We’ve all got names we don’t like for whatever reason - whether it’s the style, the sound or just a plain old bad association. But I’m just wondering - how do you react when a person with a name you don’t like is thrust into being part of your life? If your sister has a daughter named [name_u]Elliot[/name_u], and you hate boys’ names being used on girls? Or your son brings home best friend [name_u]Stanley[/name_u], which you find too old man, or at a later date introduces his girlfriend [name_f]Reverie[/name_f], which you just find, well, a bit weird?
I’m interested to see whether exposure to a name you dislike makes you warm to it if it’s attached to a nice person, or whether as cute as little [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] or [name_u]Stanley[/name_u] is, you’re never going to like the name. Or - controversial here - do you even treat that person differently because of their name, subconsciously or otherwise? Like, do you give your son ‘nicer-looking’ cards to take to [name_u]Alex[/name_u]'s birthday parties than to [name_u]Stanley[/name_u]'s, just because you like his name better?
(No offence to those who like [name_u]Elliot[/name_u], [name_u]Stanley[/name_u] or [name_f]Reverie[/name_f] out there, they’re just examples of types of names that people may not like)
Well, I don’t like when babies are named something common, because I think if more babies have unusual names, my future child will not stand out in negative way. Recently I put a lot of thoughts in names I hear. I really hope more people have unusual names and wish I can find some statistics that is relevant.
My adorable little nephew is named Mckay, which is a fine name - one I would personally never use, not really my style, but it’s a nice name. If I had had a say, I would have discouraged the use of this name. But I’m totally in love with the boy, so I like the name now. Does that make sense? Or is that weird? Hahaha…
On the contrary, my niece (whom I see less) is named [name_f]Vienna[/name_f] and I like that one even less. It hasn’t grown on me as much as Mckay has.
Having someone in my life with a name I dislike wouldn’t bother me to be honest. I may have a few private preliminary thoughts about certain names, but I’m not going to pull a full on [name_f]Katy[/name_f] Hopkins and refuse to associate with someone just because of their name. I’d actually much rather I came into contact with people with names I dislike- at least then I know I’m not going to be crossing favourites off my list.
I do my best not to judge a book by it’s cover. I love kids with names that are not my style, and I have had trouble with kids that carry names I adore.
I have to admit that I do know people who’s names I don’t really like, but the more you know that person the more you associate them with the name and if you like them, it just becomes their name not just a name you hate. At least that’s been my experience.
The dislike of the name doesn’t go away completely and I certainly wouldn’t use those names myself, but it gives you more understanding to have favorable connections.
5 years ago I would have told you that [name_u]Ever[/name_u] and [name_f]Mavis[/name_f] and [name_m]Henri[/name_m] and [name_u]Jamison[/name_u] were crazy stupid names for girls, but having met one of each and learned to really love them…well…I still don’t like the name [name_u]Jamison[/name_u] and I wouldn’t name my own kids those names, but the names make me happy because the lovely faces of each girl is in my mind.
Before I really know a person who has a name I dislike, I guess I react to their name, but I don’t think I’d treat them differently. I might smile more to somebody with my favorite name, but I wouldn’t be rude to someone named [name_f]Tallulah[/name_f] or [name_f]Maude[/name_f] or [name_m]Dwight[/name_m].
Treating two kids differently because you like ones name more than the others is absurd. [name_m]Jesus[/name_m], I’ve never heard of such a thing. I know a little [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] who is a complete monster, but her name is darling. I also know an Aa’[name_f]Nyah[/name_f] whos name is atrocious, but who is the sweetest little thing. Are there really people out there who like people better based on their name?! I mean I hate a lot of the names my friends use on their kids, but that doesn’t mean I hate their KIDS. It’s not their fault their mom named them after a box of cereal or the last shot she did before she found out she was pregnant.
I do sometimes fantasize about renaming everyone I know, but more so with adults. My sister is [name_f]Mary[/name_f] (she doesn’t like it) and while I don’t hate her name, I started calling her [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] once my daughter could talk and it stuck, which I much prefer.
My husband’s name is [name_u]Shane[/name_u] and while I’m not a fan of it, it doesn’t bother me in a real way. My dad’s name is [name_u]Danny[/name_u] (born in the 60s) and I do sometimes tell him he should go by [name_m]Dan[/name_m]- I’m not sure if he listens, though
My mom’s name is NMS at all- [name_f]Shari[/name_f], but it makes sense with her brothers’ names (all similar popularity at the time they were born) so the consistency makes it ok in my mind. What annoys me the most is if one sibling is classic like [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] with siblings named McKinlee and [name_m]Jaxon[/name_m] or something.
But to answer your question, it doesn’t make me treat anyone differently. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if it did, it would be the parents, not the child.
I was just curious to see if she’s a one-off case, or whether it’s something that other people do, albeit probably more subconsciously and not to the same level. Seems from the responses she’s a one-off case, which I’m glad about.
I personally think its stupid. I have people I don’t like with lovely names [name_f]Georgia[/name_f], [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] while one of my best friends is [name_f]Katelyn[/name_f]. My best friend when I was little was named [name_u]Jordan[/name_u] [name_f]Ashlee[/name_f] and I never gave it second thought as thats her name to me. I personally hate the idea of such discrimination and I find [name_f]Katie[/name_f] Hopkins a bit of a bitch for saying such things. And [name_f]India[/name_f] is related the geographical location sigh
[name_m]Judge[/name_m] the name, but NOT the person who bears it, I think that best describes my attitude towards this issue. I mean for a start, the bearer of a name didn’t choose it, their parent(s) did.
One of my new friends at college is named [name_f]Destiny[/name_f] (known as [name_u]Dessie[/name_u]), a name that I really dislike, but this girl who bears the name is a wonderful person. She hasn’t warmed me to the name [name_f]Destiny[/name_f], nothing will ever do that. However she’s a reminder to me, that however I might “see” a name, I cannot “see” the person behind the name without getting to know them.
I know lots of people with names I dislike ,an example being my sister whose name is [name_u]Kay[/name_u].lee. I was four when she was born and I remember having a WTF moment when my parents introduced her to me. I had never heard of the name [name_f]Kaylee[/name_f] before and I thought it was silly. Now, I couldn’t imagine her with any other name. [name_f]Kaylee[/name_f] is just [name_f]Kaylee[/name_f]. I might not like her name, but it doesn’t change how I feel about her.
I also had the most adorable little neighbor named [name_u]Jaden[/name_u] (girl). She was the cutest little thing. I didn’t really think anything of her name back then (I was in middle school) but it definitely grew on my mom. She once told me if she had another kid she’d name him or her [name_u]Jayden[/name_u]. I’m really glad she didn’t though! I think the world has enough Jaydens.
My best friend growing up was named [name_f]Jeanne[/name_f]. I didn’t pay much mind to it back then, but now the name [name_f]Jeanne[/name_f] really irks me.
