baby names

[reorith]

so i was talking about baby names with my gf and she says that drizzt is inappropriate (a name i suggested) and aragorn (her pick) isn't. three questions.

1. who would you side with.
2. if you were naming your firstborn after a character from a book, would it need to be a human name?
3. what would you do in my position?

[El Jaspero, the Pirate King]

Naming your kid anything from a fantasy book or movie is basically naming them "Kick My Ass". Sorry, but you're both wrong in my book. Seriously, this is somebody's name. Take it seriously, this isn't a joke.

[Amotis]

1. Aragorn! Aragorn!
2. Most likely.
3. Marry Johnny Deep. Name kid Moon Unit Zappa.

[CabbageTheif]

i would ask her if she is a racist. i would ask her if she was a bigist who hates other cultures. then i would ask her if she is an alignmentist. i would point out to her that if she said no to all of the above that she has no reasonable excuse for not liking the name. aragorn is a cheesy namesake that every geek will know and the child will be picked on for it, especially if they dont live up to it. drizzt on the other had is the embodiment of what it means to not fit in anywhere, something every human can relate to. you dont need to tell your child what they were named after, and by the time his peers know the refrences, they will be old enough to think that it is cool.

hope this helps

[SpartacusThe2nd]

1. neither one of you.
2. what?! NO! there are fantasy and there is the REAL-LIFE!
3. not some book/movie or comic name that's for sure.
don't name your son after a legendery elf!!

[Lord Herman]

I wouldn't name my child after a popular fantasy character. Maybe after a terribly obscure one, but not something like Aragorn or Drizzt.

[Amotis]

In all seriousness. I do like Chris(topher), Rene, Pearl, Rachel, Edvard, and Brenda.

[Saithis Bladewing]

I'd name my child Fingolfin.

'Nuff said.

With that behind me, it's much more practical to offer a fantasy book name as a middle name, not a first name. It will lead to endless amounts of teasing and mockery if it's a first name, fo sho. Ever hear of Moon Unit Zappa? :P

[Midnight Son]

At least he's not like my friend who wanted to name his first daughter Midnight. I mean, way to narrow down her choice of careers! And, as if that wasn't bad enough, he was gonna give her the middle name of Sex. Thanks to all that is good in this world that he married a sensible woman.

As for either of the names in question: Are you currently, or have you ever been famous? If not, the only chance that kid's gonna have is if you get him on the Drums or Guitar as soon as he's walkin'.

[Lilivati]

There's nothing wrong with giving your kid an unusual name (as a Smith, I would have loved a highly unusual first name, actually). However, naming them after a celebrity, fictional or otherwise, is probably a bad idea. If you like fantasy-ish names there are plenty of others you could pick from.

[Cult_of_the_Raven]

I agree that a fantasy name should be given as a middle name. you still got the cool factor, because lots of people go by their middle names, but nobody needs to know if it turns out to be too much.

[Lilly]

Big thing of baby names (http://www.parenthood.com/babynames.html).

There you go, have fun.

[Weebl]

I personaly would go with the ever classic Thog.

:thog: Did some one say Thogs name?

[adanedhel9]

I agree with the previous posters; don't name the kid with a commonly-known fantasy name. If you really like the name, save it for the middle name. Even then, I'd probably spell it differently or something just so it wasn't so obvious.

Another note on baby names (assuming this question has a basis in the real world), from recent experience: names can be ruined by... what do I call this?... overexposure? A pregnant aunt and uncle of mine get an ultrasound, find out that the baby is a boy, and decide to name it Alexander. Grandma gets word of this, and starts going on and on about how she loves the name. Everytime the parents-to-be were around her, she said something about it. The parents-to-be are now disgusted by the name and have decided on something else - and they aren't going to tell anyone this time.

[Pyre]

1. Child Services.
2. I would wait for the whiskey to wear off first.
3. Adopt.


Heehee, I'm just playing with you(mostly). :biggrin:

Just remember, your child will probably enjoy not getting beat-up and getting laid. Of course, if it's a girl it won't matter as much, for both of those.

[Tussy the Druid]

1. You
2. No.
3. Name my child something cool, but acceptable. Example: Crystal Rose (lastname)

[Logic]

The closest to a fantasy Name I would give my child would be named after my first character, Fastion Noth.

It sounds like it could be a foreign name, but it also has a bit of mystery to it.

Couple that name with my last name (not posting it here, but those of you in the know, you know what I am talking about) and it could be a decent name.
However, I have enough common sense to give the poor kid a name that everyone will recognize as a name, even if it is one of the most uncommon around (I liked Ethan and Olivia way back when, before every kid was getting those names)

[Dragonrider]

Speaking as someone with an unusual name, I wouldn't call it a hardship. I'd side with her, but that's just cuz I love LotR. =)

[Hexa_Regina]

1. Niether of you.
2. Not necessarily.
3. Please don't name the kid Drizzt. A) Do you want to deal with your crying child when he comes home wailing in the throws of childhood emotional trauma because all the other children call him Drizzle or something equally as dumb and laughed at him? B) No one will be able to spell it. Including your child. Just think about how hard it is for any kindergarteners you know to spell their own name, even when they have a relatively simple name like Samuel or John or something. Ditto for Aragorn. I don't think theres anything wrong with naming your kid after a fictional fantasy character, but also remember that your child is going to grow up someday and have to get a job, a date, and have a life with that name. What seems cool or cute now will not be as cool when hot girls laugh at him as he introduces himself or he wants to go into politics and can't get any support because no one takes him seriously. I know a married couple named Merlin and Pagan respectively who went through no end of hell for their names. So, if you want to name your kid something different and fantasy-based, how about naming him/her after a slightly less-reknown character that can pass for a "respectable" name if necessary.

[Death, your friend the Reaper]

Drizzt does seem to be asking for someone to comment on them, I would not go for an obscure name, maybe a name that sounds fairly normal from a fantasy book, like "The adventures of Joe" or "The epic of Bob".

[Ink]

I would not name my kid either of those. If I had to name my kid after a fantasy character it would definitely be a more classic one like Sam or something.

No one would be able to spell or say Drizzt, and Aragorn is just a bit too cheesy. That said, I do know one person with the name Aragon, one person with the middle name Elendil, and one former colleague who wanted to name his son Strider (if you don't remember, Elendil is Aragorn's ancestor, and Strider is another name of Aragorn's). I also know of one couple who named their twin sons Neo and Morpheus. Eeps.

Thankfully no one has named their kid Shadowfax yet.

[Saithis Bladewing]

Thankfully no one has named their kid Shadowfax yet.

...Or have they?

Dun dun DUNNN!!!

[Nevrmore]

so i was talking about baby names with my gf and she says that drizzt is inappropriate (a name i suggested) and aragorn (her pick) isn't. three questions.

