[name_f]Do[/name_f] you think it’d be annoying to grow up with a name that might just be said at any point during the day in an unrelated-to-your-name way? Like [name_u]Story[/name_u]. It’s nice in theory, but it’s such a common word. Same with [name_f]April[/name_f]/[name_f]May[/name_f]/[name_u]June[/name_u]/[name_u]August[/name_u]. I like those names, but I feel like the most common question would be “is your birthday in [that month]?”
But does it change when using word names from other languages? Like [name_f]Isla[/name_f], for example.
[name_m]How[/name_m] do you feel about word names, and anyone that has a word name I’d love to hear your experiences.
I love them. When I made my favourite name list I realized just how many I had on there!! Which makes it difficult, because some can’t be siblings ([name_f]Jade[/name_f], [name_u]Ruby[/name_u], [name_m]Jasper[/name_m]…). But there are so many different types of word names too, and some are better than others. I much prefer nature names like [name_f]Autumn[/name_f], [name_u]Aspen[/name_u], [name_f]Lavender[/name_f] to names like [name_u]Story[/name_u], [name_f]Chastity[/name_f], [name_u]Storm[/name_u].
I like them! But I think they work best in specific situations. Words that are commonly used in everyday language could be challenging. [name_f]Hope[/name_f], for example, is really appealing to me, until I realize how often people say “I hope not” or “Hopefully” or “I hope that…” or whatever. I figure it would be confusing, or at the very least, occasionally annoying. A rarely used word, like [name_f]Reverie[/name_f], would be easier to wear, I think.
I also think the meaning is important. [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Grace[/name_f], fine. But [name_u]Storm[/name_u]? or [name_f]Chastity[/name_f]? What if [name_u]Storm[/name_u] has an anger problem, or [name_f]Chastity[/name_f] gets pregnant? It can end up causing problems if the meaning isn’t positive or at least neutral.
I love flower names. [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_f]Iris[/name_f], [name_f]Jasmine[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f], etc. I also like some nature words like [name_f]Raine[/name_f], [name_u]Skye[/name_u], [name_f]Summer[/name_f], [name_f]Serenity[/name_f], and [name_f]Snow[/name_f]. Though mostly in the middle name spot. Also some gemstones, like [name_u]Ruby[/name_u], [name_f]Jade[/name_f], [name_f]Emerald[/name_f].
A guilty pleasure of mine is Katze, which is the word cat in [name_m]German[/name_m].
I love word names. Maybe even a little too much, I could use all word names, or variations of words, to name all my children. (It is probably a good thing my boyfriend has alot more of a conservative and practical taste!)
I have wondered too, about what it is like to hear your name used as a word in every day life. I don’t know a lot of people with word names, I know of a [name_f]Summer[/name_f], [name_f]Autumn[/name_f], [name_u]Winter[/name_u], [name_f]Jade[/name_f] and of course the more common ones like [name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_f]Grace[/name_f] and [name_f]Rose[/name_f]. None of those that I know of have ever seemed to have alot of problems with their names. I also know a little girl named an unusual gem name (think [name_f]Sapphire[/name_f], [name_f]Emerald[/name_f] etc) and people are often a little surprised and unsure when they first find out her name, but its never caused any issues.
Overall, I love word names, I will definitely be considering some when I have my own children to name. But I definitely think a person has to seriously consider meaning and usage before using a word name.
And as far as words in other languages, I’ve wondered abit about that. I’m crushing on [name_m]Cielo[/name_m] right now, but I don’t know Spanish or have a Spanish accent so I just don’t know if I could use it or not!
I think word names are fun to think about and consider, but I would realistically not choose to use them. My husband happens to be into them (in a different language, but that of our heritage) and I veer to traditional name names.
We compromised with one of our kids, giving her a middle virtue name
With abundant exceptions, I’d say I’m not generally a fan of them. But it’s such a broad category–there are definitely lots of word names I do like.
I tend to agree that the ones I’m drawn to are not common words, and also in categories that are traditionally used for names (flowers: I think [name_f]Willow[/name_f] and [name_f]Camellia[/name_f] are both beautiful, for example; and precious stones: [name_f]Opal[/name_f] and [name_m]Jasper[/name_m]). I tend to not care for “occupational” names, especially ones that are more current (for example, [name_m]Cooper[/name_m] doesn’t sound like a job description to me, but [name_u]Sailor[/name_u] and [name_m]Baker[/name_m] do). And I have hesitations with virtue names–for the reasons pointed out by previous posters–and more broadly “values” names–what if [name_f]Faith[/name_f] ends up an outspoken atheist? Would it be weird–or maybe it’s no big deal… And as I said, I’m sure there are lots of exceptions I can find! There’s also the question of just where the line is. I like the name [name_f]Felicity[/name_f], for example, which is a word (and a virtue name!), but one that’s so uncommon that to me it’s “first” a name. Or names like [name_u]Skye[/name_u], which are homonyms with common words, but maybe have a different origin (short for [name_u]Skyler[/name_u], for example) and spelling. Or even a name like [name_m]Will[/name_m]–which is a common word, but not a word name!
