Résumé/CV approved names!

Girl Names
1

I was reading another Berries post and somebody mentioned that [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] wasn’t a résumé worthy name, I live in the UK where there are [name_f]Evie[/name_f]'s and [name_f]Libby[/name_f]'s galore and I think nicknamey names are fine and don’t seem unprofessional.

I am called [name_f]Molly[/name_f] and have never had a problem getting a job, I have a very close friend called [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] - not [name_f]Rose[/name_f] or [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] or any longer version just [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] - and she’s incredibly successful in her line of work.

We’ve named our daughter [name_f]Nettie[/name_f] and I don’t think it’s going to hold her back in life, not when there will probably be [name_f]Evie[/name_f]'s, [name_f]Libby[/name_f]'s, [name_f]Ellie[/name_f]'s, [name_f]Poppy[/name_f]'s, [name_f]Elsie[/name_f]'s and [name_f]Maisie[/name_f]'s (all popular names where I live) applying for the same job.

I was just wondering what other people’s opinion is on this? Would you not call your [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] or [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] because it might look wrong on a CV?

Thanks!

2

Well, not on a resume per se, but I would consider just the general use of a name for an adult/elderly person.

3

I don’t mind nicknamey names on a CV. While some of them might seem rather childish, it doesn’t say anything about the character of the person. I have encountered CVs with many different types of names and while they do leave an impression (especially outlandish names) I quickly get past that and move on to the important details. Also, I think [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] doesn’t feel unprofessional. In fact, all [name_f]Daisy[/name_f]'s I know are adults.

4

For me it is just my taste and some nicknames are, well, nicknamier than others. I veer, usually, towards formality in a legal name (I like nicknames AS nicknames… usually) but there’s a few I’d use by themselves.

[name_f]Molly[/name_f] is one I actually really like and consider using alone. I would use [name_f]Mae[/name_f]. I would not use [name_f]Mamie[/name_f], [name_f]Maisie[/name_f]/[name_f]Maisy[/name_f] or [name_f]Polly[/name_f] alone, they feel over-sweet. All are nicknames for [name_f]Mary[/name_f] originally so clearly it’s just my own taste.

[name_f]Elsie[/name_f] and [name_f]Libby[/name_f] both sound too nickname-y to use alone, to me. And I [name_f]ADORE[/name_f] [name_f]Libby[/name_f], I just can’t bring myself to put it on my list by itself.

Some botanicals work alone for me and some don’t. [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] works fine alone for me. [name_f]Rose[/name_f] certainly does. But [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] and [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] don’t. Well, I should say [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] doesn’t, because I like it but can’t use it alone.

I think [name_u]Pepper[/name_u] is adorable but I wouldn’t name a girl [name_u]Pepper[/name_u]. Same for [name_f]Kitty[/name_f]/[name_f]Dolly[/name_f]/[name_f]Betty[/name_f]/[name_f]Susie[/name_f]/[name_f]Dot[/name_f] - happy to use them as nicks, think they sound ephemeral and hard to take seriously as full names

5

While I wouldn’t distinguish between a [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] and and an [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] on a résumé (Maybe between an [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and a Makynziey!) I still wouldn’t use those names because there are so many beautiful full names, they’re not my style and they still suggest “little girl” to me. But I don’t think it’s ever fair to judge a résumé by the name on it.

6

[name_m]Don[/name_m]'t tell me, I am berry who thinks almost all names age well, even trendy ones.

7

I’ve never really been bothered with the whole CV thing. I live in the UK too (hi!) and ‘nickname’ names are just normal to me as well. I think judging a person by their name is ridiculous anyway, and just as bad as judging on race, gender, or sexuality, especially since there’s no way anyone can control what their name is. It definitely isn’t a valid reason, in my opinion, for disregarding a name.

