The Berries’ reaction to made-up names is very interesting, especially since I’m seeing Tolkien names considered, along with Game of Thrones names. I guess those names, which are made-up in Tolkien’s case and made-up variations of existing names in GOT’s case, carry weight because they come with a character who has a personality and does interesting things. That’s an advantage that a name like [name_f]Nevaeh[/name_f] doesn’t have (yet).
I like a lot of made up names. The problem is, most people are really bad at it. I was just discussing this with SO last night when he was telling me about a new co-worker who has a made up name that starts with Shart. That’s just terrible. Some people come up with some stunners though. I never say no to any ‘type’ of name, just like I never say no to any ‘type’ of book. There’s magic everywhere.
My interest was piqued enough to create a login, because I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a discussion about naming veer into Platonic forms and tableness before. Personally - I’m against made up names* but not because those offend my delusions of regency. It’s more that I think most of those names are created applying the same “Look at me, over here being adorable” metrics used to cobble together a vanity license plate. In my opinion, the process of naming of child shouldn’t just be a quest to apply a name or word that will most satisfy the parents’ basic need to be clever/hilarious/eweneek. I know a little girl who is named Lyrik because her mother likes the noun and the misspelling makes it “rare”. That’s the thought process as explained by Lyrik’s mother, who is flummoxed as to why people don’t fall all over themselves to congratulate her on her eweneek vanity license pla— I mean child’s name. People will toss out an exception to the rule (See: Condy Rice), but I really don’t understand the logic in giving a name that the parent knows might be a stumbling block. I’ve never heard of a parent willfully squandering a fortune with the intention that his/her child will rise out of the ashes of grinding poverty. I’ve never heard of a parent choosing a house because it’s in the worst school district and maybe the child will turn out to be an autodidact anyway. Why would a parent choose any name that one might succeed in spite of?
I love names. [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] loved names and the idea of names being self-fulfillingly prophetic. He was faithful to etymology so I don’t find his created names a typical example. [name_f]Juliet[/name_f] would argue that that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet… but I don’t think the [name_m]Bard[/name_m] would have gone for Rowezalynndellaliegh or whatever.
*Full disclosure, in 2004 I named a [name_f]Betta[/name_f] fish [name_f]Maeby[/name_f] after a character on my favorite tv show. It was just a fish. I regret nothing.
[name_f]My[/name_f] daughter’s name is Lyrik and I do not think she will have to do anything “in spite of” her name. I love her name and in my view, it’s not much different than changing [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] to [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]. Also, most studies show that the name you are given has little to do with how successful you are. It just happens to be that people of lower socio economic status tend to bestow less traditional names onto their children. There are plenty of successful people with non traditional names though and non traditional spelling variations. I think it’s just inaccurate to say that because a child is given a certain name, they will have to rise above it somehow.
Haha @warpedbritt I posted on this thread months ago, and because you posted I just read through all of them again, and I caught the one right above yours, so thank you!
To the girl who posted about naming her fish [name_f]Maeby[/name_f] and that it was just a fish, I named my daughter [name_f]Maeby[/name_f] and she is a real live person, and I still regret nothing!
@stephykneejo I think [name_f]Maeby[/name_f] is cute
I don’t agree with the “every name was made up at some point” stance. It’s not like someone just said, “Hey, that sounds cool. Let’s make that a word.” Words were created to describe or convey things, not just because of aesthetics. Legitimate names have legitimate etymology and roots, and they evolved from different words and languages. They weren’t just pulled out of thin air yesterday – they have history. Real names don’t often just pop up out of nowhere. Save for literary inventions (like [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f], [name_f]Miranda[/name_f], etc. which have developed their own history and usage over the years), every variation or spelling all have historic origins that derive from often centuries of linguistic evolutions. Makyblynina may have been pulled from thin air but [name_f]Alice[/name_f] wasn’t (it evolved from Adalheidis – something that took centuries in the making – which evolved from something else conjured up to express something, which is why it’s not generally referred to as made up).
I think another reason for people discouraging more recent, kre8tiv inventions is because they’re usually crude misspellings of already existent names not due to translations, but simply because the parents thought it looked cool or cute. It could also have something to do with the fact that there are so many infinite and interesting names from varying cultures and time periods that would even wear nicely in the modern era. Because of this, many name nerds would likely argue they can’t understand why someone would want to make up a name with very little thought aside from aesthetics – even though a similar-sounding name could already exist.
Shakespearean and other literary names were often made up, only not for usage on children because they thought it would be unique, but for usage on characters which is why they’re considered more appropriate. At least [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] has generated centuries of usage, namesakes, a historical pedigree, and even a species of butterfly, whereas most made up names in recent years have absolutely none of that. They’re just totally random syllables – not even awesome literary characters invented by authors for a story – that mean nothing. It’s these MyKynzyala type of made up names that most Berries dislike, not all invented names in general. That’s just my perspective.
I don’t have much to add except to say that I completely agree with you.