Yes I know I shouldn’t…but I can’t help it!!

I know how much (almost) everyone on here is against naming a daughter [name]Katniss[/name]…but I cannot help it! I really, really [name]LOVE[/name] it. I do love the Hunger Games and that’s how I started loving it- I just love her character! I got a suggestion a while ago to maybe use it for a nickname for [name]Katherine[/name] which is a name me and hubby like too but….I’m starting to just want to use [name]Katniss[/name] (on its own).

I know all about how the name most likely than not- will become trendy/popular because of the books and new movie but to be honest I’ve never really cared much about the popularity of a name.

Also I see some people on here sometimes saying they first thought it said [name]Cat[/name] Nip or cat p**s - but whenever I see that- It still doesn’t change the way I look or think about the name.

I just simply can’t shake [name]Katniss[/name]…and now all my other girls options are starting to look insignificant to me…including the [name]Katherine[/name] option…

So what should I do?? :frowning: :confused:

I get the appeal. I really, really do. [name]Katniss[/name] is botanical and interesting, made up of familiar sounds but never really used. It’s strong and feminine sounding, serious but full of spunk. [name]Truly[/name] a great name.

But you can’t name a kid [name]Katniss[/name].

Use it as a middle name. Use [name]Katherine[/name] and call her [name]Katniss[/name]. Use anything as a formal name and call her [name]Katniss[/name]. [name]Don[/name]'t use just [name]Katniss[/name]. You aren’t naming yourself, you’re naming a completely separate human being who will have to live her life with the name. Your daughter may or may not like the Hunger games and it’s an inescapable reference. [name]Katniss[/name] is one of those “you’re not serious names-” if you told someone it was your name at a restaurant, they probably wouldn’t believe you. I’ve tried with [name]Hermione[/name], and people just flat out think I’m lying. And to be quite honest, I love the Hunger Games, but it doesn’t have as much literary heft as other books. I think that’s kind of important if you’re naming a child after a character.

I agree with that daisy451 says, up till the “But you can’t name a kid [name]Katniss[/name].” I see the “use the name [name]Kat[/name]- and nickname her [name]Katniss[/name]”, but I think it would be a cute name on its own. The only thing I could say against it is the fact that people will associate the Hunger Games with [name]Katniss[/name], which may lead to trouble later in life, especially if her personality is not like [name]Katniss[/name] Everdeen’s. However, I think that a little [name]Katniss[/name] could still make the name her own. People are already naming their daughters [name]Renesmee[/name], and to be honest, I think that is much more worse than naming a daughter [name]Katniss[/name]. And if all else fails and your daughter ends up hating her name, she can always go by [name]Kat[/name].

I would have loved to have been named [name]Katniss[/name] if the books had been out when I was born. If you have the guts, I say go for it! :slight_smile:

If you love the name then go for it! I don’t really see the point in naming her [name]Katherine[/name] and calling her [name]Katniss[/name]. If she will go by [name]Katniss[/name] then just name her that! I think it’s a good name. Not everyone has read those books and will see the movie so I wouldn’t worry about that aspect of it.

I feel the same way about the name too. I know I shouldn’t but I really want to. It’s a hard decision!

This pretty much sums up how I feel about [name]Katniss[/name]. I love it, but it just isn’t usable right now. As a nickname or a middle name would be fabulous though :slight_smile:

I don’t get it. I just hear [name]Cat[/name] Nip/ [name]Cat[/name] piss too. I do like the nickname [name]Nessa[/name]/[name]Nessie[/name]… maybe for [name]Vanessa[/name] or [name]Agnessa[/name]? In the end you have to do what feels right and it sounds like you really love it so if you can get husband on board then maybe it is meant to be!

If you like it, use it!

I’m not sure why some people view it as unusable. I’ve seen some pretty funky names out there. At least [name]Katniss[/name] is an actual word!

The ‘point’ in giving a child a fuller/more reliable name is to give them something to start from. I hesitate to use the word ‘respectable,’ because it’s not that I don’t find [name]Katniss[/name] a respectable enough name.

The nickname argument always comes back to the same thing for me: just because I want to call my daughter, say, [name]Katie[/name], doesn’t mean she always will want to go by [name]Katie[/name]. There are even some circumstances where having a ‘nickname’ name would make a person feel more uncomfortable – and I can say this as the owner of a “what’s that short for?” full name.