1. who would you side with.
2. if you were naming your firstborn after a character from a book, would it need to be a human name?
3. what would you do in my position?

I'm glad you'll ruin a child's life to slide in a dumb fantasy in-joke you and your hubby can laugh about later.

[The_Librarian]

so i was talking about baby names with my gf and she says that drizzt is inappropriate (a name i suggested) and aragorn (her pick) isn't. three questions.

1. who would you side with.
2. if you were naming your firstborn after a character from a book, would it need to be a human name?
3. what would you do in my position?

1. I'm siding with the future kiddy.
2. Yes, afraid so.
3. Find a proper book of baby names, maybe even two. They're a useful tool for aspiring writers, and you'll eventually find something you like. Also, my mother's advice is to check with relatives in case that name can end up being a cruel nickname (Timothy James would have been doomed to become Timmy Jimmy in our family). Mind you, when it came to naming their adorable baby girl, so many relatives bugged my parents over what the name was, they threatened to call her Blanche (not bad in itself, but our surname is a variant on Blanche so it would have been pretty mean). Thankfully, they chose something else.

Saying that, my own boyfriend feels that he can not trust me to name anything. We're hoping to get a dog at some point and I made two suggestions: "Fire" and "Thief". Apparently, calling these in public places might cause unnecessary distress.

[The Prince of Cats]

Strangely, I have met an Arwen. She is in her thirties though and works in the computer games industry, so it was not influenced by the films and seemed to have picked her up a certain degree of geek cred.

I agree with the middle name thing though. My wife and I agreed on 'Leto' for our first son's middle name, after the Dune character. This was not some argued out agreement, this was unanimous.

Please, no naming kids after the Drizzit. It would be like naming your child Will Wheaton or Bill Gates. Yes, they might be high-profile geeks but still...

[Maryring]

Dani. You can NOT go wrong with such a beautiful name. No matter what gender, Dani always fits.

http://www.sloganizer.net/en/image,Dani,white,blue.png (http://www.sloganizer.net/en/)


Just don't go with a name like the ones you've chosen. I'm echoing the reasons above.

[Tom_Violence]

I'm calling the police.

Oh, and someone somewhere in the UK has already named their kid Gandalf, so you might not actually be the weirdest person going. :wink:

[Jibar]

1. Give him the middle name Aragorn.
2. Yes. Any other just sounds wierd. Er. Wierder.
3. Leave your girlfriend, name the child Aragorn Boromir Gimli the third, build a house that looks like Minas Tirith. If you do that, I'll have the baby with you.

[Nevrmore]

Just because you don't hear middle names as often doesn't mean it's any less worse then the first name. Just give the kid a normal name and a normal life and stop forcing your views upon him before he's even sentient.

[Jibar]

But as soon as they are sentiant, they develop free will and a rebellious streak. Better to force our will upon them now when they cannot possibly overpower us.

[Tom_Violence]

1. Give him the middle name Aragorn.
2. Yes. Any other just sounds wierd. Er. Wierder.
3. Leave your girlfriend, name the child Aragorn Boromir Gimli the third, build a house that looks like Minas Tirith. If you do that, I'll have the baby with you.

You don't perchance aspire to be Least I Could Do's Rayne (http://www.leasticoulddo.com/index2.php?date=20061226), do you? :tongue:

[soozenw]

as someone who is currently making her way through the book of 100,000+ baby names, trying in vain to find a girl's name i like, for the love of all that is shiny, don't name them something stupid. there are so many unusual beautiful names out there, why make childhood even harder by making a kid suffer with a weird name? long names, yes, odd names, no. (the name we have chosen for a boy is 34 letters (1st, middle, and last) but mine is 31 so i don't think it's that weird...)

[Last_resort_33]

How about Roy and Haley if you want to go from fiction... somthing that YOU know but is not TOO obvious... I am voting for 'Freya' for my first daughter. It's a nice, real name, a bit unusual but not unbelieveable and it has significance, being a god and all.... no-one steal that as a name...

Also 'Lyra' is good from Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy.

[Nix]

Hey, I'm new so my opinion doesn't count. But...avoid the fantasy names. Now, to keep the deep nerd overtones, how about super-hero alter ego names. Peter, Scott, Logan, Polaris...all of them great.

[Shadow of the Sun]

If you want a good, somewhat less known and much more normal name, go for Corum (Eternal Champion, Michael Moorcock). Or for a more D&D based name, Cuthbert is an okay name.

[Nevrmore]

If you want a good, somewhat less known and much more normal name, go for Corum (Eternal Champion, Michael Moorcock). Or for a more D&D based name, Cuthbert is an okay name.
Or Just give your child a normal name.

[Shadow of the Sun]

Cuthbert is a normal, if rare name. It is the name of an actual Saint, who lived around the 7th century.

[Winter_Wolf]

Let me show you how a name that seems like a good idea at the time might backfire on you. In Mandarin Chinese, Wang is one of the four most common family names. It's pronounced "wahng", but how many people who don't know Chinese would get that right without correction. Giving the kid a name like Long (dragon) or Wulong (something to do with a dragon, but don't recall) would be fine in China. But bring that kid to the states and you will get a lot of people saying--are you ready for this?-- "Long Wang" or "Wulong Wang". Try shouting those two names and let me know how it goes for you.

My point being, unless Drizzt or Aragorn are common enough names where you live, or you plan on moving to a place where it is real soon, there will be issues. A quick test for an apporpriate name might just be going someplace crowded, act like you're looking for someone, and shouting the potential name of the child. It would be important at this point, of course, to say something along the lines of "I thought I recognized someone" when you are asked why you are shouting. Remember, there WILL be at least one point when somone has to shout the child's name.

[Midnight Son]

Super-hero alter egos can be fine, but please, please don't name him Kal-El. I can barely stand to watch Nick's movies anymore due to the respect I lost for him on that one.

If you really just need to name the kid something strange though, I say go with a classic: Rumplestiltskin.

[Rockphed]

How about Arazzit? It is a combanation of the two, and will never result in worse than minor teasing. But for the love of anything holy, please do not name your first born either Drizzit or Aragorn. Neither will go over well.

[AtomicKitKat]

If you want to pick a "common" name, please for the love of all that is decent, do not go around switching letters to produce a Chrystynah, or some such. I despise those names.

Edit: And remember the moral of the story of Shiniquah and Theadore who decided to give their kid the first half of each name...

[Charity]

I spend 50% of my time explaining how to spell my (not very difficult) Italian name to half wits over the phone. Give your child a sensible name, preferably short if you don't wish to hear it shortened.
I have two children, whom I will be able to look in the eye when they grow up, if you want to complicate someones life with a silly name let me suggest you change your own name, that seems fairer.

