BS: Unusual Baby Names

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!).

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: GUEST,noddy
Date: 07 Mar 05 - 09:03 AM

It is all due to Unusual Parents!

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: 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: 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: 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: 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 - 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Sorcha
Date: 05 Mar 05 - 03:40 PM

Did these babies get born yet?

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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
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: 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: 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: beardedbruce
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 10:05 AM

Pete and Repete?

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: 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: 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: 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 - 06:33 AM

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

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: Sweetfia
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 06:20 AM

Elktweezer...that's an unusual name!

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: 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: 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: 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: 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