[name]Katniss[/name] is slightly different, as it’s arguable whether it’s full or not (honestly, this is totally subjective, as it’s a ‘new’ name to begin with). I do feel like the same argument applies, though perhaps for different reasons – she will know she’s named after the major character in a ‘fad’ book/movie series. [name]Will[/name] she always be happy with that? Maybe, maybe not. The safe option is of course to give her a name that isn’t quite so specific, so that she can have that choice. I know many people that have chosen different variations on their names to suit their current situation. Going back to [name]Katie[/name], she may be [name]Katie[/name] at home, but at work she’s probably [name]Katherine[/name] or [name]Kate[/name], with her significant other she might be [name]Kay[/name], with friends maybe it’s Kath. Who knows.

Then there are plenty of anti-nickname folks, who want their kiddos to be LOCKED IN for all eternity. I’m one of those kids, whether intentionally or not, and I resent it to be perfectly honest.

I agree. I haven’t read the books or seen the film, so I see myself as an impartial outside observer as far as this name goes. I can guarantee that 90% of the [name]Katniss[/name] lovers love it because of the character and the story – if they’d heard the name without any media association (as I did) they’d be quite unlikely to favor it as much.

In the end, though, it doesn’t matter why we love the names we love, as the fact is that we love them. I tend to take a more objective approach to names and try to imagine what it would feel like to HAVE that name, to introduce myself as [name]Katniss[/name], what others’ response would be to that name. The coffee shop test is a great one for that, but I imagine the response to [name]Katniss[/name] NOW will be quite different from the response in 10 or 20 years.

As a side note: all this love for [name]Katniss[/name], where are the proponents for Everdeen? Honestly, it’s prettier and more usable from where I stand.

Never read these books and I don’t think [name]Katniss[/name] looks or sounds very pretty without the association of the main character’s personality. I agree that Everdeen sounds much much prettier from the outside perspective.

I don’t think [name]Hermione[/name] is a pretty name either, but I don’t think it’s completely crazy or unusable…to me [name]Katniss[/name] is like that name. I doubt it will become popular, but it will forever be associated with those books/movies.

Or like Arwyn and [name]Lord[/name] of the Rings.

[name]Love[/name] it, use it. [name]Katniss[/name] is very pretty. I begun to like [name]Katniss[/name] even before I know about [name]Katniss[/name] Everdeen of Hunger Games. I never read the novel, the first time I knew about it was because I read it in nameberry! lol.
More fresh than classic [name]Katherine[/name], I mean not beat it, but give another pretty option for [name]Kate[/name] variation.
And for those compare [name]Katniss[/name] with [name]Renesmee[/name], [name]Katniss[/name] is definitely the winner (according to me).
[name]Renesmee[/name] sounds strange, like forcing [name]Renee[/name] and [name]Esme[/name] to become one name with terrible result. Much prefer her mn [name]Carlie[/name].
But [name]Katniss[/name] sounds nice, so don’t be afraid to use it.

I agree with pp about it being forever associated with the books. I actually knew an Arwyn (not personally but there was one in a college class of mine) and on hearing her name all i could think every time was “Wow, I guess her parents must have really liked [name]Lord[/name] of the Rings!” But hey, as long as that doesn’t bother you - you have to go with what you like.

In the end, you will name a daughter the name you love but I do agree you need to think hard about how it would feel to own that name. It’s not your name, it’s her’s. Another name from a book (Graceling) that is not as well known but has the same sound and feel of [name]Katniss[/name] is Katsa. It is a made-up name for the character but I actually like it and she wouldn’t be associated with The Hunger Games for her entire life. [name]Just[/name] a thought.

Oh, and I have a son named [name]Rhett[/name] and I get asked all the time if it is after [name]Rhett[/name] [name]Butler[/name]. Gone With the Wind has been around a lot longer than The Hunger Games and the association is still really strong. Get ready to answer the question daily. But I do still love his name!

Usually I would say don’t do it…but, use it. You should name her what you love, or you may regret it later. And honestly I don’t think the name will get that popular. I haven’t seen an influx of baby rosalies and twilight has been out for years. I think you should name her [name]Katniss[/name], if you want to.