[Ms_Elaneous]

Naming your kid anything from a fantasy book or movie is basically naming them "Kick My Ass". Sorry, but you're both wrong in my book. Seriously, this is somebody's name. Take it seriously, this isn't a joke.

Tru dat!


1. Aragorn! Aragorn!
2. Most likely.
3. Marry Johnny Deep. Name kid Moon Unit Zappa.

BWAHAHAHAHA! Nice one. :smallbiggrin:


How about Roy and Haley if you want to go from fiction... somthing that YOU know but is not TOO obvious... I am voting for 'Freya' for my first daughter. It's a nice, real name, a bit unusual but not unbelieveable and it has significance, being a god and all.... no-one steal that as a name...

Also 'Lyra' is good from Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy.

I've also considered Freya. Albeit, Lyra I cannot abide by. I thought it was a dumb name in the book, much less in real life. Personal preference. *shrugs*

[Shikton]

1: I would side with your gf at that one :P
2: No, it wouldn't have to be a human name, but it needs to be a name you'll know won't get a "WTF?"-reaction. Most non-human names in books will cause such a reaction. Think about your kid here.
3: I would get her to write down a list of suggestions and you write your own list of suggestions. Maybe you have some in common, and you can settle with that.

Personally, for boys' names, I like Lucas and Viktor. For girls? Emily is nice.

[Azrael]

Drizzit? Perhaps the most reviled name in fantasy? Even the other geeks would pound the crap out of him.


I truly hope that you and the GF are just joking around. Because, if you're not ... wow.

[Nevrmore]

How about Arazzit? It is a combanation of the two, and will never result in worse than minor teasing. But for the love of anything holy, please do not name your first born either Drizzit or Aragorn. Neither will go over well.
Why would you want to go with a name that results in minor teasing when you can go with a name that doesn't result in teasing at all???

I like Metal Gear Solid but I'd never name my kid Snake or Revolver or anything like that. I mean, if I were a die-hard fan, I can see how naming him Dave could work both ways, but as far as I know there's no one in DnD who has that normal of a name.

[AtomicKitKat]

In all my life, I've known maybe 2 Graces who actually fit the name. One of them being Grace Kelly. I've seen some really obnoxious kids whose parents were obviously insane when they thought naming the child that would actually fit the personality. Checking what sign they'll be born under also helps you decide what a good name is. Ideally, give them only a middle and surname, then when they turn 21, they get to pick a new first name for themselves.

Oh, and please don't ever name your kid "XXXX Jr." I hate people who name kids after themselves/someone who recently died/etc. It puts undue pressure to live up to the namesake, and is incredibly egotistical, if it's the immediate parent or grandparent's name.

[Rykaj]

Egotistical to name it after yourself, maybe.. But after his grandparents? That's been happening for ages and is tradition in large parts of the world. I don't know what would be egotistical about naming it after grandparents.

Oh and I DO hope the OP was in fact joking.

[Closet_Skeleton]

My parents considered calling my elder brother Corwin (after the Amber books) but in the end settled for something else. My brother doesn't like the name he did get so much.

[Glaivemaster]

Try looking at George R R Martin's books if you want some fairly decent fantasy names. I can't see people laughing too much at Brandon, Eddard or Catelyn, really.

[Nevrmore]

Try looking at George R R Martin's books if you want some fairly decent fantasy names. I can't see people laughing too much at Brandon, Eddard or Catelyn, really.
Eddard is a bit awkward, but they'd be a hell of a lot better than Aragorn or Drizzt.

[Charity]

In all my life, I've known maybe 2 Graces who actually fit the name. One of them being Grace Kelly.

Just Grace Kelly and me, not bad company, I guess I should have been called Modesty.:smallwink:

Darn it you wern't on about virtues were you? Just Grace's, well that blew my crud joke out of the water...


I'll just leave my shame for all to see..

I

[Dewey]

Well, I have to say, with va fairly uncommon name myself(Eamon), you should look for something easy to pronounce(I can't begin to count the times my name has been mispronounced), and as un-mockable as possible. As most of the other people have said, avoid fantasy names.

[Timberwolf]

I wouldn't call my child anything out of Lord of the Rings or D'n'D connected.

I can see it now.

"So, You wish to name this child Gandalf Legolas Elrond Half Orc. I think I see a theme here, are you sure you're not going a bit far with Half Orc ? He might think there was something you're not telling him about his Grandmother or he might get confused with the Elvish parts and the Orcish bit and cut his own head off. Are you sure about this ?"

If you want some different names, go Celtic, Welsh or Scottish. I know a Sionned (accent on the e, pronounced Shonned), and then there's things like Andais (pronounced Ondeais I think, no expert here). Anyway, there'll be lists of them somewhere. But yeah, calling your kid Drizzt or Aragorn will be condemning him / her to a lifetime of misery. As someone with a really odd surname, I advise you strongly against calling them Drizzt or Aragorn.

Edit: If someone came through the door anouncing the arrival of a completely unexpected baby that was mine, if it were a girl I'd plump for Alexandra Megan and if it were a boy, John David, giving a bit of continuity with grandparents (my mum is a Meg and there's been at least some form of John in my family for generations)

[Tom_Violence]

This thread just makes me so glad that my parents called me Dave.

[Bor the Barbarian Monk]

I often joke that I've been named for a felony, and that my inititials "RPM" have made me joke that my middle name is actually "Per."

Personally, if I every found a willing victim...Ummm...A willing woman, (at least, I'm pretty sure that's what I meant), I would like to name a boy Micheal Steven for my deceased brother. For a girl, I like Molly Nicole, for my grandmother. Alas, both names end up with problems like mine, The boy would be "MSM" and the girl "MNM." Good names. Bad initials.

If you DO choose a fantasy name for your child, be sure you paste that sight to the back of his shirt every day. That sign that says, "Please kick my ass." :smalleek:

[Logic]

The OP has not yet responded, I hope he didn't do something rash...

*Adds Viktor, Lucas and Molly to future baby name considerations.*

[Hannes]

I'm naming my firstborn child (if it's a boy) Hannes the Second AKA Hannes Jr.
Since I feel I am god, I must continue the legacy of my name.

[Eloco]

Call them Seven.

[Lemmingboy]

What the first guy to reply said. There was, however on "The Chaser's War On Everything", in part of one of the clips, a kid sadly called "Pegasus Ezekiel". Poor kid.

[Portent]

Take a look at Gustav Davidson's Dictionary of Angels including the Fallen Angels if you want some cool names with some provenance from cultures all over. I'm pretty partial to Abaddon or Uriel myself.

Of course, some of them sound pretty high-and-mighty, so you might just want to go find one of those Baby Names books or websites.

[reorith]

The OP has not yet responded, I hope he didn't do something rash...

