Would like an idea as to what baby names are considered pretentious and what it is about said names that makes them pretentious. I have a feeling the names I like Athénaïs, Aristide and Bérangère would make the cut but I cant help but love them. Also, is this your naming style? If so what is it you like about it and if not what is it you dont care for.
Really not trying to start an argument just a discussion about names and pretention. Its interesting to see what others think and I have no problems with the names I listed or the ones in my sig being picked apart if you want to use them as an example.
In my opinion, names are MADE pretentious by the parents who use them. Some people I know could name their babies [name]Atticus[/name], [name]Alcott[/name], [name]Bronte[/name], [name]Monet[/name], etc without seeming pretentious whatsoever because I know they have a real true love of these names for the right reasons. But other parents that use them just because they sound/seem smart, educated, famous etc, and use them to seem as such, when they are clearly pretending or hoping on the bandwagon of the trend that seems to include many pretentious sounding names lately. My brother for example, has expressed an interest in the name [name]Atticus[/name] lately, I know for a fact he hated reading To Kill a Mockingbird, but he does associate the name with it, thus aiming for that feel the name carries due to the book, which then makes me feel like he’s trying to be pretentious by choosing this name, which is my brother to a T.
Hopefully I am making sense.
I don’t think I would consider the names you listed as pretentious though, however this is my first encounter with them. Names I consider pretentious most often have strong popular ties to Literature, [name]Music[/name], and Arts of any kind, usually Classics though, not modern additions. The more famous/popular the book/music/artist, the more pretentious it seems. (Again, Parent dependent)
I agree with Kibby! I think any name can be made pretentious. I think it’s the intent behind the choosing of the name that lends to the pretension more than anything. If anything someone does is done with the intent to make them look like they are cooler, hipper, smarter, etc. than someone else, then I think that is pretension.
Those name you like are pretentious to me, though. I’d use them as a middle name.
I can’t stand the name [name]Atticus[/name] because 99% of the people I’ve encountered who used it, or want, are doing so pretentiously. I also don’t like the sound at all.
To me, many of the surnames used as first names sound a bit pretentious, particularly if they have no connection to the child’s actual family tree. You know, when a baby’s name sounds like a law firm? Please.
Agree with these comments, these are pretty much my sentiments. I think the names I prefer could be deemed pretentious but it doesnt bother me and to be honest even when others choose pretentious names I dont have a problem with it. It’s interesting how some people get worked up on boards (not saying any of you guys have) and it got me to thinking what is it about “pretentious” names versus names that are controversial and have some valid issues that gets people so riled up.
I think it is funny that people can decide someone is being pretentious just because they used a specific name. So someone using the name [name]Atticus[/name] because they love the book is acceptable, but using the name just because makes them pretentious. [name]How[/name] can you read into someone’s reason why they chose a name?
I could name my child [name]Atticus[/name] because it was a family name… would I still be being pretentious? Or my husband and I could have met over reading the book To Kill A Mocking [name]Bird[/name] so [name]Atticus[/name] has a special place in our heart… still pretentious? Or I could have heard the name once and thought it sounded really cool… pretentious? I could even decide that it is a hip name and I call my son that… is that pretentious?
Now substitute [name]Atticus[/name] for [name]William[/name], [name]Jane[/name], [name]Carter[/name], [name]Sophia[/name] etc etc etc. Why is does using [name]Atticus[/name] make some one pretentious?
Honestly, I couldn’t care less why someone uses a name. Sure hearing stories about a name is cool, I am a name nerd after all, but I don’t have a right to judge whether someone used a name with good intentions or if they are just being pretentious… because that would make me judgmental and that, [name]IMO[/name], is worse than being pretentious.
I am cracking up at the “baby sounding like a law firm” comment right now!
As far as pretenious names, I like sophisticated sounding names and I am of the mind that I am naming a future adult, coming fresh into the world in a tiny package. So I know people may think I choose pretenious names for my own children (have heard these sorts of comments before “That is a big name for a little baby”, stuff like that, kwim?) but I am not coming from the perspective that I feel I am better than anyone else, nor do I feel my child is better than any other child…just like I said, I am naming future adults so I give my children names that I can easily picture on a mid 40’s male or female.
From my own experience in naming two kiddos, I’d say that most of the non-name-nerd population consider names to be pretentious when they are either unusually long or are essentially unheard of by the masses. When we chose names for our own children we wanted names that were long and elegant (our last name is short so anything less than 3 syllables sounds truncated), had deep meaning to us, and were uncommon (I’m a former medievalist and a name lover, so plain [name]William[/name] or [name]Emma[/name] were not going to cut it). We got some raised eyebrows for giving our son two middle names (our daughter chose his second middle name–her gift to her new baby brother). I have no doubt that sometimes our names come across to those who don’t know us as being somewhat pretentious but that doesn’t faze me (or at least not much) because I know the reasons we chose them and we all love them. And like jemama above, we’ve gotten a lot of comments like “That’s a lot of name for such a little baby” but I’d rather that than something common and expected … it’s a good conversation starter for one thing and I usually get to share our reasons behind what we chose (which helps with lessening the pretension factor).
