What are some boy and girl names you consider pretentious and do you think there is a legitimate issue or valid reason for the backlash “pretentious” names get?
There are very few names I find pretentious. Generally it’s the parents reasoning for using some particular names that I find unbearably inflated. For example, mangling a decent name such as [name]Jessica[/name] into Jessyecka and saying it is done to give the child ‘unique rainbow pony sparkles’ that the poor plain Jessicas could never have. Or some such nonsense.
Also, the lengthy explanations upon asking a child’s name. I just want to know the name and perhaps a 10 second blurb, not the full meanings of all the names, reason for choosing, that you read a book once, and so on.
@kessed I agree that there aren’t very many names I consider pretentious and if I did it would probably the reason for using the name, not the name itself. I feel like the term pretentious gets thrown around a lot when it comes to names.
[name]Atticus[/name], [name]Adair[/name], and [name]India[/name] on non-indians/people with no ties to [name]India[/name]. Oh and [name]Cohen[/name] on non Jews.
Also, blatant boys names on girls, and obvious feminizations like [name]Thomasina[/name].
Lol this too! I hadn’t thought much about that, but the reasoning can make it seem pretentious as well.
Any name that is too tied to an important historical figure. Especially if it’s that historical figure’s surname (examples, [name]Mozart[/name], [name]Bronte[/name], [name]Picasso[/name]). Also, as kessed said, lots of times it’s the explanation for using the name that I find pretentious, not the name itself. I see this the most with the name [name]Atticus[/name] (Yes, I get it, you loved To Kill A Mockingbird. Guess what? So does everyone else! There’s nothing unique or deep about you being inspired by it).
[name]Winifred[/name]. That is all.
I think some people just prefer names that are a combination of longer/frillier/uncommon/attention seeking. It really only ‘bothers’ me when it’s a large portion of the last bit–attention seeking. People who say they want a name that’s completely unique, fits their fabulously wacky lifestyle, and preferably has no nicknames. To me that’s the definition of pretentious that’s annoying–the desire to force your child to stand out through their name, and thinking that it somehow reflects something fantastic on you if you pick a weird and wonderful name.
I love my share of uncommon and even frilly names, but it’s the thought that counts. Are you choosing [name]Seraphina[/name] because you like the meaning, you liked a character with that name, it’s beautiful, etc. or honestly is your main reason because you want to shock, because you want people to think you’re interesting for making that choice. [name]Do[/name] you think more about saying your child’s name softly in affection or is your primary vision the way strangers will react when they hear it?
So I guess I’m saying, no name is really in itself pretentious, it’s the parent and the wearer that makes it so.
I don’t see how a name can be pretentious just because you read it in a book rather than heard it on the street or have a relative named it. This is something I continually fail to understand. Should we pretend we don’t read?
According to the dictionary’s definiton, names like [name]Princess[/name] could be pretentious. Unless you are actually a princess.
I agree with you that just because a name comes from a book it doesn’t mean it’s pretentious (I would also agree that [name]Princess[/name] is very pretentious–that is if something can be pretentious, low brow, and canine at the same time :)). My argument for why it might be considered such with a name like [name]Atticus[/name] is because it’s choosing a name that is so strange and unique and so very connected with the book that it’s almost screaming ‘I like smart books’. I’m not saying that’s how it is for everyone, in fact I have a friend who used [name]Atticus[/name] as a middle name, but there are many names from that book that would remind a fan of the book without calling attention to it–[name]Tom[/name], [name]Mayella[/name], [name]Finch[/name], [name]Simon[/name], Dill, [name]Jem[/name], [name]Radley[/name], etc.
Again, is it about you enjoying the name and your child being well served by it or is it about other’s reactions?
I agree with most everything said here, especially @kala_way yet I love names that most people would probably consider pretentious and sympathize with those who get negative feedback for liking pretentious names, I guess I am 50/50 on this thread lol
It’s not so much pretentious names as much as names I can picture on a mean girl, like [name]Brielle[/name], [name]Olivia[/name], [name]Zara[/name]… they’re all pretty names, but I wouldn’t use them because I can see them all as the high school queen bees.
I don’t really think names themselves are pretentious,I think the parents giving the names can be pretentious.
I disagree that naming a child [name]India[/name] if you’re not [name]Indian[/name] is pretentious. There’s a long history of it being used in [name]Britain[/name]. Plus I find the idea that an [name]Indian[/name] person would name their child [name]India[/name] slightly unlikely. I wouldn’t name my child [name]Wales[/name]!
I consider far more names low class than I do pretentious. But then I lean towards names that plenty of people would find pretentious,so swings and roundabouts really.
Interesting question. I think the obviously pretentious would include names with a super foreign flair (Francois, [name]Franziska[/name], ect…) with no real ties to that cultural heritage. But I also think this trend of ultra-quirky can come across as pretentious…as in “cooler than thou” pretentious. You know, “You named your kid [name]Agnes[/name], so I’m going to one up you and call my kid [name]Agatha[/name]”, which is one step cooler and more quirky, with no family ties or anything involved.
Anyone who uses naming their kids as an excuse for some kind of ultra-creative art show is being pretentious. The families who have kids named, [name]Sonnet[/name], [name]True[/name], [name]Light[/name], and [name]Maple[/name], or something like that. I’m all for creativity, but when it comes to naming another person, a lot of people could use a dose of left brain grounded-ness.
