What imagery do you gravitate toward?

General Name Discussion
1

Some of us may already know, but for those who haven’t thoughts about it: look at your list. Think about your favorite names, and what sort of person they bring to mind for YOU. You may see a dominant theme emerging (or you may not! Which is interesting in itself).

My favorite names tend to be sweet and spunky, yet with an ancient feel. I picture old souls who have an unusual level of peace with themselves, and can enjoy being silly and adventurous because they know that’s what life is all about. People who have an instinct for life, and don’t forget to enjoy the little things, and indulge in unusual and quirky hobbies because that’s what they love.

I have a much easier time finding female names that fit than male!

2

My girls list brings to mind someone on the serious side, but not intimidating. Someone smart but approachable. I picture a girl who doesn’t waste her words and chooses them carefully. She has a kind heart.

AND I have a couple fairy princess names in there too :slight_smile: [name]Just[/name] a couple though.

I am the same way @yellow! My boys list doesn’t really fit that pattern, or any pattern of its own. It’s also much smaller.

3

My girls’ list tends toward what I call “European exotic” - names that may be somewhat familiar, but not super classic. (i.e. [name]Giselle[/name], [name]Cassandra[/name], and [name]Daphne[/name] as opposed to [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Catherine[/name], and [name]Emily[/name])

Boy’s names are a bit less consistent, but I notice that I go for once that are more akin to the Southern or Eastern European variety. (i.e. [name]Darius[/name], [name]Alessandro[/name], [name]Sergei[/name], etc.) It seems like people usually favor more elaborate or long names for girls, but I find I like them for boys better.

4

I like strong, classic girls names. If they aren’t classic, they’re probably still short, power names. I inherited this style from my mom who named us inconsistently style-wise, but very short and strong. [name]Lake[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Jane[/name]. If I go longer, I choose names that feel “classy” to me: [name]Elena[/name], [name]Sylvie[/name]. I see girls who can wear suits, play sports, and clean the toilet. :slight_smile:

My boys names are far more romantic. For some reason they’re very posh. I see well-dressed, friendly boys with gentle spirits: [name]Theo[/name], [name]Jack[/name], [name]Eamon[/name], [name]Milo[/name].

also, Yellow, this is a great thread. There are lots of people I see around on the forum and I wonder what the unifying factor behind their names is. :slight_smile:

5

It varies…i try not to rely on imagery too much when it comes to names. To do rely too strongly on it is to me sort of setting yourself up for a “my daughter’s name is [name]Patience[/name] but she is anything but!!” situation.

That being said, when i make and edit my girls’ list, i tend to go for names that in my opinion sound like names that could be anywhere. For instance, I could see an [name]Anna[/name] or [name]Lydia[/name] being in a spelling-bee, in dance class, or on the soccerfield. I like names that have sort of a soft vibe to them, but also a sort of strength and confidence. Classic but not too out-there-old but i also like names that have a more artsy sound (like [name]Aria[/name] or [name]Viva[/name]). I don’t really care for long, over-the-top flow-y, princess names for girls either. I guess the image i try to achieve with my girls names are the loving, always there for you bestfriend, sweetheart names. If that makes sense lol.

Boys names are trickier for me! I love softer sounding names on boys too (ex: [name]Caleb[/name], [name]Asher[/name], [name]Ben[/name], [name]Tobiah[/name], [name]Aidan[/name]). I don’t care for the long, ‘elegant’ names for boys. I guess with my boy names, I try tend to pick them according to a sweet, fiercely loyal friend, confident image…idk, like something that would fit on a son that can be out playing in the mud but also respectful towards instruction. I realize these descriptions probably only make sense in my own head but ah well!

6

I definitely gravitate towards imagery of sunny, easy going and whimsical.

I love names that make me see a girl running through a field in a home-made dress, bringing home curiosities.

To me, these are names like [name]Praise[/name], [name]Rosie[/name] and [name]Juniper[/name].

7

yellow, this is a fabulous thread! Having specific imagery in mind always helps me settle on the right name or combo, but I do have some overarching themes in my favorite names. For both genders, I love names that immediately bring to mind fantasy, magic, and imagination, A Midsummer [name]Night[/name]'s [name]Dream[/name] style. Faeries and elves, heroes and stories, honeysuckle and wisteria, rugged earth and rich deep woods, gossamer wings and misty dreams, druids and dryads and daring deeds.

I picture my favorite girls’ names belonging to ethereal bohemian souls who run barefoot through the forest in dainty tattered skirts, who talk to the trees and animals just like they would talk to people, who have tea parties on toadstools and leave out milk for the faeries. These girls will grow up to be passionate, independent women who are not afraid to be feminine, who are curious, intelligent, and offbeat. They don’t find it necessary to tame their wild creative spirit in order to fit in, nor do they feel it necessary to shock people with rebelliousness and flamboyance. They are unapologetically and unagressively themselves, comfortable in their own skins, pursuing their dreams without pretense. When they grow old, they will spoil their grandkids without ruining them, and teach them little bits of their own passions, whether gardening or cooking or painting or what have you, and tell the most fascinating magical stories, and give the wisest most compassionate advice.

