if the baby is a he or a she

Spring78 · November 2014

le bebe xo said:
I agree with your mother. The hiring managers of our children's generation will have stacks of resumes with masculine girl names, Nevaehs, Brixlees, Trixlees, etc etc. The hiring managers are likely to have a similar name themselves, as they will probably be ~10 years older.

I do think names listed above will be date-stamped and seen as a sign of these times, but will they be judged as harshly on name value alone, as they are here on this board? no, probably not.

No, they won't. Forget about ranking for a moment and look at the actual number of babies being given these uber-trendy made up last week kind of names. With all the made up names out there and people reaching for less common historically recognized names, there just aren't that many individual children being given the same name -- not like there once was. You will still have a large portion of the population with classic or at least historically recognized names.
You will never have a stack of Brixlees. That is ludicrous. You may have a higher number of ridiculous names peppered throughout a stack of resumes and people may to some degree go numb to all of those ridiculous names -- but it makes them no less ridiculous.
Why would anyone think it is perfectly legit to make up names or name a kid something overly cutesy on the gamble that some day, so many others might do the same that it becomes the standard? That's a pretty big gamble to take for so little pay off. And you aren't the one who has to pay up when it doesn't pan out.

chicagojackie · November 2014

Your mom's argument is okay...except that plenty of people still name their children traditional, professional sounding names that will look great on a resume and are timeless.

So Kenzie, Maddyson and Nevaeh will have to go up against Katherine, Marilyn and Natalie.

cwiceangel · November 2014

I feel like boys names ending in a E sound... Like Cody, Toby etc are kid names. Girls I can give a little more wiggle room depending on the name. But I won't budge on cute names for boys.

queenbone · November 2014

I disagree, I know children with the names Mary, Monica, and Susan. I think those are names that work well at any age. None of them are juvenile or cutesy.

I think Sally and Wendy are examples of juvenile, cutesy names from a past generation that would be hard to wear in a professional setting. So even though most Sallys or Wendys one will meet today are g-mas or g-g-mas, it is still a perpetually cutesy name

chicagojackie · November 2014

@queenbone I love Monica for a girl but it didn't go with our last name.

Same with Shannon.

Renisra+2 · November 2014

I think that yes, some of these trendy names will be "old lady" names when that time comes around. At the same time, I also think some names just have that "little kid" sound, and I don't want that for my child. I want to be able to imagine my child's name on a baby, a kid, an adult, and an old crotchety lady. I just can't even take an old crotchety lady seriously if her name is Kinsley. I'm soooo not getting off her lawn.

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