Unpopular opinions [Name edition]

General Name Discussion
42

I’m not really bothered by negative meanings (or allegedly negative meanings, since some name meanings are debatable anyway e.g. [name_f]Mary[/name_f]/[name_f]Miriam[/name_f]). I think a positive history or famous bearer can outweigh a negative meaning.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with using an Italian name if you’re Irish, or a Scandinavian name if you’re [name_m]French[/name_m], or vice versa. European countries have always been swapping and sharing names. [name_m]Ivan[/name_m] and [name_f]Vera[/name_f] are Russian names, and they’re used around the world.

I don’t really get the trend of using “honour” names that bear no resemblance to the relative’s actual name. Obviously different people will have different opinions on this, but if my name was [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] I don’t think I would feel honoured if a relative chose [name_f]Brynlee[/name_f], [name_f]Chiara[/name_f] or some other entirely unrelated name, just because they happen to share some letters.

43

I don’t strongly dislike most names, I view it more as each to their own.
But there is one exception: the nature name trend drives me up the wall!
By that I don’t mean the well established ones like [name_u]Sage[/name_u], [name_u]Oakley[/name_u], [name_u]River[/name_u], [name_f]Rose[/name_f] etc. those are a bit overdone but that’s all. I mean the uber-quirky ones, like [name_f]Fawn[/name_f], [name_u]Dove[/name_u], [name_f]Blossom[/name_f], [name_f]Hyacinth[/name_f], [name_f]Orchid[/name_f], [name_f]Meadow[/name_f] and [name_u]Sterling[/name_u] to name just a few I’ve seen on this site. They sound like a 10 year old came up with them after a walk through the woods, I will never for the life of me understand the appeal.
Oh and [name_m]Fox[/name_m] and [name_m]Wolf[/name_m], which are the absolute worst. Why on [name_f]Earth[/name_f] would you name your child after an animal??
Forgive me for ranting :slight_smile:

44

I really dislike when people name their kids names in the top 10. And while it’s SO TOTALLY up to them, when they’re in my life I’m always sad they didn’t go for something a little more fresh. But it’s definitely not a big deal.

I also don’t like when kids names are rhyme-y with siblings or parents. Or when parents don’t consider how a name might age.

I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] the name [name_u]Darcy[/name_u] for a boy. It’s cute for a girl too, but [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] it for a boy.

45

I really don’t understand the “word name” trend. Most of them just read like words, not names. I find nature inspired ones very popular here and the one I dislike the most is [name_m]Moss[/name_m]. I don’t see the appeal at all. [name_m]Moss[/name_m] to me is in the same vein as algae, but nobody’s turned that into a name! It’s just green gunk growing in dark, moist areas. And that’s what you wanna call your son??? I can’t wrap my head around it at all. I don’t really like [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] either, I always think of poison ivy, but [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] I can at least understand because it can be quite beautiful. I can’t find anything remotely handsome or appealing about moss though. When I think of moss I think of it growing under rocks, moist and squishy, covered in mud, with creepy crawlies wriggling about in it. Not the best imagery when you introduce your bundle of joy.

Some others I’ve seen around and I don’t like that just read as words: [name_u]Winter[/name_u], [name_f]Snow[/name_f], [name_f]Pixie[/name_f], [name_u]Dusty[/name_u], [name_f]Meadow[/name_f], [name_u]Prairie[/name_u], Wildflower, Glow, Tuna, Minnow, [name_m]Trout[/name_m], [name_u]Blue[/name_u], [name_m]Lemon[/name_m], [name_u]Lyric[/name_u], [name_u]Sage[/name_u], Mage, [name_m]Saint[/name_m], [name_u]Oak[/name_u], Woods, [name_m]Forest[/name_m], [name_m]Talon[/name_m], [name_m]Rock[/name_m], [name_m]Stone[/name_m], [name_u]Ocean[/name_u], [name_f]Moon[/name_f], [name_m]Night[/name_m]/[name_m]Knight[/name_m], [name_f]Star[/name_f], [name_f]Kitty[/name_f], [name_m]Bear[/name_m], [name_f]Doe[/name_f], [name_f]Dove[/name_f], Dew, [name_f]Fawn[/name_f], Owl, [name_u]Scout[/name_u], [name_m]Ranger[/name_m], [name_m]Cove[/name_m] and [name_f]Chai[/name_f].

([name_u]Gray[/name_u], [name_m]Wolf[/name_m] and [name_m]Fox[/name_m] I give a pass for, because I actually kinda like them, just would never use them myself.)

I mean, if you like it and it’s a name you can live with giving your child, I say go for it. But I personally don’t understand it whatsoever and don’t see the appeal. To me those are just words, not names.

I also really dislike [name_m]Wilder[/name_m] and [name_m]Wild[/name_m], and I see those here a lot too. Don’t understand the appeal of naming your child “[name_m]Wild[/name_m]”, it feels along the same lines as naming your kid “Crazy” does and I just don’t think it’s a good association.

