Me to give my child a trashy name just because I’m young?
You might know what I’m talking about if you read my first post, if not, you can ignore most of this rant/discussion about name stereotypes.
So, whenever I casually mention the subject of baby names, people kind of snort, or exhale, or say “oh, please”. I guess I can understand-I mean, there was a birth announcement in our newspaper about some 14 year old’s kid named Anonymous [name]Unique[/name] (pronounced “ann-oh-ny-mus you-ni-kyoo”). But I’m not gonna name my son/daughter something like Garbage just because I’m a teenager, for crying out loud.
What about you? [name]Ever[/name] noticed this trend?
Aha! I just had this conversation recently…I does seem like people expect us to name our kids something stupid, popular, trendy, trashy, or one of the “-adens” ([name]Kayden[/name], [name]Brayden[/name], [name]Jaiden[/name], etc). I think it’s just one of the cases where someone hears about a teenager naming their kid something legitimately absurd, for the stereotype to get formed that we all do that.
My sister and I were discussing this with our mom and grandmother (sis and i are 18&19, mom is like 46, grandma is around 60). We were discussing what my unborn nephews might be named. Grandma said that it’s a good thing my brother and [name]SIL[/name] aren’t young like me and my sister, so the babies have a chance at getting a normal name, not something ridiculous that teenagers would come up with. My brother is only six years older than me…and btw, the “ridiculous” names us two like? [name]Luke[/name], [name]Emma[/name], [name]Dennis[/name], and [name]Anna[/name]. Too weird i guess.
Having not read your previous thread, I don’t know exactly where you’re coming from (I tried to find it, in my defense, but am new to searching people’s posts and couldn’t figure out how to find the one you are referencing). However, speaking for myself and assuming this is majority logic: I have no real life experience with teenagers having babies, so my only exposure is on television, and despite the fact that I avoid shows like “16 and pregnant” like the plague, the names the moms choose somehow slip into my knowledge base. Now, I’m not saying I would assume that someone would name their baby something awful just because they are young – I like to think I’d engage a name discussion to see what names they were exploring first (as I do with everyone I meet who is pregnant or has just had a baby) – but when I hear of yet another young person who has given their child an awful name, I will admit to rolling my eyes and chalking it up to their age, inexperience, and immaturity. I hope that’s not offensive – just trying to answer your question!
I would assume that the mother has immature taste all around. It’s not in great taste to become pregnant at such a young age (you mentioned 14, right?), and I’d imagine she is probably unsophisticated in other areas as well.
I don’t know how young you are or what your story is. This is not meant to be offensive, it’s just an honest answer.
It’s probably because a lot of famous people around your age are named things like [name]Jayden[/name], Makynzie, Ja’Quavion, [name]Brynna[/name], preppy names, anything with an x or y, or the like and latter. When the people at my school talk about their future baby names, the always say, “Oh, my daughter is going to be named [name]Star[/name] or [name]Angel[/name].” They just have no idea…
Because that’s usually what happens. I was happy when a few of my peers in highschool who got pregnant named their babies things like [name]Lilyanna[/name], [name]Sarah[/name], [name]Owen[/name] and [name]Elizabeth[/name]. The other people named their children things like [name]Mykel[/name], [name]Jaxson[/name], Kassidee and Mykenzee.
Trashy names are usually given by people from low socio economic backgrounds. Pregnant teenagers are usually from low socio economic backgrounds. [name]Hence[/name], expectations of pregnant teenagers is pretty low when it comes to baby names! However, if you’re a teenager from a high socio economic background, then you probably have pretty nice taste in names (but you’re probably also not pregnant!). I don’t mean to offend, and I realise I’ve just made a very broad general statement, but I’ve also taught at all types of schools in good and bad areas and the kids at the schools in the good areas are named [name]Charlotte[/name] and [name]James[/name] and the kids at the schools in the bad areas are named [name]Jaylynn[/name] and [name]Braydyn[/name].
This thread is making me cringe. Seriously. Having a baby at 14 is not “good taste” so it’s not surprising they give their kids names you don’t like?
Most people want to give their child a name that they think is special. This can mean very different things to different people - one person might think Emahhleigh is the most special name in the world, whereas someone (from Nameberry for example) might think that [name]Persephone[/name] is the special name for them. The types of names someone might think are special can be related to their socioeconomic status, sure, but it really rubs me the wrong way when people make comments saying that they see “good” names in “good areas” and “bad” names in “bad areas”. Lots of very clever people give their kids “bad” names and lots of people who may not be as educated can give their kids “good” names. Along the same lines, there are plenty of teenagers who give their kids trendy or misspelled or downright hard to live with names, but there are also plenty who give their kids great names. Generalising teens as trashy namers is just unpleasant to me.
And for the record, I think if someone thinks you’d name a kid crappily because you’re a teenager, who cares? Until you’re actually naming a baby, you don’t really have to care about what someone else thinks about your name taste (and even then, generally it doesn’t matter either).
I am 24 and my daughter is 2 and named [name]Persephone[/name] aka Persey my SO is 27 and his 5 year olds are [name]Rhylee[/name] and Emmersyn we were both 22 when our babies where born and honestly people wonder what was wrong with me when I had Persey. It is unfair but you get used to it.
