BS: Unusual Baby Names

Subject: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: LilyFestre
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 07:49 PM

My best girlfriend is pregnant! *smile*

I get to be involved with everything...all appointments and the birth. *Bigger Smile*

Today, during her sonogram, we found out that she is having TWINS!!!!!!!!!!!!   ******OMG OMG OMG....Jumping up and down and giggling with wild abandon********************

Here's the dilemma. The daddy wants a solid, old fashioned name. Mommy wants something with a bit of flair...something a little unusual. I am hoping that you kind folks would share some of your favorite names from around the world.....

Thank you!!!!

Auntie Chell, who has been jumping and smiling and skipping and full of joy all day long!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Snuffy
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:01 PM

With twins there's always the problem of which one gets the second-best name: we solved it by having one of each and giving them a "flairy" and a "square" name each. (Fabia Jane and Augustus James)

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: CarolC
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:06 PM

Chloe and Zoe for girls.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: SINSULL
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:17 PM

Twins? How exciting. A friend of mine had twins recently. I am playing babysitter in September so that they can get away for a weekend and celebrate Mom's birthday.

I have always lived Amanda and Miranda. Ian is a neat name and not all that common in the States. Liam too.

Maybe Number One Child and Number Two Child until you know if they are male or female or both?

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: TS
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:20 PM

How about Thing One and Thing Two? (from Seuss)

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: LilyFestre
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:23 PM

For now, they are Baby A and Baby B courtesy of the Sonogram Tech who is almost as excited as we are!!!!!!!!   :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Leadfingers
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:25 PM

If it was Triplets , you COULD have one of each !


OK I will get my coat !

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:29 PM

I scanned the internet when choosing my youngest's name. There are literally hundreds of name sites. Every nationality is covered and meanings given...which can be important.
They also have current lists of the 'most popular' names, they are good to see which names to avoid. Saves having six Marys in the classroom.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:37 PM

put "baby names" into Google and you have 5 years worth of reading to do...
but send Mom to this site with a warning not to get TOO carried away..*grin*

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: LilyFestre
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 09:06 PM

Websites....yep. She knows they are there and she also has quite a few baby name books. I just thought it would be interesting to share with her the names that people from all over the globe tend to favor.

:) Thanks!!!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: LilyFestre
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 09:10 PM

Hey Bill....

That site is just BAD!!!!!!!!!!!! Funny thing about names....I once dated a guy by the name Raymond The Last Poirier. Sadly, he was NOT the last!


Another friend had a daughter....he wanted to name her Amanda Lynn.
The wife did NOT find that amusing!
(but I did!!!!)

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Sorcha
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 10:21 PM

OK, neices names...Jonikka, Rivon and J'Nae
Friend's names...JanNora and JaNelle
Please try to stay away from the weird spellings of common names....as
Felitchia (Felcia), Umenda (Amanda), Umbher (Amber). I honestly think these are mostly the result of illiterate parents not knowing how to spell.

No Marys. Mine is Mary (Maaaa-reee with a Sothron accent) and I hate it. thank gods and goddesses I'm not Adaline too, as was my gran...Mary Adaline.....how awful. Not as awful as some but pretty bad....

Our kids are Lucas Cameron Wise and Kelsey Catilin Wise...LOTS of choices for nicknames in both.....which was what I went for in case they didn't like their Call Names....(but I do dogs too, LOL!)

Good Old Fashioned ones I like: Emily, Eleanor, Bess and Bessie, Thomas (but only if he is called Thomas, NOT Tom or Tommie...)

I tried to stay away from anything that could be 'ie'd'....Jimmie, Billie, etc....and NOT fond of Two Name Names...as in Billy Bob....

Also, try to fit the syllables and soft hard sounds to fit with the last name....harder with girls as they may change their name to a husband's name later.

I really, really wanted to name our Lucas Cameron....Oengus (Angus) Ramsey.....but it falls flat with Wise.....NEEDS a Mc name....and he is so thankful I didn't name him 'after a cow'.....LOL. I also intened to call him Cameron or Cam....but his granda introduced him to the world as Luke and that was it for that.