Boys’ names are harder to picture, but easier to come up with. I think this is because I have layers of imagery for boys, I love so many different ideas that it’s hard to pin them down to just one. There is the grave, sweet, rugged gentleman, who displays a gallant nature even as a child, who protects the weak and overthrows the bullies and brings out all that is good and true in other strong souls…a leader who takes this responsibility seriously. There is the thoughtful bookworm with the quick mind and quicker smile, always sensitive to other’s feelings, open-hearted, intelligent, and shy…an artist’s soul and a gift for the expression of it. There is the irrepressible [name]Puck[/name], mischievous and unrepentant, the irascible [name]Green[/name] [name]Man[/name], the [name]Peter[/name] [name]Pan[/name] spirit who embraces free-wheeling magical fun, who never loses his imagination or the childlike wonder with which he sees the world, and grows up to be just like [name]Santa[/name] [name]Claus[/name]. There is the adventurous explorer, the [name]Robinson[/name] Crusoe/[name]Jim[/name] Hawkins/[name]Sam[/name] Gribley sort who knows the woods like the back of his hand, who can hunt and fish and track and forage and leads his siblings on grand expeditions into the wild. The list goes on, but they all have in common a healthy sense of respect…for people, for feelings, for nature, for women, for their elders, for wisdom and knowledge and imagination…and a nobility of character (even [name]Peter[/name] [name]Pan[/name]).

8

My girls list reminds me of artistic, creative and whimsically beautiful women. [name]Gabriella[/name], [name]Angelina[/name], [name]Francine[/name], [name]Anastasia[/name], & [name]Wilhelmina[/name]… My boys list is classic men’s names that produce strength. [name]James[/name], [name]Michael[/name], [name]Raphael[/name], [name]Christian[/name], & [name]Zachary[/name]…

9

Whoa, why haven’t I seen this before? I [name]LOVE[/name] imagery. I pretty much have the same thoughs as [name]Sister[/name] Sessha.

I’m very much a bohemian nature girl, and I think that reflects in what I want. My names are categorized into seasons and daytime/nighttime (crazy much?) so it’s difficult to give one specific image. It’s the same for boys and girls though. My names feel very intelligent, independent and flowing to me. The images are incredibly vivid, and very specific for each name especially as I put them into combos, and three names makes something very whole. But I’ll try and explain the feeling I get as a whole.

Deep old English forests. You know the kind, the forest floor is covered in moss and plants and tiny white flowers. The trees are huge and old, perfect to climb in. The forest is so quiet, and yet you can hear all sorts of noises, the wind rushing, bird song, animal noises. The smell is ancient yet refreshing. Someone running through, barefoot in gossamer dresses or tunics, laughing, blonde wavy hair falling down their shoulders. [name]Lyre[/name] music… Sweet little creeks, beautiful deep rivers. The ocean, the waves crashing against the cliffs, rain pouring down… or still still sea at midnight. [name]Halcyon[/name] days. Or a bare young forest in winter. [name]Tiny[/name] rays of pale yellow sunshine (the kind that almost hurt your eyes) peek through the frost covered trees. the snow is hard and twinkling. Or a lush green green walled garden in the south, purple and pink flowers, beautiful birds and trees. So quiet, the grass so soft and everything smells so sweet. Paradise.

I see tea parties in the garden with all his/her teddies and dolls. The bedroom with the cloud painted ceiling. Someone independent and challenging, quiet and intelligent, stubborn, sweet with a silvery twinkling laugh. A little person who loves to splash in puddles after the rain. A little reader, curious and impatient. I imagine them having adventures in the backyard, climbing over the fence to explore the big old forest. Pirate ships and fencing lessons. Horses and walks with the dog in the pouring rain. Ballet classes, tutus… messy paint and dust all over their clothes.

10

The girl names I gravitate to in my own mind have an imagery of being hearty, girl next door, the girl you see running around the fields, etc. Hard for me to explain.

For boys, I like strong with a touch of softness. Reliable and hearty along with warmth and sensitivity.

A little all over the place with me…

11

Yellow, this is a fantastic thread!

My girls are poetry. They are charming smiles and shining eyes. They are ruddy cheeks and windblown hair. They are dancing in the rain and reading books in the shade of the live oaks. They are the wildflowers you want to pick but can’t bear to ruin. They are dirt covered dresses and grubby fingers showing you the butterfly they’ve just caught. They are the stories you read to them every night, but they are real.

My boys are classical music. They are dashing smiles and twinkling eyes. Their cheeks are dirt-smeared, their hair ruffled. The sky is gravel at their feet. They are the joyous laughter and shouts echoing through the halls, and they are hunched over a desk scrawling out a letter to you in their very best handwriting. They are grass stains you can’t wash away from their pants and the chains of flowers they string together with their tiny fingers. They are bumps and bruises and the kisses you give them to make them better.

I see an undaunted reader, bright and curious. I see a spunky, imaginative little one who creates his/own stories and runs around the backyard barefooted and unafraid. I imagine someone who sits at the piano bench with elegant posture, yet isn’t afraid to laugh at him/herself. I imagine a little person who holds the stars and their stories close yet is awed at the vastness of the ocean.