When I had my bub young the social worker came in and actually asked me “[name]Do[/name] you have somehere to live my dear?”
I was like, lady I’m married and I have a fully set up nursery thanks.
People assume. Now that baby is doing [name]Law[/name] at University- so I guess I wasn’t a trashy mum after all. LOL!!!
Woah. Not here to preach about abstinence vs BC or vice versa but just because a person is pregnant at 14 doesn’t mean she is trashy. [name]Truth[/name] be told, DH and I became pregnant about 2 months after our wedding while I was properly taking bc said to be 99% effective. I had graduated with a 4 year degree (BA) that [name]May[/name] and became pregnant in [name]October[/name]. DH had one more year to go (switched his major thus taking the 5 year ride, lol) and I know many things were assumed about us, our education (or rather, people thought “lack there of”), our relationship etc. Not to mention after my oldest was actually born . So assumptions are just that, assumptions. Judging a 14 year old who gets pregnant in the first place…you have no clue why it happened and while the situation is almost never ideal, it doesn’t mean you know the entire.story.
Yikes at this entire thread. Since when did low income equate to trashy name taste and “high class” people name geniuses? Have you not paid any attention to celebrity baby names these days? Money can’t buy class or common sense.
It’s just a stereotype. It’s not going to change because it’s what the majority of people think. Teen mum = benefits = child named Aiydeen. And I don’t just think it’s older people who think this, teenagers I’ve come across have the same view of themselves, “my children are going to be [name]Brayden[/name]” / “I love the name [name]Destiny[/name] for a girl” sometimes it makes me embarrased to say that my favourite name is [name]Tobias[/name] for fear of the looks I’d get. Hey ho - that’s the kind of world we live in I suppose.
I couldn’t find your first post (I tried to though) so I can’t see all of your reasoning behind this. However, I can see a lot of valid points you are making. I couldn’t even begin to fathom having a child at 14 years old. I could barely handle my first child at 24! You are right though. It is really rude for someone to judge someone else, and already assume many things about the family. Also, the name. I like very unusual names like for example I really like the name [name]Birdie[/name] for a girl. I think it is all a matter of opinions with names. Your not going to like every name you hear. That’s the beauty why God let us name our OWN children. If I had to change my son [name]Luca[/name]'s name every time I caught someone saying they didn’t like it or make a rude, unnecessary comment on it. We would have changed it at least 40 times now. Sadly, our society looks at teen pregnancy as a failure. I don’t necessarily agree with it, but at least lose girls are not killing those babies with abortion. They are actually growing a life. I believe strongly in the fact that no baby is a mistake. Right now…sure not many 14 year old’s get pregnant so that could be why most stare. But making assumptions about a little 14 year old girl like that is rude. Sure, she made a life changing mistake. She probably gets looks wherever she goes too. That seems like enough “punishment” to me. Having complete strangers judge you is terrible. And some would like to mess with this girl even more, and make assumptions about the name. [name]Shame[/name] on them. Until you know the full story…even then just keep things like that to yourself. “If you don’t have anything nice to say. [name]Don[/name]'t say it at all.”
It’s a stereotype. It’s reinforced by the fact that the terrible/weird names are going to be more memorable. [name]Charlotte[/name], [name]Logan[/name], [name]Sophia[/name], [name]John[/name]? Not memorable. Anything fabricated, with a weird spelling, containing unnecessary letters, or just in poor taste, will be more memorable, and the person hearing it will stick in in their “teen parent stereotype” box. I kind of see the same thing happening with celebrity babies, too… [name]Jason[/name], [name]Vivian[/name], and [name]Sophia[/name] just aren’t as memorable as things like [name]Moxie[/name] Crimefighter and [name]Moon[/name] Unit. So there’s this stereotype that celebrities give their kids ridiculous names, too, even though that is NOT the case. I mean, of all the people you’ve mentioned names to, have ALL of them snorted, exhaled, or said “oh please,” or are you just remembering the negative experiences? The times when people were positive(which I am sure were in the minority, don’t get me wrong) aren’t going to be as memorable to you.
Stereotypes are rooted in truth. The teen moms that I know named their children [name]Jayden[/name], [name]Cayden[/name], [name]Kinsley[/name], [name]Brayden[/name], [name]Isabella[/name], [name]Jasper[/name], [name]Aiden[/name], and [name]Aaron[/name].
I think the stereotype also persists because so many people (at age 30+) look back to what they would have named their children at age 20 (or younger) and are horrified, haha! I know that I would definitely NOT be happy with the name choices I would have made as a teenager…my tastes have totally changed!
IDK… I guess because most teenagers who get pregnant [name]DO[/name] name their kids trashy names. But I know a woman who was in the air force, who gave one of her kids a middle name that is considered trashy by some. (His name is N@th@niel Br@yden.) I’m 13, and I don’t like “trashy” names. I do like most popular names, like [name]Liam[/name], but I don’t like [name]Jayden[/name], [name]Braidynn[/name], [name]Braelyn[/name], etc.
[name]How[/name] old do you mean? If the person in question was any less then 22 then personally i would not expect much from them ESPECIALLY if they were under 20.
