Baby name

[Aegishjalmur]

We both like the name Addison for a girl.  But our last name is Anderson.  Are the names too similar? I'm not allowed to discuss potential baby names with people IRL, so I figured I'd ask here.

I have an unusual first name. So unusual that I refuse to share it as I have only ever seen one other person with the same first name despite actively searching online. It's only five letters long, but despite that people still butcher it and/or call me by another more common name (Even relatives who have known me all my life have sent x-mas cards misspelling my name).

So, after dealing with that, my one piece of advice for names is is don't pick anything you've never seen either in full or a shortened form, on those souvenir items they sell at tourist shops.

[turketron]

So, after dealing with that, my one piece of advice for names is is don't pick anything you've never seen either in full or a shortened form, on those souvenir items they sell at tourist shops.

[Aegishjalmur]

So, after dealing with that, my one piece of advice for names is is don't pick anything you've never seen either in full or a shortened form, on those souvenir items they sell at tourist shops.

Yes. Exactly :)

I have told my wife that if I ever do find my name on one of those items, regardless of how god-awful gaudy it is, I am going to buy it.

[Aelias]

@wageslave23  - so, clearly in the minority opinion here, but we gave our daughter a first name that is highly alliterative with our last name.  We've gotten a few confused faces and even a comparison to a comic book character.  Don't care - it's a beautiful name. We love it.  Everything is fine.  Nothing is on fire.

And just to keep it interesting, she has her grandfather's traditionally masculine name as a middle name.  The pediatrician's office is very confused whenever they try to read the file. :)

[Metalcat]

We both like the name Addison for a girl.  But our last name is Anderson.  Are the names too similar? I'm not allowed to discuss potential baby names with people IRL, so I figured I'd ask here.

I have an unusual first name. So unusual that I refuse to share it as I have only ever seen one other person with the same name despite actively searching online. It's only five letters long, but despite that people still butcher it and/or call me by another more common name (Even relatives who have known me all my life have sent x-mas cards misspelling my name).

So, after dealing with that, my one piece of advice for names is is don't pick anything you've never seen either in full or a shortened form, on those souvenir items they sell at tourist shops.

Huh funny. I never thought of the impact of unusual names when they are so easy to look up online. Especially for those (like me) who prefer to be anonymous.  Googling my full first and last name seem to just come up with me and me alone (yikes). Googling my first name alone comes up with 3 things - a business, a town, and a singer plus a few others that have the same first name but different last names. I go by a shortened version otherwise I think I would change my name to Mary Smith.

ETA: When I googled my name the first thing it came up with was my address, phone number, and a whole bunch of other personal info that I though I squashed out of existence because of a stalker. Nope. Its all.there. Something to think about now when naming a kid I guess.

Same. I've had a number of people track me down because my name is distinctive and I'm very easy to find.

[Imma]

We both like the name Addison for a girl.  But our last name is Anderson.  Are the names too similar? I'm not allowed to discuss potential baby names with people IRL, so I figured I'd ask here.

I have an unusual first name. So unusual that I refuse to share it as I have only ever seen one other person with the same name despite actively searching online. It's only five letters long, but despite that people still butcher it and/or call me by another more common name (Even relatives who have known me all my life have sent x-mas cards misspelling my name).

So, after dealing with that, my one piece of advice for names is is don't pick anything you've never seen either in full or a shortened form, on those souvenir items they sell at tourist shops.

Huh funny. I never thought of the impact of unusual names when they are so easy to look up online. Especially for those (like me) who prefer to be anonymous.  Googling my full first and last name seem to just come up with me and me alone (yikes). Googling my first name alone comes up with 3 things - a business, a town, and a singer plus a few others that have the same first name but different last names. I go by a shortened version otherwise I think I would change my name to Mary Smith.

ETA: When I googled my name the first thing it came up with was my address, phone number, and a whole bunch of other personal info that I though I squashed out of existence because of a stalker. Nope. Its all.there. Something to think about now when naming a kid I guess.

Same. I've had a number of people track me down because my name is distinctive and I'm very easy to find.

I am so relieved that my name is something like the German equivalent of Mary Smith. Absolutely impossible to Google. I just get funny looks when Germans try to talk to me in German and they find out I only speak very basic German.

