What's new

On the Naming of Children

Bellevance

先輩
15 Jan 2009
101
9
28
I've always thought that, as labels, as emblems of identity, our given names (and the degree of affection we feel for them) are a fascinating linguistic phenomenon. In every culture, naming is a creative act. Parents, in naming their children, write their children's first mention in the world. And a child's given name provides that child with associations and relationships that will resonate all his or her life.

The decisions parents make in choosing names are an often overlooked reflection of popular culture in every part of world, subtly influenced by the spirit of the age, the arts, religion, politics, and so on. They are a poetic expression of cultural taste.

All the same, it's sometimes a mystery how certain names achieve traction in the popular consciousness. Mothers and fathers often choose names from literature--from the Bible, in particular. My wife and I named our daughter, Dounia, after Raskolnikov's loyal sister in CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. The state of California was named after a character in a Spanish novel.

The girl's name "Madison" became quite popular after the movie, "Splash," starring Daryl Hannah and Tom Hanks, was released in 1984. When the mermaid character (Hannah) names herself after a street sign in Manhattan, the Hanks character objects, saying, "But it's not really a name."

It is now. In recent years, on the list of the most popular first names in the US, Madison has achieved number three, after Emily (1) and Emma (2).

The U.S. Social Security Administration maintains lists of the most popular given names in America, decade by decade. My mother, who was born in 1919, is named Dorothy. In the late 1800s, before the very popular Oz books came out, the name Dorothy didn't crack the top ten among the most popular girls' names in America. The perennial number one in those years was Mary. But in the decade following 1900, when L. Frank Baum's first Oz book, THE WIZARD OF OZ, was published, Dorothy rose to number seven; in the next decade, as more and more Oz books found their way into homes and libraries, Dorothy rose to number three. During the 1920s Dorothy was number two, after Mary. During the 1930s it slipped to six.

Today it's another story. The most popular girl's name in the 1990s was Ashley, followed by Jessica, Emily, Sarah, and Samantha. Mary dropped to 41. And Dorothy--after names like Destiny (82), Kiara (179), and Hunter (503)--had fallen all the way to 565.

If you're interested in this subject, check out the Social Security Administration's Popular Baby Names Web site, at:

Popular Baby Names

What is it about a period of time in a culture that influences parents (often without their realizing it) to choose a certain name over all the others? How are the practices and trends in naming children different in Japan and in the rest of the East from those in the West? Any thoughts?
 
I've always thought this an interesting topic. Your given name is the first gift you receive in the world, and I think some people don't give it enough serious thought.

My wife and I named our daughter, Dounia, after Raskolnikov's loyal sister in CRIME AND PUNISHMENT.

That's my favourite book! I don't have any children, but I did name a hamster Raskolnikov once 😊

The girl's name "Madison" became quite popular after the movie, "Splash," starring Daryl Hannah and Tom Hanks, was released in 1984. When the mermaid character (Hannah) names herself after a street sign in Manhattan, the Hanks character objects, saying, "But it's not really a name."

I have a niece called Madison, and I am also of the opinion that it's not really a name :eek:

I'm very thankful to my parents for the name they gave me. It's never in fashion, but never really out of fashion. It's the sort of name that fits an old lady just as well as a baby. I think it sounds quite classy 😊 Because there are lots of ways to shorten it people don't know which one to use, so they use it in full, which I like. I indulge those close to me by letting them use a rather vulgar diminutive, but if anyone else tries, they only try once :D

Like you, my parents chose my name from the field of literature. My dad's favourite poet had a lover who shared our surname, so dad felt it only proper to give his first daughter her first name too.

I don't expect I shall have any children, but if I did I would name them after my parents or grandparents. I think that's a nice tradition, which is carried on somewhat informally by Dad's side of the family. Joseph and Frances are names that keep recurring. My dad was named after a rich cousin in Canada. Dad thinks my grandma was hoping to secure an inheritance, but if that's true she failed dismally :D

I think most people choose a name just because they like how it sounds. And as you say, fashions change, and people tend to choose names that are in the popular consciousness at the time. However, many people nowadays seem to choose names that I doubt will stand the test of time.
 
I quite like my first name. It's nothing all that special, but I think it's got quite a dignified sound to it. I can't think of anything I'd like to change it to - if I was given the choice of any name I wanted (which I actually do have - nothing to stop me changing it by deed poll after all!) I wouldn't know what to choose...