8

I’d pick any name I like, regardless of whether or not others think it would look ‘good’ on a CV. If the employer is ignorant enough to not hire someone based on their name, they don’t deserve my daughter/son as an employee. There are SO many [name_f]Ellie[/name_f]'s, [name_f]Poppy[/name_f]'s, [name_f]Maisie[/name_f]'s, [name_f]Millie[/name_f]'s, [name_f]Molly[/name_f]'s etc in [name_f]England[/name_f] that I don’t think [name_f]Nettie[/name_f] will be any different! I know a few people called the names above and they are doing excellent in the job world.

9

I am a fan of a formal name. However to me [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] and [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] and [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] et al are fine because they are full (flower) names. If I wanted a daughter called [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] I would probably name her [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] or [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] for example.
I am not keen on big stretches though. If you want [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] use [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] -[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] is not a way to get there imo.
In the UK these sweet little nick namey names are hugely popular so no, I don’t think [name_f]Nettie[/name_f]'s CV will suffer.
I think most name nerds have their own “rules” that might not make much sense to anyone else :slight_smile:

10

As another [name_f]Molly[/name_f] I feel like the hand-wringing about resumes and my personal favorite, “what if she wants to be a lawyer?” (as one myself) is just silly.

Now, having a nickname name I do gravitate toward names with options and I would have liked the opportunity to go for something with more weight if I wanted, but I have NEVER been held back by my name. I can see framing concerns as “what if she wants the option for a more serious name” but not as “nobody will take her seriously with a cute name.”

That said, I think old-fashioned nicknames like [name_f]Molly[/name_f] and [name_f]Sally[/name_f] (and [name_f]Nettie[/name_f]!) do carry quite a bit of weight anyway, just due to being used for centuries.

11

Choosing a full name gives a person more flexibility as they grow up. Take the name [name_f]Marguerite[/name_f] for example. She could be called [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] when she’s little, [name_f]Margot[/name_f] or [name_f]Greta[/name_f] when she reaches her teen years and then she has the option of using her full name when she enters the professional world. As far as “nicknames as first names” and how they look on a resumé/cv is concerned, I think that a correctly spelled full name may give off a more polished image. A [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] or an [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] may “appear” more capable than a “[name_u]Josie[/name_u]” or a “[name_f]Libby[/name_f]”. Of course, that may not be the case but we can’t deny the fact that every name projects a certain image/stereotype/association. I think it may have something to do with where you live. Nicknames are all the rage in [name_f]England[/name_f] so there are going to be plenty of these names on resume’s in the future. In other words, I don’t think [name_f]Nettie[/name_f] will suffer. Generally speaking, I think [name_u]North[/name_u] Americans prefer a longer name and are more apt to see the drawbacks of nicknames in the professional world. That attitude may change if the “nickname trend” catches on here. It’s my belief that people with grossly misspelled names may have a harder time being taken seriously than people with nicknames.

12

I can’t imagine why a [name_f]Nettie[/name_f] should be taken less seriously than a [name_u]Jayden[/name_u] or a [name_f]Nevaeh[/name_f]. I mean, employers are gonna have to relax as this new generation of babies ages. They’re going to be swamped with applications from adults with every variation of names that rhyme with [name_u]Aidan[/name_u] or end in the “lee” sound. I’d imagine that a [name_f]Nettie[/name_f] or a [name_u]Bennie[/name_u] would be a breath of fresh air.

13

@southern.maple - Unfortunately, class, race and cultural stereotypes are still quite prevalent in today’s society and those controversial issues are applied to baby names as well. I’ve heard many Berries who are in the teaching or childcare professions talk about the Jaydens they know. In their experience, most Jaydens are not their favourite pupils (I’m being diplomatic here). [name_m]Even[/name_m] though their behaviour may be due to lack of parental guidance, impoverished background or some other factor, the child who bears this name has already gained a certain dubious reputation even before he enters the professional world. [name_f]Nevaeh[/name_f] is largely an African-American or Hispanic name so these children may also face some obstacles in life. I’m hoping that employers will be more tolerant when these young people go out into the world. Well, as long as I breathe, I can hope!

