h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've noticed a trend for parents to give their children conventional sounding names but spelt oddly e.g. Jaykob, Skie (pronounced sky).

Is this an attempt at individuality? I just pity these poor kids who, whenever they have to give their name have to spell it out too.

It culd be lack of educashun, perhaps there just spelling the names the way they pronownce them?

Having said that, i remember going to school with a Melvin and a Melvyn, (we called both of them Merv) so perhaps it's not a new phenomenon.

It's due to the hubris inherent in parenting, in which they believe their little bobbin is so vastly superior to all the other children (and they must be, look at their gene pool!), and just so all around special and wonderful that their name absolutely has to be unique.

Parents of the world, you are all individuals!
(in unison) "Yes! We are all individuals!"

I'm not sure which is the greater offense... the misspelled common names, or the really weird names they pluck out of questionable sources like soap opera characters. Soap operas are stupid on purpose, people... let's not emulate them. There are a lot of little boys named "Tad" getting their butts kicked at school.

I have a niece named Shelby, and she's named for a soap opera character. I told her mom I thought it was very inappropriate for a little girl to be named after the fastest street-legal car ever made in the US. The Shelby Cobra predated her dopey soap opera by at least 15 years.

You would not believe some of the names at my sons' school, not just soap opera characters, countries,continents, one motorbike, one beer, and two made up ones which sound like someone emptying the contents of a cutlery drawer inside a tumble drier.


I tell you if it gets much worse i'm thinking of taking little Perriguine and Weaslethroat to a different school.

[quote]You would not believe some of the names at my sons' school, not just soap opera characters, countries,continents, one motorbike, one beer, and two made up ones which sound like someone emptying the contents of a cutlery drawer inside a tumble drier.[/quote]

You know, the aborigines in my country give their kids the strangest names! We know of one Hydrogen and Oxygen; there is, and I swear, a local politician named Pancreas (that's right. Not Pancras as in the train station; we're talking about that leaf-shaped organ in your body). Oh and speaking of which... my dad has this set of twin patients named Benson and Hedges.

Then again... my own cousin's name is *Christopher Lee*..

A woman I work with was talking about her daughter's children the other day... apparently she'd just named her son "Neon".

"Neon"??? I thought. Really?

I asked if he had any siblings. Apparently he does - an older sister, who is three. I asked her name...

"Trinity".

Ah. OK. It now becomes clear. My colleague has misheard.

"Take it from me," I said, "Your grandson's name isn't Neon. It's Neo. Poor little sod."

H.

I don't think this is any worse than spelling perfectly good names wrongly. For instance isn't 'Reece' actually a Welsh name and spelt Rhys?

But syaing that, if people didn't make up names through the years, then we'd all be called John Smith still then no-one would know the difference.

My niece is called Romany. Her older brother is Eden. On the other hand, my son is happy his name is in the Guiness book of records for being the most popular boy's name (so he says), so I didn't chose particularly well either. I didn't want the most common name in the world!!

*Geeky aside*

The name Kayleigh only came into existence when Fish of Marillion wrote the song Kayleigh about his ex-girlfriend. It is made of two names: Kay and Leigh - one being her real name and the other being the name her father called her by.

So, Fish is quite proud to have invented a name that is now in Books of girls names.

Whether knowing this fact makes the name feel less real or not is something I have not really decided.

It all seems to be a sort of inverted snobbery - if the 'upper classes' can call their kids stupid names then why not the 'lower classes'?

I say old chap what's stupid about calling one's progenie after a bird: Perigrine, a county: Montgmery or an herb: Basil. Pip pip.

I like the idea that parents can name you, but then when you become an adult you chose your own name. It seems bizarre to have to wear someone elses name for yourself your whole life. When I changed my name my parents were upset, but as I said I want to wear my name now, not yours. That way we can all get rid of daft parental names.

I have to admit that when Mrs. D and I get 'round to having kids we'll call the first girl Romana (after the Doctor Who character), but even then it's a pretty normal sounding name compared to some mentioned here.

I occasionally find myself wondering how many Kylies and Jasons are currently in their first year of 'A' Levels.

Brother and sister called Neo and Trinity. I'm sure they'll enjoy watching Matrix:Reloaded together

Bad kea!

We gave our two girls Native American names (Cheyenne and Tala) because we share a love of their history and beliefs. We also did it because we couldnt imagine giving them god awful "Normal" names that feature in the top 20...........who on earth chooses the most common names to give to your own kids?

I don't know, I really don't. It seemed like a good idea at the time?

Just make sure they don't rhyme with anything awful.

smelly k

Sudden visions of Homer Simpson considering a name for his son: "Bart? Hmmmm. Art, Cart, Dart, Eart... no, that doesn't rhyme with anything bad."


Geggs

"who on earth chooses the most common names to give to your own kids?"

Tricky issue...give your kid a horrible, common name, or a horrible, weird name. I prefer werid, but not awful. For example, I am not going to call my daughter Fifi Trixibelle or Peaches Blossom, and naming them after TV characters or places is just sad.

(I remember an episode of the Simpsons where Bart and Lisa were both put into 3rd grade, and four of the kids were called Dakota...)

If I ever have a son, I'm thinking of calling him either Osiris or Satoshi, despite having absolutely no Egyptian or Japanese heritage.

After years of ridicule about my first name I decided... sod it, they're all b*****ds anyway. I'd much rather be named after a hero of Scotland than a pop star or film character.

Well, when my beloved and I get around to have kids, we plan to call the first boy Samuel, and the first girl Bethany.

It's entirely possible that they could be quite popular names (I haven't checked, and there's still more than enough time to do so), but they are names we like, so that's want they are going to get.


Geggs

I'm amazed you have decided already! There are a few names I'd like for my kids, but I think I'll wait and see what they look like first, to see what suits them.

k - glad dad didn't go with his first choice, I can't imagine myself as a 'Ruth'