I know most namberryites love the name [name]Dashiell[/name], but I just don’t get the appeal. In fact, it is my dh’s favorite name for ds3 due in [name]September[/name], and I have said no way. I feel like the spelling will make everyone mispronounce it, and to most people, [name]Dashiell[/name] [name]Hammett[/name] is unknown, and they will just think about The Incredibles. What am I missing? Why does everyone like it? Can anyone help me or maybe even change my mind so dh will be happy?
Well my son’s name is [name]Dashiell[/name] and it was my husbands favorite for YEARS before I came around to it, and now I couldn’t love it more. I actually really disliked it for a long time and for most of my pregnancy wouldn’t even entertain the idea of it. My husband liked it because he is a huge Pixar fan, which was something I didn’t like at first because I feared he would insist on decorating his room in an Incredibles theme or something. Now that I actually have a [name]Dash[/name] though, I want all the (hard to find!) [name]Dash[/name] merchandise.
At first I got a lot of funny looks at his name, especially living in Pennsylvania. Everyone that only read his name thought he was a girl, and no one ever, ever pronounced it right. It was extremely annoying for the first 6 months or so, but then I guess everyone figured it out and now I never get funny looks or anything. I also started saying “His name is [name]Dashiell[/name] but we call him [name]Dash[/name]”, and when I say it like that people always say it’s an awesome name. When he was an infant and I said “His name is [name]Dashiell[/name]” people looked at me like I was torturing him. [name]Even[/name] naysayers like my uncle who hated it at first actually seems to like it now.
Almost no one comments on [name]Dashiell[/name] [name]Hammett[/name]. I never knew much about him but I’ve been reading about him lately and he seems really interesting, I still have to read his books though. I think it’s a positive association even if it’s not glaringly obvious to people. People do sometimes say “[name]Dash[/name]? Like [name]Dash[/name] [name]Parr[/name]?”. Oh there’s also a [name]Dash[/name] something in the [name]Star[/name] Wars cartoons. I think those are all associations a boy would like to have.
I don’t know if I’m explaining the appeal or not, lol. But the name didn’t fully grow on me until after he was born and now it is my [name]FAVORITE[/name] boys name, I really think it is just perfect. I have a super energetic little one so his name really fits his personality. Oh, another bonus is that I’ve never met another one. A couple of people have said “I have a friend in New [name]York[/name] who has a [name]Dashiell[/name]”, but we’ve never heard of one in our area ([name]California[/name] or Pennsylvania). Once you get used to it, [name]Dash[/name] feels a lot like [name]Jake[/name] to me but so much more unusual. But that is probably also my son’s personality coloring my view of the name. Now that people can see a personality to go with the name, they love it. It’s kind of hard to picture on a person until you’ve met one.
Oh, as for the spelling. When he was smaller I considered changing it because the misspellings and mispronunciations drove me nuts. But I think it’s better to keep the “correct” spelling and let people get used to it. People spell it right now.
Sorry for SUCH a long post, but I figured I had some insight! Out of curiosity, what are your other boys names?
I’m not really that much of a fan-- it’s too much of a surname for me. I also think the nickname [name]Dash[/name] is a little much. I don’t really have anything against other people using it; it’s just not for me.
I am also in PA and fully expecting people to say “Da-SHEEL.” My other kids are [name]Maddox[/name], [name]Miles[/name] and [name]Juliet[/name]. We are having ds3 and I like the names [name]Jasper[/name], [name]Hugh[/name] and [name]August[/name], but dh does not.
FWIW, I hated [name]Juliet[/name]'s name at first and now like it, so I suppose I would get used to it, but your experience of people hating it for 6 months makes me nervous.
Oh I love your kids names! I have been thinking about [name]Maddox[/name] lately, actually. And I love your favorites, too! [name]August[/name] was one of our TOP favorites, and was very nearly his name! I also [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Jasper[/name]. I think either of those are awesome with your other kids names. I don’t love [name]Hugh[/name] as much, I think it’s a little restrained, especially next to [name]Maddox[/name]. But that doesn’t really matter all that much.
Yeah, in PA you’ll definitely get Da-SHEEL, and Dah-shee-ell (hence people thinking it’s a girls name). I really hate both of those pronunciations! But like I said, people figured it out and now it never happens.
Oh, as for people hating it for six months… that was mostly strangers. [name]Both[/name] sets of parents, siblings and nieces and nephew all loved it. Our moms both strongly urged us to use it because they loved it so much (and happened to hate most of our other options, lol). My grandparents weren’t so keen on it, but that’s to be expected I guess. My macho uncle made fun of it a lot, but like I said, he seems to like it now. I think the haters just didn’t understand it, because it was new to them, ya know? And if you would introduce him as [name]Dash[/name] I guarantee the response would be much more positive.
I think [name]Dashiell[/name] or [name]August[/name] would be equally great with your other kids names. [name]Jasper[/name] would too except the fact that your boys have M names, and he would share his initial with a girl instead of the boys. That may or may not bother a boy, I have no idea. Are there any other names your husband likes? Mine loves [name]Lincoln[/name] nn [name]Link[/name], maybe yours would too? Not sure why, but [name]Simon[/name] seems like a name you might like? I think it’s great with your other kids names, too.