46

I never understand why people complicate spellings of names - ([name_f]Hayleigh[/name_f], [name_f]Hayley[/name_f], [name_f]Hailee[/name_f]) like what’s wrong with just [name_f]Hailey[/name_f]? Know someone who named their daughter [name_u]Londyn[/name_u], I don’t love place names too much but I think [name_u]London[/name_u] looks a lot better.

I don’t love [name_f]Kaylee[/name_f]/[name_f]Kayleigh[/name_f], I don’t think I’ve ever met a nice one (I’m sure there are nice ones out there but I just havent met them lol)

As @pamjsg99 said earlier, I love that people are a bit more accepting of unusual names ([name_f]Magnolia[/name_f] has been a love of mine for awhile too!)

I don’t understand the use of child sounding names - I mean I guess I do understand it because they sound cute on them as children but what about when they’re older? I really can’t picture a 40-something year old named [name_f]Kinley[/name_f] or [name_u]Oakley[/name_u].

I don’t love harsh sounding names like [name_m]Axel[/name_m], [name_m]Gunner[/name_m], [name_u]Hunter[/name_u], [name_m]Knox[/name_m], [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] fits on this list too.

I adore [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] on a girl, [name_u]Riley[/name_u] as well and although I hate the -ayden trend, I love love love Hayden for a girl. In my opinion [name_u]Avery[/name_u] sounds better on a boy, but it’s lovely on girls too.

I never understood the love for Beatrix, maybe it’s just not my style but I do love Beatrice.

47

That actually makes me really sad that people have been giving you a hard time about such a beautiful name. Personally I would use it as a first name in a heart beat if I loved it that much, who cares what other people think!

48

I prefer a lot of nickname names over their long versions. Nothing’s wrong with [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] , [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] or [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] but [name_f]Lottie[/name_f], [name_f]Libby[/name_f] and [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] are way fresher and prettier in my opinion

I don’t get the appeal of two to three word/nature names together. To me it reminds me of Glorivale and similar groups which isn’t good (For anyone who doesn’t know of Glorivale they name their children exactly like that eg. Hopeful [name_m]Christian[/name_m]).

Most names that get hailed as “boys names on girls” are actually unisex. The only ones I can see someone arguing are those from cultures that clearly define gender (Arabic etc.) or ones that feature in the top 50 for boys but other then that unisex.

Place names are really cool and I have at least 20 thoughts a day about which ones would work (currently musing on [name_m]Baltimore[/name_m]).

I prefer rustic boys names over artsy boys names and I’d take [name_m]Caden[/name_m] over [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] any day.

I don’t like a lot of the classic boys names. They sound very bland to me.

50

I love the variety I found here. Some of the names that I intensly disliked paired with the right middle as many of you have shown me has been insightful. What I can’t understand nor to I care for are popular names: [name_m]Liam[/name_m], [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_f]Ava[/name_f]…wouldn’t one think to read the newspapers and see what kids nsmes are in Pre-K or Kindegarten, or on kids beauty pagents, contests, honor roll. If they dearly loved a popular name don’t they realize that the child will always have to go with a middle initial i.e. [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] D. [name_m]Liam[/name_m] T. Or their last name [name_f]Ava[/name_f] Popadopolis.

51

Some names that a lot of people seem to love that I hate:

[name_m]Henry[/name_m]

[name_m]Jackson[/name_m]

[name_m]Theodore[/name_m]

[name_u]Mackenzie[/name_u]

[name_f]Oliva[/name_f]

[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]

52
  • Almost all male names are terrible on girls. [name_u]Jordan[/name_u], [name_u]Madison[/name_u], [name_u]Addison[/name_u], [name_u]Mackenzie[/name_u], [name_u]Sam[/name_u], etc.
  • [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] and [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] are overrated.
  • [name_m]Maximilian[/name_m] is a great name.
  • [name_f]Mia[/name_f] is an awful name.
  • You should never call someone by a nickname unless they tell you that it’s fine.
53

I hate when parents name their kid after someone, like a family member, themself, or a celebrity. It doesn’t give the child their own identify and it also makes it confusing.

54

Ooh, this is a dangerous thread for me. I have such a particular naming style and hence, a lot of dislikes. Such as: the [name_u]Ayden[/name_u], [name_u]Jayden[/name_u], [name_u]Kayden[/name_u], [name_u]Brayden[/name_u], [name_u]Hayden[/name_u] and [name_m]Zayden[/name_m] trend, the [name_f]McKayla[/name_f], [name_u]MacKenzie[/name_u], [name_u]McKinley[/name_u] and [name_f]McKenna[/name_f] trend, the [name_u]Addison[/name_u], [name_u]Madison[/name_u], [name_u]Emerson[/name_u], [name_m]Harrison[/name_m] and [name_m]Greyson[/name_m] trend and the [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], [name_f]Madelyn[/name_f], [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u], [name_f]Katelyn[/name_f] and [name_f]Ashlyn[/name_f] trend. They’re too overdone at this point and for the most part, the names don’t even sound appealing?