As for names taken from foreign words, I think you need to tread extra carefully there. Sometimes the sound of word is beautiful, and it’s a positive (or at least neutral!) word, but it still just sounds like…a word…in the other language. And there’s also the risk of mispronouncing the word, which I think would just be awkward.
I absolutely adore word names. I love that they have a clear meaning, unlike most names where people often aren’t aware of the meaning (for example, the average person probably couldn’t tell you what the name [name_u]James[/name_u] means), and/or don’t give them because of their meaning (if the name even has a clear etymology).
It really depends
I would use a name like [name_f]Hope[/name_f], [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Magnolia[/name_f], [name_u]Winter[/name_u] etc but not something weirder like [name_m]Forest[/name_m]
I can speak Spanish, [name_m]Cielo[/name_m] isn’t used as a name at all, it’s actually a term of endearment (like dear, or love) or just sky.
It would be pronounced “Thee-eh-low”
I knew a girl named [name_f]Hope[/name_f] in elementary school. [name_f]Every[/name_f] time we read something as a class that mentioned the word ‘hope’, everyone would turn to look at her. I can only imagine now how annoying that was…
My names (first and middle) are word names. I quite like them, and people usually respond positively (especially to the full combo). That said, my middle is a common name and my first is fairly familiar as a first in English-speaking countries (from the options in the title, closer to [name_f]April[/name_f] than to [name_u]Rain[/name_u] or [name_u]Story[/name_u]).
There are some I like, and some that feel “made up” to me. But originally, most names were “word names”, so I don’t have a problem with them on principle. I tend to gravitate towards old names, so for me “[name_m]Wolf[/name_m]” and "Goldhawk"are more “traditional” names than “[name_f]Fiona[/name_f]” or “[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f]”. That’s not to say I think “Goldhawk” is more usable than those names
Other words* used as a first name in Medieval or [name_u]Early[/name_u] Modern Europe include [name_f]Faith[/name_f], [name_f]Countess[/name_f], Rustic (and [name_u]Urban[/name_u]), Delicate, [name_f]Diamond[/name_f], [name_f]Patience[/name_f], Honest, [name_f]Olive[/name_f], [name_u]Raven[/name_u], [name_u]Ruby[/name_u], Temperence, [name_m]Constant[/name_m], and [name_f]April[/name_f]
So, I think it just depends on how they sound, to me.
some of these are in languages other than English, but all of these names were in the language of the area where that name was recorded. So, there’s a “[name_m]Constant[/name_m]” recorded in [name_f]England[/name_f] in 1593, and a “Goldhauek” in 1222. “[name_f]Diamond[/name_f]” is actually “[name_f]Diamante[/name_f]”, but the name was recorded in [name_f]Italy[/name_f] (where “diamante” means “diamond”, at least according to Google Translate :)) in 1514.
The exception is [name_f]April[/name_f], which is recorded in the Latin form Aprilis (in 814, in [name_f]England[/name_f]). Names were commonly recorded in their Latin forms in this period, though. Also, it’s one of the examples in the title of this thread, so I couldn’t resist.
I’m using this as my source: Names — Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources
The first recorded uses of [name_f]Fiona[/name_f] and [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] are literary, and from the 18th Century (just using Wikipedia for that source)
I like word names but only to a certain extent. I like the cute, quaint ones that invoke nice imagery. Like virtue name like [name_f]Grace[/name_f] and [name_f]Faith[/name_f]. I also really like nature names like [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Ivy[/name_f], and [name_u]Juniper[/name_u]. I start getting annoyed with them when people pick really “loud” names. Things like M , and [name_m]Saint[/name_m]. I think its more names that would be impossible to live up to. It just strikes me as being really cocky. Where as nature names conjure up a nice image and virtue names are reminders of traits that should be encouraged. My middle name is [name_f]Dawn[/name_f] so I can kinda talk about what its like have a word name. I personally really like it. It makes me think of the sun, the morning, a fresh start and wonderful colors. As far as hearing it in everyday life, for me its all in the context. If someone says “We’ll be up till the crack of dawn” I don’t really connect it with my name. But like i said its my middle name so it might be different for people with word first names.
I have a word name (a month name to be more precise) and it hasn’t ever bothered me.
Yes, when I met someone new as a kid they would ask me if I was born in that month, I would say no, and they would say okay. Not really a lasting topic of conversation haha. As an adult, nobody ever brings up the month-aspect and a lot of people compliment me on my name, probably because it’s not super common and it conjures up images of spring, flowers and nice weather