I babysit a [name]Dashiell[/name]! We live in NYC and have bumped into a number of little Dashiells at the playground, so since it’s not totally unknown here I get very few looks when he’s introduced. Most people seem to think it’s cool. I generally call him [name]Dash[/name], which totally, completely fits him–he’s a ball of energy and personality–but he also loves books and learning about nerdy science stuff, so I like that his full name has a literary bent. The downsides–it is often misspelled, but once people learn it’s easy to remember; and many people mistake his name for “[name]Josh[/name]” when he introduces himself–are outweighed by how well it fits him.
I hate to be a naysayer, but I really don’t like the name. I mean absolutely no offense to the previous posters by saying that, but it is my opinion. Any way you pronounce it, it sounds feminine to me ([name]DASH[/name]-uhl, [name]DASH[/name]-ee-ell, [name]Dash[/name]-EE-ell, Deh-SHEEL, [name]DASH[/name]-yell)–kind of like a [name]Michelle[/name]-[name]Danielle[/name] combo. Also, I picture a soap opera character when I hear it; it’s one of those impossibly exotic names to my ear. [name]Even[/name] the shortened “[name]Dash[/name]” form doesn’t bring to mind a fireball little boy: it sounds more like the name of a cartoon character to me. I know only one two-year-old [name]Dashiell[/name], and he’s sweet and cute and very smart, but his name still isn’t my style.
Again, I mean no offense, and I hope I haven’t hurt anyone’s feelings. It’s hard to post a diplomatic I’m-not-crazy-about-this-name post after someone has already said it’s his/her son’s name! 
~[name]Frances[/name]
@ Galaatea,
I agree with other posters that it is not my style. I just keep thinking of DaShell/ D’[name]Shell[/name], and those are girl names. It’s important that you pick a name you and hubby both love. I’d hate for you to regret compromising later. What are your other ideas?
[name]Frances[/name], let me just say that that’s exactly how you say you don’t like a name! I don’t feel offended in the least! I think it’s great that we all have different tastes, how boring if we all had the same exact favorites (though tastes do run similar here on the berry!). Different names fit different families, and that’s as it should be. There are tons of names that aren’t my style, but they work for someone else, so that’s great. There are even names that I downright don’t like, but I would still be happier to see them than yet another [name]Aidan[/name] or [name]Isabella[/name] (even though those names are great minus the popularity). Did I actually make sense here? I’m tired, sorry, haha! Anyway, nameberry is wonderful for getting opinions and ideas and such, but when it comes down to it we all need to choose names that fit our own families, not the preferences of everyone else.
Here’s to differing opinions!
Those are girl names? I didn’t realize those were even names at all… Also, they both look like they are pronounced differently than [name]Dashiell[/name], with an emphasis on the L. I think [name]Dashiell[/name] is closer to [name]Daniel[/name] than any girls name…
It is funny - many people have suggested [name]Simon[/name] to us, and I do think it fits, but I don’t like it. I keep hearing that song, “Hello, my name is [name]Simon[/name]/And I like to drawr drawrings…”
This is my list of likes:
[name]Jasper[/name] (today is my favorite but dh has the country bumpkin association)
[name]Finn[/name] (dh says too popular but was my 1st choice before even getting pg this time)
[name]Oliver[/name] (dh says too soft)
[name]August[/name] (don’t know what his problem is with this)
[name]Hugh[/name] (dh’s least favorite)
[name]Silas[/name] (dh is actually okay with this, though thinks perhaps it is too close to ds2’s name of [name]Miles[/name]?)
Dh likes [name]Dashiell[/name] and [name]Declan[/name], then is okay with some nymbler suggestions of [name]Everett[/name], [name]Atticus[/name], [name]Liam[/name], and [name]Riley[/name]. Our last name is very Irish, so I don’t really like [name]Declan[/name], [name]Liam[/name] and [name]Riley[/name] with it (too Irish.)
I don’t dislike the name [name]Dashiell[/name]. I give credit to anyone actually considering a REAL name, these days, to be honest with you.
I do know a [name]Dash[/name] but it’s his middle name and it’s simply [name]Dash[/name]. At first, I was confused and then it really grew on me, especially when I learned his brother is [name]Leo[/name]. I think they just fit together. I’m not a fan of using [name]Dash[/name] as a complete name because it is a word and I’m mostly against those. Maybe it’s my pregnancy hormones but I’m loving the names [name]Elder[/name] and [name]Frost[/name] at the moment. They just sound…cool.
I think [name]Dashiell[/name] is appealing because it gives people a full name for an atypical nickname. There’s no way I’d ever mispronounce it but I’m from Maryland and I’m pretty sure we’re the only state without an accent, haha (unless you count those weird [name]Baltimore[/name] folks. I grew up in and continue to live in [name]Baltimore[/name] and have never pronounced words like they do. Ballmer? Wooter? Hon?). I don’t think it looks or sounds feminine and reminds me quickly of the word dashing, so I think of handsome. I also think of [name]Denzel[/name] [name]Washington[/name] and…sigh…that also makes me think of a handsome boy.