Of course, this is only what I imagine. We’ll see how reality plays out!

12

I picture something different depending on the names, but most can be lumped together to fit a general idea.

[name]Lachlan[/name] [name]Alexander[/name], [name]Theron[/name] [name]Xavier[/name], [name]Cadmus[/name] [name]Walter[/name] - These are my quiet boys, they love sitting in the window seat surrounded by pillows reading books with mom or by themselves. They are sweet, conscientious, and always gentlemanly. They will excel in school, but be more introverted than outgoing, preferring the company of a few close friends over big crowds. They wake up smiling, and end their days the same way, and can always be relied on to cheer up any ones spirits with a hug or a cute anecdote of their own. They are the kind of boys you would trust sending your daughters out with on a date, and they would be home by 1030. They buy flowers because they want to, and are always chivalrous. They have a way of making everyone feel important and special. However, being highly intelligent, they can also defend themselves with words, able to tear down anyone that tries to harm them, or their friends. Always loyal, always kind.

[name]Evander[/name] ‘[name]Anders[/name]’ [name]Alcott[/name], [name]Thatcher[/name] [name]William[/name], [name]Dresden[/name] [name]Alasdair[/name] - These are the boys my Fiance would love to have. Rough and tumble, boys boys. They are athletic and skilled jack of all trades. They do well in school, and even better in any sport. They love being outdoors running through forests and fields, any way to get exercise is a good way to them. They might be engaged in a bit of the jock mentality as teenagers, a bit more interested in the ladies than high school, but grow out of it in time to still do something with their lives academically. They are loyal to their friends, but can set harsh lines towards others. They may run in cliques, but always go out of their way to ensure no one is left out or bullied. They are ultra popular, always surrounded by a crowd, which is great for when they decide to drop the soccer/football/whatever they are carrying and start an impromptu game. They are always team captain, and always looking to win. They have a lot of that masculine bravado, which gets them into trouble more often than it’s worth.

[name]Natalie[/name] [name]Winter[/name], [name]Odessa[/name] [name]Faye[/name], [name]Virginia[/name] ‘[name]Ginny[/name]’ [name]Joy[/name], [name]Cordelia[/name] - These are my spunky princesses. Girls with attitude! They are who they are and they speak their mind. In whatever they want to do, they won’t take no for an answer. They might be considered tom-boys, but they can be ladies at the same time. They are the girls that run with the boys while wearing a dress, and will still help mama cook dinner at the end of the day. They won’t stand for any injustice and wish the world was completely fair to everyone. They have friends of all sorts, ones for every occasion, friends that love sports and friends that love to shop, no matter what they are doing, they have someone that will join them without hesitation and they are never alone unless they want to be. They do well in school, but don’t care much for sitting in desks all day. Often they stare out the window waiting for the bell to ring and for freedom to reign. They are daddies girls in every aspect and yearn for him to be home from work everyday so they can share with him the days adventures.

[name]Adelaide[/name] [name]Pearl[/name], [name]Hermione[/name] [name]Jane[/name] - These are my studious girls. They love school and live for it. They are involved with every single club and activity they can be, from Student [name]Council[/name] to [name]Chess[/name] club. They strive to be the best in everything they do and definitely put in the effort to deserve it. They take after their father in this regard, and work hard, long hours to achieve whatever they set their minds to. They can always be found in the library, working late hours to get the latest assignment finished, it’s hard to convince them to take time for themselves and enjoy life because they are so determined and have one track minds in that way. They have several friends from the various clubs, but one best friend, and together they have planned out their lives. They will go to the same college, they will be room mates and they will get jobs in the big city and be the boss. What that job is yet, they don’t know and they will spend their high school years discussing it together and deciding on the right one at the last minute. Acceptance into college will be the highlight of their life, and they will learn to let loose a little while still studying hard.

[name]Corisande[/name] [name]Fable[/name], [name]Lavender[/name] [name]Ellen[/name], [name]Autumn[/name] - These girls are very similar to my quiet boys. They will sit curled up with a book for hours on end, reading as the world passes them by without blinking an eye. They lose themselves in stories about anything and everything, from Witches to Old [name]England[/name], they love the stories weaved by their favorite authors, and aspire to be just like them. Their pockets are filled with scraps of paper with new story ideas scribbled on them throughout the day. They have stacks of notebooks with snippets and ideas scattered through them. As much as you think they would, they dislike school, they do well enough, and would do great if they focused, they are lost in their dream worlds thinking up new characters and naming them! They are girls after their mamas heart. They long to write and no matter what have paper and a pen with them. As children they would sit by the book shelf and pull off every book, flipping through each, telling themselves the story even before they could read. They are always sweet, and quite, often dressed like ladies and would dare put a wrinkle in their dress or let a hair fall out of place. They are prim, and proper, and aspire to be perfect little women. I picture them with bows in their long hair, a smile on their face (if the book is going well!) and always joyful and ready to help whoever needs it.