How Did/Will You Name Your Kids?

[Barendd Nobeard]

We named our daughter Serena. It's embarassing, but we got the name from Sailor Moon. We aren't big Sailor Moon fans, we both just liked the name. It was important to us to pick a name that wasn't too common, like Jane. It also couldn't be bizarre.

The thing about "common" names is that sometimes you pick it the year it explodes in popularity.

My sister is named Heather. Which I thought was very unusual in 1970. So did the other 20 million people who named a daughter "Heather" that year. Same thing for my daughter, Kaitlin. We thought it was unusual, but a lot of people used it (or some variation) in 1990.

Our son's name isn't too common: Eamonn. But, of course, there is another Eamonn in his class (wtih an older sister named Kaitlin). Who'd'a'thunk?!!

 

[smootrk]

Names are important. There are studies that link names with behaviors or mannerisms. The American Indians would make names to aid the individual in their lives. When someone has a strong sounding name, the individual often takes on a strong personality or becomes physically strong.

My wife and I named our son, Michelangelo. And my best friend and his wife actually named their son Maximus. I expect him to have a very strong personality, since his parents are both very small people.

 

[JBowtie]

I picked out Cecily Rose after reading "The Importance of Being Earnest" (http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext97/tiobe10h.htm). It was very important that she be named after a character in the public domain.

My wife and I decided on it about five minutes after we started dating - seven years before we were married and a decade before our daughter was born. She's only 1.6 years old, so no embarrassing nicknames yet.

 

[reveal]

I was always a big fan of Moonunit myself...

 

[Dungannon]

When my sons were born, their mother and I went back and forth about their names. She had a thing for unusual names & spellings and I wanted something a bit more mainstream. At least for the first names. For the middle names we used names with familial significance. We compromised a little on both boys, the first being named Devon Edward (Edward is my middle name, my grandfather's middle name, and my ex-wife's father's first name). The second is named Dakota Joseph (Joseph is my father's middle name, my grandfather's first name, and my ex-wife's oldest brother's first name). For nicknames we use Dev & Kota.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

That reminds me of a friend I used to have.

 

[talinthas]

one thing i've never understood about western naming conventions is the middle name. in my culture, your middle name is your father's name, or your husband's name. and it's pretty much never ever referred to. Is there some significance to western middle names?

 

[smootrk]

one thing i've never understood about western naming conventions is the middle name. in my culture, your middle name is your father's name, or your husband's name. and it's pretty much never ever referred to. Is there some significance to western middle names?

No significance at all in most cases. Usually just as endearments to relatives or interesting names.

My wife's culture moves the maiden name (family name) to the middle name position when marrying. So she went from Michelle Annabelle Atilano to Michelle Atilano Smoot upon marrying me. It is a nice custom and helps to keep a family identity or connection through the generations.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

one thing i've never understood about western naming conventions is the middle name. in my culture, your middle name is your father's name, or your husband's name. and it's pretty much never ever referred to. Is there some significance to western middle names?

None that I'm aware of, though I'm sure you trace it back to *somewhere*...

For the most part, I think of it as a way to honor a familiy member or friend without having to actually *call* the child that particular name.

 

[Raven Wintervale]

Well for my daughter I have to name. Priss (after priss from Bubble Gum Crisis and Blade Runner)

And for my son I'd have to go with Dante