Remember, the kids have to learn to spell it......early on.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: MBSLynne
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 03:04 AM

I wanted 'different' names for my kids. The first is a boy and we found it very hard to agree on ANY name, let alone a different one. I wanted something like Brand, Bard, Bran or one of the Welsh heros' names but hubby didn't like any of them. The only one we could agree on in the end was Richard. He also has David (after two Godfathers) and Ansley, a name that most children in my husband's family have been given for the last three generations.
My husband was less against a 'different' name for a daughter and, being into genealogy, I had a couple of names in the family that I wanted to use. My 3xgreat grandmother was named Fortune, which I still think is a lovely name, but the one I really liked was my 2xgt grandmother's name, Shady. So she was going to be Shady for the early part of the pregnancy. Then my Dad, who had no granddaughters at that stage and was desperate for one said he wanted her to be called Sarah. We decided it was a nice name and would be great to give her her name as a present from her grandfather, so she is Sarah Shady, with the Ansley as a 3rd name.
Both my 'bumps' had names before they were born...Richard was Bartholomew and Sarah was Boudica

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Amergin
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 04:05 AM

Fionn mac Cumhaill

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 04:12 AM

Try and avoid a name beginning with a vowel as a middle name - it can lead to embarrassing monograms... Limpit was going to be Phoebe Olivia (I ate a LOT of olives when I was pregnant) until I realised it would make her POD.

If you want both classical AND unusual, try that book in the Bible with all the begattings in. Literally hundreds there. I rather fancied Nehushta, which means snake maiden, great for a Goth or a deep south snake handling Baptist family, but maybe not for a London folkie family.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Grateful Ted
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 04:17 AM

Hand Grenade.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Bagpuss
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 06:02 AM

If I ever have a girl, i am thinking of Iona (my favourite scottish isle, and the place I got engaged).

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 06:34 AM

A friends daughter is called "Sapphira" (pronounced safeera). Lovely name...and a lovely placid girl. I believe that names can affect behaviours and expectations so choose wisely.
"Rhema"(pronounced Rayma)is a lovely name too.
Best wishes.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: JennieG
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 06:48 AM

Take a word of advice from one who has worked in the school system for 20 years and don't pick a name that is fairly common but with a cutesy different spelling, as Sorcha has mentioned. We have a girl at the school where I currently work named Kersandra (not Cassandra) - she will have to go through her entire life spelling it out. And to avoid confusion at schools and in life generally it's also a good idea if children in the family have different initials!

I was named Jennifer (because my parents liked it) Grace (after my mother's cousin who died young) and there were at least 5 other girls named Jennifer in my age group at school.

And please humour me by not calling the poor little mites Madison or Taylor! *grin*

Cheers
JennieG...... whose mother's maiden name was Mavis Davis

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: LilyFestre
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 07:41 AM

Keep all the great thoughts and suggestions coming! For the moment, my friend likes the name Riley Blaize. Daddy does not. I'm not fond of Blaize either but hey, this is not my baby!!! If I were to ever have a girl, her name would be Katherine Annzinette. My husband, who is Native American, has picked out Jeremiah Running Bear if we were to ever have a boy. We are in agreement with one another! :)

Thanks for all the ideas!!! Keep 'em coming!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST,jennifer
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 08:00 AM

A friend of mine once had a patient who had been christened Obvious. His mother had several kids already and someone said "oh are you pregnant again" and she said "well it's obvious, isn't it." And it stuck.

My son is called Arthur. Good, solid, dependable name, go back a generation or so to find some perfectly good names that are just slightly out of fashion. Frank, or Lily, or Agnes, or Frederick. That way they can make them their own and hopefully people will still be able to spell them.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 08:05 AM

If it is a girl and a boy how about Denise and Denephew...

Like to be of assistance.

:D

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Grateful Ted
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 08:06 AM

Pension Plan.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Sorcha
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 10:28 AM

Running Bear??? All I can hear is.....'running bare, down the sidewalk, running bare.....'......????