14

This is honestly the single most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard in my life, and it makes me livid when people say that a name is too ‘cute’ for an adult/human. 110 years ago, the top 100 in any English speaking country was made up of ‘cute’ names - and those women turned out fine. [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] McClung - the woman responsible for Canadian women getting the right to vote - was a [name_f]Nellie[/name_f], just, [name_f]Nellie[/name_f]. I think she did pretty well for herself, don’t you?

In my family, the women who have proper names and cute nicknames actually HATED their proper names - my great grandmother, who is 90 this [name_f]October[/name_f], pretty much refuses to answer to her birth name, and has always gone by [name_f]Dolly[/name_f]. The whole 'would you trust a doctor with this name?" argument is probably the silliest thing ever - because wouldn’t you trust a doctor based on their education and knowledge rather than something as irrelevant as their first name? Not to mention, I’ve never, [name_u]EVER[/name_u] met a doctor who was addressed by their first name.

As a few others have pointed out - my children will likely be applying for jobs against [name_u]Ashtyn[/name_u]'s, [name_f]Nevaeh[/name_f]'s, [name_u]Jayden[/name_u]'s, [name_m]Jaxon[/name_m]'s, etc, so I doubt a little [name_f]Minnie[/name_f] or [name_f]Betty[/name_f] will seem any less professional. In the UK, these names are in full swing - so the ‘cute’ problem doesn’t really apply there at all.

As far as [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Poppy[/name_f], [name_f]Rosie[/name_f], [name_f]Lily[/name_f], etc go, they’re all flower names - and therefore, are in a completely different league, alongside [name_u]Ruby[/name_u], [name_f]Amber[/name_f], [name_f]Gemma[/name_f], [name_f]Olive[/name_f], etc. I don’t know of anyone outside of Nameberry who insists that [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] or [name_f]Lily[/name_f] are inappropriate for a resume, nor do I know anyone who insists that [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] is nothing more than a nickname (which technically, it isn’t, [name_f]Marguerite[/name_f] is a [name_m]French[/name_m] name MEANING ‘daisy’.).

In high school, I went to school with 4 [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]'s, a [name_f]Tabitha[/name_f], a [name_u]Lexie[/name_u], a [name_u]Mackenzie[/name_u] who only goes by [name_u]Kenzie[/name_u], and a [name_f]Kylie[/name_f]. All four [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]'s refused to attend college/university - and are currently working in McDonalds, working in a grocery store, working in a factory, and the other dropped out of high school. [name_f]Tabitha[/name_f] has decided not to go to post-secondary, and is planning on being management in a grocery store forever. However, [name_u]Lexie[/name_u], [name_u]Kenzie[/name_u] and [name_f]Kylie[/name_f], are all off at medical school - [name_u]Lexie[/name_u] is going into sports therapy, [name_u]Kenzie[/name_u] into Doctors Without Borders, and [name_f]Kylie[/name_f] into pediatrics.

Maybe my high school is the only one like that, but, I’m pretty sure that’s proven that ‘unsuitable for a resume’ names are not a good indicator on how competent or capable a person is.

15

Honestly, I’d avoid all those names. I don’t like cutesie names. I think it’s a birth order thing for me…I was the oldest child, so enjoyed being thought of as smart, pretty, someone to be taken seriously. [name_f]My[/name_f] little sister was the ‘cute’ one, the entertainer of the family. She likes ‘cute’ -ie names. I prefer stronger, prettier, more serious names.

16

A girl named [name_f]Candy[/name_f] is just as capable of being a thoughtful, intelligent, college graduate, but —fair or not— most people wouldn’t use that name because they think of a stripper having that name. Once you get to know someone you don’t even think about their name any more, but it is very much a part of people’s first impressions of others—and resumes are one giant “first impression”.

17

What’s appopriate is subjective. I love [name_f]Lotus[/name_f] and I’m sure many wouldn’t consider it resume appropriate. [name_f]IMO[/name_f], while “out there”, it’s still a formal/proper name just like [name_f]Rose[/name_f] or [name_f]Violet[/name_f]. I’m not going to put Lo Lo or Tussie on her birth certificate because those are childish nicknames.

