What is the deal with giving your kid a last name as a first name?

[Dannyalcatraz]

Wow, I tried to think of the most absurd comic last name to use from various heroes, and seriously couldn't think of one that was completely nonsensical. That's scary.

Hmm, let's see....Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, Peter Parker, Reed Richards, Donald Blake, Matt Murdock, Hal Jordan, Barry Allen...

Ralph Dinby?
Billy Batson?
Edward Nygma?
Norrin Radd?
Mac Gargan?

They're out there...

 

[Ranger REG]

Hunter, McKenzie, Taylor, Tyler, Tyson...I can't help but keep noticing that there is something that makes certain couples--frequently the sort of folks that get labled as "yuppies"--drawn to taking what's traditionally a last name and making it their kid's first name. I'm not a big fan of child-rearing, so anybody know anything about this trend, or is this not a well-understood phenomenon?

You mean like "Tyler Tyler" (first and last name)?

What's in a name?

 

[Richards]

My youngest son has family last names for his first, middle, and (obviously) last name.

Logan (first name) was my wife's maiden name.
Pierce (middle name) was my wife's mother's maiden name.
Richards is my last name, so that didn't take a whole lot of thought.
​

I doubt we'd have done it, though, if the relevant maiden names were "Kozlowski" and "McDoodle."

Johnathan

 

[Aurora]

Sorry Ssampier

The only thing that bugs me is the same last name as first name thing. I guess there could be exceptions like a family member died and their name was Richard and your last name is Richardson, but you still want to honor them blah blah blah but then I think it should be a middle name, not a first. I guess I just find it horribly boring and unimagnative to do the first name as almost the same as the last. Other than that I don't care about last names as first names. It doesn't really bother me. I agree with Jesus_Marley, things like moon-unit, apple, or names that are like 8 syllables and end with "awanda", I find more annoying. I like unique names, but giving a kid an off the wall name is setting them up to be discriminated against. I read an interesting book on that once; can't remember what it was called though.

 

[Pbartender]

Hunter, McKenzie, Taylor, Tyler, Tyson...I can't help but keep noticing that there is something that makes certain couples--frequently the sort of folks that get labled as "yuppies"--drawn to taking what's traditionally a last name and making it their kid's first name. I'm not a big fan of child-rearing, so anybody know anything about this trend, or is this not a well-understood phenomenon?

Ooooh, yeah, like that Robinson Crusoe (1719) guy...

The one specific thing I find funny about this phenomenon is that McKenzie (or Mackenzie), ostensibly used as a girl's name, actually means "son of that really handsome guy" is Gaelic. It makes me laugh.

 

[sedarfairy]

Ooooh, yeah, like that Robinson Crusoe (1719) guy...

The one specific thing I find funny about this phenomenon is that McKenzie (or Mackenzie), ostensibly used as a girl's name, actually means "son of that really handsome guy" is Gaelic. It makes me laugh.

Then you will like this one even better...my daughter is named Mackenzie but she goes by Kenny. Actually, my children's names were family names. they became popular after I chose them. I wasn't trying to fit a trend and I'm far from a yuppy. I was giving them a solid name that is neither frou-frou nor weak. Girls have to be strong to survive in this world. They may not live up to their name, but I wasn't going to start them out that way.

 

[ssampier]

Sorry Ssampier
...

It's okay; I just have to live with it. I have considered changing my name, but to 'what' I often ask myself.

At least it's not a joke name. Some parents can be quite cruel to their children (I know a Jim Shorts, a Rusty Bauls, etc).

 

[jaerdaph]

I knew a Nelson B. Nelson and a Justin Case.

My son's name is Travis. Does that count as a last name (Randy Travis) or a first name (Travis Tritt)?

 

[papastebu]

Arguably, my son's middle name, Carson, is a last name, but I named him that because it means "beloved" or "strong love".
Inarguably, his first name, Bryant, is a family name from my wife's side.
I don't mind this trend. I actually kind of like it, but I wish some of the more unusual or unlikely surnames would come into play. What about Tolkien, Pratchett, or Stasheff, for a few examples off my bookshelf?

 

[Vraille Darkfang]

We have a Used Car Salesman around here:


Head Motors.

Founded by Richard Head

Goes by "Dick"

(I wish I was making that up, but that's the guy's name).

Then again it perhaps it fits just fine with his chosen profession.

Just when you name your kid;

Just don't get all Funky with the Spelling (Y for every other Vowel, etc). The kid's gonna have hard enough time learning to read & write without taking the time to break every Grammer Rule you can think of in his behave.