So I have to admit, physics, that this thread is making me laugh, and I’m really enjoying the method you are using. Not my style, but pretty effective, I would say.
So the question stands: [name_m]Science[/name_m]/method aside, which ones are your favourites? Now that we’ve established that abstract nouns can indeed be names, which ones do you actually want to consider?
My favourites:
Girls:
[name_f]Honor[/name_f] (except here in [name_f]Canada[/name_f] it would be [name_f]Honour[/name_f], haha!)
[name_f]Mercy[/name_f]
[name_f]Hope[/name_f]
[name_f]Selah[/name_f]
[name_u]Piper[/name_u]
[name_f]Reverie[/name_f]
[name_f]Clarity[/name_f]
Brave
You are welcome, Physics. [name_f]Charity[/name_f] is usable but [name_f]Clarity[/name_f] is not. The difference of only one letter is sufficient to make [name_f]Charity[/name_f] and [name_f]Clarity[/name_f] completely separate. Therefore, the usability of [name_f]Charity[/name_f] does not make [name_f]Clarity[/name_f] usable. Similarly, the usability of [name_f]Hope[/name_f] does not make Pope/Rope usable even though they differ by only one letter. For what it is worth, I would not define [name_f]Charity[/name_f] as ‘a reasonably popular name’ at number 852. Also, unfortunately, being unusable does not mean a word/name is NEVER used as a name since a ‘name’ being unusable does not always prevent parents from giving it to their children, hence your findings.
Several Suggestions:
[name_f]Charity[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Clarity[/name_f].
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Clemence[/name_f].
[name_f]Serena[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Serenity[/name_f].
In my graduate research, I solve very large computer math problems by a method called ‘annealing’ which is based on the ironsmithing technique by the same name: you heat the metal until it almost melts, and then let it cool slowly, while hammering until perfect. To solve a large computer math problem, first you consider any potential solutions at random (“molten”), then, you slowly become pickier and pickier (“crystallization”), just focusing your efforts nearby to previously discovered ‘good’ potential solutions. This works well, because ‘perfect’ is usually surrounded by a neighborhood of ‘good’, so the ‘good’ solutions guide you towards the ‘perfect’ one. That’s what I’m doing with the names; I throw out a mix of good and bad names, and let the good ones guide me towards the perfect one.
Here are some names that I find beautiful to the ear and personally meaningful.
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*Helicity is new to the list. It had been left off the original by accident.
I will admit, my one-letter argument is not very strong.
I would like to present a new argument. We know that every name in common use today had a ‘first’; presumably, the parents received criticism from their neighbors for breaking tradition by choosing a unique name. Some names are bad, and are never used again. Other names work, get copied and start trends, leading to new traditions. The parents who go against tradition are a natural and important part of cultural evolution. Without them, culture never changes and we have the same 100 names for all eternity. The critical neighbors are just as natural and important. Without them, children would be named nonsense like ‘a23f4ndo’, and communication would break down. What we see is two opposing forces, in equilibrium, working together to maintain a healthy culture. This is a motif expressed in physics, chemistry, biology, psychology, economics, politics, entertainment, internet forums (etc). The lesson is that no one person ever knows what’s best. Only by allowing contradictory information to coexist does a system find its optimum.
I accept your criticism. It is correct and useful. That does not make it the right choice for everyone.
All of that aside, I did not start this thread for the purpose of convincing the entire world that unique names are cool. There is only one person I need to convince and her name is WIFE. This thread is for helping me decide on a ‘perfect’ name - perfect only in the sense that it makes me happy.
I still agree with Bellaczh! Parents take to much freedom (and the more freedom they get, the more they abuse of it) sometimes and do not think about their kids and how they would feel in our society (I’m not against very rare and uncommon names but seriously Electricity and the others are too much to me). Some names should stay in the “guilty pleasure” list.
However Clemence is VERY popular in France. It’ sa classic name. It’s pretty and easy to wear.
The key word here is persuasion; one person is right, the other person changes his/her mind. [name_m]Feel[/name_m] free to place your bets at any time.
We name our pets after scientists. We have a cat named [name_m]Darwin[/name_m], and a dog named Magellan.
Those are some great lists… extensive too. I guess it’s easy to forget that science involves a lot of creativity too.
It’s easier to pick out a handful that I would skip in favour of near alternatives. “Austerity” I’m not keen on, and I’d prefer “[name_f]Prudence[/name_f]”. “Jubilance”-- I think I prefer “[name_f]Jubilee[/name_f]”. “Radiance” is nice, I know of someone with a sister named [name_f]Star[/name_f] Radiant.