I don’t tend to see individual names as pretentious, it’s some of the full names I see which make me think, “wow pretentious much?”
I know that over in the UK, it’s been a long tradition for Royalty and perhaps other members of the ‘upper classes’ to have several (rather posh) names, but whenever I see someone who isn’t Royalty or aristocratic naming their child something like [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Romilly[/name] [name]Ophelia[/name] or [name]Winston[/name] [name]Benedict[/name] [name]Augustus[/name], well it just cries “pretentious”.
All those names are fine individually, but when lumped together in one name, sorry I don’t like it.
However, note I said that I don’t “tend to” find individual names pretentious, but there are a few exceptions. For example, I find [name]Kensington[/name] very pretentious, and know someone who named their daughter this (and the couple in question have long been very pretentious).
I don’t know if I consider any names pretentious. I just find it irritating when parents don’t seem to consider that their child has to LIVE with this name for the rest of their lives. Try to imagine your baby as a grandmother or applying for a job, or in a classroom with their teacher trying to take attendance. Like it or not, people judge you by your name.
These dont bother me per se, but I just happen to think of them as pretentious,
Margeaux
Kitty
Porter (boy)
Fritz
Ashton
Wellington (yes, I know one).
Bunny
Sugar
Obviously those are nn’s.
And the more I think about it, for me, there’s pretentious names such as the old school country club names listed above, “dahlings,” and then there’s wannabe pretentious names such as Drake and Arabella. Obviously with there being some overlap between the two at times I’m sure. I think the wannabe’s are some of those that use the literature names the previous post-ers were referenceing above. Do not misunderstand that though as meaning anyone with a literature name is wannabe pretentious. Especially since just about every name can be found in some book somewhere.
Basically you’ve got pretentious and nouveau (sp?) Pretentious. But i find both more humorous than bothersome. Kind of goes hand in hand with trying to be different in your name choice but that since so many are trying to be different these days you’re really all just the same. 
I think it has more to do with the parent. A name could become pretentious if it doesn’t fit with the parents’ personality or lifestyle. Maybe they are choosing a name because it’s trendy/in style or they think it sounds “cool”. People expect kooky/hippy names out of me so if wouldn’t come off as trying too hard if I chose some far out name. But if I used [name]Arthur[/name] or [name]Catherine[/name] then it’d be pretentious. I know a totally un-hip couple that named their kid [name]Maverick[/name] because it seemed “cool”. It just makes them look like wannabe’s
Names aren’t pretentious. People are.
We named our son [name]Atticus[/name] and yes, we like TKAM (both the book and the film). It’s not my favorite book or film of all time, but the fact that my husband and I both liked the name independently prior to becoming a couple - and it was the only male name we agreed upon - made it a no-brainer. We’ve gotten nothing but positive feedback. The only time I hear negative things about his name is when I come onto Nameberry!
I do consider some names pretentious. Some parents want to project an upper class status or they have certain high aspirations for their children that they will be able to afford the lifestyle that comes with money and prestige. Some names just sound “pretentious” to me. I actually like a few of the names I’m going to list so it’s just a matter of people’s perception or opinion on a name.
The “posh” sounding names that end in “ton” like…[name]Remington[/name], [name]Kensington[/name], [name]Hampton[/name], Barrington, [name]Kingston[/name], [name]Preston[/name], [name]Templeton[/name], [name]Wellington[/name], Carrington, [name]Princeton[/name], [name]Ellington[/name], [name]Washington[/name], [name]Stanton[/name], Holliston, [name]Easton[/name], [name]Carleton[/name], Lexington etc…
Luxury brand names like…[name]Armani[/name], [name]Chanel[/name], [name]Royce[/name], [name]Carling[/name]
Some names can sound stuffy (eg. upper class English names) like… [name]Chandler[/name], [name]Algernon[/name], [name]Araminta[/name], [name]Rosamund[/name], [name]Lavinia[/name], [name]Alethea[/name], [name]Channing[/name], [name]Randolph[/name], [name]Broderick[/name]/[name]Roderick[/name], [name]Cedric[/name], [name]Dexter[/name], [name]Forbes[/name], [name]Nigel[/name], [name]Byron[/name], [name]Stanley[/name], [name]Nelson[/name], [name]Jefferson[/name], [name]Percival[/name], [name]Basil[/name], [name]Dunstan[/name], [name]Stanford[/name], [name]Cecil[/name], [name]Niles[/name], [name]Tarquin[/name], [name]Peregrine[/name], [name]Montague[/name], [name]Montgomery[/name], [name]Horatio[/name], [name]Tristram[/name], Constance, Lafayette, [name]Ferdinand[/name], [name]Archibald[/name], [name]Sloane[/name], [name]Waverly[/name], [name]Cressida[/name], [name]Gwendolyn[/name], [name]Neville[/name], [name]Henrietta[/name], [name]Philippa[/name], [name]Thomasina[/name]
Some words or names that are over-the-top like… [name]Maverick[/name], [name]Titus[/name], [name]Maximus[/name], [name]Legend[/name], [name]Messiah[/name], [name]Cash[/name], [name]Duke[/name], [name]Prince[/name]/[name]Princess[/name], [name]Marquis[/name], [name]Sterling[/name], [name]Barron[/name], [name]Squire[/name], [name]Caesar[/name], Magnum