*Adds Viktor, Lucas and Molly to future baby name considerations.*

that depends on what you mean by rash john paul after his grand father on his mother's side.

[Scorpina]

so i was talking about baby names with my gf and she says that drizzt is inappropriate (a name i suggested) and aragorn (her pick) isn't. three questions.

1. who would you side with.
2. if you were naming your firstborn after a character from a book, would it need to be a human name?
3. what would you do in my position?

I'd reckon anything with an apostrophe in it wasn't a good name for your child...

[Jibar]

Awww...you didn't name him Aragorn Boromir Gimli the Third...
*Places note on possible list of child names saying "Still available"*
I'm still thinking of calling my kid The Jesus.

[Deepblue706]

I hate babies.

[Telonius]

so i was talking about baby names with my gf and she says that drizzt is inappropriate (a name i suggested) and aragorn (her pick) isn't. three questions.

1. who would you side with.
2. if you were naming your firstborn after a character from a book, would it need to be a human name?
3. what would you do in my position?

Read "Good Omens" by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Pay special attention to Pippin Galadriel Moonchild (aka Pepper). Then, choose a different name.

[Em]

Call your children exactly what you like - it's easy and cheap to change your name if you want.
These days, teaching your child to be polite and decent is enough to embarrass it in its peer group... intelligence and other positive qualities have always got children bullied... you might as well do what you like. :smallsmile:

[Maryring]

Why are people still discussing here? I have already provided the perfect answer.

http://www.sloganizer.net/en/image,Dani,white,blue.png

[Bor the Barbarian Monk]

I hate babies.
Awwww. Why? If they're cooked properly...

Ummm...Oops. :smalleek:

[Ravyn]

If you must go fantasy, go relatively obscure. That way the only people who'll know the name's a reference will be the ones who find it cool and not unbearably dorky. Win-win.

Beyond that--try to avoid things that aren't relatively intuitive to pronounce. (Granted, I've got a rather different definition of intuitive than a lot of people, but the way I see it, if you can't get it either by being a native English speaker or defaulting to Latin vowel pronunciations, there's a lot of potential for trouble.) It's pretty amazing how many interesting names you can find in the average name book; I've been raiding the same one for character names for the last four years, and can think of only a handful of times I've had to make something up to get the image I needed.

Main thing I suggest, though, is to think about what you want the kid to get out of the name. Memorable is good, but only up to a point.

[Ink]

that depends on what you mean by rash john paul after his grand father on his mother's side.

Well there you go. No Drizzt, and he has the names of two Beatles. That's win-win! Congratulations.

[Charity]

Or just one pope ^

[Azrael]

Actually, two Popes ... ignoring the "II"

[reorith]

^ or 31 including all popes named john and all popes named paul too

[Amotis]

^ or 31 including all popes named john and all popes named paul too

^ Or way too many counting all the johns and pauls and john pauls in the world.

[Alarra]

personally, I'm of the opinion that if one wants to go with an unusual, or fantasyesque name, it's important that it be something that's not too well known. Or at the very least, something that can be shortened down to something normal sounding.

For example, I have plans to call my son, should i have a son someday, Dade. With his name actually being Daedalus.

I had always planned to name my daughter Astorya, but that may be changing.

[kriklaf]

Why are people still discussing here? I have already provided the perfect answer.


Because not everyone agrees (I personally don't like gender-neutral names, with the possible exception of Adrian), and because lots of people like talking about names. I realize that the OP has already named his baby, but I too like talking about names so here are my feelings on the matter.

--I knew an Arwen and an Eowyn when I was in grade school-they were sisters. It was kind of cool then (back when the people who were LOTR fans had read the books) but now? No go. And Drizzt? C'mon--think of the fact that your child will hear his name several times every day. You, in fact, will say your son's name several times daily. Don't you think the novelty will wear off?

--I hate random apostrophes in names (The worst I ever saw was Ni'cole, pronounced with a long i...ick)

--I will never, no matter how much I like the name, give my child a name that has made the top 50 most popular names list. I especially wouldn't do it on purpose! Would you want to be one of ten Emilys in your school year...every year...no matter what school you were in?

--I also don't like last names as first names. I'm originally from the south, and every year the girls who are celebrating their coming out have their pictures and names posted in my hometown paper. Way too many of those girls have three last names to carry on the maiden names of the women in the families.

--Please, please, please--don't change the spelling of your baby's name just to do it. Caitelynne? Gennipher? Geosshe? Stop the madness!

[Scorpina]

...Adrian is gender neutral?

[Lilly]

...Adrian is gender neutral?
Which do you think it is?

And for goodness sakes, don't add extra y's to names, specifically girl's names. And if you ever pick a long name, think of how little space you get on government forms to fill out, espically if you have a long last name too.

[Scorpina]

I was fairly sure it was a boys name...

[Lilly]

Have you ever seen the movie Rocky? (Any of them, there are I think 6 now)

It might be spelled differently though. Adrianne instead.

[Scorpina]

I've seen bits of various Rocky films. Never enough to, y'know, know characters names or follow plots.

[EmeraldRose]

I've seen bits of various Rocky films. Never enough to, y'know, know characters names or follow plots.
Yes but, "ADRIEENNNNEEEEE!!!" No? Nothing? Ok...

[Scorpina]

...nope, nothing.

I've heard 'Rocky VII: Adrian's Revenge' mentioned in The Simpsons, I assume that doesn't actually exist though...

[Midnight Son]

...nope, nothing.

I've heard 'Rocky VII: Adrian's Revenge' mentioned in The Simpsons, I assume that doesn't actually exist though...Well, since Rocky V doesn't actually exist...:smallwink:

[danielf]

Aragorn is cool, so is Xykon ehehhe

[GolemsVoice]

I was thinking of naming my future child Ghazkull Mag Uruk Thraka after a famous ork from W40.:smallwink:
But I agree with most of the posters above, don't name your child Drizzt and/or Aragorn. Eitzher he ends up slaying your agents, ruining your good name and escaping abroad, or he returns, sues you, claims your house for his kingdom and so on...
If you want some fantasy, that is a neat idea (I would do this myself, should anyone find enough interest in geeks to go this far) take a name most standart people would consider strange but normal, and which lesser geeks don't recognize at once, like Elminster, or Erythnull.
And yes, I would say you will have to choose a human name. Most other names are either very strange or suited for people your child will never be. (Torin Trollslayer, Aewin Treehugger...)

[Don Beegles]

Personally, if/when I have a kid I think I might open up A Game of Thrones and pick a reasonable sounding name from there. Not becuase I'm a Martin-freak (well I am, but that's not the reason). I'd do it just because he has a lot of names in there that are normal sounding enough that they'd work, but not so common that they'd be lost in the crowd. I mean, I don't think Renly is a bad name for a guy, and I have to agree with Maryring that Dani is a pretty name.