[shelivesthedream]

There is exactly one other person on the internet called Firstname Maidenname and today I discovered that there is exactly one other person on the internet called Firstname Marriedname. Funny how I've ended up with this almost-unique-but-not-quite combo of names twice.

[Morning Glory]

My name isn't that common in my region but it's surprisingly common in the US and UK in general, so I'm not even in the first page of Google results.

[chaskavitch]

@shelivesthedream I was the only Firstname Maidenname in the US as far as I can tell.  My immediate family members (4 of us) are the only people with my maiden name in our state + the seven surrounding states that touch us, I think.  There are a number of people with my married name, though.  I can't decide if I'm happy about that or not, haha.  As a teenager I enjoyed being unique, but as an adult I can see where not being so searchable is a good thing.

I will say, I always thought my maiden name was easy to pronounce, since (to me at least) it sounds exactly like it looks, so the number of people who say it incorrectly still surprises me.

[DadJokes]

We both like the name Addison for a girl.  But our last name is Anderson.  Are the names too similar? I'm not allowed to discuss potential baby names with people IRL, so I figured I'd ask here.

I have an unusual first name. So unusual that I refuse to share it as I have only ever seen one other person with the same name despite actively searching online. It's only five letters long, but despite that people still butcher it and/or call me by another more common name (Even relatives who have known me all my life have sent x-mas cards misspelling my name).

So, after dealing with that, my one piece of advice for names is is don't pick anything you've never seen either in full or a shortened form, on those souvenir items they sell at tourist shops.

Huh funny. I never thought of the impact of unusual names when they are so easy to look up online. Especially for those (like me) who prefer to be anonymous.  Googling my full first and last name seem to just come up with me and me alone (yikes). Googling my first name alone comes up with 3 things - a business, a town, and a singer plus a few others that have the same first name but different last names. I go by a shortened version otherwise I think I would change my name to Mary Smith.

ETA: When I googled my name the first thing it came up with was my address, phone number, and a whole bunch of other personal info that I though I squashed out of existence because of a stalker. Nope. Its all.there. Something to think about now when naming a kid I guess.

Same. I've had a number of people track me down because my name is distinctive and I'm very easy to find.

I took a information systems class in college. In the first class, the professor wanted to show how easy it was to find out someone's personal information online, so he asked for a volunteer to say their full name. My name is about as common as it gets, so I volunteered for a laugh.

After 5 or so minutes of looking, he asked for a different volunteer.

I appreciate the fact that I'm difficult to find.

[ender]

I have a quite distinctive first name but my last name is super common.

It's kind of nice, my wife is basically anonymous now (her maiden name was super unique) but it means we can pick many names for our children and because of our last name they have much less blatant internet discoverability.

But that being said, I don't doubt for a minute that a serious person could stalk me and find a lot of information about me. Which is ok, I guess, since at that point much of what I'd do to block stuff wouldn't matter - I'm mostly worried about the casual or non-professional stalker.

[teen persuasion]

I will say, I always thought my maiden name was easy to pronounce, since (to me at least) it sounds exactly like it looks, so the number of people who say it incorrectly still surprises me.

I thought the same about my relatively unique (in the US) maiden name.  The only quibble might be on which syllable to stress (we stress 2nd syllable, another branch of the family stresses 3rd syllable).  But strangers see a Z at the beginning and forget phonics.  They drop 2 or 3 consonants in various places, and slur parts.

Another branch of the family changed the name at Ellis Island - kept the first part, chunked -ley on the end and called it good.  Nobody blinks at that version.

[20957]

I've known two people whose parents intended to give them common names but misspelled themnot on purpose- think Micheal and Magen. It makes me kind of sad.

I don't like my uncommon name and would never give it to a child but have never seriously considered changing it, not sure why. I much prefer my sisters' normal names! My kids all got uncommon names too though. We chose ones that are short and easy to spell/pronounce to go with their long German last name. Or so I thought- the last two have been confounding people. I do think that having a more difficult name teaches you early that many people are idiots- I remember first really feeling that when explaining that my mother had a different name than me, then later when people made the same tired joke about my sharing a name with a pop star. No, I'm not her, she's an adult, I'm 8, and you're stupid.