Very few names actually sound pretentious to me. I think I’ve started to notice pretentiousness, but only because it’s made such a big deal on here. I guess I find myself naturally attracted to names that it seems like some people define as slightly pretentious–like [name]Everett[/name], [name]Brody[/name], [name]Gray[/name], etc. I think people can use names pretentiously, but I’ve never really seen examples of it, so I just don’t really notice it. If I love a name, it’s because I love a name, or because I love the tie to literature or family or my faith or whatever. I guess my brain just isn’t wired to notice it, or to think like that. I figure it’s not really my job to try and police people for choosing a name pretentiously, just like I wouldn’t want people to roll their eyes and find me pretentious for choosing a name like [name]Atticus[/name], when in fact I would be choosing it for very personal and legitimate reasons. Naming is personal, and I really don’t see the reason to judge like that. I am sure that if I came across a lot of people who use names pretentiously I would feel differently, but right now, I don’t. I can pick the names I like, and everyone else can pick the names they like, and we all will have our own personal reasons for choosing what we choose. At the end of the day, that’s enough. For me, anyway.
I’m not sure about pretentious… It seems like a parent would have to like or love the name to call their child that for the next 40 years. (or so we all hope)
but if I hear a name that sounds… different to my taste, I immediately want to know the story. Why did you pick that name? What made you want to name your daughter [name]Alice[/name]? Was it a love of the classics or Wonderland? [name]Do[/name] [name]Atticus[/name]’ parents love the book or just the name? What made 80-something year old parents name their midwestern son [name]DeWayne[/name] 50+ years ago.
When we were naming our son, I asked my [name]MiL[/name] why she chose [name]Scott[/name] [name]Allen[/name] for my husband. She said she thought he was a girl, so she picked the boys name she’d heard most often. Same with the middle name. Most common middle name… with the 2nd most common last name in [name]America[/name]. She has [name]Zero[/name] creativity. And she couldn’t understand “[name]Griffin[/name]” as a boys name - so we shelved it.
I think finding a name pretentious doesn’t necessarily mean you are judging the parents or motive of the parents. Sometimes a name can seem pretentious just based on our own experience with the name (or with people by that name) and also be based on what stigmas have been placed on a name through media like movies, books, TV etc. For example, to me, the name Penelope is pretentious. I only have two experiences with the name. Part of what makes a name pretentious can also be a person’s limited exposure to it. The first time I heard the name I was a child and watching a puppet show on TV on which there was a very fancy bird named Penelope who had a fancy accent and fancy clothes and very pretentious attitude. My second exposure to the name was in the movie Trading Places where the character of Penelope was a spoiled rich girl. So this name became pretentious to me because of the messages the media sent me on what I should think about this name. So that’s my example showing how a person isn’t necessarily judging the people, but judging the name based on previous experiences with it.
And that goes for any judgement we put on a name. And I use the word judge in the sense of placing a personal meaning or value upon it. I think it’s a little foolhardy to say we should just not judge names period. Because in the end that’s what we are all here to do and even if we don’t try to, we all put judgments of favor, disfavor (and everything in between) on names that we come across whether it be consciously or subconsciously.
That being said, since the original poster asked for names that seemed pretentious and why, I will provide a short list of what has come to mean pretentious in my experience:
Names that end in -ington: Ellington, Wellington, Kingston (Kensington Palace anyone?)
Names that imply a superlative position in society: Princess/Prince, Queen/King, Duke and the like.
Names that are similar to expensive cars: Mercedes, Alexis (like Lexus the car), etc
Names that sound like the bearer possesses great power or strength or “coolness”: Diesel (like Vin Diesel), Cougar, Rogue, Rambo
All I can think of right now
I would even go so far as to say that I like names that many may find pretentious. Heck, I like Maximus which means “the greatest” for heavens sake! haha
For the sake of another perspective, pretentiousness isn’t necessarily always a bad thing especially when you consider that sometimes people are just trying to make a good impression and show themselves to the world in a positive light. Perhaps what’s seen as a supper pretentious name like Queen (yes people name their children this, just reference Toddlers in Tiaras for an example), perhaps is just a misguided desire to project positive impressions and desire for success. That’s not a bad thing right?
Anyone else think it’s funny/odd that [name]Atticus[/name] is so popular on NB but always comes up as an example of how people can “make a name pretentious”?
Anyway, I think that parents whose sole goal is to give their children a name that will make then unique and special (to everyone) often end up with names I would consider pretentious. But this is probably more from the idea that someone would think that by giving their child the “right” name they can destine their child for greatness and everyone is immediately going to see that with the name. To me the whole concept of thinking is pretentious and thus I often find that names chosen with this particular goal in mind seem pretentious to me. (but that’s just my opinion and I’m sure someone will disagree with me, and that’s what I love about living in democracy.)
oops!