I love [name]Jasper[/name] from your potential list but like your husband, fear it’s too country and might be too Twilight at this moment. I also love the name [name]Emmett[/name] and since I’m not a fan of Twilight at all, I feel like I have to choose between them. I also love [name]Silas[/name]. Your names seem to fit a style similar to mine and some of these are on my list:
[name]Abbott[/name], [name]Benson[/name], [name]Soren[/name], [name]Stellan[/name], [name]Harrison[/name], [name]Ellis[/name], [name]Emmett[/name], [name]Nolan[/name], [name]Lucian[/name], [name]Kellen[/name], [name]Sean[/name], [name]Quinn[/name], [name]Graham[/name], [name]Christian[/name], [name]Abel[/name] and [name]Abram[/name].
I get the criticism of [name]Jasper[/name] as Twilight, but in 20 years, who will know or care? No one cares about what happened in the movies in 1990. I think [name]Jasper[/name] is my favorite now. I have not brought it up to dh again, though. We’re on a name moratorium. We’d both choose [name]Silas[/name] or [name]Everett[/name] if they didn’t rhyme with our other kids’ names. I did a poll elsewhere and [name]Oliver[/name] won, followed by [name]Finn[/name]. Last time, this happened, and I told dh that I was not discussing it anymore and I would name her. So I announced her name when she was born, and dh was so scared, but then he was happy when I gave into his choice of [name]Juliet[/name]. So maybe this time he has to give into my choice!!!
It’s not the 20 years from now that I’m honestly worried about. It’s the right now. I don’t want to be asked by every person I know and meet if he’s named after a Twilight character. If it were next year, I wouldn’t be as worried. I just don’t feel like dealing with it. My family has no clue what Twilight is so I don’t worry about that, I worry about the country hick sound. When I mentioned it, they sort of cringed away from me. They know not to argue since I’m set in my baby naming ways.
I love [name]Juliet[/name]. I was thinking of [name]Julietta[/name] before we found out it was a boy. We’re pretty sure he’ll either be a [name]Jasper[/name], [name]Bennett[/name], [name]Emmett[/name] or [name]Hayes[/name]. All pretty small-town sounding but I can’t seem to help it.
Good luck!
I don’t get the country association with any of your names! I love them all. My dad has already told me he hates all my kids’ names (and the other grandkids too) so I am over what they think!
And as for Twilight… we’re talking teen girls and some moms (like me) who know or like it. I am not that worried about it.
[name]Dashiell[/name] [name]Hammett[/name] is cool. Also love the name because I think it’s a form of [name]Daniel[/name]. Nn [name]Dash[/name] is very suave.
To me [name]Dashiell[/name] sounds like a slender, suave man who wears slightly wrinkled clothes and is intelligent and very creative. He wears really nice cologne (I love Burberry but maybe it isn’t cool) and interesting shoes - not white running shoes which I think are ugly. He has a taupe knapsack and he loves to eat fish. He loves hiking and going to the zoo. He reads a lot. He is an abstact thinker.
I don’t get the country association with any of your names! I love them all. My dad has already told me he hates all my kids’ names (and the other grandkids too) so I am over what they think!
And as for Twilight… we’re talking teen girls and some moms (like me) who know or like it. I am not that worried about it.[/quote]
Thank you! I guess I’m just from a state that thinks it’s southern (Maryland) but it’s not and I live in [name]Baltimore[/name] so I’m surrounded by either completely ridiculous made-up names, ‘hip’ names or trehndee/overused names. I just don’t feel my area would be kind to a [name]Jasper[/name]. My grandmothers want his middle name to be [name]Jax[/name] after some soap opera character.
By the way, I read Twilight and have nothing against it, I’m just over it. I don’t want you to be offended! I know some people go a little nuts either for or against but I’m a huge [name]Potter[/name] fan so most people think I’m a little off my rocker but I get the mania.
I really like [name]Agatha[/name] for a girl. I think an [name]Aggie[/name] would be SO cute. Everyone hates it. [name]Every[/name] other name I come out with gets the, “That’s so old!” from my GRANDmother and GREAT grandmother. I thought they’d approve! I don’t care about what they think, anyways. I just want it to look good on the embroidered blankets my Gran makes.
[name]Dashiell[/name] [name]Hammett[/name] is cool. Also love the name because I think it’s a form of [name]Daniel[/name]. Nn [name]Dash[/name] is very suave.
To me [name]Dashiell[/name] sounds like a slender, suave man who wears slightly wrinkled clothes and is intelligent and very creative. He wears really nice cologne (I love Burberry but maybe it isn’t cool) and interesting shoes - not white running shoes which I think are ugly. He has a taupe knapsack and he loves to eat fish. He loves hiking and going to the zoo. He reads a lot. He is an abstact thinker.[/quote]
Wow, I want to date your description of [name]Dashiell[/name]!!!
ok now i am curious of how to pronounce it ‘correctly’? I was thinking like daniel, but the dashiell…
[name]Dash[/name]-el.