… [name_f][/name_f] separated from the rapper? [name_f][/name_f] I like him a lot[name_f][/name_f], but I feel like most associate him with the rapper. [name_f][/name_f] Not sure if that’s a bad thing or not, I’m not really into rap and for my own mental health have distanced myself from the scandal around other rappers that happened in the past year, so I don’t know if [name_m]Drake[/name_m] was wrapped up in all of that. [name_f][/name_f] I like the short and sweet simplicity of [name_m]Drake[/name_m], he feels like an adventurer to me, a climber of mountains and a crosser of seas. [name_f][/name_f] I envision a little boy with a wooden sword his daddy fashioned for him from spare wood scraps in the shed who conquers bad [name_m]King[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m] and his cronies in the magical forest down his street and is silly and goofy and loves stories and has the most magical childhood.
[name_f][/name_f]
That being said, I realize that the culture that grounds me doesn’t ground everyone, and there are certain names I absolutely adore that just aren’t usable in the society we live in. [name_f][/name_f] Is [name_m]Drake[/name_m] one of those names? [name_f][/name_f] I realize he may not be one of those names everyone loves… [name_f][/name_f] but how bad is the connection to the rapper, and what are your first associations with the name?
[name_f][/name_f]
For what it’s worth, if I used him, it’d probably be something like [name_m]Drake[/name_m] [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], [name_m]Drake[/name_m] [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], or [name_m]Drake[/name_m] [name_m]Malachi[/name_m] (maybe [name_m]Drake[/name_m] Adam).
In my opinion the connection to the rapper is far too strong, and he has definitely got caught up in a lot. I’d say just look it up for yourself, but he’s not a good person and I wouldn’t wish the name on a child right now.
I wouldn’t use it [name_f][/name_f]- [name_f][/name_f] am not massively into rap but am aware of the allegations that have recently been made against him, and whether true or not I wouldn’t want the associations/ teasing potential.
Since you already like [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_m]Malachi[/name_m] and [name_m]Adam[/name_m] for middle names, would you consider any of those for a first name? Then maybe you could get away with using [name_m]Drake[/name_m] as a middle name instead.
[name_f][/name_f]
Here are some similar names to [name_m]Drake[/name_m] (with a range of styles). [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Dax[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Dane[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Ryder[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Jaxon[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Blaze[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Knox[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Zane[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Ace[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Dean[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Chase[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Grant[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Axel[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Jett[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Maddox[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Zander[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Rhys[/name_m]
I love the name and had the same debate. At this point, it’s off my list. I don’t know much about music but Drake’s been around long enough to own the name for me.
I think, on balance, [name_m]Drake[/name_m] is quite usable. This is my thinking:
[name_f][/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]
[name_m]Drake[/name_m] goes by a mononym so the association with the music artist is strongly linked to the name – but there are other factors that limit the impact of the association.
[name_f][/name_f]
He is an icon and best selling music artist within his genre – but I don’t think he has incredibly broad appeal outside his genre.
[name_f][/name_f]
On the other hand, the popularity of his music will lessen to a degree any negative associations with his character.
[name_f][/name_f]
[name_m]Drake[/name_m] is an old name with historical usage and it is not uncommon. It is closer to names like [name_f]Adele[/name_f] and [name_f]Mariah[/name_f] than it is to [name_m]Kanye[/name_m] or [name_f]Beyoncé[/name_f].
[name_f][/name_f]
It’s been in the US Top 1000 since 1983 so while it’s been losing popularity in the last decade, there are still a lot of young Drakes circulating out there.
[name_f][/name_f]
I recall the couple from Fixer Upper (Joanna and [name_m]Chip[/name_m] Gaines) have a son called [name_m]Drake[/name_m] – having a face to the name always helps create new associations.
[name_f][/name_f]
I wouldn’t assume a person’s name choice was related to the music artist. I would first and foremost assume the parents simply liked and agreed on the name.
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Context matters – for instance if I met a mum and her son [name_m]Drake[/name_m] at a play group the association to the music artist would be in the background, just an incidental association. If the mum worked in the music industry or told me she was a fan of Rap or R&B, the music artist would be in the forefront of my mind.
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Relevancy – in everyday life the people in my actual social circles become the biggest associations with those names.
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Meeting a young child with an unexpected name tends to change people’s perspective.
[name_f][/name_f]
Most people don’t think too much about other people’s names.
[name_f][/name_f]
A person tends to make their name theirs whatever that name happens to be.
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[name_f][/name_f]
Ultimately, name associations can change and we can also hold distinct and separate associations to the same name. We do it all the time with classic names like [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] and [name_m]William[/name_m], we can do it with less common names too. I hope I’ve made a strong argument in favour of keeping [name_m]Drake[/name_m] on your list. Your combinations are so charming!
I don’t know much about the rapper but I do know vaguely he’s been entangled in a bunch of controversies - as in, I’ve seen his name come up in connection with various feuds, dramas and problems - generally just the headlines but I do think it has leant the name a kind of harsh, slightly troublesome air unfortunately?