[Dicey]

This is as good a place as any to add this. Grandkid the First has a three syllable first name. Her nickname is one syllable. Grandkid the Second has a one syllable first name, but has a three syllable nickname. Go figure.

[Dicey]

The thing that always puzzles me is when someone names their kid an occupation. Here's what goes through my head:

We're naming her Tanner! [Really? Like she's going to tan hides?]

We're naming him Cooper! [Really? Because you realize coopers make barrels, right?]

We're naming him Porter! [Really? Like on a train?]

We're naming her Walker! [Really? Like for dogs?]

We're naming him Carter! [Really? Like the person who drives a small carriage?]

We're naming her Harper! [Really? Because she's going to have to play the harp whether or not she wants to?]

We're naming him Mason! [Really? Do you know how hard it is to lay bricks for a living?]

Hunter! Sailor! Sawyer! Slater! Tailor! Parker! Palmer! [Fucking really?!]

I just asked my stepdaughter, the preschool teacher in a chi-chi Colorado town. She knows at least one of every name on this list, except Slater.

Others:
Mills
Aloysius - called Alo
Maks (pron. "Mox")
Arwen
Kale

[RetiredAt63]

Arwen is nice, much the same as all the other girls named after movie stars, but a bit more literate

The rest, not so much.  Kale is going to get called a lot of vegetable names.

[SunnyDays]

I remember that Oprah said that her mother had intended to name her Orpah, from the bible, but it was recorded incorrectly.  I wonder if she would have been as famous as Orpah?

[Dicey]

I remember that Oprah said that her mother had intended to name her Orpah, from the bible, but it was recorded incorrectly.  I wonder if she would have been as famous as Orpah?

I've always wondered how hard it would have been to fix that and why the effort wasn't made.

[nessness]

I remember that Oprah said that her mother had intended to name her Orpah, from the bible, but it was recorded incorrectly.  I wonder if she would have been as famous as Orpah?

I've always wondered how hard it would have bern to fix that and why the effort wasn't made.

I googled this earlier today, and apparently Orpah was her legal given name, but people constantly mispronounced it as Oprah, and eventually she just decided to go with it.

[Dicey]

I remember that Oprah said that her mother had intended to name her Orpah, from the bible, but it was recorded incorrectly.  I wonder if she would have been as famous as Orpah?

I've always wondered how hard it would have bern to fix that and why the effort wasn't made.

I googled this earlier today, and apparently Orpah was her legal given name, but people constantly mispronounced it as Oprah, and eventually she just decided to go with it.

That makes sense. Thanks for the details.

[BlueHouse]

I know a Sydney who lives in Sydney. Born there too.

I worked with someone whose first and last name were both the names of large US cities. 

Think Austin Dallas  Very similar to that.  Awful.  I couldn't say or think his name without making errors.

[ketchup]

We both like the name Addison for a girl.  But our last name is Anderson.  Are the names too similar? I'm not allowed to discuss potential baby names with people IRL, so I figured I'd ask here.

I have an unusual first name. So unusual that I refuse to share it as I have only ever seen one other person with the same name despite actively searching online. It's only five letters long, but despite that people still butcher it and/or call me by another more common name (Even relatives who have known me all my life have sent x-mas cards misspelling my name).

So, after dealing with that, my one piece of advice for names is is don't pick anything you've never seen either in full or a shortened form, on those souvenir items they sell at tourist shops.

Huh funny. I never thought of the impact of unusual names when they are so easy to look up online. Especially for those (like me) who prefer to be anonymous.  Googling my full first and last name seem to just come up with me and me alone (yikes). Googling my first name alone comes up with 3 things - a business, a town, and a singer plus a few others that have the same first name but different last names. I go by a shortened version otherwise I think I would change my name to Mary Smith.

ETA: When I googled my name the first thing it came up with was my address, phone number, and a whole bunch of other personal info that I though I squashed out of existence because of a stalker. Nope. Its all.there. Something to think about now when naming a kid I guess.

Same. I've had a number of people track me down because my name is distinctive and I'm very easy to find.