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 10:34 AM

I have long touted giving a child one name, and letting them choose another at age 18.

My mother HATED her middle name, and I only found out what it was after I was grown....she went thru life as Eudora Parilee. (Name picked by HER mother, Myrtle Saphronia)

(I think my parents were meant for each other...my mother had a sister named Patricia, and brothers John and Albert. My father had brothers Ralph and Louis--HE got Audley. You can imagine what life was like for Audley & Eudora in certain circumstances.)

Be very careful what you saddle kids with, and try to imagine them in school, initial combinations, obvious nicknames...etc.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 11:23 AM

Also try to imagine them as eighty year olds. There are going to be an awful lot of grannies called Britney and Courtney one day.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 11:34 AM

Good sources:

Headstones at cemeteries
Genealogical records
Church baptismal records
Mudcat threads about blues names
Mudcat membernames
Books about Pern

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Chris Green
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 12:11 PM

My surname is Green. I decided a long time ago that if I ever have a son he will be called Soylent and if I ever have a girl she will be called Latrine.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST,anabella
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 12:35 PM

do not give an unusual or weird name coz..if i am a kid, i hate when other people keep replying to pronounce my stupid name.

What the heck?
Nouri?
Mouri?
Muritius?
Noritta?
Nobita?
Monkey?
Huh...whutever...

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: mike the knife
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 06:50 PM

Swear to God, this happened. I was working in a shoe store one Easter Saturday (big day for shoes) when I was a student. (don't knock it- decent hours & the commissions were good). A woman walked in w/ no fewer than 7 kids and lined them up according to age & height & started calling their names out. Among the names were: "Freon" & "Rayon". They all pretty much rhymed in the Creon/Breon range.
I thought I was going to have a stroke or rupture something from the accumulated stifled laughter. A refrigerant and a synthetic fiber. Priceless.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: mike the knife
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 06:56 PM

oops- posted too soon... also worked w/ a woman in Germany named "Frau Slut" (pronounced w/ a hard 'U'). A bitter, bitter woman. We had a good number of US/UK customers & the look she would get from them when she handed them information would have been hard to bear on a constant basis. Felt badly for her on those occasions. And she was well aware of the translation.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST,marthabees
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 09:15 PM

True names of kids I have taught:

Lavoris (later requested to be called Butch) and his sister
Kiwanis (later requested to be called Kiki)
Areune (are-ee-un'-ah)like Ariana only not
Jyquonna (ji-kwon'-a)
Jamerica (like the country)
Isaish (Isaiah)
Tymeshionna (really! tye-meh-shee-own'-a)
Yianni (eek)
Tyqwanda (ti-kwan'-da)
Tyesha (tie-eesh'-a)
Jacardi (and piles of variants)
Jerrcari
Jacari
Jykarte (ji-car-tay')
Delaitre (duh-lay'-tree)
Khadijah (kuh-dee'-juh)
Ke'Vonte (kuh-von-tay)
Javonte (juh-von-tay) and 15 variants
Tre'Shawn (tray-shawn)
Carlnell
Dazzerell and her twin sister Tammerell
Davon and his twin brother Daveon (Duh-von, Day-vee-on)

Oh, my gosh, where's my role book when I really need it!

My understanding is that is is common in Africa (some places there anyway) to have a very unique first name and a common last name.
According to my experience, this practice is still common in the names of the descendents in my area.

So if you need an interesting name, I can provide plenty.

M

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 11:07 PM

Don't know if your friend knows about this site, but you can spend decades there:

Medieval Names Archive

Many cultures here, including Arab, Persian, Romany, you name it!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 11:19 PM

well, those lists leave me aghast....it makes me think of drug companies and auto makers trying to wring the last coherent combinations of letters out of the language which 'might' be useful in describing their product. Mostly, they are passing the bounds of credibility...and pronounceability...

17 variants on 'Jacardi' make them all sound alike and will eventually be a hindrance to the kid.

(and then there was the couple who were told jokingly that "Urethra" was a nice variant on 'Aretha', and bought it...*sigh*...