If I had a kid I'd like to choose some name from the family as well, but might end up doing something else... To me it's mainly about the sound of the name; I'd only choose a family name if I liked the sound of it too. Also it's important to make sure the initials combined with surname don't make some stupid word! 😊
 
I've always through about naming my kid "two"... and if I have a second kid, name him "three." It would keep their mind active and wondering the rest of their life ;)
 
Names have a way of dying out and then coming back into popularity. I think the OP was right in that it is influenced by the times and popular culture.

Great example, shortly after the books Twilight came out the name Isabella suddenly jumped to the top 10 baby names list (it had never been a very popular name before then). Names like Beverly or Clarence have decreased in usage because they sound old fashioned.

Then there are names that never really go out of style: Rose, Marie, Elizabeth ect. And, of course, there are all those people who simply make up names for their children. Believe it or not there are people that have named their children Google, Yahoo ect. Names guaranteed to embarrass your child.

What's interesting is that in our culture we rarely pay attention to the meaning in the names while in other cultures it's essential in the naming process. If you want to know something interesting about your name start looking at the meanings in your names and string them together into a semi coherent phrase.
I did that once and was surprised to find out my mom had named me (with all middle names included) "a small growth (flower) in a sea of bitter light". Thanks mom :p
 
"Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii"? Really?

Thanks, Tsuyoiko, for that link. You have to wonder what some of these parents are thinking when they play a stupid trick like that on their own kids. Why would you want your kid to have an idiotic, stigmatizing name? Talk about child abuse...

Here is the text of that BBC piece:

>>> A judge in New Zealand made a young girl a ward of court so that she could change the name she hated--Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii.

Judge Rob Murfitt said that the name embarrassed the nine-year-old and could expose her to teasing.

He attacked a trend of giving children bizarre names, citing several examples.

Officials had blocked Sex Fruit, Keenan Got Lucy and Yeah Detroit, he said, but Number 16 Bus Shelter, Violence and Midnight Chardonnay had been allowed.

One mother wanted to name her child O.crnia using text language, but was later persuaded to use Oceania, he said.

'Social handicap'

The ruling, in the city of New Plymouth on the North Island, was handed down in February but only made public now.

UNUSUAL NAMES

Allowed: Violence; Number 16 Bus Shelter; Midnight Chardonnay; Benson and Hedges (twins)

Blocked: Yeah Detroit; Stallion; Twisty Poi; Keenan Got Lucy; Sex Fruit; Fat Boy; Cinderella Beauty Blossom; Fish and Chips (twins)

The name issue emerged during a custody hearing for the young girl - who had refused to tell her friends her name and went simply by "K".

"The court is profoundly concerned about the very poor judgment which this child's parents have shown in choosing this name," Judge Murfitt wrote.

"It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap, unnecessarily."

Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii's name has now been changed and the custody case resolved, court officials said.

New Zealand does not allow names that would cause offence or that are longer than 100 characters, Registrar-General Brian Clarke said.

Officials often tried to talk parents out of particularly unusual choices that could embarrass their offspring, the Associated Press news agency quoted him as saying. <<<
 
I don't like my real first name and and I hate my family name.. I intend to change both as soon as I can..
 
Really? I think "Zoon" is a great name.

And I love that E.B. White quote!

This week my publisher in New York sent up the copy-edited ms. of my next novel, THE ERRAND BOY. I haven't thought much about it in months, and I have to say it stands up pretty well to a close reading.

I like to think of myself as a good editor, but whenever I get a copy-edited ms. back from one of the true professionals, I'm always impressed with how meticulous and attentive they are. It's always curiously interesting, too, to get back a style sheet based on the novel, with a time-line, day by day, of all the novel's major events and scenes.

Anyway, the copy editor also supplies a list, in alphabetical order, of all the characters in the novel by name. Now if someone had asked me to guess how many named characters I have in the book, I would have probably said 30 or 35.

It turns out there are 77 named characters. And two animals--Gussie, a Great Dane, and Nicole, a cat. Wow. Seems like an awful lot to me. How did I ever come up with all those names? I just don't remember.
 
I've seen the name Cannibal on a notice board just a few days ago. In fact, every time I pass by I can't help but stop to laugh.
 
I just wonder what you westerner think when you using Asian only name such as Japanese or Chinese name as your name, are you thinking you are an actual Asian when you use it? That is what I see on many Anime forum this days which based on western members, even this forum have plenty of them.
 
I just wonder what you westerner think when you using Asian only name such as Japanese or Chinese name as your name, are you thinking you are an actual Asian when you use it? That is what I see on many Anime forum this days which based on western members, even this forum have plenty of them.