It can be a real problem.  My girlfriend is convinced she's the only one on the planet with her name.  Very common first name, super Americanized spelling/pronunciation of a Nordic last name. To make matters worse, as a teenager she had a habit of using her real name as screennames on various web forums etc.  At least the first four pages of Google are 100% her if you search her first and last name.  She cannot hide.

My slightly uncommon but apparently common enough name means my first mention at all is on the second page of Google when you search my name.

Definitely should be a consideration when naming a child.

[Cranky]

My DD’s first name is so unusual that she’s pretty sure it is unique to her. She has always liked that! And these days, if you want a toothbrush with your name on it you can just order one online.

But I think names have taken a turn for the unusual. My 5 yo grandchild’s soccer team includes:

Indigo
Vienna (and I admit that I mentally think “sausage??” every time!)
Elliot (who is a girl called Ellie)
Skylar (who is Black but all members of her family are Hispanic)
Shriram
Wren
Deacon

[nessness]

My DD’s first name is so unusual that she’s pretty sure it is unique to her. She has always liked that! And these days, if you want a toothbrush with your name on it you can just order one online.

But I think names have taken a turn for the unusual. My 5 yo grandchild’s soccer team includes:

Indigo
Vienna (and I admit that I mentally think “sausage??” every time!)
Elliot (who is a girl called Ellie)
Skylar (who is Black but all members of her family are Hispanic)
Shriram
Wren
Deacon

I had a funny conversation with my kids the other day related to this. My 6yo was naming some kids at her camp: "Callie, Delaney, Jelly, Gavin, John..."
4yo: John?!?! There's a kid at camp named John?!
Me: Why, do you have a friend named John too?
4yo: No, it's just such a silly name! John!
Me: Really, you think John is a silly name but not Jelly? 😂😂😂 (Jelly is apparently short for Jelica)

[teen persuasion]

My DD’s first name is so unusual that she’s pretty sure it is unique to her. She has always liked that! And these days, if you want a toothbrush with your name on it you can just order one online.

But I think names have taken a turn for the unusual. My 5 yo grandchild’s soccer team includes:

Indigo
Vienna (and I admit that I mentally think “sausage??” every time!)
Elliot (who is a girl called Ellie)
Skylar (who is Black but all members of her family are Hispanic)
Shriram
Wren
Deacon

I had a funny conversation with my kids the other day related to this. My 6yo was naming some kids at her camp: "Callie, Delaney, Jelly, Gavin, John..."
4yo: John?!?! There's a kid at camp named John?!
Me: Why, do you have a friend named John too?
4yo: No, it's just such a silly name! John!
Me: Really, you think John is a silly name but not Jelly? 😂😂😂 (Jelly is apparently short for Jelica)

Funny the way my thoughts pinged around reading this:

- Jelly, like grape jelly?
- short for Jelica - which is presumably short for Angelica?
- Jelica reminds me of Jelical cats (no idea how it's spelled, but my musical loving DD3 watched Cats endlessly, so we know all the songs)
- also reminds me of when DS5 was in K, and he'd talk about his friend Julian everyday, I thought he was talking about a boy.  Turned out Julian's name was really Jillian, a tiny little ash-blonde girl; he just couldn't pronounce it well. 

[calimom]

My DD’s first name is so unusual that she’s pretty sure it is unique to her. She has always liked that! And these days, if you want a toothbrush with your name on it you can just order one online.

But I think names have taken a turn for the unusual. My 5 yo grandchild’s soccer team includes:

Indigo
Vienna (and I admit that I mentally think “sausage??” every time!)
Elliot (who is a girl called Ellie)
Skylar (who is Black but all members of her family are Hispanic)
Shriram
Wren
Deacon

I had a funny conversation with my kids the other day related to this. My 6yo was naming some kids at her camp: "Callie, Delaney, Jelly, Gavin, John..."
4yo: John?!?! There's a kid at camp named John?!
Me: Why, do you have a friend named John too?
4yo: No, it's just such a silly name! John!
Me: Really, you think John is a silly name but not Jelly? 😂😂😂 (Jelly is apparently short for Jelica)

Funny the way my thoughts pinged around reading this:

- Jelly, like grape jelly?
- short for Jelica - which is presumably short for Angelica?
- Jelica reminds me of Jelical cats (no idea how it's spelled, but my musical loving DD3 watched Cats endlessly, so we know all the songs)
- also reminds me of when DS5 was in K, and he'd talk about his friend Julian everyday, I thought he was talking about a boy.  Turned out Julian's name was really Jillian, a tiny little ash-blonde girl; he just couldn't pronounce it well.

