Okay. So The Banshee’s mom, my sister-in-law, is about 4 1/2 months pregnant. My brother S reallyreallyreally wants a boy now.
But — and this is what’s just in — they’re having another girl.
Which is just fine with me.
This, however, isn’t: the whole alliterative name thing that’s already going on with Banshee’s first and last name and the likelihood that it will continue with Banshee #2.
I just generally don’t like the cutesy-ness of naming your child, oh, Devon Dingle or Taylor Tattersall or whatever. It makes me cringe with shame — meaning, when I hear names like these, I actually feel the shame the parents should feel but clearly don’t, or little Devon wouldn’t be walking around with a stupid name like that. So I’m really kinda like Jesus in this whole Alliterative Name Shame. I take the entire mess onto myself. Plus, I’m totally not judgmental about it.
So as an example, using fake names here, this could be my future:
I could basically end up with nieces named something like: Bailey and Ballie Benner.
Unfortunately, it’s ultimately my nieces’ problem — “I’m Bailey; this is my sister, Ballie” or “You’re Ballie Benner? Are you Bailey Benner’s sister?” etc. — but I have to SAY these names. Think of me. Meeeee. Aunt Tee Tee. (And, I know, Tee Tee is alliterative, but it’s not like I’m Tee Tee Toodleton or something.)
I am truly frightened, peeps. I may be reading Harry Potter, but I am seriously having nightmares about THIS.
You know, I think too many parents don’t take into account the fact that the baby they are naming NOW will someday (God willing) be an all-grown-up person with a career.
So a wise choice of names can be a very good thing.
There is a linguistics researcher whose first name is “Bambi.” She’s made a good career, but I can’t help but think that having had to introduce herself at conferences as “Bambi” when she was first starting out caused a little difficulty.
It’s the same way with alliterative or rhyming names (Or worse, names that are forced into rhyming with the surname – I’ve seen that too).
On the other hand, sometimes people do it to themselves….my brother used to work with a Richard Hertz. Only he didn’t go by Richard, or Rick….he went by Dick. Yes, the guy was called Dick Hertz.
Once a year, I have to help sign people up for programs at my volunteer job. Spelling your name unusually does not make you unique- it just makes you uniquely annoying.
Ricki- same goes for tatoos. Oh sure, it looks nice now on your firm little tushy. What’s it going to look like in, oh, forty years?
Or can you not imagine living that long?
We need an aging simulator for tatoos- what a great idea!
Aunt Tee-tee, you must nip this! Nip it in the bud!
I agree wholeheartedly with all of this. And may I add, I hate when people make a phrase out of their poor childrens’ names. Granted, this only works with certain last names, but when it is there, it is horrific.
For example, I went to school with a girl named…April Roses, and another named Dewey Forest. I also had a friend whose cousins were named (and I shed a tear every time I think of this) Misty Spring Rains and Summer Eve Rains.
It is just so wrong. How can you do that to an innocent child who must have wanted to shrivel up and die of humiliation every time someone asked them their name.
Well… hopefully, they’re now Misty S. Carson, Esq. and Dr. Summer Peterson. On the other hand, I know a Sr. Gloria Doria. (Now THAT is serious dedication to the Lord.)
Funny you mention this while reading Harry Potter. Rowling gets carried away with this sort of thing. Even when they’re not rhyming, they’re deeply meaning-filled. How on earth do Remus Lupin’s parents know he’s going to be a werewolf when they named him? Was he Steve Lupin until he was nine?
I mean, I can see a family actually going in for Sirius and Regulus as brothers’ names. But then you get Umbridge, Skeeter, Malfoy, Crabbe, Sprout, Sybil, Gilderoy, Fudge, Slughorn, Riddle, Kreacher, Bagman… I’m surprised that Lee Jordan isn’t from a faimily of denim merchants. Some of them are nice touches, but go lightly, you know?
Now this is purly hypothetical… but I know someone named Yvonne Vaughn.
purely
twitch
I hate it when I do that.
Being a child of the 70s (remembering the woman running through the daisy field in the “feminine hygiene” commercial), the name “Summer Eve” is a wee bit too close to “Summer’s Eve” and probably made life uncomfortable for her round about 7th grade.
Also, on the “uniquely spelled names” – yes. I teach, and I have to admit a moment of horror at the start of every semester when I look at the roster and wonder at the correct pronunciation of some of the names. At least with the “genuine” ethnic names, I can look it up (or it’s one I’ve seen before and remember how to pronounce it.) We get a lot of Hispanic kids where I teach and I’ve gotten pretty good at correctly pronouncing some of the traditional names. But an invented-spelling name just messes me up and embarrasses the kid.