(yep, I know...it's not my problem...but..)

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST,John Gray in Oz
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 11:56 PM

My 3 sons are named Ryder, Cable & Slade. I selected these from the biggest book of names I could find. They are surnames from the Melbourne & Metropolitan Telephone Directory. I had a long term plan in mind when I chose these names. If girls it was my wife's choice - what jolly bad luck for her ( said with false chagrin )
Anyway, I had to put up with the odd gripe when the boys were in primary school - "gee dad, there's 5 Matthews in my class but no-one has names like ours".
But at ages 14/15 the feedback was, " thanks for the name dad - the chicks reckon its groovy".
The masterplan worked !

JG/FME

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Sorcha
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 01:13 AM

Oh,Bill, that is too funny! I love it!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 05:44 AM

I always have liked the name Ezme and Rowan, and Jade and Olivia...

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: M'Grath of Altcar
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 06:01 AM

My mum used to work at the Office of Census and Population Surveys in Birkdale.

Funny names were put on to the noticeboard in the dining room.

Suspect names were checked by the head registrar of the place, so remember these are REAL peoples names, extracted from their Birth, marriage or death certificates.

Osprey Willow Rainbow Beetlestone Mortis.
Bentley Kneebone.
Peter C. Fearns changed name to Hermione Bayleaf.
Annie Struggles.
Minnie Mustard.
Willie Knocker.
Katie Custard.
Duane Pipe.
Annette Kurton.
Ha Ha Woof Woof (Checked by registrar. Client changed to this name by deed poll because he said everyone treated him like a dog.)
Sunshine Purple Velvet Frost.
David Dilemma.
Dr I.C. Wisely.
Lucy Lottie Liquorice.
Alexander Nobuga-Caires.
Gabriel of Avalon. ( A freind of mine - he's a taxi driver!)

Hope this gives your freind a few ideas. Or a few ideas of things to avoid.

Above all, I hope things go well for you all.

M of A (Ian)

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 09:08 AM

Gueszt of 25 Aug 04 - 11:23 AM wrote

"Also try to imagine them as eighty year olds. There are going to be an awful lot of grannies called Britney and Courtney one day."

and reminded me of a high school friend's brother. This was in the mid 60's so the poor bugger was born in the 50s & his parent/s named him Sonny. Very a-typical name for the period, & well before hippies & alternative people started giving children unusual names. Somewhere in Oz there is a bloke a few years younger than me who answers to the name of Sonny. Maybe he changed it years ago to George or something like that, & now just cringes when his old Mum calls him that in public.

sandra
aunt to Jack & Gizelle - Jack got his name from the nickname his father John got from his workmates, & I can't remember how Gizelle was named, tho her mother is Edwina, & has a sister Roxana & 2 brothers with very traditional names.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: MBSLynne
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 09:10 AM

I saw a TV interview with Diana Ross. She was talking about her children, one of whom is named Chutney!

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Celtaddict
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 07:03 PM

My mother's mother was Marinda. I think that is a perfect name: easy to pronounce, easy to spell, and not likely to turn up on classmates. (My father's mother was Ruth and I always thought they sounded perfect together but I married possibly the only man in America with whose name you could not use Marinda Ruth.)
Old Testament names are interesting: some come and go in fashion, some have stayed popular for decades or centuries, and some are quite rarely heard or seen. I have a nephew named Ezekiel. An old name in our family since 1600s at least is the Old Testament name Aholiab. Also on the other side of the family in the 1700s is a long string of Jephthas (alternating with Jesses). There are some Enochs and Immanuels along there too, and some men called "Comfort" at least two of whom were physicians.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Hawker
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 07:47 PM

Hi,
My children are called Tamsyn (Cornish variant of Tamsin or Thomasina) May and Amber Charlotte, we also had Grace, Isolde and Imogen on the list. On the boys list we had Patrick, Douglas and Braddan (Manx variant of Brendan, I believe). Izella Is another nice female Cornish name, as is Tristan for a boy.
Some elemental names such as Sky and Ocean are nice, but think of what they may get called at school.
Have fun selecting.........and DO let us know what names they eventually choose!
Cheers, Lucy

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 08:04 PM

many years ago when I was a teacher - the teachers used to have a sort of dead pop stars game - only it was the kid they'd taught with the weirdest name.