[Amotis]

I think X's in first names are a bit awkward...

[Jibar]

I think X's in first names are a bit awkward...

Hmmm...
*Rubs "Roxas" off the baby name list*

Actually...I really like Roxas now...
Then I could name the girl Namine...
Or would that be wierd?

[Logic]

I think X's in first names are a bit awkward...
I like Xavier, and Maxwell.

[Don Beegles]

What about Roxane? Actually, if I have a girl I might name her that becuase Cyrano is my favorite play, and Cyrano and Christian are just not good names.

[QuiGonJ]

As a parent, I have named my children unusual names. They are not teased over them, in fact they really enjoy that they are unique. In this matter, I think it pertains to style over substance. Naming a child something from a fanatasy movie or book is okay, but one should excise caution in what you pick, making sure that you can live with it. Make sure the name survives the scream test (scream the name at the top of your lungs and not crack up laughing) and that you can think of every possible scenario for this child to be teased (coming up with silly name combinations, this actually eliminates a lot of "normal" names.) Ultimatly, what is posted here won't matter, it is up to you and your gf to name this child and I wish you luck in the matter.

[Amotis]

Cyrano is a GOOD name!

[Charity]

Can it, big nose.

Sorry Amotis it had to be said

[EmeraldRose]

As a parent, I agree with QuiGonJ! It must pass the 'scream test'! Also, the 'putting with the middle name when in mild trouble' and the 'using the whole name for really really big trouble' test!! Plus, try to think of as many names that little kids of age range 2-35 will use to tease your kiddo and wonder if it really bugs you (and possibly your kid).

Ignore every name that everyone ever tells you, and finally go with whatever it was you thought of right as you signed the birth certificate...:smallwink:

[Tharj TreeSmiter]

I told my wife that when we have kids I want to name our son Balor, (the celtic god of destruction)!! but for some reason she was against it...

[Joran]

My rules for names:

1) Can not be a quality or an object: Chastity (oh dear god), Treasure, Princess, all names I do not like.
2) Nothing too common, my name is Michael; it's great since it's easy, but too easy. I've been in groups with multiple Michael's, never fun.
3) Nothing too uncommon, if I have to spell it multiple times, it's too obscure. If people consistently mispronounce it, also too obscure.
4) Nothing with bad omens. Uhh, Ophelia? Desdemona? Delilah?
5) Girl names are cooler than guy names (for some reason, I find that coming up with girl names to be much easier than guy names that follow these rules)

My key example is Simon. I have a friend named Simon; only person I ever met with that name. I've met two people with that last name, but he's the only one I ever met with that first name. Simple, easy, no negatives except for the whole "Simon says" thing.

P.S. I have met a person with Aragorn as his middle name, that's fine. I think his sister was named Eowyn, first or middle, I can't remember.

[Vaynor]

Vaynor... name it my honor dammit! :smallsmile:


I told my wife that when we have kids I want to name our son Balor, (the celtic god of destruction)!! but for some reason she was against it...

Tell her that makes no sense, Balor is an awesome name. :smalltongue:

[GenLee]

I would avoid Aragorn myself, but it might be OK for you. No way on Drizzt.

I know a Peregrin, and I've been told of a girl named Honor (if any of you read David Weber, the poor thing has a lot to live up to!)

Use John Paul, and you might end up with something original, as everyone seems to be going for the "unusual" anymore. My boys are Will and Tom, and so far in school, they've only run into 3 other boys with those names.
Don't forget middle names and nicknames. Name him John, and call him Aragorn anyway. If he likes it, or it sticks, no one will know his real name. He may end up earning his own nickname, anyway.

[Kilbia]

Use John Paul, and you might end up with something original, as everyone seems to be going for the "unusual" anymore.

Quoted for the ever-friggin' truth.

And just so I can have contributed something of actual merit to the conversation: I also factor in the last name when figuring out what sort of name would work for a child. Some of you may have studied poetry in school, and know the idea of "feet" - how the strong and weak syllables flow together. I like the idea of a name that flows nicely from beginning to end. So for me there'd be not only the scream test, but the "introducing the newborn to strangers using his/her full name for maximum dramatic effect" test.

Not that this will EVER be relevant in my life! *continues to be grateful for her pharmaceutically-induced sterility*

[Ganjuu-kun]

Wow. I feel really bad for any children you might potentially have.... out of the 2, Aragorn is the lesser of 2 weeviles. But yeah, poor kid... I was looking through a baby names book once and i saw "Rhett". Who would name their kid that? Ironically enough, the next time i read a book Rhett was a sub-character.

[Tharj TreeSmiter]

Ok how about this name for a girl

Zoe which would be pronounced zo (rhyming with go) e (like wee or glee)

oh and yes I got it from the sci-fi show Eureke.

[The Prince of Cats]

Ah, Zoe... From the Greek word for life...

I have always been tempted to call my child Cassandra after the seer in Troy. After all, she is quite likely to inherit my talent for seeing thing coming a mile off and yet never getting anything done about it. (not magic, just apathy)

[Bears With Lasers]

I'll add this: never use a noun as a name. It will inevitably backfire.
If you name your daughter Faith, she'll grow up to be an atheist. If you name her Hope, she'll be an incurable depressive. Don't even THINK about naming her Chastity.

[Saeveo]

I told my wife that when we have kids I want to name our son Balor, (the celtic god of destruction)!! but for some reason she was against it...

The dude who, as a child, gained the ability to kill everybody he looked at? That Balor? :smallamused:

[Tharj TreeSmiter]

I'll add this: never use a noun as a name. It will inevitably backfire.
If you name your daughter Faith, she'll grow up to be an atheist. If you name her Hope, she'll be an incurable depressive. Don't even THINK about naming her Chastity.


Statistically your name seems to have no significant bearing on how you develop or what personality you have.

It's talked about in the book "Freakenomics"

[Midnight Son]

Statistically your name seems to have no significant bearing on how you develop or what personality you have.

It's talked about in the book "Freakenomics"I take it you'll be naming your daughter Candi, Muffy or Bambi then?

[Bears With Lasers]

Statistically your name seems to have no significant bearing on how you develop or what personality you have.

It's talked about in the book "Freakenomics"

Of course it doesn't; I don't see how anyone could believe it does (except, say, naming your child Scrotum McGonads might give him some issues).
I was being funny.

[Scorpina]

Statistically your name seems to have no significant bearing on how you develop or what personality you have.

It's talked about in the book "Freakenomics"

Not directly, but the teasing in school can have long-term psychological effects.

[Don Beegles]

Cyrano is a GOOD name!

