My sister has one son, [name]Ronan[/name], and she is pregnant again. Her choice at the moment is [name]Romney[/name]. Apparently since it has been said over, and over again for the past few months it clicked in her head. Politics aside – what do you think of the name? Does the sibset [name]Ronan[/name] and [name]Romney[/name] work well? It doesn’t matter much if they’re too similar since [name]Ronan[/name] is practically grown and lives on his own.
Thoughts?
Focusing on phonetics only, I think they’re too matchy. They’re both Irish, share the starting [name]Ro[/name], and a second syllable starting with N.
And she can’t really think that anyone, ever, will see it as just a name and not a political statement.
Politics and celebrity status aside…
I visually don’t like the “mn” combo. It reminds me of [name]Romey[/name] ([name]RO[/name]-mee). [name]Romey[/name]/[name]Romy[/name] is a diminutive form of [name]Rosemary[/name].
I agree with @blade on its properties as a sib-set with [name]Ronan[/name].
My first thought, honestly, was “You’ve got to be kidding me”. Sorry. I think even though it might have a nice sound, it’s far too connected to the politician at this point in time to ever be seen as anything but a giant homage to [name]Mitt[/name] [name]Romney[/name], whether that’s what she was going for or not. Sort of reminiscent of the baby girl born and named [name]Sarah[/name] McCain [name]Palin[/name] (Lastname) during last election.
As far as whether [name]Ronan[/name] and [name]Romney[/name] work together… I don’t think so. [name]One[/name] is a traditional Irish name, the other is a rarely-used (as a first name) surname. [name]Even[/name] if [name]Ronan[/name] sounds surnamey, they just clash for me. And I do think they’re too similar, even if [name]Ronan[/name] is not living there anymore. They will still be together at family functions, et c., so it would just be too close for me.
If she’s going for an R name that ends in the ‘ee’ sound, how about:
[name]Rafferty[/name]
[name]Reilly[/name]
[name]Ripley[/name]
[name]Ramsay[/name]
[name]Rigby[/name]
[name]Radley[/name]
[name]Rooney[/name]
[name]Ridley[/name]
[name]Rodney[/name]
I, personally, agree. She however thinks that since she knows multiple 18-20 year old’s named [name]Clinton[/name], that it won’t be a problem.
No, I think [name]Ronan[/name] and [name]Romney[/name] are too similar in sound.
Nothing wrong with the name, I like it, but its not a good time to be naming a baby [name]Romney[/name] with the election right around the corner, everyone is going to think she’s naming the kid that simply to honor [name]Mitt[/name] [name]Romney[/name] whether or not that is the case.
There are worlds of difference between [name]Clinton[/name] and [name]Romney[/name]. [name]Clinton[/name] is actually a first name that has little or nothing to do with Pres. [name]Clinton[/name]. The same can’t be said of [name]Romney[/name].
I think you need a couple of decades before you could use [name]Romney[/name]…
I think the name itself is cute, but the political statement is too strong, whether she intends it to be or not. Personally, I think naming a child this is setting up for being teased. Its just like that girl a few weeks ago who wore a [name]Mitt[/name] [name]Romney[/name] shirt to school and was told (by a teacher, no less!) that she was no better than a member of the KKK. Yeah, its stupid, but you’re always going to have stupid people making comments.
I think if she were trying to say [name]Ronan[/name] and [name]Romney[/name] together on a regular basis she would get the names mixed up. [name]Way[/name] to similar. Can you imagine trying to yell out [name]Ronan[/name] and [name]Romney[/name] in the park, it almost sounds like a tongue twister if you have to repeat yourself more than once.
I honestly don’t think that I could get past the political association and I’m sure I’m not alone. Because of that and the fact that (as others have said) it is too close to [name]Ronan[/name], I’d scrap it if I were her. I also agree with the [name]Clinton[/name] thing. The association is there, but it isn’t the only way people know of the name [name]Clinton[/name]. In fact, I actually think of Hawkeye now or my good friend’s son. I’m sure there are other associations to have with [name]Clinton[/name] as well. Oh, thought of another: [name]Clinton[/name] [name]Kelly[/name] from What Not to Wear. [name]Romney[/name], though, is [name]Mitt[/name] [name]Romney[/name] to me. 100%.