You are either a troll or you actually believe what you say, which scares me.

I highly doubt that anyone who uses a Japanese or Chinese name as their alias truly believes it makes them Asian. It is just wishful thinking and most likely a phase. They probably just think it's cool, like some Japanese people think using English phrases and slogans is cool.
 
I just wonder what you westerner think when you using Asian only name such as Japanese or Chinese name as your name, are you thinking you are an actual Asian when you use it? That is what I see on many Anime forum this days which based on western members, even this forum have plenty of them.

What do you think when you take a bunch of English words and use them as a name? Are you thinking you're a westerner when you use it? I always wanted to ask a cretin: 'How does it feel to be a retard?' But I'd get a warning and an infraction for that, so I'll pass this time. Oh by the way, Proud Asian Kid, I wasn't suggesting that you're a retard... I'm not that sort of immoral, bad, bad, horrible person.
 
Last edited:
You are either a troll or you actually believe what you say, which scares me.

Some of you may recall 'AsianHero.' If Uncle Frank were on these days, there's a chance he'd have called this poster's bluff already--or at least clean up the threads a bit...maybe.

The OP had been very well done, and naming is as free (or should be, at least) from bias thing.


DOUBLE EDIT* MY BAD....I see that Uncle Frank is on these days....I'm curious to see what happens.
 
Last edited:
What do you think when you take a bunch of English words and use them as a name? Are you thinking you're a westerner when you use it? I always wanted to ask a cretin: 'How does it feel to be a retard?' But I'd get a warning and an infraction for that, so I'll pass this time. Oh by the way, Proud Asian Kid, I wasn't suggesting that you're a retard... I'm not that sort of immoral, bad, bad, horrible person.

You must 1st know that not only westerner who using english as their country national language, Asian [ Singaporean ] or african [ South Africa ] is 2 non western race who using english as their country national language so when someone who is not a westerner using english as their name will not automatically mean they wish or think they are an actual westerner. Unlike Japanese or Chinese language that ONLY used by Asians as Asian countries national language.

Or maybe you know any country outside Asian countries who using those language as their country national language? 🙂
 
Wow that ProudAsianKid was a jerk...and even though "it" isn't here I still feel the need to say this: We "westerners" or more correctly "Americans" do not even have a national language and as such use whatever names we want,and no one should be confined as to use only their native tongue. Whomever says otherwise can have a nice chat with me and I can tell them where they can stick their rude,immature opinions.
Now back to the topic at hand:
I haven't ever been one for conventional names, maybe because I have one and I'm not very conventional. My name "Taylor" never really goes in or out of style either. My first and middle name together make "heavenly messenger who sews or cuts". Taylor isn't so bad but I like it better Teylor, I normally go by Teya. Naming is important to me, I've decided that my first born will be named Ashelyn Liara if its a girl or Dana Elias Rowen if its a boy. That thing about the girl in New Zealand, how can you do that to your kid? Although Violence is kinda cool, and it can be used for either gender.
 
i'm in my 20's and have an old fashioned name: Arthur. i've only ever met one other person with the same name in my life. i quite like having an individual name, and that was the reason my folks chose it.
i'm all for unconventional names. i always liked 2 of Frank Zappa's kids' names: Moon Unit (girl) and Dweezil (boy). but i think it's important not to choose something that could, potentially, turn out to an ironic choice. for example, i bet Sonny and Cher prayed every night that their daughter, Chastity, wouldn't grow up to be promiscuous hehe
i read somewhere that people with weird names are more likely to have psychiatric problems when they grow up- not sure if i believe it but it's an interesting theory never the less..
 
you obviously have amazing taste in names haha!
the article you posted is fascinating. although i was aware that names can have an effect on some people, through bullying at school for example, i never thought the subject would be that in depth. and all of it made sense, even to the point of recognising particular points in my own friends.
in my own case, as far as i consciously know, my name has never been a problem for me. it's very individualistic (is that a word?)- my middle name is Zenta and my last name is pretty rare, too, but i've got a strong personality and self-esteem, so, if anything, i've cherished the unusualness of it. (saying that, if you say my first and last name together it sounds very much like arthritis, so maybe one day i'll suffer the same coincidental fate as old Tonsillitis haha!)
 
I rather like the name Sabrina for a girl but will not be able to use it as it's also the name of my partner's ex-girlfriend :sorry::sorry:
I also like the name Freya for a girl.
For boys I've always liked Michael for some reason.
 
Back
Top Bottom