John seems like an unusual name for a child in 2021, which makes me love it all the more!

When my now teenaged DD was in early elementary, she had 3 friends in her class named: Brooke Lynne, Brooklin and Brooklyn.

[Dicey]

The thing that always puzzles me is when someone names their kid an occupation. Here's what goes through my head:

We're naming her Tanner! [Really? Like she's going to tan hides?]

We're naming him Cooper! [Really? Because you realize coopers make barrels, right?]

We're naming him Porter! [Really? Like on a train?]

We're naming her Walker! [Really? Like for dogs?]

We're naming him Carter! [Really? Like the person who drives a small carriage?]

We're naming her Harper! [Really? Because she's going to have to play the harp whether or not she wants to?]

We're naming him Mason! [Really? Do you know how hard it is to lay bricks for a living?]

Hunter! Sailor! Sawyer! Slater! Tailor! Parker! Palmer! [Fucking really?!]

Ha, I saw this article and realized we have another name for @MarciaB's list:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/tiler-peck-emotional-return-stage-152822509.html

Wut? A ballerina who lays tile on the side?

[CowboyAndIndian]

My DD’s first name is so unusual that she’s pretty sure it is unique to her. She has always liked that! And these days, if you want a toothbrush with your name on it you can just order one online.

But I think names have taken a turn for the unusual. My 5 yo grandchild’s soccer team includes:

Indigo
Vienna (and I admit that I mentally think “sausage??” every time!)
Elliot (who is a girl called Ellie)
Skylar (who is Black but all members of her family are Hispanic)
Shriram
Wren
Deacon

Shriram is  run of the mill Indian name. Also, very common and would not turn heads anywhere in India.

BTW, I see someone on TV called India and one called Egypt. What is with that?

[Cranky]

Oh, I think Shriram got the most ordinary name of the whole group!

[Michael in ABQ]

So, after dealing with that, my one piece of advice for names is is don't pick anything you've never seen either in full or a shortened form, on those souvenir items they sell at tourist shops.

"Come along Bort"

"Excuse me are you talking to me?"

"No, my son is also named Bort"


I haven't seen that episode in probably 15-20 years but just seeing that gif I can remember those lines. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Crtwv3vy7Dk

[BlueHouse]

Friend from high school was named Giovanna.  the I and O weren't pronounced separately, but more like "Ja-vana" 

Who would think you could make a crude nickname out of that?  The boys in high school, that's who.  The called her "Ja-vina"

[former player]

Sadly I was too late to counsel a colleague who married a man with the last name "Short" against naming her son Richard.

I never afterwards dared ask about the outcome, but Google now tells me it is a surprisingly common mistake.

[Manchester]

The funniest ones are Irish names that sound completely different to how they're spelt.

Niamh - if you beliamh that this spells 'Neave' you are illiterate.
Siobahn - sounds like you're referring to a train system in Germany
Eoghan - E-OG-HAN? 

[shelivesthedream]

Eoghan = Owen

[chaskavitch]

The funniest ones are Irish names that sound completely different to how they're spelt.

Niamh - if you beliamh that this spells 'Neave' you are illiterate.
Siobahn - sounds like you're referring to a train system in Germany
Eoghan - E-OG-HAN?

Saoirse - it sounds like "inertia" :)  Her brother has had a terrible time trying to figure out how to spell it.  Mostly we get "Surshu", haha.

[Manchester]

Eoghan = Owen

Absolute madness.

[Metalcat]

The funniest ones are Irish names that sound completely different to how they're spelt.

Niamh - if you beliamh that this spells 'Neave' you are illiterate.
Siobahn - sounds like you're referring to a train system in Germany
Eoghan - E-OG-HAN?

