I’ve been logging onto Nameberry for quite a number of years now, and because of that, I have a hard time fully loving names that aren’t “berry” enough. Does anyone else have this problem?
I should try to explain myself. For example, I love the name [name_f]Ava[/name_f], however, I wouldn’t feel right using it because of its popularity and how unoriginal it is. I feel like us berries try to make our name combos unique, so many of us avoid common names!
*what I mean by “berry” enough, are names that are widely agreed upon by the Nameberry community. Names like [name_f]Eliza[/name_f], [name_f]Clementine[/name_f], [name_f]Poppy[/name_f], etc.
P.S. Sorry for the weird title, I forgot to change it haha
I think I was quite fortunate in that much of my naming style was already in line with Nameberry themes.
There are definitely still some names I love anyway despite them not being NB favourites, and other names that are beloved on NB that I just don’t really like.
It so happens that before NB I was already quite in love with [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] and [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] (they are also staples in British naming).
I think NB definitely has impacted my naming style and also my opinion on a lot of names. I’m so exposed to names on here and other forums I am often underwhelmed by naming culture in the general public - but I’m not sure that’s a bad thing.
I find that the “berry” style and the real life style are quite different, name combinations on here than people love would be questioned if an actual child was named that… but as someone with a very unique name that I absolutely hate, I still find myself preferring names in the middle that are safe but still unique!
No. There are many names popular on Nameberry that I don’t think are particularly wearable, and I often see names in signatures that I’m positive would get the user and their child laughed out of town were they to go on a birth certificate. However, through Nameberry I have also been exposed to many names I may never have heard otherwise, that later become favorites. For that I am thankful. I do not care if my favorite names are “berry enough,” though.
I have found some people’s choices of names on Nameberry to be a little over-the-top and cringe-worthy for my likeness.
BUT, I get what you mean. Overly common names make me feel ehhhh…(which sucks for me because that’s the kind of names my husband loves the most… our last two kids names are consistently in the top 10 in about five or six different countries lol ugh!)
I know what you mean. For what it’s worth, I actually strongly dislike the name [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] (it sounds exactly like the Spanish word for “dad,” so it sounds super weird to me as a name). I like [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] but I wouldn’t use it for a person. To each their own though! I see the appeal of some Berry names, and other times I don’t. I like the diversity of taste on here.
I think it’s relevant to remember that most of the names you see in signatures or on posts, like 98% of them, will never be actual people. It seems that a majority of Berries are childfree, either by choice or by age or whatever. I think a lot of people here enjoy the fantasy of a beautiful combo and the idea of a person with that name, without ever intending to use it if they had children. (Some of my aesthetically favorite names show up on my signature sometimes but I would never, ever use them in real life.)
To be honest, my biggest annoyance with names on Nameberry is that so many of them seem very, overwhelmingly “white.” I myself am technically white, but my partner, community, and some family members aren’t, so this is something I notice quite a bit. I have started threads on less conventionally “white” names and have gotten either negative responses, or none at all. (I asked about the name [name_m]Diego[/name_m] once, which my partner loves, and I got 2 or 3 responses total while other threads before and after it got many more responses about conventionally white or Biblical names.)
For what it’s worth, I have similar feelings about [name_f]Aria[/name_f] that you do about [name_f]Ava[/name_f]. It seems too “conventional” for some peoples’ taste, but I’ve always loved it and part of me wants to use it someday despite its popularity. I adore [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f], but I know that [name_f]Aria[/name_f] would be easier to wear in real life. [name_f]Ava[/name_f]'s a lovely name, and you should use it if you love it!
Sorry for the long response, just a lot of thoughts haha.