Parents with kids who have 'weird' names. - Page 2

[Marissamom]

side note, when I read Cassius, I pronounce it Cass-ee-us, so you and he would be going through a life-time of correcting people on the pronunciation. I know I get really tired of correcting people who pronounce DD's name (Adara) ah-dare-ah instead of ah-dar-ah, she turns two next week, and even her paternal grandfather pronounces it wrong (whole other set of issues there).

I think people are a lot more accepting of unusual names for girls than they are for boys, but I think both names are good, and family and friends do tend to accept the name once it's attached to a baby, rather than just being a possibility. 

[Snowflake777]

DD has a name that isn't unusual in my home country, but unheard of where we live. We waited until after she was born to reveal the name and the in-laws were still vocal in their dislike of it (they're nice people, but tact is not their strong point). I don't think my mother likes much it either, though she managed to collect herself and feign some enthusiasm.

It bugged me at the time, but hasn't really mattered in the long run. They love DD even if they don't love her name.

I find that with unusual names, they often grow on you after you've heard them a few times, and even more so when they're actually someone's name. So even if people are like "Huh??" at first, they may come around.

For the record, I don't think Silas or Cassius are too weird. Uncommon? Yes. Weird? No. :)

[SubliminalDarkness]

Well, with DS1 we did tell people about our name ideas, and nobody liked any of them. 

We learned our lesson with DS2 and didn't tell ANYONE what names we were considering. DS2's name is Ansel, which is unusual I suppose. Most people don't have too much trouble getting it right, though. I'm glad we didn't tell anyone ahead of time because I didn't want to hear their negative opinions. I did hear one person's negative opinion after the fact, though.... When DS2 was about 8 months old, my FIL presented me with a list of names he thought were better and asked us to pick one and change DS2's name. Ha! Not gonna happen. I still love DS2's name. 

[GoBecGo]

This thread is reminding me of when i met my good friend.  We were in Uni, i said "what's your name?" she replied "Unna".  "Sorry," i said, "what did you say?"  "Unna!" she replied louder.  "How do you spell it?" i asked "A N N A" she replied as she looked at me like i was an idiot....

She was from a German family, and that is how her name is pronounced there.  To this day i call her Unna, it is her name, however one is spelling it. :)

My kids have off-beat names, Esme and Camille.  People generally like them though ask if we're french (we're not and the fact that both the names are is coincidence, Es was named after the Salinger novel and Esmerelda Weatherwax the witch in Pratchett's Discworld books and Camille was named after a french/irish singer called Camille O'Sullivan).

I definitely found that people liked the CHILD Esme better than the NAME Esme.  It's much harder to be insulting to a sweet little face than a sweet little sound.

[2xy]

Originally Posted by nextcommercial 

It bugs me when people make up names and spellings.  Then, the child has to live their entire life saying "No   I-E-A-I-L" and every year they have to re-explain their name.   I met a girl name "Axieial" but, it was pronounced "Az-yeel".  (they were all born and raised here, so it wasn't a common name outside our country)  She spent the first month of every school year saying "no... Az Yeel... No, my Mom is a hippy.. it doesn't mean anything".   

I find this annoying, too....yet someone pointed out to me a while back that this even happens with names like Katelynn. It can be spelled any number of ways. I'm 40 and still have to explain my weird name to people, so I get you on the inventive names thing....but spelling can be an issue even with names like Isabella. One "L" or two? I have a friend named Alison and my SIL is Alyson. My DS will forever be known as Jakob "with a K."

I've spent my whole life spelling both my first and last names to people. It gets to be routine and not really that big a deal, although every so often I wish my last name was Smith.

[SilverFish]

my dd has an unusual name. i got some unpleasant responses when people found out about it when i was pregnant, but i also got some great responses. now that she's here and people are used to it, they love it. i do have to repeat it sometimes when i introduce her to someone, and i preemptively spell it when someone is trying to fill a form out, or i think they haven't gotten it after the first repeat. i always prefer that people spell their names to me if they have a somewhat unusual name, and i don't expect people to get dd's immediately either. i also encourage people to use the short form of her name as it's easier to say and remember. people always love the meaning and sound of the name though, once they get over the first difficulty... and literally no one has ever forgotten her name which i think is going to be a benefit throughout her life.

her name is tziporah and her nickname is zippy. (the only odd responses i get now are when people think that zippy is her actual full name). she is named for a dear friend of mine and it is a hebrew name meaning little bird.