I do think of ducks when I hear Drake but also someone who is ‘rakish’ (though this is probably just a me thing, with an interest in 19th century lit?) and then also Draco/draconian etc which I don’t think helps with that negative feel around it?
I feel bad for feeling so negatively towards a name that you obviously adore - and perhaps meeting a Drake would just my thoughts? I wouldn’t assume it had been chosen for the rapper after all
While I wouldn’t use it personally, I’d say keep it for your list - or maybe as a middle?
I agree with points @kachenka[name_f][/name_f] posted, especially the last few [name_f][/name_f]I do like [name_m]Drake[/name_m] very much, I like navy and exploration association [name_f][/name_f]- to me it has vibe of old adventure novels. [name_f][/name_f]I don’t think I would ever use it because of similarity of word drek [name_f][/name_f]- my language’s word (dialectal word) for poop, which is pronounced almost the same.
I’m kind of unsure about it. On one hand, Drake sounds very “standard” - as in, it has a lot of familiar sounds and feels like an “everyday” name with history and other namesakes. So I don’t think it’s as strongly associated with the artist as some other names are in the industry.
That said, the rapper is referred to as Drake mononymously and he’s definitely the most famous bearer of the name at the moment. He has also been physically inappropriate with minors (these are not allegations, there is video evidence) and his vile behaviour became very widely known and discussed over the past year.
So I think Drake is too contentious as a name at the moment, but it’s also a traditional-seeming enough name that the association with the rapper likely won’t feel so overwhelming in, say, 10 years’ time. I wouldn’t assume a baby Drake was named after him and I don’t think it’d affect his life when he’s older and the rapper is less relevant. But I do think the association just makes the name seem unappealing to many people at the moment.
I was weirdly having issues finding anything when I looked, everything seemed to be on beef with [name_m]Kendrick[/name_m] [name_m]Lamar[/name_m] but not what the beef was about… [name_f][/name_f] I’ve found that news in general these days so easily affects my mental health these days. [name_f][/name_f] Could say more than that but for privacy reasons will abstain. [name_f][/name_f] Thank you for your gentleness.
[name_f][/name_f][name_f][/name_f]
yeah, that was my concern. [name_f][/name_f] I thought I’d heard something along those lines but was afraid to go looking for too much information, given how sensitive my mental health has been lately. [name_f][/name_f] I do like [name_m]Duke[/name_m] in theory and am currently crushing on [name_m]Declan[/name_m] and [name_m]Desmond[/name_m], but those don’t really feel like [name_m]Drake[/name_m] to me. [name_f][/name_f] I do like [name_m]Duke[/name_m] and some of the others you listed (like [name_m]Cole[/name_m] and Jude) in theory, but don’t have the same appeal somehow in my head.
[name_f][/name_f][name_f][/name_f]
Maybe! [name_f][/name_f] I do like them a lot but [name_m]Malachi[/name_m] I think is the only of those I would consider using up front… [name_f][/name_f] I know too many [name_m]Adams[/name_m] to use it up front and Alexander/Theodore I love as middles but as firsts they don’t connect as much. [name_f][/name_f] I do love [name_m]Teddy[/name_m] and some nns for [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] like [name_m]Skandar[/name_m], [name_f]Sasha[/name_f], and even [name_m]Zane[/name_m] as a stretch. [name_f][/name_f] But I can’t really envision me having an [name_m]Alexander[/name_m]? [name_f][/name_f] Same with [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]. [name_f][/name_f] There’s just other names I love way more.
[name_f][/name_f]
@kachenka[name_f][/name_f] [name_f][/name_f]- your post is long enough I can’t quote all the best bits, but thank you for all the positive points you shared for [name_m]Drake[/name_m]. [name_f][/name_f] I first fell for it after hearing the [name_m]Gaines[/name_m] use it, actually! [name_f][/name_f] I appreciate the love for my combos, and I’m still tossing it about. [name_f][/name_f] I also think of some American football players who have the first name [name_m]Drake[/name_m], which also reinforced how friendly and approachable he feels. [name_f][/name_f] [name_m]Drake[/name_m] [name_f]Maye[/name_f], etc. definitely made [name_m]Drake[/name_m] feel like it wasn’t “just a rapper’s name” to me. [name_f][/name_f] I also think of the show that was very popular when I was growing up, [name_m]Drake[/name_m] and [name_m]Josh[/name_m]. [name_f][/name_f] All of those things give him a variety of contexts aside from the rapper for me, but I did want to see what the general consensus from others was. [name_f][/name_f] Definitely still making up my mind but I appreciate your thoughts very much.
[name_f][/name_f]
@Greyblue[name_f][/name_f] [name_f][/name_f]- Aww don’t feel bad girl, I’ve felt the same about some of your own names, although there’s way more I super love! [name_f][/name_f] I am considering it as a middle, although I was really liking [name_m]Drake[/name_m] [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] and [name_m]Drake[/name_m] [name_m]Malachi[/name_m] before I actually started thinking how the rapper fits into the name contextually. [name_f][/name_f] I am liking the idea of [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] [name_m]Drake[/name_m] a lot too but I don’t know that I’d use him; I like [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] a lot because it’s very similar to one of my sisters’ names but she actively dislikes the name so I’m not sure how comfortable I would be having a [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] of my own. [name_f][/name_f] Surely I could find something besides [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] [name_m]Drake[/name_m] that could work though, if I decide to use it as a middle!