You think so? Well, I'll definitely run it by the TMTM (Theoretical Missus), because the play is just that good, and it's not that out there. I mean, I have a nose of above average length, so it might even fit. Of course, that's about 10 years from now, so I'll think of something better.

[Teal Kuinshi]

I hate boring baby names. I mean, there are probably thousands of people with names like 'James' or 'Jessica'--where's the origniality? Giving a kid a normal name kind of makes them like everyone else. I say, pick a weird name. They'll probably hate you for the rest of their life and change their name as soon as legally possible, but at least then it's not your fault that they've got a boring name.

[Scorpina]

I should think finding a balance between 'boring' and 'just freaking weird' is the key.

[Wayril]

I agree with El Jaspero. (see first reply)

[Chamomile]

Have you ever seen the movie Rocky? (Any of them, there are I think 6 now)

It might be spelled differently though. Adrianne instead.

I believe she (the writers, I guess, actually) did spell it Adrian. Although I do know an Adrienne, which I like much better for a girl.

Every time we talk about it, my husband brings up "Octavian Augustus" as a name for our future theortical boy. At first I thought he was kidding, but he won't drop it. He's starting to worry me. :smallsmile:

[Lilivati]

There are a lot of "gender neutral" names floating out there these days, like Adrian, or Jordan, or Corey. (My best friend in grade school was named Corey. Back then they liked to seat us boy-girl-boy-girl, and she usually ended up in a boy spot because the teacher guessed wrong.)

Also, most of the name teasing I remember growing up was directed at last names, rather than first names, and those kids managed to grow into normal, healthy adults without deep psychological issues. And didn't change their family names upon turning 18. I think people worry too much about the teasing factor. :P

I think you definitely want a name that passes the laugh test, but there's nothing wrong or even worrisome about unusual names, and a good deal of benefit, such as being memorable.

[Pyre]

Hmm, yes. My last name was the target and not my first. But if my first was Drizzt I'd probably be a lot better fighter by now. There is that.

[0wca]

Naming your kid anything from a fantasy book or movie is basically naming them "Kick My Ass". Sorry, but you're both wrong in my book. Seriously, this is somebody's name. Take it seriously, this isn't a joke.

I have to agree. Though If I was naming my kid it would be semi-fantasy like Victor, or (if female) Victoria :smallbiggrin: ,because the name represents power.:smallwink:

But seriously, don't name your kid Gandalf or some other LOTR or D&D or fantasy name.That's just sick in my book.

[Fallon]

I like the name Lance for a boy. And NOT after the guy from Nsync or whatever. I've always liked the name. And I'll take any random suggestions 'cause me and my husband are planning on having kids soon ^_^ My husband would like a daughter with my name, but I'm not that fond of the idea... It'd get confusing and junk. And I really like the name Mina for a girl, or maybe Quincey for a boy (I like the book Dracula) I don't really care for my name that much (Kerri) but it sounds ok with my middle one (Lynn). There were too many different spellings of my name and too many in my classes, and Lynn is such a common middle name it doesn't seem that special to me. (My mom named me after places in Ireland)

[Lilivati]

Hmm, yes. My last name was the target and not my first. But if my first was Drizzt I'd probably be a lot better fighter by now. There is that.
Drizzt decidedly fails the laugh test, I think. :smallwink:

[ravenkith]

I would never burden my child with a name that is obviously from a fictional source.

This is something they'll have to go through their entire life with.

But then, there are people who name their children things like "Ivanna Dickens", etc...

[SadiraWhitethorne]

I cant say I would side with either of you...
When naming a child among the many things you need to consider is how his future peers will view his name....
When I named mine I considered his name along with any shortcuts people could make of it or good nicknames he may prefer over his name that would derive from his name. If you love your child and don't want him to hate you... go look up a real baby's naming site.

[Scorpina]

I would never burden my child with a name that is obviously from a fictional source.

For which, it occours to me, Aragorn is worse than Drizzt, since more people have heard of Aragorn...

[Ink]

Hmm, but Aragorn is at least easier to pronounce? With Drizzt you'd have to keep correcting people's pronunciation, and nobody would know how to spell it. Imagine trying to order pizza or get Starbucks with the name Drizzt.

[Sisqui]

If you want a name that sounds like a fantasy name but is still a real one actually in use, try Irish or Welsh names. They have the right sound and look to them. We named our son Rhys (which is the original version of that name.) Reese and Reece are the Anglicized modern versions most popular outside the UK

Also, if farkers haven't permanently busted the site, try
http://www.eamc.org/stork/frames.asp
Some truly...........[I]unique [I] names........

[Aeyamar]

1: Neither of you is right. Naming your kid after a fantasy character is almost guaranteeing that his first words will be "I hate school". If you are serious about naming your child after one though, go with a really obscure one that either sounds like it could be or is a real name (e.g. Jaya(girl), Luke(boy)).

2: Probably, but if the name fit the other criteria I mentioned above it wouldn't really matter.

3: I would probably give my kid a biblical name.

[Midnight Son]

I would never burden my child with a name that is obviously from a fictional source.

This is something they'll have to go through their entire life with.

But then, there are people who name their children things like "Ivanna Dickens", etc...Or Richard Butkus.

[DarkLightDragon]

Not directly, but the teasing in school can have long-term psychological effects. As a 15-year old who has been bullied since kindergarten (why do they call it that? sounds weird...) age and still gets bullied to this day, I can confirm that this is very, very true. And I have a perfectly normal, common name. I hate to imagine how much worse it would be for a kid with a name like Drizzt.

[Police_palace]

Drizzt is a way cooler name than aragorn.. but babies shouldn't get names until they become 10 years old.. a name is a sign of independance and stuff and most kids act exactly the same.. =)

[Sisqui]

Originally posted by Aeyamar: The problem with America is stupidity. I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?

Oh, Amen brother, AMEN!:smallbiggrin:

[SummerOtaku]

Hello. My name is Summer. Seriously so I feel I have a little something special to bring to the name trama party.

I think there is nothing wrong with naming a child something unique. In a way it has done me a major favor in job interveiws and all the other times that "standing out" really count. That is the point everyone else is trying to make...just in the other direction (getting picked on and such).

Kids will be made fun of no matter what.

I was made fun of because of my name. I was made fun of a lot worse for being overweight.

As kids become adults I have gotten tons more compliments on my name and conversation starters. I went from hating my name to loving my name.

Fat is still fat.

I would say if you are naming a child something special just make sure you child knows HOW COOL their name is so they are confident about it. In this way he will have a MUCH easier time.

Know you will have to have that moment when you introduce your child to it's namesake. (Oh the horror if they don't enjoy a good drow book!)

Drizzt is cooler than Aragorn. I like Jarlaxle and artemis better but say la vie.

Drizzt is a fine name, provided its for a boy. Provided you are supportive during the childhood. Rock on.