I seem to remember the bloke who won it claiming to have taught a kid called Orson Cart

just be careful out there!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 04:30 AM

I know a Mustafa Anus through work. This is very true and he is very nice. We call him Anush to avoid embarrassment, but he corrects us everytime..."Anus, it's Anus." Can't win.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Sweetfia
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 06:20 AM

Elktweezer...that's an unusual name!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: MBSLynne
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 06:25 AM

Then there are all the pop-stars' kids' names..... Rolan Bolan, Dweezle and Moon Unit Zapper, Zowie Bowie.......

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: s6k
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 06:33 AM

poppy honey (gwenyth paltrows daughter i think... someone famouss daughter)

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Sweetfia
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 06:37 AM

Which actress/singer has just named her baby 'Apple'? Poor bugger, can you imagine how much it's gunna be bullied at school with a name like that!!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: s6k
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 06:41 AM

that was gwenyth paltrow... with the guy from cold play.

i just googled it and its jamie oliver who named his daughter poppy honey.

I HATE JAMIE OLIVER AND WANT TO BEAT HIS FACE WITH A LARGE MALLET

thanks

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Caroline1984
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 07:06 AM

that's disgraceful the kids will be bullied at school, i'd get it changed as soon as possible. apple isnt a bloody name its a fruit!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: MBSLynne
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 09:12 AM

What about Bob Geldof and Paula Yates'kids? Fifi Trixibell, can't remember the others, then Paula's daughter with Michael Hutchence....Heavenly Hirani Tiger Lily.

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: beardedbruce
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 10:05 AM

Pete and Repete?

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 10:15 AM

There's nowt wrong with "Elktweezer" sweetfia!!!! That was my prefered choice for your name, but your mother insisted on calling you Sophia!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Sorcha
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 10:49 AM

The Lear Jet founder's daughter is Chanda Lear....I went to college with her. Always been fond of Rebekah too.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 08:05 PM

" Consider for a moment any beauty in the name Ralph."

Frank Zappa, on being asked by Joan Rivers why he chose such strange names for his kids.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Metchosin
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 10:16 PM

Met an old schoolmate of my husband's a while back, whose name was Cynara. I thought her name was lovely. She said she did too, when she was a child, until she found out that her parents, who were avid gardeners, had given her the latin name for an artichoke.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST,Amber
Date: 28 Aug 04 - 02:09 AM

Seth - wanted one, third son of Adam and Eve (didn't get into any trouble mention in the bible.)

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Mar 05 - 11:34 PM

How bout M for one and m for one, M&M! Or if its two boys, John and Deere, Bumble and Bee, Bevis and Butthead, Pud and Whacker(My nick name, and my twin brother too) I am a twin and we are Kelsey and Kory, Liz and Anya, Mil and Ano, Loony and Toon, Rice and Roni, Hersheys and Kiss, well thats all I got, hope u like them! L8ter!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: LadyJean
Date: 03 Mar 05 - 11:47 PM

My mother's father was a fraternal twin. Grandaddy was born in Cincinnatti, in 1880, a time and place where twins were a rarity apparently, because their church's bazaar offered a booth where visitors could pay two cents to see the McCallister twins. His aunt went and saw two baby dolls labeled Edgar and Edna. She went home to tell the McCallisters, and they all agreed Edgar was an excellent name for the new baby boy. Up until then he'd been called Edbert.
Granddaddy was called E.W. or Mac. He was a patent attorney, and he argued a case before the Supreme Court.
I would advise against naming twins Edgar and Edna.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Peace
Date: 04 Mar 05 - 12:08 AM

Knew a gal up north who call her sons John One, John Two and John Three.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Azizi
Date: 04 Mar 05 - 01:58 AM

Well some people think my name is unusual.