The anti-virtue names are interesting, but a bit too radical for my taste. I think that somehow it’s more acceptable to use some nouns or adjectives that are in the grey area between virtue and anti-virtue. I have in mind some names like [name_u]Rebel[/name_u], Dare, [name_m]Chance[/name_m], and [name_f]Stormy[/name_f]. They’re perceived with some ambiguity by many people and so they have an edgy quality.
My favorites on your list are [name_f]Infinity[/name_f], [name_f]Legacy[/name_f], [name_f]Clarity[/name_f] & [name_f]Melody[/name_f]! I have known a pretty good amount of people with unique word names in my time, and none have ever hated their names. I actually know a women who is now in her 60’s named [name_f]Storme[/name_f]. She led a very successful life and always loved her name. I also knew a [name_f]Star[/name_f], [name_f]Victory[/name_f], & [name_f]Mercy[/name_f] who [name_m]Ive[/name_m] never once heard complain about their name. To be fair, Im also a fan of word names (both [name_f]Legacy[/name_f] and [name_f]Infinity[/name_f] being on my long lists)
I find [name_f]Clarity[/name_f] quite usable. [name_f]Clary[/name_f], [name_f]Verity[/name_f] and [name_f]Charity[/name_f] (which I find trite, frankly) all work, so why not. I like it. I also think Helicity is lovely. I’ve seen Helix for a boy (btw I think helix would make a cool nickname for Helicity) so I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
My favorite virtue name is [name_f]Endeavor[/name_f]. I got it from Inspector Morse, but I think it has a science vibe too.
I think you’re on to something, and I’m sure there’s a great word name out there that you and your wife can agree on. [name_m]Just[/name_m] please don’t name your child entropy.
Sounds like a lot of people in this thread are liking [name_f]Clarity[/name_f], and its also on your list of favs. Maybe present this option to your wife with a middle you know she will love? Couldn’t hurt to try. Adding in the nn [name_f]Clary[/name_f] may help to sway her. My fav is still Jubilance/ [name_f]Jubilee[/name_f] though
Of that list, I would choose:
[name_f]Clarity[/name_f] (she could be called [name_f]Clary[/name_f]. I know someone who goes by that name)
[name_f]Cadence[/name_f]
[name_u]Harmony[/name_u]
[name_f]Melody[/name_f]
[name_f]Affinity[/name_f]
I really think you should leave Celerity and Helicity of the list. They are too “far out there”. And Celerity is too close to Celery for comfort
I keep hearing [name_f]Clarity[/name_f] in your list (both literally and figuratively, ha!). I think if you really like that one, you should go with it. Hopefully your wife agrees!
I really enjoyed reading this thread. I know there was some tension here, but we welcome informed debate and I feel this discussion always stayed on the right side of animated vs. hostile.
@physics, your methods and name ideas are so intriguing. Why not write a [name_u]Berry[/name_u] Juice for us on this topic, when you’re ready? You can email me at pam@nameberry.com to discuss. Your original post is all the way there but it would probably be illuminating/useful to revise bringing in this discussion and how your thinking and name ideas may have evolved (or not) because of it!
There is just something that retained my attention: “I just have to convince my wife”. I think trying to convince your wife to give a name she doesn’t like and finds too “bold” is disrespectful and selfish (sorry). Especially with this kind of audacious names. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if she finally accepts your guilty pleasure she will probably never like her daughter’s name (and how do you want your kid to like her name if her mom hates it?). You can not try to force her if she doesn’t feel comfortable using these names. Because she will NEVER feel comfortable, especially when she will have to say it in public. Which is really bad for her self-confidence and your daughter’s self-confidence. You made this baby together, choose the name together, and respect each other feelings
[name_f]Clarity[/name_f], [name_f]Liberty[/name_f], [name_f]Clemence[/name_f], [name_f]Prudence[/name_f] or [name_m]Manu[/name_m] suggestions look good for me. But lots of names from your original list are definitly not usable and your daughter would get teased.
[name_f]Endeavor[/name_f] was the name of the space shuttle used by NASA to assemble the international space station in the 90s. It’s retired now, so US astronauts now have to ride the Russian Suyoz rocket to and from the ISS.
Helicity is a term used in meteorology to describe the twistyness of tornados, hurricanes, and related storms. It is also used in Physics to describe the intrinsic spin polarization of massless particles, such as the photon. My research finds that at least one person in the world is named Helicity.
I am willing to admit that Entropy was not my best idea.
I will consider your advice on how I should proceed with my wife, but that belongs in another thread. Keep your eye out; there’s a 50% chance (pending ultrasound) in one month I will be back on nameberry asking for help with just that.
I almost suggested Helecity to saracita00 for her wind-related name thread Nameberry - Welcome to the Nameberry Forums I’m not sure many people would know the definition or that it is even a word. It might be viewed as a made-up word or mashup of [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] and a name starting with H.
