Unwearable Names

What are some names you think are beautiful but just not wearable or easy to wear?

[name_f]Hermione[/name_f], [name_f]Leia[/name_f], basically anything too tied to pop culture would be a burden. Or overly-fussy names like [name_f]Annabella[/name_f], [name_f]Arabella[/name_f], I find them pretty but too long.

I second pop culture names. [name_f]Khaleesi[/name_f] (saw a girl named her baby Khalessi and cringed so hard, at least spell it correctly), [name_f]Daenerys[/name_f], [name_f]Hermione[/name_f], [name_f]Katniss[/name_f] etc. All beautiful names on a good character, but completely unusable in the real world.

Having met an [name_f]Arabella[/name_f] and two [name_f]Hermione[/name_f]'s, I think they do work in the real world and are actually fairly wearable. I also think [name_f]Annabella[/name_f] or [name_f]Leia[/name_f] would fine, I know an [name_f]Araminta[/name_f] and that’s definitely more frilly but still wearable.

[name_f]Khaleesi[/name_f], [name_f]Katniss[/name_f] and [name_f]Daenerys[/name_f] might be a bit much.

I think that names that are important words and then some names which may have been used by unwitting parents but with bad associations would be harder to use… I don’t have that many examples though, just names like [name_f]Princess[/name_f] or Darling, or ones which are ill-advised like [name_m]Lucifer[/name_m] or [name_f]Jezebel[/name_f].

I love the name [name_f]Mavis[/name_f], however every time I’ve brought it up to anyone they make faces. Like “please don’t do that to a child” faces! I really love it though!

I think “made-up” pop culture names are very hard to wear, that includes some of the GOT names mentioned above, LOTR names, [name_f]Katniss[/name_f] or something like Han Solo.
I don’t think [name_f]Hermione[/name_f] and [name_f]Leia[/name_f] would be on my unwearable list, as those are legit names with history.

Personally, I find names such as [name_f]Aphrodite[/name_f], [name_f]Cleopatra[/name_f], [name_m]Caesar[/name_m] very difficult to wear; and while pop culture names may sound dated at one point, there will be a time when few will recogize that connection, with historic figures that time never happens.

There are quite a few names here that I think are totally wearable.

Word names - tbh, I think a lot of these just need ‘breaking in’. [name_u]Storm[/name_u], [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Violet[/name_f], [name_f]Amber[/name_f], [name_f]Liberty[/name_f], [name_f]Grace[/name_f], [name_f]Dawn[/name_f], [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], [name_f]Willow[/name_f], [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f], [name_f]Summer[/name_f], [name_u]Brooke[/name_u], [name_f]Carol[/name_f] . . . all of these have by now seamlessly integrated as names. I agree there are many that would not wear as well in today’s world, but frankly tomorrow’s world may well be a different story.

[name_f]Mavis[/name_f] is 100% wearable. [name_m]Long[/name_m] frilly names - also totally wearable, just a matter of personal taste. Pre-established names that are used in popular fiction, e.g. [name_f]Hermione[/name_f], do not cease to become beautiful names with history and usage just because of a character in a ([name_f]IMO[/name_f] overrated) series of books. Not everyone has read [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m], and not everyone would make that connection as strongly as ardent HP fans would. However, I would suggest that more distinctive names with more substantial and literary connections, such as [name_m]Hamlet[/name_m], and prosy everyday connections, such as Warburton, may well be far harder to integrate. More unique names like [name_m]Kanye[/name_m], [name_f]Beyonce[/name_f], Gaga also seem off the table for obvious reasons.

Names that I [name_f]DO[/name_f] think are unusable - [name_m]Lucifer[/name_m], for one. It has a great sound and would be an amazing name if not for the all-too-evident connection with Satan. Some people will inevitably disagree, but even if you’re “not religious” I think this is a step too far, even though I can totally see why someone might want to use it. To continue on the theme - I think in Western culture the name [name_m]Jesus[/name_m] would totally rock the boat. It’s well used in [name_u]Brazil[/name_u] - e.g. [name_m]Jesus[/name_m] Navas - but for some reason it just seems completely off here in the UK.