[Alyantavid]

Originally Posted by Smokering 

 Occasionally someone will say "I know a Rowan!", but it's usually a boy.

We get that alot in reverse.  I'd never heard my younger son's name irl until after he was born.  And he's the only boy we've come across, but we've met lots of girls with his name.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda on the move 

Besides, in a couple of years there might be a cute vampire with the name you pick and you could suddenly be seen as a trend setter. 

Jasper has always been on our list of boy names.  It's much much more popular now thanks to Twilight.
 

[nelson]

I really love both of those names!  I actually know personally of 2 different Silas's and have overheard it at the playground.  I think that Cassius is adorable, with the cute nickname "Cash"- go with your gut, people will love him no matter what his name is and you will get compliments on either one of those choices from folks guaranteed.

[Adaline'sMama]

Originally Posted by hildare 

we named dd after my grandmother.  it is absolutely a "spunky, old" name.  and one that i think people don't typically view as 'pretty,' but it suits her.  i am SO glad we named her what we did.  no one is going to criticize your child's name after you name your child the name.  i like both your choices as well. 

once i went to a consignment store with dd and she was playing with something so i walked away.. and then i called to her a few times (yeah, i'm that mom) and an old lady happened to be in the store.. and she came up to me with tears in her eyes.. because that was her name, too.    don't be afraid to have the non traditional name or the old timey name.. you might just start a trend. 

Eh. I dont know so much about that. I have a couple of people that refuse to call my kid Adaline or Ada because they think it sounds old lady, so they call her Addie (which I dont hate, but we dont call her that). My own mother responded to me telling her that her first grandaughter had been born by saying, "Adaline, really? Are you sure you guys are gonna stick with that?"

I get tons of compliments on it though. I dont really think its that weird, but lots of people do. We played our first one safe, since if she had been a boy her name probably would have been Max Danger.

My next girl will be Calliope Jane or Calliope Mae. I think after the first one, no one cares what you name your kids.

[SuburbanHippie]

I think people are less inclined to say something about the baby's name after the birth.  Personally, I love the name Silas!  I would use it in a second if I could get it past DH.  I would worry about Cassius being pronounced correctly because I totally thought it was going to be pronounced Cass-ee-us.  But if correcting people doesn't bother you, go for it!

[Greenlea]

My sons don't have the most normal names either - Zephyr & Nico.  But that is exactly why we do not tell people our name choices.  I usually have a list of names while pregnant that is constantly changing, and I don't let anyone but my DH see the list.  I just don't want to hear the negative comments about my name choices.  And I know I would get some.  Plus, even I don't know what my baby's name is going to be until I meet him/her, so I like to keep that special for me and my DH.  We also don't find out the sex of the baby; it drives people mad not knowing the sex or the name!

By the way I love Silas.  Its in my top 5 right now.

[treegardner]

DS' name is Jude, I don't think it's weird, but it's not common either. Most people we know actually really liked our name choice so it ended up going over a lot better then I thought it would. My pastor's son's name is Silas.

 

[onlyzombiecat]

Dd's name is uncommon. No one has criticized it after she was born.

There is one relative who never gets the spelling right- not sure if it is because they don't like the name or some other reason. They misspell it differently each time.

[nextcommercial]

I'm hoping that when you get home, and have a chance, you update us on the name you picked.  

[Narmowen]

I have a daughter named Rowan Eleanor, and I get two reactions.  One is a huge "wow!  That's so pretty!"  and the other is that, combined with "did you name her after the Dragon Age or Anne McCaffrey one?"  :)  I know a lot of geeks...

[Mal85]

Silas was always my top boy name, but DH doesn't like it. So a good friend of mine used it a year ago. I love it! I also love Cassius and tried to put it on the list for this baby, but DH said no. I love the NN Cash.