There are a few names I don’t like just because they look/sound similar to something else. Like [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] because all I can see is Poopy, [name_f]Violet[/name_f] looks like Violent, [name_f]Celeste[/name_f] rhymes with M*lest and [name_f]Nancy[/name_f] because all I can hear is Nazi.

A few names I don’t like due to overuse are: [name_f]Ava[/name_f], [name_f]Mila[/name_f], [name_f]Louise[/name_f], [name_f]Savannah[/name_f], [name_f]Sofia[/name_f], [name_f]Bella[/name_f], [name_u]Riley[/name_u], [name_u]Avery[/name_u], [name_u]Hunter[/name_u], [name_m]Liam[/name_m] and [name_u]Logan[/name_u].

Then there are the names that I have negative connotations with, such as: [name_f]Natalie[/name_f], [name_f]Melanie[/name_f], [name_f]Amanda[/name_f], [name_f]Gayle[/name_f], [name_f]Diana[/name_f], [name_m]Stephen[/name_m], [name_m]David[/name_m], [name_m]Martin[/name_m], [name_m]Marc[/name_m] and [name_m]Damien[/name_m].

Sorry, I didn’t mean to make this so long!

55

I really dislike nicknames as given names, [name_u]Charlie[/name_u], [name_u]Nico[/name_u], [name_f]Lola[/name_f], [name_u]Abby[/name_u] etc.

And i really dislike sibsets that don’t make sense, especially ones where one name particularly stands out.

56

I think [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] and [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] sound much better than [name_f]Isabella[/name_f] and [name_f]Sophia[/name_f].

I dislike the name [name_u]Mason[/name_u].

57

It is not a particular dislike, instead I find myself exhausted of hearing the same names. Creativity is such a fun trait to have and it seems everyone around me lack it. I know multiple people who share the name: [name_f]Emily[/name_f], [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], [name_f]Grace[/name_f], [name_f]Louise[/name_f], [name_f]Anne[/name_f], [name_f]Melanie[/name_f], [name_f]Chloe[/name_f], [name_f]Abigail[/name_f], [name_u]Ashley[/name_u], [name_f]Georgia[/name_f], [name_u]Skye[/name_u], [name_f]Natalie[/name_f], [name_f]Rebecca[/name_f], [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Ava[/name_f], [name_f]Samantha[/name_f], [name_u]Ruby[/name_u], [name_m]Christopher[/name_m], [name_m]Liam[/name_m], [name_m]Stephen[/name_m], [name_m]Colin[/name_m], [name_m]Kevin[/name_m], [name_m]Samuel[/name_m], [name_m]Daniel[/name_m], [name_u]Taylor[/name_u], [name_m]Luke[/name_m], [name_m]Marc[/name_m], [name_u]Michael[/name_u], etc.

58

I agree completely. It’s patronizing and just plain old rude.

59

My unpopular opinions in the real world:

  1. I dislike most names starting with Br-. To me, it sounds dated.
  2. I dislike anything that seems very made-up, for example, names ending in -inleigh, -insley, etc.
  3. I dislike filler middle names like [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_u]Rae[/name_u], [name_f]Mae[/name_f], [name_u]Lynn[/name_u].
  4. I personally would not use a name as a first name if it’s too popular, even if I love it. Ex: [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f].

My unpopular opinions on Nameberry:

  1. I dislike any name including the letter ‘x’.
  2. I personally dislike honor names that aren’t obvious, and are too altered from the name they’re honoring. If it gets to be a totally different name, I’d sooner go with a name I just think is pretty instead of trying to use a weak connection. But, if it’s personally meaningful to you, then go for.
  3. I dislike double middle names.
  4. I prefer classic boys’ names, even if they’re a bit common/boring. I think they age the best.
60

I really like the name [name_m]Zigmund[/name_m]. It’s a family name for me, not one I would ever use because I can’t find anyone else who likes it lol. [name_m]Even[/name_m] my family hates it. Zig is such a cute nickname, as is [name_m]Ziggy[/name_m]! Oh well.

I really like [name_u]June[/name_u] and [name_f]October[/name_f] for boys.

I’ll think of a lot more the second I post this lol.

61

I love the name [name_m]Caradoc[/name_m] and am a bit sad I probably won’t use it because my family & friends would mock.
I hate most popular American word/place names ([name_u]Poet[/name_u], [name_u]Story[/name_u], [name_f]Savannah[/name_f], [name_f]Alaska[/name_f], etc) and most surname names too, especially if they end with -son.
I think it’s incredibly rare that repeating an initial works in a name.

62

I know a lot of people would disagree, but I think it’s kind of pointless to give your baby an honor name from a family member you never met.
I’ve seen a lot of people say things like “Oh, we’re naming her [name_f]Flora[/name_f] after my great-grandmother!” when they most likely have never met that relative (I know none of my friends have met their great-grandparents, and neither have I). If you’re going to give someone a name after someone else it should be someone that means something to you.