And since you mentioned it, I have a very much neglected website on personal names used by African Americans *..[This website has been neglected because I've moved on to other interests and for some time I haven't added to its data base of name origins and meanings]

But there are some names there that might be of interest to folks. And AlafiaNames also has some information about the frequency of African American last names compared with non-African Americans. There also are some fun interactive name quizzes,and other stuff.

I'd love you to visit Alafianames

BTW, "Alafia" is a Yoruba {Nigeria, West Africa} greeting word equivalent to 'Welcome" or 'Hello'. "Alafia" is also a greeting word from Liberia, West Africa and is part of a somewhat widely known Liberian welcome song called "Funga Alafia"

It is also the name of my nonprofit organization-Alafia Cultual Services..

As a wonderful coincidence, a year ago I was told that "Alafia" was a Hebrew surname that means 'Power/powerful'

* Of course, these names may also be used by non-African Americans, including people who are not of African descent..

It should be noted that most of the names in that database are not from traditional African and Arabic languages, but are from Latin, Hebrew, German, English, French, Spanish, Irish, Scottish, Greek etc languages..

I know that I have to pay more attention to this AlafiaNames website..soon..maybe..hopefully...

But Enjoy! {and share some names with me, please!}
As well as any corrections to the info found there.

Thanks!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 04 Mar 05 - 11:59 AM

Just remember, they will be applying for jobs one day, and it is already documented that people emailing identical resumes, one with a usual name, one with an unusual name, get many more responses from the usual names. Use a usual name for first and an unusual one for middle - they can always go by their middle names if they WANT to be unusual, that way.
On the other hand, if the caller on the phone asks for, um, hesitation, you can hang up because if they knew you, they'd know how to pronounce your name.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: SharonA
Date: 04 Mar 05 - 07:04 PM

Unusual names of some of my relatives, friends and acquaintances:

Female: Rohana (it's supposed to mean "Sandalwood"), Nyshalynn, McKenna, Rachelle, Naila, Elma, Dina, Dena, Dana.

Male: Laird, Leigh, Brent, Dwayne, Tor, Robin, Dana.

(Yes, I know a male and a female "Dana".)

But if you want the kids to be able to have those cutesy "personalized" items such as necklaces, stickers or pencils -- without having to special-order them -- go with the popular names in the current baby-name lists.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Firecat
Date: 04 Mar 05 - 07:06 PM

Whatever you do, DON'T copy Victoria and David Beckham! Brooklyn Joseph, Romeo, and new addition Cruz! Poor bairns!

When I eventually have kids, my daughters (if I have daughters) will be Claire Jennifer, Rhianydd Louise and Ciara Joanne, and my sons (if I have them) will be Ian Richard, Stephen Luke and Christopher Paul.

Mind you, my full name is Kathryn Arwen, so that's fairly unusual! No-one I meet can pronounce my middle name, and work ended up going round the room asking people to try to pronounce it!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST,*Laura*
Date: 05 Mar 05 - 02:39 PM

My old drama teacher called her little boy Bede! BEDE - the kid's gotta go to school!

I like normal boys names - Jack, George and Callum.

The girls names I like always change but the three I've always liked - Beth, Sophie and Amber.

I have cousins with unusual names though - Arkady, Sebastian (Sebbi) and Tirion.

xLx

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: sixtieschick
Date: 05 Mar 05 - 02:52 PM

I know someone who named her son "Aum." His middle name is "Espionage" because she likes the sound of the word. No fooling.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Sorcha
Date: 05 Mar 05 - 03:40 PM

Did these babies get born yet?

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: gnu
Date: 05 Mar 05 - 04:17 PM

Firecat - "... Rhianydd..."? Do you know how much of this person's life will be spent saying, "R - h - i - a - n - y - d - d. No, it's R - h - i - a - n - y - d - d."? Have a heart.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Scoville
Date: 05 Mar 05 - 04:30 PM

Oh, dear God--I didn't know the "Funga Alafia" song was for real.

