I have put [name]Desmond[/name] on my list and taken it off a few times… I like it but dislike the meaning… or better said LACK of meaning…
" From South Munster" … is that good enough for a name meaning??? I hate that I like the name but dislike the meaning!
What do you think???
[name]Do[/name] the meanings of names influence your choices?
[name]Do[/name] you like [name]Desmond[/name]?
[name]Desmond[/name] was a medieval kingdom in south [name]Ireland[/name] (aprt of [name]Ireland[/name] was called Munster), so I think it’s pretty cool actually! I think the name is the most important thing, if it has a nice meaning it’s a bonus.
And, yes, I like [name]Desmond[/name].
I think so long as it doesn’t have a negative meaning & it isn’t made-up I wouldn’t mind. I’m not a big fan of [name]Desmond[/name], but I have nothing bad to say about it either really. [name]Just[/name] nms.
You could always look for positive namesakes if you want a deeper background of the name to help you make your choice.
I also feel that the love of the name is more important than the meaning. [name]Desmond[/name] is a very cool sounding name with the very cool nickname Dezzy or Dizzy (as the [name]Desmond[/name] I know goes by Dizzy), and while meaning is a bonus, the meaning it has for you is more important than the literal one.
The meaning of a name, whether literal or personal, is very, very important to me. A name doesn’t have to have a positive literal meaning for me to like it though. Personal meaning and how much I love the name are more important.
Unless it has a meaning that is offensive to me personally (for example, as a [name]Christian[/name], I’d be absolutely repulsed by the idea of using a name that meant “devil worshiper” or something) for it to affect how I see the name. I don’t think [name]Kennedy[/name] has the nicest meaning, but if I liked the name, I’d use it. I just don’t find it particularly appealing.
I like the meaning of [name]Caleb[/name] (some sites say “whole hearted”; others list it as meaning “dog”, but from what I understand, the Hebrew context was for it to be seen as “whole-hearted as a dog”–like how a dog loves with all its heart, without judgment or requirements), but my second favorite boys’ name, [name]Everett[/name], has a much less nice literal meaning (brave as a wild boar). The brave part is nice, but the wild boar part sort of repulses me. haha. It doesn’t really bother me, I think it’s the connections I make to the name–literary heroes, Biblical associations, family ties, associations to interests of mine that have shaped me into a better person, etc.
[name]Desmond[/name] is nice! I never heard the meaning, and I have to say, it absolutely wouldn’t put me off. I would just think of [name]Desmond[/name] [name]Hume[/name]. 
I love the LOST connection.
I might be the odd one out here, but I need to like a name’s meaning for me to fall in love with it. I love names with awesome stories and history behind them. Names that I don’t like the meaning, I could never fully commit. Like, I really like the name [name]Cameron[/name] for a boy but I would never actually use it because the meaning is atrocious… “crooked nose” But the meaning of [name]Desmond[/name] isn’t bad or ugly, it’s just kind of “blah” so I think you should use it if it doesn’t really bug you. Because no one else would know the meaning.
@ [name]Ash[/name]… The reason i have been getting more into the name is that I have started watching LOST on nextflix and have now become a HUGE lost fan!!!
I like the [name]Desmond[/name] character and has given me a picture of what a [name]DESMOND[/name] could be!
The meaning of a name is very important to me, I don’t like [name]Desmond[/name] but not due the name, due to personal experience with a [name]Desmond[/name]. He was not a stand up guy!
Meaning is somewhat important to me, like others have said if the name doesn’t have a horrible meaning and I really loved the name then I would still use it. I try to put at least one name in all my combinations that has a good meaning, whether it’s a literal meaning or has some personal significance. At the end of the day would I still use [name]Desmond[/name] if I really loved it, yeah in a heart beat! I will never, ever use a name where I really disliked the meaning though, I can’t stand the meaning of my name!
Like some others have said, I think it only matters if the meaning is a negative one or a connotation you don’t want associate with your child…like [name]Cameron[/name] (crooked nose, lol…) or [name]Calvin[/name], which means bald. ALSO, I love the name [name]Kallisto[/name]/[name]Callisto[/name], but the story in Greek Mythology from whence the name comes really puts me off…basically, she was raped by [name]Zeus[/name] in [name]Athena[/name]'s temple and, despite the fact that she was - previous to that - a virginal devotee of [name]Athena[/name] (and also raped!), [name]Athena[/name] turned her in to a bear…all I can think of when I consider naming child that is…how do I explain this name to them?
But I don’t think [name]Desmond[/name]'s meaning comes in to those two categories…unless you’ve got something against the place? Lol…and it has more meaning to you than just it’s etymological meaning because you’ve bonded witht he spirit of the name through a character.
Yeah, [name]Henry[/name] [name]Ian[/name] Cusick can do that to a person, haha. 
When I consider a name, I consider its numerous aspects…meaning, sound, nicknames, history, famous bearers, use in my family, etc. I could use a name that had an unremarkable or even negative meaning if it held special personal meaning and had positive associations otherwise.
Oooo… your issue with [name]Desmond[/name] is the same issue I have with [name]Sebastian[/name]. I find their meanings just blah. And to me meaning is equally as important as spelling and sound of the name.
That said, if I could justify [name]Desmond[/name] for myself as in “my family happened to be from that part of the world” I’d be all over it. Esp if I already loved the spelling and sound of the name. (But I should point out that my favorites is a rotating 50 + names and so I’m grasping at straws for a “reasonable” excuse to place a larger subset on a secondary list. lol.)
Definitely, what I’m naming my child, is what I’m calling them. IF the name means “crooked nose” that’s what I’m calling them when I say “[name]Cameron[/name]”.
I don’t like that.
[name]Desmond[/name] has such a neutral meaning, that I think it’s fine though. If it was negative, then I’d have a real issue but it’s pretty “whatever” in meaning, so it’s fine imo. I prefer positive meanings though, but I don’t see an issue with plain meanings.
If there’s no meaning it kinda bothers me though.
I feel this way about [name]Atticus[/name]’ and [name]Everett[/name]'s meanings too. It gives the name a disadvantage in my eyes when the meaning isn’t strong. This is whenim trying to narrow them down and find reason to cut from the list. Other disadvantages are popularity, ifmi know of any personally, if the syllables are all the same etc. it’s hard loving a name that doesn’t have a meaning I want.
Name meaning does not influence my choice. When I meet someone I don’t care what their name means. I think other factors are more important in a name.
Yes, meanings are important to me. So much so that I don’t even like first and middle pairs that aren’t well-balanced… like I wouldn’t want a first name that meant “strong warrior,” and a middle that meant “victorious leader” or something. Too much.
I think I would feel the same way if [name]Desmond[/name] had caught my eye — I’d be turned off by the meaning. That said, if you have a name that is sort of neutral in meaning, you could always add on a middle with a very distinct and positive meaning, if that would help you.
I agree! Many names have come off our list due to poor meanings or,as you said, lack thereof. My husband and I are both proud bearers of our own names and would like our children to carry that same pride
Yeah, absolutely I think the meaning influences…My husband and I really loved [name]Claudia[/name] for a girl, but it means “lame” - so we struck it off the list.
Google it and see if you get any different meanings.the name [name]Lila[/name] has a few meanings depending on where you see it - but [name]Claudia[/name], always came up “lame”…