[name_m]Hi[/name_m] berries! I’ve been crushing on the name [name_u]Salem[/name_u] for the long time. The only problem is the associations with that name, even though it means [name_f]Hope[/name_f], I believe in Arabic.
The cigarette brand- except, no one really smokes anymore, so I don’t think this is a big deal.
The Crucible- I actually love witches and the witch trial area. But the town wasn’t bad, it was the people.
[name_u]Salem[/name_u] the cat- I actually like the show and character.
I think it’s usable if you’re living somewhere very detached from it’s obvious history, I think the Muslim meaning you mentioned sounds lovely. Otherwise I think it’s far too heavy of a thing to place on a child if living in [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_u]America[/name_u]. Sure lots of people can be mean to children about any name no matter how regular, but this is a name you know [name_m]WILL[/name_m] gain that response. Maybe use as a middle name depending on where you live.
I live in NE so the big one here is [name_u]Salem[/name_u] MA but it’s not a bad connotation.
I have a friend who named her daughter [name_u]Salem[/name_u]. They call her [name_f]Sally[/name_f] or [name_m]Lemmy[/name_m] and it is the cutest, fits her very well.
Assuming you would be pronouncing it like the city (and not suh-laam like the Arabic), it’s pretty bad in my opinion. The first thing I think of when I hear [name_u]Salem[/name_u] is the cat, so I’d honestly just go with [name_f]Sabrina[/name_f] instead.
Also, I consider nicknames, and all I can think of with [name_u]Salem[/name_u] is [name_f]Sally[/name_f] or [name_u]Sam[/name_u], neither of which are great.
Oh yeah I live on the [name_u]West[/name_u] coast, so I don’t think it’s too bad. And plus, little kids won’t get the reference until they’re in high school, and hopefully at the time they will grow up, and not really bully her/him.
For me I’d say it’s unusable. The child would always get references to the cat and/or witches. That might not bother me, but I imagine it could get old for the child.
I’m from [name_m]New[/name_m] [name_f]England[/name_f] and I think the name [name_u]Salem[/name_u] is super cool. I think of the places in NH and Mass, perhaps the mall more than anything else.
There’s a girl named [name_u]Salem[/name_u] on tiktok who made a video about her name and how it inspired her username, @witchtrials. It’s kinda meant to be comedic so I’m not sure how she genuinely feels about her name.
I think it’s usable and I live in the US. I think the story of the witch trials is a powerful testament to the need for feminism and equality and it lends itself to some very positive associations earned in very hard ways. I don’t think it’s that dissimilar to naming her [name_u]Joan[/name_u] (as in [name_m]Arc[/name_m]). I would, style-wise, think it’s a sister for [name_u]Teagan[/name_u] and [name_u]Reese[/name_u].
I wouldn’t use [name_u]Salem[/name_u], especially living in NA. I think there the negative connotations regarding the witch trials are pretty strong and you don’t want to put that on a child. There are names that I like that have less familiar connotations and I wouldn’t even use them, of course right now I can’t think of any examples though!
If you’re really attached to the name, use it as a middle name instead.
Personally, the associations with this name make me like it more. [name_m]Even[/name_m] the cigarettes, to a degree, but that’s because my grandfather smoked them (yes, cigarettes are gross, but now people vape, and that’s gross too, hopefully we won’t see any baby Juuls). I don’t usually like place names but this is an exception. And I really like [name_f]Sally[/name_f] as a nickname.
I think this is one of those names that is very, very cool. Like, I don’t know if I’d personally be able to pull it off, because I’m a nerd, and makes me hesitant to use it for a child, but I like it a lot.
Definitely very “witch trials”, but I don’t think that makes it unusable at all. I like the sounds aesthetically. So if you like unusual names and are comfortable with others having the witch trial association, I’d say go for it.
I think it sounds very pretty and don’t often shy away from difficult connotations. But I think personally I’d feel at least some degree of upset/shame/annoyance at my parents if they’d given me a name so heavily associated with historical torture and murder of a bunch of women. And that’s always my deciding factor.
It sucks because [name_u]Salem[/name_u] is a fantastic name. I prefer it as a feminine name too, especially with the association (more inappropriate on a boy, I think).
I think it depends where you live and what the connotations are there specifically. I grew up in a town bordering [name_u]Salem[/name_u], MA and even lived in the city for a few years in my early 20s. I would say it’s unusable in the area.
If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think of the cigarettes at all!