[name_f][/name_f][name_f][/name_f]
That is what I feared [name_f][/name_f]- I thought I’d heard his name brought up alongside another rapper for these actions and much as I love [name_m]Drake[/name_m], I really hesitate to pursue him on my list because of those actions. [name_f][/name_f] It does make me feel better that you think in a decade it won’t be so prevalent [name_f][/name_f]- there may be a time where another more positive [name_m]Drake[/name_m] takes over the rapper’s familiarity and makes him feel more usable. [name_f][/name_f] Obviously [name_m]Drake[/name_m] is not a name only given to the rapper so I’m sure there are many positive associations to him! [name_f][/name_f] It’s just tragic that in many minds the name [name_m]Drake[/name_m] would be tied to something so evil.
[name_f][/name_f][name_f][/name_f]
Thank you everyone! [name_f][/name_f] Still making up my mind on him and it does break my heart since the name has been so close to my heart for so long. [name_f][/name_f] I don’t know that he’s been a super loved name in general, even with the rapper aside. [name_f][/name_f] I’m not near enough to kiddos of my own (nor is [name_m]Drake[/name_m] at the top of my list) for this to be a serious matter at this point… [name_f][/name_f] but I did enjoy having him on my short list and loved imagining a little adventurous [name_m]Drake[/name_m].
I like the vibes of that! [name_m]Even[/name_m] if it’s not [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] you go for, something longer and classic but not overly popular helps bring that adventurous more playful air to [name_m]Drake[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f]- if that somehow makes any sense [name_f][/name_f]- like being in the middle spot helps highlight the positive qualities. Like…Edwin [name_m]Drake[/name_m] or [name_m]Willoughby[/name_m] [name_m]Drake[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]
(from looking him up, I now know the rapper’s first name is in fact [name_f]Aubrey[/name_f] [name_m]Drake[/name_m] [name_m]Graham[/name_m] and annoyingly I like the vibes of that too )
Should have said that this association might (and eventually will) die down but what [name_m]Kendrick[/name_m] [name_m]Lamar[/name_m] rapped about [name_m]Drake[/name_m] at the [name_m]Super[/name_m] Bowl was top 5 worst accusations and that’s very fresh. Again, maybe when you come to use it, a lot less intense.
Yes, unfortunately, for most people, [name_m]Drake[/name_m] is associated with the rapper. Drake’s scandal is well known in most social circles, I feel, or at least on the internet. In place of it, you could use:
[name_f][/name_f]
[name_m]Draco[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f]- it still bears the [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] connection but I think it is much more forgiving than [name_m]Drake[/name_m]. [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Jake[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Drew[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Draper[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f]- I find him particularly handsome [name_f][/name_f][name_f]Darcy[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Drace[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f]- IMO, the best alternative to [name_m]Drake[/name_m] there is. [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Chase[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Draven[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_f]Lake[/name_f]
uh huh, agreed. [name_f][/name_f] I remember hearing [name_f]Aubrey[/name_f] [name_m]Drake[/name_m] was his name years ago and weirdly always think of him when I think of [name_f]Aubrey[/name_f] on a boy. [name_f][/name_f] It’s an annoyingly lovely name lol.
[name_f][/name_f][name_f][/name_f]
ahh ok, I had heard that something happened with [name_m]Drake[/name_m] in the [name_m]Super[/name_m] Bowl but I missed the halftime show. [name_f][/name_f] I had heard that something happened in the show and that [name_m]Drake[/name_m] responded but I didn’t really know any specifics.
[name_f][/name_f][name_f][/name_f]
Thanks… [name_f][/name_f] Ironically [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] was not on my mind at all with [name_m]Drake[/name_m], and I’m not a HP fan. [name_f][/name_f] I do like [name_m]Draco[/name_m] well enough but definitely prefer [name_m]Drake[/name_m]. [name_f][/name_f] [name_m]Draco[/name_m] would probably be the closest I’d get to a replacement, but at this point I think it’s probably better to either use him as a middle name or not at all. [name_f][/name_f] I had been thinking about [name_f]Darby[/name_f] too but wasn’t loving him as much as some of the other names on my list, so I took him off. [name_f][/name_f] I do think it’s the Dra- part rather than the -ake part that draws me to it; I find myself much more drawn to [name_m]Draper[/name_m] or [name_m]Draven[/name_m] than [name_m]Jake[/name_m], [name_m]Blake[/name_m], or even [name_f]Lake[/name_f] (which I do like, just doesn’t feel like [name_m]Drake[/name_m] to me at all lol).
[name_f][/name_f][name_f][/name_f]
I’ve never been a [name_m]Blake[/name_m] fan, but I appreciate the thought. [name_f][/name_f]
I hate saying this because it’s objectively a great name for all the reasons you listed, but the association to the rapper is too strong for me with the current accusations (this is coming from someone who follows very little news/social media and doesn’t listen to rap).
)