Names that have become so tied to a particular characteristic that they’re used almost interchangeably I would also classify as unusable, at least in this day. [name_m]Judas[/name_m]; again, great sound, strong, handsome, and masculine, but . . . ! The association with [name_f]Delilah[/name_f], however, seems to be wearing off, perhaps more particularly among the “non-religious”, where it may often not even be known to start with. Can’t see Herod or Sennacherib coming into style any time soon; it’ll also be interesting to see how [name_f]Jezebel[/name_f] fares.

My ultimate guilty pleasure, most gorgeous name (in my mind) is Edelweiss. I truly adore it but I just don’t think I could bring myself to name a baby that! The spelling and pronunciation is too confusing.

I will talk about my own experiences as a Muslim/Turkish and say [name_m]Muhammad[/name_m]. Now there is nothing wrong with being named after Hz. Prophet but as a name I do think it is a burden to a child, I always preferred [name_m]Ahmed[/name_m]/Mehmed/[name_m]Mahmud[/name_m] etc. varients as a name for babies. I am also skeptical about names related to names of the God ([name_f]Esma[/name_f]-Ăźl HĂźsna) plus names of Tengri (Tanyu, Bengi, Tesiyemi Tanyu etc.)

Umm didn’t see it was about girl names sorry. I would say Yosma. Yosma used to mean beautiful woman but over time the meaning changed drastically so it isn’t a wearable name anymore. Kezban has negative meaning too among youth.

I’d say [name_f]Pixie[/name_f] is my favourite unwearable choice. I also saw Daytona used as a name for a girl - in theory it’s pretty, but all I think of is the Daytona 500, so I wouldn’t do it.

There are many names I dislike, but there are only a few I would consider completely unwearable:

  • I think SOME word names don’t work. Like a previous poster mentioned, names like [name_u]Scout[/name_u], [name_f]Bluebell[/name_f], [name_u]Fable[/name_u], [name_f]Flower[/name_f], [name_f]Sonnet[/name_f], Mayflower, [name_m]Rocket[/name_m], etc. sound corny at best and pretentious at worst. I can’t imagine it would be easy to take someone named [name_f]Sonnet[/name_f] [name_f]Bluebell[/name_f] seriously.

  • The names [name_f]Chastity[/name_f], [name_f]Honesty[/name_f], and [name_f]Purity[/name_f].

  • Overly-syllabic ancient names. [name_f]Antigone[/name_f], [name_f]Ambrosia[/name_f], [name_f]Cytherea[/name_f], [name_f]Fantasia[/name_f], [name_f]Eurydice[/name_f], Despina, [name_f]Iphigenia[/name_f], [name_u]Philadelphia[/name_u], [name_f]Constantina[/name_f], [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f], [name_f]Severina[/name_f], [name_f]Fortunata[/name_f], etc. - these give off an air of extreme pomp and fussiness. They’re cool for book characters and chosen pseudonyms but not for un-fussy little girls who just want to jump-rope without hearing “IPH-E-[name_m]GEE[/name_m]-NEE-YAHHH” every time dinner is ready. And, they will invariably get shortened (as a pp mentioned). [name_f]Iphigenia[/name_f] will become [name_f]Jenny[/name_f], [name_f]Eurydice[/name_f] will say “Call me [name_f]Cindy[/name_f]!” and [name_f]Antigone[/name_f] will only sign as “[name_f]Annie[/name_f]”.
    And no, as a parent you really can’t control nicknames past 5 years old. Friends give each other nicknames and eventually you’ll be the only one calling your daughter “[name_f]Constantina[/name_f]!” in front of all her friends who only know her as “[name_f]Coco[/name_f]”, guaranteeing embarrassment.

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[name_f]Nirvana[/name_f], I think it is a beautiful name but you’d put a big burden on a the child.

My favorite name of all time is [name_f]Athena[/name_f]. But sadly, I don’t think I’d be able to use it as a first name. I think being named after the goddess of wisdom would be amazing, and she has a lot of personal significance to me as well, but what if my future daughter can’t “live up” to that name? I worry that she would be teased for struggling with academics, or end up having an internal battle with her own expectations as a result. I’ve also heard people tell stories of their negative associations with the name, and as a result worry that people may assume her to be pompous or a know-it-all just from her name. Or what if people think her parents are narcissistic for naming their daughter after a goddess?

However, I definitely hope to use it at least as a middle name someday :).

Other favorite difficult-to-wear name is [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f]. I love it, but it would drive me nuts to say it 100 times a day, and it would inevitably get shortened anyway.