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

My RL name is actually a boy's name! I used to hate it because kids at school used to make fun of me. But now I think it is quite fine.

When I first moved to Spain 13 years ago I was taken aback that practically everyone here had the 'same names' - as most people in Spain are named after saints. In fact, I was told that - by law - people had to name their children after a saint. This has changed somewhat - lots of kids here now are named after soap opera characters - Jessica and Jennifer seem particular favourites. Though on the official name registration thingy they also have to have at least 'Maria' put in front of the name.

Maria Jessica?

I wonder how Zowie Bowie enjoys his name these days . . .


az

In Denmark there's laws as to what you can call your kid. Just to stop those parents who thinks it would be fun to call their kid Wheelbarrow or Superman.

Freya is common in the UK now? Hmmm, I would have preffered if that stayed a scandinavian name.

it's not common yet, just not unheard of llike it used to be. Thing is, half of them don;t spell it correctly anyway, thye just hear it and spell it any old way they like.

I remember seeing a character in a TV-show the other day called Freya, and was surprised they knew the name. What about Thor, any brits called that?

only after a marathon bout of sex.

It's always the way when us Brits adopt non-English names, espeically Irish ones it seems... I've seen a few Shivauns (Siobahn), Kiras (Ciara) and Sharns (Sian) about.

Of course I went and spelled 'Siobhan' incorrectly. Proves my point really.

I would argue that is Siobhan that's the strange spelling though. Like Niamh and Roisin.

Siobhan may be an odd spelling but the point is that it's the original spelling. Some names from various parts of the British Isles(particularly Scots Gaelic) get Anglised to the point where the original no longer used but that's not really the case with Irish Gaelic names, apart from when people like the sound of the name and are too lazy to learn how to spell it properly.

My 4yr old is called Chloe & my 10mth old is Aiden. Pretty normal really. Chloe was extremely popular when my Chloe was born, but not the reason I chose it. I just like i because it is nice & simple.
There are many uniquely name childeren in her school class though, here are but a few.....

Mason
Dagan
Soloman
Imogen
Shauna
Cerys
Autumn


But the worst one i have heard yet was when i was in my local Asda. A young mum was calling to her little girl.......and her name......Destiny??!!!

A girl named Destiny?!??!

Does the mother *want* the child to grow up to be a porn star?

Perhaps she is thinking forwards to becoming a grandmother to Destiny's Child?

Ouch.

She's just gonna get Dessie all her life.

Or be called Density.

Back when I thought I might have kids, my boy was going to be called Jack and my girl Sarah.

Boring, eh?

But I especially love the name Jack.

*Destiny*??? Poor kid.


az

Think of everyone saying 'you're my Destiny', and what will her destiny be?

I think we succeeded in giving our first born a reasonably unusual but innocuous name. How thankful I am that second was not a girl because I later discovered the name we had in mind would have made it look like we'd named the two after characters in a soap popular at the time - one we didn't watch!

It's the odd spellings that irk me more than an unusual name in itself.

I've known a little girl called Angel too!!!
That sounds ok if your looking at a cute 2yr old with pigtails in her hair....but what about when the poor lass is older. Can you imagine having an Auntie Angel OR a Nanny Angel????

And what about the surname?

I mean, Angel Jones just doesn't sound right . . .

az