With my personality, I would’ve been livid if my parents had given me a cutesy, nicknamey name. I will do my children the same courtesy by giving them the option of a nickname

18

The employers who will throw out [name_u]Jayden[/name_u]'s or [name_f]Daisy[/name_f]‘s resumes because their names are “unprofessional” or “too childish” are more than likely the same employers currently throwing out Jaquavious’ and Tameeka’s resumes because their names are “ghetto.” If this is the case, I will gladly give my child a cutesie name in order to prevent them from being employed by such bigots.

19

I have a few thoughts on this. (If it helps, I’m [name_u]North[/name_u] American.) Partly I have an un-nicknameable name and have always thought it would be fun/useful to have more options, so I’d tend to use [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] to get to [name_f]Libby[/name_f] rather than just using [name_f]Libby[/name_f].

While we don’t like to think that a person’s name will determine whether their resume will get a second look, employers are human and studies have concluded that some names are more attractive on a resume than others. Usually this is attributed to the age and ethnicity the name invokes, and a “nicknamey” name may suggest immaturity even if that’s not the case. As I understand it, names are less important once the employer has met you in person, but getting to the interview stage can be more difficult.

Well-established nickname names ([name_f]Molly[/name_f], [name_f]Sadie[/name_f]) don’t worry me in this way. Many people don’t realize that they are nicknames - they just know them as names on their own. [name_f]Ella[/name_f] is currently popular enough on its own that I can’t imagine employers in 10-15 years getting hung up on whether it’s short for anything. And floral names ([name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Iris[/name_f]) don’t worry me because before becoming long-used names they were established as words - I wouldn’t assume either would be short for anything. (I think the [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] --> [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] link is pretty weak outside name nerd forums.) [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] is a little bit different in that it’s a floral name and also a seemingly well-accepted nickname for [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]; I don’t think I’d assume it was a nickname, but some people might. It’s possible that some gender stereotypes hold here and that people think of floral names as “girlier”, and that may unfortunately affect how professional they look to some people.

A lot of people will also hesitate to embrace a perfectly fine name simply because they’ve never met an adult with that name. [name_f]My[/name_f] mom (in the mid-1980s) almost named me [name_f]Amy[/name_f] but couldn’t picture an adult [name_f]Amy[/name_f], so named me something else. Now of course there are adult Amys all over the place, but sometimes people just can’t picture a name on an adult and worry that it will forever be thought of as a child’s name and that that will look bad on a CV. It’s probably helpful to some people that many of the most popular names now ([name_f]Sophia[/name_f], [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]/a) have long histories - even if they can’t picture an adult [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], they know there have been adult Olivias in the past.

I’m hoping that as ethnic diversity increases in [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_u]America[/name_u], as it has been doing, employers will get used to seeing a wider variety of names and not rely on their impressions of names as much. I imagine this has happened to some extent already.

So to answer your question, “Would you not call your [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] or [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] because it might look wrong on a CV?”: If [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] was my favourite name, I would name my daughter [name_f]Daisy[/name_f]. If [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] was my favourite name, I might or might not name her [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] - I might go for [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] but constantly call her [name_f]Poppy[/name_f], which has the added bonus of a bunch of other nicknames if she didn’t like [name_f]Poppy[/name_f]. And if there are lots of Evies, Maisies, etc. in your area, I wouldn’t imagine [name_f]Nettie[/name_f] would be disadvantaged in this way. It might be a different story if she was applying for jobs against Evelyns, [name_f]Marys[/name_f], Elizabeths, Katherines, etc. and the employers didn’t stick to the relevant non-discrimination policies.

20

Me too! :wink:

Also, I’d like to ask what exactly makes a name like [name_f]Kylie[/name_f], [name_f]Hailey[/name_f]/[name_u]Haley[/name_u], [name_f]Emily[/name_f], [name_f]Audrey[/name_f], [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], etc acceptable, but [name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Elsie[/name_f], [name_f]Minnie[/name_f], [name_f]Marnie[/name_f], etc, are too cute? They have the same ending, same syllable count, similar elements, and yet, [name_f]Emily[/name_f], [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] are totally fine.