My given name is Alethea (Ah-LEH-thee-ah) and, after we were taught that song when I was in elementary school, I was "Fungus Alethea" for the rest of the year.

My full name is Alethea Sojourner, after Sojourner Truth (Alethea, which I think is more properly pronounced "Ah-LAY-the-ah", but which was changed by my parents to better fit our last name, means "truth", more or less, in Greek). I've never been sure I liked it. Both names are hard to pronounce, hard to explain, get misspelled constantly, and don't lend themselves well to nicknames (except for "Allie", which I hate).

If I ever have kids, they're getting one exotic name and one "normal" one, so they can be a bit different but don't have to live with it all the time if they don't want to.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST,*Laura*
Date: 05 Mar 05 - 06:50 PM

One of my friends knew someone who was called Sam. So you'd assume it was 'Samuel' - until they went on a school trip and the register was being called -
'Samwise!'
they all looked round and Sam said in a very small voice -
'my parents love Lord of the Rings ok?'

xLx

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: LilyFestre
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 07:23 AM

The twins have yet to make their arrival, but they will be here SOON! At the Dr. appointment on Friday, one of twins is partly in the birth canal (as there isn't anywhere else for them to go....they are SO crowded!).

The twins are a boy and a girl and here are the names that have been settled upon:

For the girl (who will be the first born as her head is in the birth canal already): Salem Willow

For the boy: Collin Hunter

Thanks for all the ideas, websites and neat names!!!!

Tante, aka Auntie Chell

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Angiemac
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 07:35 AM

Congrats to your friend. My twin sister and I are Angela and Paula (which I think is rather nice), I have a brother Sean (also cool)and my three boys are Connor, Ross and Liam. But I've always loved Hannah, Imogen, Leon, Jarred and Nathan. Happy naming x Angie

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 07:39 AM

Love the girl's name. Is Collin the more normal spelling? Can just see problems with a lifetime of, " No, two l's."
But best of luck to all concerned. You have a wonderful time ahead.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST,*Laura*
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 07:53 AM

I know the unusual name I forgot all about - my brother's! -
Diggory.
I think it's great!

xLx

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: LilyFestre
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 09:19 AM

I am unsure if Collin or Colin is the norm, but they have decided on Collin. The mommy has two other children, her first of which she named Kayla and of course that name is so common that it drives the mother nuts. Apparently lots of folks liked that name in the early 90's. Her second child is a boy and his name is Forrest. Poor kid was born about 3 months before Forest Gump came out.

I like Salem Willow too. It has a nice flow to it. In addition, Salem is a place where the mommy and I LOVE to go and poke around...it's fun and the history is astounding...not to mention it's just a beautiful place. We had been to Salem about a month before she found out she was pregnant. Come to find out, she was already pregnant when we were in Salem and she just didn't know it. We should have figured it out though as she had some MEAN cravings for Mexican and Dunkin' Doughnut's Dunkachinos. Every time we passed a Dunkin Doughtnut, we HAD to stop. LOL. I swear...one of these babies is going to be Mexican and the other Chinese as that is about all she eats lately. After EVERY appointment she has, we go for Egg Drop Soup! (YUM!!!!)

Anyway...I'm just a bit excited!!! *G*

Tante

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Firecat
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 12:28 PM

gnu, the reason I chose Rhianydd is because I met a girl a few years ago with that name and I thought it was beautiful. If my daughter objects, she can either use Louise, or shorten it to Rhi. I've spent most of my life having to spell my name, but you haven't told my parents off. When I have kids, it will be my choice of name (and my husband's obviously!), so I've chosen ones that go together nicely. At least it's not a boring name.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: gnu
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 02:26 PM

Ya know, I DO like it. I mean, it's unique. And it will "catch on" when she becomes famous, at which point, everyone will know how to spell it. As a matter of fact, they won't even have to ask her what her name is. Clever.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Cats
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 02:51 PM

Try some of the old Cornish names - Demelza, Sterrenn (means star), Lowenna (happiness) or Maela.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 03:07 PM

All I know is, I'm glad I'm not a schoolteacher in a metropolitan area, trying to learn names from 30 different cultures, as well as struggling with mis-guided attempts to create 'interesting' names in an attempt to be different. It is not required that everyone's name be totally unique.