Anyway, I have a daughter named Owyn (pronounced like Owen). Most people don't know how it's pronounced when they see it written and are confused to hear me call out her name and see a little girl come running instead of a little boy. Family members hated it before she was born and said I was dooming her to being made fun of by giving her a boy's name. But, the name fits her and everyone who hated the name agrees with that now. All the nicknames they came up with for her before she was born haven't stuck. She's an Owyn, through and through. The same will be so for your son. The people that don't like it will get used to it and love him just the same.

[Caneel]

I like Silas and don't think it weird at all.

I like family names as first names and really wanted to use my mom's maiden name (a German name, long and very uncommon where we live) as DS's first name but ultimately, we decided it was too much of a mouthful for young kids and many adults and we didn't want DS to feel awkward about a name many people couldn't pronounce.

[ElizabethE]

I Need Coffee-- First of all, congrats, and cool names.
Second. I consider the source, if people choose to be critical of my names. The people who are usually telling me they don’t like my names didn’t have very good taste in names in my opinion, either.
Thirdly, I seldom get hassled for it because I apparently have the aura of a rabid dog … or maybe it’s that people actually had chosen to be more polite and respectful? Hope springs eternal! Put on a tough front and exude to the world that their name opinions are meaningless and maybe they'll feel less free to offer their critiques!
Usually the most I’ll get is “that’s different”… or, “on a little girl?? You don’t see that every day”, “you mean like Cain, from the Bible?“ etc. The other day some weirdo followed me around in a store and informed me (after he inquired) that my son’s name was an herb while he made a weird face and likened it to Rosemary. Yeah, thanks, buddy. Without him I might never have known. Where was my rabid dog aura on that one?

Like Alyantavid, we didn’t tell anyone our names ‘til after our children were born. It does tend to minimize negative comments, since people realize it is too late to change your mind on the matter when they see you with the baby. Privacy was always my policy and I think it’s an awesome idea. I’m not interested in other peoples opinions on what I choose to name my baby.

Surreal, if you don’t mind sharing, I was curious what your DDs name is?

Chamomile, I get lots of people asking for repeats too, with all my kids! Eve was Heave, Cian was Ken or Cain, Cyan or Sean, even Shane… still waiting to hear the unique interpretations for Sage.

[Irishmommy]

Originally Posted by 2xy 

I find this annoying, too....yet someone pointed out to me a while back that this even happens with names like Katelynn. It can be spelled any number of ways. I'm 40 and still have to explain my weird name to people, so I get you on the inventive names thing....but spelling can be an issue even with names like Isabella. One "L" or two? I have a friend named Alison and my SIL is Alyson. My DS will forever be known as Jakob "with a K."

I've spent my whole life spelling both my first and last names to people. It gets to be routine and not really that big a deal, although every so often I wish my last name was Smith.

Would that be Smith, Smyth or Smythe?

Dh, dds and I all have normal names, and 3 of us still have to constantly spell our first names, and we all have to spell our very normal last name.

[Super~Single~Mama]

Originally Posted by frugalmum 

All of our kids have unusual names, but most of them are very pretty girl names which I think is a little different from an unusual boy name.  Our son's weird name can be shortened to a fairly common name.  We gave all of our kids very normal middle names in case they want to use those as adults. 

One thing to consider is that a weird name might affect their future job prospects.  I have known HR people who simply won't call job applicants with weird or unpronouncable names on their resume.  I know this is awful but it happens.

Where do you live?  I work in a big city, and being very diverse, I can't pronounce hardly any of the names of people I call daily about clients.  It certainly doesn't hurt in all places.

OP - I have a weird name.  I LOVE it, it suits me perfectly, its pretty, and its a family name.  No one can ever pronounce it on the first try, but I don't care, I love my name.  Oh, and my last name is Smith.  Thank goodness I have a unique first name, or I'd be the same as every other person in the phone book named Smith (my parents both have relatively common first names, and lots of people with their first names have the same last name too - there are only about a million of each of them, and there is definitely more than one married couple with the same names.  Looking them up in the phone book is insane!  You practically have to call every single couple with their same names in order to find them!)