odd names for children?

[BookstoreEscapee]

And that customer can go die. Your name is pretty.

Thank you. As I recall, the lady's name was "Jo" - I think she was just jealous cuz she has a boring name.

My ex argued sometimes that I should have just tried to feminize my given name, but it's not really possible. And I never liked that name anyway (sorry mom and dad).

I like your given name, but yeah, I don't think there is a female version of it.

I spoke with more than a few customers in my customer care days named Princess, Precious, Lovely, Heaven, and Divine. Yeah, unsurprisingly, they didn't live up to their names and were almost ALWAYS the spoiled-little-rich-girl types.

I think calling your kid "Divine" or "Lovely" just gives them the wrong idea.

Oh, there are so many I've come across.

Once worked with a girl named Dorcus, pronounced just the way it looks.

The Dorcus Circle at my parents' church always made me giggle as a kid.


A girl at my work is named Ketalaine. (I think that's how it's spelled..).
Pronounced...Kate-lin.

If we're throwing in nicknames...one I acquired years ago is Bob. No, my middle name is not Roberta; none of those letters even appear anywhere in my name.

I know a Harley (my friend's dad), but he goes by his middle name. (He's more reminiscent of Bill Nye the Science Guy than a biker, anyway).

My mother's middle name is my first name; her first name is one of the most common, easiest girl names in the world, but she goes by her middle name.

My dad's family calls him Butch.

My dad's father's name was Speredeone (family was from Sicily; also, he was born in 1912. I'm actually not sure of the spelling). He was called Spity. Not sure which is worse.

Should I ever have a son, the name floating around in my head is Alex Edward (Edward is my dad's middle name). Nothing crazy. My mother would like me to continue the family tradition with my name if I ever have a daughter, but I have mixed feelings about that.

[jnd4rusty]

My niece is named Certayn Leah Legg (if you say it fast is says "certainly a legg"). Her sisters (who are much older) tease her by giving her different last names.

[raw456]

My step sister named her first son Dartanyon (yes spelt just like that) and is planning to name her second son (due in 8 weeks) Dakota Charlie. I was under the impression Dakota was a feminine name? According to my dad it's both.

My other step sister named her youngest daughter Kiara. I quite like it

My pet peeve is people who change the spelling of regular names to make them more exotic. I read in the paper once about a girl called Quilee (pronounced Kylie)

I dont mind different names, but parents really need to think about how that name (or spelling) will affect their child in later years.

[Bramble]

My sisters friend is named Mercedes and she named her son Diesel(yes that's his legal first name)

[AnaKhouri]

Not really, sort of medium mouse brown hair, decent tan, brown eyes. Looks like his dad actually =)

Ah. See, Michael Moorcock has a series of novels in which Elric of Melnibone travels around killing people with his soul-eating sword. Elric is an albino, which is why I asked. Thought it might be a tribute.

[MoonCat]

Jester, I suspect your and your siblings' name do indeed have meanings, unless your parents made up them up. And even then they might have meaning in other languages. Check out some baby name websites or books, if you're curious.

Dorcas (with an 'a') is actually a Greek name which means "gazelle" (according to one of my baby name books). It's not used much anymore, but I think there was a Dorcas mentioned in the Bible. Quite a few unusual names come from the Bible.

Phaedra is also Greek, meaning "bright one". Daughter of King Minos and wife of Theseus, in the Greek myths.

Years ago, at work we used to have a customer whose first name was Princess. Also a guy named Green Savage (really--I asked him to spell it because I thought I heard wrong).

[Jester]

...the baby is Hendrix

Amusingly, that was the name of my second cat. The first one was Gibson, after the guitar. The next one, whenever I get one, will either be Nancy or Wilson, depending on the sex. Yes, I like music. What was your first hint?

My dad's family calls him Butch.

Heh. My father called me that. Thankfully, he was the only one who ever did, and the nickname died with him in 1981. I'm sorry, but as an adult who stands 5'8" and at his heaviest weighed 165, I am not someone who should ever be called "Butch."

My stepfather's family all refer to him as "Bud," as he was a junior.

Jester, I suspect your and your siblings' name do indeed have meanings, unless your parents made up them up.

They did not make them up. They are all old names. But their meanings have nothing to do with why we got them. (Two of us were named after dead ancestors, as is the Jewish tradition.)

Amusingly to me (and very ironically to me), my name means "handsome." You would think they would have gotten "funny," "sarcastic," or even "smartass" in there, but no. Just that. Yeah, right.

Lil Sis's name means "meadowlands." Which makes no sense at all, other than the fact that she lived in the shadow of The Meadowlands (and Giants Stadium) for a few years.

The Witch's name means "stranger." Somehow, that seems SO fucking appropriate.

To add to this, my mother's name means "consecrated to god." She's an atheist that ran screaming from the Jewish religion.

Dad's name refers to an invader of a certain region, but since he's been dead 30 some years, I'd say his invasion is not succeeding all that well.

Edited to add: Just looked up my stepsister's name. It means "famous brilliance." If she recovers completely, that will in fact be famously brilliant. And her father's name means "vigilant," and he has been watching over her.