[SummerOtaku]

On a related note I am considering naming my kid (if a boy) Tasuki, Kyo, or kaneda. Hey I'm not japanese but a cool name is a cool name.

[Cocktail Umbrellas]

Please don't name your kid Drizzt. Do you really want to name a person after-
Man, I'm gonna stop before I start ^^;;

I agree with the scream test, and I *definitely* agree with the don't-talk-about-the-name-with-others-'til-the-kid's-born. As you can see it is already boding poorly ^^;; Grandma or someone else will have a problem with it. But if the kid's born, chances are politesse will keep anyone from saying anything.

Right now I'm having a heckuva time naming my puppy ^^ We just got her today and I couldn't help but look at this page 'cause I thought I might get some ideas. But she's suuuure not going to be named Drizzt or Aragorn (or Eowyn or Arwen for that matter).

[ravenkith]

Hey Summer, when people say:

"Oh, what a pretty name" what they actually mean is: "Jesus, poor girl, I have guilt about teasing kids like you, let me try to make you feel better,"

And it's "C'est La Vie" - it's french, and it translates roughly to "that is life". It's a fatalistic acceptance of the bull**** that life puts you through: it's distilled emo.

Oh, and for the love of pete, don't be an arse and name your kid something he'll hate you for later. If you aren't of a specific ethnicity, don't use names specific to that ethnicity's culture: it'll just result in cultural identity crises and probably, many beatings for your child from members of that ethnicity.

Sure, you think it's cool now, but so did the people who used to name their kids "Moonbeam".

Use some common frickin' sense people!

Your child's name is NOT a game or a toy.

Simply write these crazy thoughts down, and save them for later on in life.

That way, you can whip it out at a crucial moment, and say:

"Hey son, you shouldn't hate us so much. After all, we could have named you any of these,"

To which your son may well reply:
"Holy crap Dad! I still hate you!"
<runs out slamming door.>
<opens door>.
"But at least my name doesn't sound like a sneeze,"
<closes door>.

[EmeraldRose]

:smallconfused: This thread is still going?

*has to look waaaaaaaay back to see what the original point was*

Has the question been resolved yet? Is the OP going with Drixx't or Aragorn? Which of the two was proven right or wrong? Someone please tell me that both names have been thrown out of the running!


WILL WE EVER KNOW?!?!?!?!?


:smalleek:

[Rockphed]

Dun dun duuun.

[Scorpina]

I think we found at a few pages back, but damned if I can be bothered searching back for the answer now.

[zeratul]

so i was talking about baby names with my gf and she says that drizzt is inappropriate (a name i suggested) and aragorn (her pick) isn't. three questions.

1. who would you side with.
2. if you were naming your firstborn after a character from a book, would it need to be a human name?
3. what would you do in my position?

I would say unless you want to have your kid get the ever living crapp kicked out of them, neither name would be aproperiate

Use a real but cool name. Like Aiden

[Fallon]

Me and my husband are doing something kind of fun, we're having a kidling and just thinking about names, kind of serious, mostly fun, but we're trying to see if we can come up with different names of weapons and stuff that could pass as names ^_^ Like Lance, Dirk, that kind of thing, one that i think is kind of neat is a sneaky name for something, like "Jen" is a perfectly acceptable name, but that is how the chinese word for sword is pronounced (my husband lived in taiwan for a few years) so that is a regular acceptable name, but still has some fun meaning to it ^_^

[Setra]

I would say unless you want to have your kid get the ever living crapp kicked out of them, neither name would be aproperiate

Use a real but cool name. Like Aiden

I agree here, also, I like the name Aiden.

If I were to have a boy his name would be Leon, it's a cool name, not too fantasy, and the kid can brag to his friends he is named after 'Lion', while they are named after their grandparents or something.

[zeratul]

Me and my husband are doing something kind of fun, we're having a kidling and just thinking about names, kind of serious, mostly fun, but we're trying to see if we can come up with different names of weapons and stuff that could pass as names ^_^ Like Lance, Dirk, that kind of thing, one that i think is kind of neat is a sneaky name for something, like "Jen" is a perfectly acceptable name, but that is how the chinese word for sword is pronounced (my husband lived in taiwan for a few years) so that is a regular acceptable name, but still has some fun meaning to it ^_^

although it may sound fruity flamberge is a sword, and could work as a name. I wouldent use it though

[Flabbicus]

I would say unless you want to have your kid get the ever living crapp kicked out of them, neither name would be aproperiate

Use a real but cool name. Like Aiden

Come on, there are several names from novels that work quite well as real names. Just not elven ones.

Suggestions:

Tyrion
Eddard
Arya
Samwell
Meera
Aeron
Aemon
Oberyn
Theon
Victarion (my personal favorite)
Aero Hotah (Hotah is the last name but works equally well as a first)


All from A Song of Ice and Fire :smalltongue:

[averagejoe]

I went to college with a girl named Eowyn. I should have asked how that worked out for her. She seemed perfectly well adjusted, but, then again, she was talking to the likes of me, so...

[dani_carip]

Susan...from Discworld.
The name is common yet the reference obscure :)

[Scorpina]

...but, even in Soul Music, it's made clear that Susan is a terrible name...

[Setra]

...but, even in Soul Music, it's made clear that Susan is a terrible name...

My mother's name is Susan :smallfrown:

[Logic]

Use a real but cool name. Like Aiden
I have a minor pet-peeve with that statement.
If you choose to name your child "Iron Pot" it is as real a name as Paul.
One is just commonly recognized as a name in Western Culture, and the other is not (if at all.)

[Druid]

This (http://behindthename.com/) should give you all sorts of horrible names to ruin your child’s life with. Seriously though, don't name your kid something that will cause them endless stress. I have enough problems spelling my name Karl instead of Carl. My brother has never forgiven out parents for naming him Leif. I can't imagine how bad going through life with the name Drizz't or Aragorn would be.

[GuesssWho]

My name is Maeve. No one EVER says it right. (Mayv.)

[Syka]

Somehow I was blessed with the ability to pronounce "odd" names correctly. Can't do it with most other foreign words, but names I rock on. ;)

Anyway, naming your kid something from the Top 50 isn't necessarily bad. Take it from me. I've never yet had a class in which someone didn't share my name- male or female (I've shortened it to Sam). This semster ALONE I have at least one other Sam in three of four classes. The only one I don't know about is a huge lecture, and in my other lecture I just happened to talk to a Sam.

Buuut...I have the distinct advantage of being named after Samantha on Bewitched. Cool, eh? I love telling people that I'm named after a witch. And the guy I'm seeing was named after Eric Clapton. Perfectly normal names...but we got them in unique ways.