Political views aside, I think the names are too matchy for siblings. I know you said [name]Ronan[/name] was practically grown but, I they will be at family functions and could vary well get called the wrong name or tongue twist everyone.
Now I also wanted to add that I think it’s going to be a few decades before the association with [name]Romney[/name] isn’t [name]Mitt[/name] [name]Romney[/name]. Plus if the baby is born before the election and [name]Romney[/name] loses to [name]Obama[/name] her baby might be teased or harassed by political extremist adults.
I agree with this. I am a political junkie, and if you’ve looked at non biased polls recently [name]Romney[/name] has a VERY small chance of winning the election. So if she has a baby [name]Romney[/name] after he has lost, she might be ridiculed. I don’t think people will get over the [name]Mitt[/name] association anytime soon. So she should be prepared for that.
Politics aside, it’s just way too matchy.
However, I wouldn’t use it because [name]Romney[/name] would appear as if she’s making a statement. It needs a decade or two before it can be used safely.
I like it! With that said, I agree with others that I’d give it some time. If he is elected, it will most likely join the other ‘Presidential’ names like [name]Kennedy[/name], [name]Reagan[/name], [name]Nixon[/name], [name]Truman[/name], [name]Lincoln[/name], etc…
It very well could be a name that, years from now, goes to the girls though.
“politics aside” I can’t put politics aside here, no one will. I would NEVER want people to think I named my child after him. So yeah, I think everyone would think she’s a big Rebublican and even if she actually is I wouldn’t do it, because who knows whom that kid one day favours.
That was true last month, but since that first debate it’s become closer (I’m not trying to endorse [name]Romney[/name] here, but it’s not the near-runaway many on the left were hoping it would be). I know that [name]Pam[/name] and [name]Linda[/name] don’t like political discussions here, but with a name like [name]Romney[/name] you’re bound to have it happen (if you were wanting to use [name]Obama[/name] as a name you’d likewise be getting political reactions).
Lol, I was secretly hoping this would devolve into politics!
OK, so seriously, this name is terrible, it really is.
First of all, you are turning off 47% (ba dum ching!) of people who come across the child. Their first impression of that kid will always be a negative one. Why would you do that to a kid? I guess maybe in 30 years people will forget, but until then it seems like it’s not really worth it.
Second, you are that person who named your kid after a political figure. People will assume that you are an extreme conservative and very political, which could make people uncomfortable. If you are willing to name your kid after a political figure from a bitter election despite knowing that it will turn half of everyone you meet off, that sends a strong message, you know what I mean?
Third, the name just sucks. It sounds like an attempt at updating [name]Rodney[/name], but it doesn’t work because [name]Rodney[/name] is still a few decades away from sounding fresh again. And by the way, where is the line with these last names as firsts? I dig the concept, especially being a resident of the South, but not every last name is first name worthy. Next thing you know we are going to have [name]Baby[/name] Biebers and Timberlakes.
[name]How[/name] about instead…
[name]Hudson[/name]
[name]Reilly[/name]
[name]Rory[/name]
[name]Easton[/name]
[name]Toby[/name]
[name]Dominic[/name]
[name]Kellan[/name]
[name]Donovan[/name]
[name]Trenton[/name]
[name]Brady[/name]
[name]Perry[/name]
Perhaps you could show her this graph and these statistics? [name]Clinton[/name] was a very well-used first name in the U.S. long before [name]Bill[/name] [name]Clinton[/name] was even born. [name]Romney[/name] has never been in the top 1000. [name]Clinton[/name] has also actually pretty clearly become less popular as a first name since the president.
I would strongly discourage [name]Romney[/name]. [name]Even[/name] without the polarizing baggage, I have a bit of a personal aversion to matchy sibsets, being a part of one myself, and I think that [name]Ronan[/name] and [name]Romney[/name] is too much. I think the strong n sounds in the middle push it over the top. Maybe she’d like [name]Rowley[/name]? It still keeps the [name]Ro[/name], but it gets rid of the n in the middle.
I think its an awful thing to do to a baby. I also think greyer had some good alternatives.