[ShadowBall]

Isn't Kiara Simba's daughter in Lion King II? It's not a bad name - just wondering if my Disney knowledge is getting rusty.

I see some mighty special names in that "People You Might Know" section of my Facebook page. Things like Coriander (is that not a spice?), Jerishia, Jo-Vaughn, etc. There were a lot of unusual names in the booklet for my graduation back in 2009 too - I recall at least three Bambis, Spring, and Willow just to name a few. If I can find my graduation booklet thingy, I will list a few more later.

One of many reasons I do not want children is because I do like some unusual names. Not "creative" things with all manner of hyphens and apostrophes like "Aash-lleyghe", but more like "Octavian" or "Archangela." I'm not Catholic, but some lesser known saints had some pretty neat names.

I think a good rule of thumb is as follows. Do not give your child whatever name you have in mind if...:

• You cannot say it without giggling
• No one can pronounce it
• It would look absolutely silly on a business card
• It sounds like a stripper's name
• It's the name of a disease, bodily fluid, or song the child was conceived during
• It's the name of a kind of booze (unless it's a real name, like Captain Morgan)
• It has something to do with a humorous combination or a coincidental last name. For example, if your last name is"Butts," try real hard not to name your child "Seymore"
• It's the wrong gender. Don't name a girl "Johnny."

And if you cannot go on living without naming a child after your ex's gallbladder illness, at least be nice and give the child a normal middle name. If you insist on naming your child "Gallstone," then make his/her middle name something bearable like "Anthony" or "Maryanne." That way, they can decide as they get older if they prefer their first or middle name.

[fireheart]

My sisters friend is named Mercedes and she named her son Diesel(yes that's his legal first name)

Mercedes doesn't sound as weird as people think. I've heard some girls with that name and usually they're alright.

Isn't Kiara Simba's daughter in Lion King II? It's not a bad name - just wondering if my Disney knowledge is getting rusty.

I think a good rule of thumb is as follows. Do not give your child whatever name you have in mind if...:

• You cannot say it without giggling
• No one can pronounce it
• It would look absolutely silly on a business card
• It sounds like a stripper's name
• It's the name of a disease, bodily fluid, or song the child was conceived during
• It's the name of a kind of booze (unless it's a real name, like Captain Morgan)
• It has something to do with a humorous combination or a coincidental last name. For example, if your last name is"Butts," try real hard not to name your child "Seymore"
• It's the wrong gender. Don't name a girl "Johnny."

Correct on the Kiara part. I've heard of some girls with that name or similar.

As for that list, good thinking. So damn, no naming my kid "Candy Kane" then

One of my friends in high school had sane first and middle names. She was seriously debating combining them into one name since hyphenated it sounded pretty (First name: Emma. Middle name: kate)

[Jester]

Things like Coriander (is that not a spice?)

Yes, it is. Not only a spice, but also a plant where a lovely herb (or spice if you prefer) comes from. To be specific, cilantro, one of my favorites.

It's the name of a kind of booze (unless it's a real name, like Captain Morgan)

Actually went to school with a guy named Jack Daniels.

It's the wrong gender. Don't name a girl "Johnny."

I don't necessarily agree with that, as some "guy" names work well as girl names. And I'm not ever talking about Sam (Samantha), Jo (Joanne), or Alex (Alexandra).

But Frankie, Johnnie, Stevie, Daryl, Micky, Rhys, Sean, Charlie, Andi, Flynn, and Tyler all do work as girl's names. At least for me.

I also happen to know a girl named Johnna. Not Johanna, Johnna. And a girl named George. Well, technically her name is Georgeann, but no one who's called her that has lived to tell the tale. And my very first girlfriend ever, back in third grade, before I even knew what having a girlfriend meant, was Mikey (Michelle).

A lot of names really do work either way. Hell, two of my three sisters have names that are unisex, actually.

[SuperRTL]

One of my cousins is named Derrick Wayne (say it out loud kinda fast)


His nickname growing up was DQ

[Mishi]

I went to school with someone whose name was Wayne Kerr - apparently his parents named him that on purpose.

[SuperRTL]

My husband went by JimBob until he got to college. It tickles my son to no end to call his daddy that.

My first name is pronounced just like it sounds but confuses a whole lot of people. Most people who comment on it say something like "I've never heard *my name* spelled like that. It's pretty!" My grandmother named me and I wouldn't change my name for anything in the world.

My sons name is Logan and my daughters first name is Michal. My name starts with a K.

So, together, we are JKLM . . . yes, we did that on purpose. Add into it our roommate who's name starts with an N and, well, all I can say is the next addition to the family has to start with an O.

[firecat88]

Something must be wrong with me. XD I've never known anyone with a particularly 'out there' name. That or I apparently have a very different definition of what constitutes a weird name. The closest I can think that other people would find weird is my friend Zadara. I personally really like that name, but she hates it. And, yes, it is her real name.

[Food Lady]

My mom's family has old names: Lonny (not short for anything), Luther, Wendell, Minnie Ella, and her mom Minnie Etta, Vrginia, Larry (not short for Lawrence, just Larry), Reba, and one weird nickname: Tootie.