Some folks are clever AND have reasonable taste; some never stop to think what a strange name will mean in adult years.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST,jennifer
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 03:09 PM

Loveday is maybe another Cornish name. We have a weather girl on our local radio station called Loveday Kitto and Kitto is the Cornish form of Christopher.

My friend just had her third baby. They have three boys called Dylan Patrick, Harper Kitto and Ellery Daniel. She was really miffed when Dylan got so popular. And now someone else in the group has had a little girl called Ellora. Don't matter how hard you try...

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 04:34 PM

The desire (often, in my experience, found mainly in the fair sex) to give a baby a name "with flair" is the cause of a friend's wise dictum that "It ought to be an indictable offense for a pregnant woman to name a baby."

The girl given a cutesy name like "Nanci" or "Kelli" (and I know a couple of each) will fight that "i" all her life. And if the truth be told, will damn her mother for saddling her with such a confusion-maker.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 04:51 PM

The first day of my junior year in high school, a new girl, who had just moved to town, was in class. The teacher passed around a list and asked each student to sign in, using his or her real name--"No nicknames, please!"

I forget her last name, but let's say it was "Smith". She signed as "Jack Smith". J-A-C-K, Jack! Not "Jackie", "Jacqueline" or anything like that. Jack.

When the teacher reviewed the list, she called the girl up to her desk. "I asked for real names, no nicknames. Please correct your entry."

"But that's my name, 'Jack'!"

"That's not possible, Miss Smith! Put down your real name!"

"Jack!"

To shorten the story, the girl was summarily sent to the Principal's office, where the same scene was enacted: "Real name!" "Jack!"

"Go home, and bring your father or your mother in here. We'll find out the truth!"

When both mom and dad came in, they verified that the girl's name was in fact Jack-- J-A-C-K, Jack.

I wonder whatever happened to Jack, whether she was drafted into the Army, or what.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 05:09 PM

Firecat:

Your parents must have been Tolkien fans, to give you "Arwen".

In Tolkien's elvish, "Arwen" means "noble (or royal) woman".

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 08:31 PM

A girl named Jack...a boy named Sue. And remember how the last line of the song goes!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Mar 05 - 07:59 AM

speaking of Jack who gave cheek/did not know how to spell her name

I used to work with Jenny who was in similar trouble when she started school. She was corrected & squashed for writing her name Jeneva, & never realised till years later that her mother was dyslexic & spelled Jennifer the only way she could when filling in her daughter's birth certificate.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Crystal
Date: 07 Mar 05 - 08:10 AM

My parents gave my sister and I plant names! If we had been boys we would have been Timothy (the type of grass) and Basil (the herb). My sister would have been Basil so it was a lucky escape for her! Our middle names are fairly normal, Helen (me) and Stephanie (although she wanted to be called "Skipper" insted).

It could have been worse, we could have been Moonflower and Gladrial!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 07 Mar 05 - 09:03 AM

It is all due to Unusual Parents!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: GUEST,Aramintha-Rose
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 12:46 PM

My Mum's Sister, Had two boys in her class At primary school. They were called "Ingo Gherkin and Mitchell Pepper."

From Aramintha-Rose
+

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Baby Names
From: Seiri Omaar
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 02:38 PM

With even normal names you end up with problems due to variants. I mean, anyone with the name Sarah (like me), ends up saying "with an h/without an h" all one's life!
Not to mention the million variants of Catherine. I prefer Katharine, myself, a German version.
I know a girl named Seanna- pronounced "Shawna", not "Sianna", as teachers are fond of calling her!
The most annoying part of many "unique" names for me is the tendency to spell them phonetically. Kaylee is one, Shawn is another. Maybe I just dislike being overly obvious.
My net name, Seiri, can be translated as "Spirit", among other things.
Cheers, Seiri (not Sayree!).