That's what happens when your alphabet only has 18 letters

[dougules]

The funniest ones are Irish names that sound completely different to how they're spelt.

Niamh - if you beliamh that this spells 'Neave' you are illiterate.
Siobahn - sounds like you're referring to a train system in Germany
Eoghan - E-OG-HAN?

That's what happens when your alphabet only has 18 letters

Can English speakers really throw any stones when it comes to weird spellings?

[jeroly]

Go with the name 'Seven.'
It's a great name for a girl... or a boy.

[Metalcat]

The funniest ones are Irish names that sound completely different to how they're spelt.

Niamh - if you beliamh that this spells 'Neave' you are illiterate.
Siobahn - sounds like you're referring to a train system in Germany
Eoghan - E-OG-HAN?

That's what happens when your alphabet only has 18 letters

Can English speakers really throw any stones when it comes to weird spellings?

Exactly, Celtic spelling only seems weird when you don't understand how the letters work.

[dougules]

The funniest ones are Irish names that sound completely different to how they're spelt.

Niamh - if you beliamh that this spells 'Neave' you are illiterate.
Siobahn - sounds like you're referring to a train system in Germany
Eoghan - E-OG-HAN?

That's what happens when your alphabet only has 18 letters

Can English speakers really throw any stones when it comes to weird spellings?

Exactly, Celtic spelling only seems weird when you don't understand how the letters work.

Yes, I would say Irish spelling is more regular than English once you get used to the pattern.  English has so many exceptions to the exceptions. 

[Dicey]

We both like the name Addison for a girl.  But our last name is Anderson.  Are the names too similar? I'm not allowed to discuss potential baby names with people IRL, so I figured I'd ask here.

Any closer to a decision @WageSlave?

[dividendman]

Addison shortens to Addy = Adderall (amphetamine), but you can make fun of any name.

I think parents shouldn't be allowed to pick names for their kids. Kids should get assigned a name until they're around 12 then they should be able to pick their own!

[GuitarStv]

Addison shortens to Addy = Adderall (amphetamine), but you can make fun of any name.

I think parents shouldn't be allowed to pick names for their kids. Kids should get assigned a name until they're around 12 then they should be able to pick their own!

Not sure that's any better.  As a 12 year old I was into very different things than I currently am.  Probably would have ended up GuitarRaistlin.

[Psychstache]

Addison shortens to Addy = Adderall (amphetamine), but you can make fun of any name.

I think parents shouldn't be allowed to pick names for their kids. Kids should get assigned a name until they're around 12 then they should be able to pick their own!

I recall reading a story about some parents who couldn't decide between various E names (Ella, Emma, Emily) so they legally named their kid 'E' with the idea that should could pick her name when she was older. When she was a teenager she decided to go with.......E. Said she liked the idea of being the only person on the planet (likely) named E.

[jeroly]

Addison shortens to Addy = Adderall (amphetamine), but you can make fun of any name.

I think parents shouldn't be allowed to pick names for their kids. Kids should get assigned a name until they're around 12 then they should be able to pick their own!

I recall reading a story about some parents who couldn't decide between various E names (Ella, Emma, Emily) so they legally named their kid 'E' with the idea that should could pick her name when she was older. When she was a teenager she decided to go with.......E. Said she liked the idea of being the only person on the planet (likely) named E.

Was she also known as Mark Oliver Everett?  If not, she wasn't the only person on the planet named E...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Oliver_Everett

[Sugaree]

So, after dealing with that, my one piece of advice for names is is don't pick anything you've never seen either in full or a shortened form, on those souvenir items they sell at tourist shops.

That was how I ended up with the most boring of all 80/90's names.  My mother had a less-common spelling of a normal name and could never find anything with her name on it. 

My son is a fifth, but goes by Finn ("fin" or "finnif" is old slang for a five dollar bill based on a Yiddish word for five).  He does have a more adult sounding name if he would like to use it later.  I do somewhat regret doing that to him because I now see what an complete PITA it is to have to differentiate between my husband and my FIL.  It doesn't help that my FIL sometimes uses Jr. and sometimes uses III as his suffix.