If I happen to have children I want to name my son Isaiah and...I'm not sure about the girl. I like Kaira (Ky-ra), Lita, and Vivian. I've never actually met a Vivian...And I kind of made the other two up. ^_^

Cheers,
Syka

[averagejoe]

See, but the misconception there is that there is anything cool or witch-like about Bewitched. :smalltongue:

Yeah, as a Joe I have the same thing happen to me. I rather like my name, though, it really doesn't need glitz or glamor.

Ironically enough, my parents were trying to name me something relatively uncommon. I guess it was at the time.

[Setra]

See, but the misconception there is that there is anything cool or witch-like about Bewitched. :smalltongue:

Yeah, as a Joe I have the same thing happen to me. I rather like my name, though, it really doesn't need glitz or glamor.

Ironically enough, my parents were trying to name me something relatively uncommon. I guess it was at the time.

Actually if you think about it, how often to you meet people named Joe? I haven't met any.

Though I know several peopled named John.

[DarkLightDragon]

Somehow I was blessed with the ability to pronounce "odd" names correctly. Can't do it with most other foreign words, but names I rock on. ;)

-snip-

If I happen to have children I want to name my son Isaiah and...I'm not sure about the girl. I like Kaira (Ky-ra), Lita, and Vivian. I've never actually met a Vivian...And I kind of made the other two up. ^_^

Cheers,
Syka I have a little cousin named Vivian. I think the spelling for her name might be slightly different, though, but I'm not sure. I have a few other relatives with not-so-common names as well. There's a Xavier (gotta check spelling on that as well) and an Eamon. I'm sort of wishing I had an unusual name like they do. Quite a few common names make me really angry when I see or hear them. Fortunately, mine isn't one of them.

EDIT: I also seem to have the gift of pronouncing odd names. But I can also do it with other words that are not names.

[averagejoe]

Actually if you think about it, how often to you meet people named Joe? I haven't met any.

Though I know several peopled named John.

A lot, and that's just not counting the Josephines and Joses. I don't always meet them, but I know of them, if they're in my classes or whatever.

[Archaicwonder]

My first choice for my sons name when we found out we were pregnant was Elimelek, hebrew for My God is King. Awesome sounding name.

Shot down by every single person we came into contact with.

So his name is instead Nathaniel Joseph, the middle name being the middle name of the last 4 male first borns in my family.

IF we were to have another I am insisting that a boy's middle name be Elimelek.

if we were to recieve a girl, I am hoping to name her Sephrenia from a book I adore, or Seraphina for it's similarity to Sephrenia...however I doubt it happens.

Good luck and remember, a kid is going to get beat up or made fun of at least once in his or her life, and hopefully they will grow from the exchange and move on. Our name, nor anything else about us, does not dictate our life.

[GuesssWho]

Says you.

But it can still be aggravating!

[Syka]

Elimekel can be shortened to Eli. Just contact the teachers before school start and tell them to call him Eli instead. :) And Eli is a nice name.

[Om]

I went to college with a girl named Eowyn. I should have asked how that worked out for her. She seemed perfectly well adjusted, but, then again, she was talking to the likes of me, so...It took me a moment to place that. I thought it sounded Welsh.

[agentx42]

Salem is a good name, regardless of all the 'witchie-poo' jokes the kid will inevitably hear.

[Jennis]

I like the name Cloud or Cloyd and Vincent too...I'm facinated also to the name Haji in the anime movie Blood Plus The Last Vampire...I like that name...Awesome...

[WalkingTarget]

It took me a moment to place that. I thought it sounded Welsh.

Well, it comes from Old English at any rate ("horse friend" or similar).

[Dallas-Dakota]

Well, Tolkien vaguely based his Rohirric upon Welsh, so it might be very well that it sounded vaguely like Welsh. Also...

I smell...An old dark and damp and dead thread.....Being revived by dark magics of thread necromancy.

[WalkingTarget]

Well, Tolkien vaguely based his Rohirric upon Welsh, so it might be very well that it sounded vaguely like Welsh. Also...

I smell...An old dark and damp and dead thread.....Being revived by dark magics of thread necromancy.

The problem with that is that he didn't. Very little Rohirric was ever described. All of the language stuff involving the Common Speech (Westron) and Rohirric was "translated" into Modern and Old English. Theoden, Eomer, Eowyn, Meduseld, and everything else is Old English (Theoden's "real" name was Tûrac).

Now Sindarin, that's inspired by Welsh.

Dang, I didn't see that this was a case of Necromancy...

[Sir_Norbert]

I have to say, it's rather apt that this thread should be necromantised, in view of the fuss there's been in the papers these last few days about Sarah Palin and her daughter Bristol.....

Drizz't would have been so much kinder.

[celestialkin]

so i was talking about baby names with my gf and she says that drizzt is inappropriate (a name i suggested) and aragorn (her pick) isn't. three questions.

1. who would you side with.

Answer:
Her. She is baking then pushing the thing out, so she decides.

Plus I feel Drizzt is overrated and overdone.

2. if you were naming your firstborn after a character from a book, would it need to be a human name?

Answer:
Considering that I named myself after a mouse from a novel + the 3.0/3.5 PHB + my lifelong passion for dragons, I'd say no.

3. what would you do in my position?

Answer:
If she is knocked up, and she is the one going through the process of carrying, nurturing, and then birthing said child I'd try to beg and negotiate. I feel that the choice is her's without question. We can only ask to choose the child's name.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

My names of choice would be Vivian or Naomi for a girl, or Damien for a boy, though if I had to name after a character, Leto from Dune would take the cake.

[Agamid]

so i was talking about baby names with my gf and she says that drizzt is inappropriate (a name i suggested) and aragorn (her pick) isn't. three questions.

1. who would you side with.
2. if you were naming your firstborn after a character from a book, would it need to be a human name?
3. what would you do in my position?

1. the problem i have with your name choice is that it's hard to pronounce, especially when you're just seeing it writing and, being someone with a hard to pronounce name i can say that having everyone from friends and family to teachers and doctors continually call me things like "Nikola", "Nikita" and "Nikhalia" really gets me down after a while. Of course, having said that, i love unusual names and my name, i just hate people who don't take the time to read it and think about it before saying it.
The problem i have with her choice is that the LOTR movies ruined all mainstream LOTR names because as soon as you say Aragorn everyone instantly thinks of Viggo and i'm sorry, but i'm foreseeing many occasions in your child's future where you or them will hear the comment "But he/you doesn't/don't even look like Aragorn."

2. Most certainly not. one of my good friends was named after a kind of potato and she has a beautiful name. And a particular child celebrity we should all know was named after a dog and a crocodile.
I also used to know an Aslan.

3. Try and find a compromise. My best friend's dad wanted to call her Lolla and her mum wanted to keep her birthname (she was adopted) which was Rainbow. They scrapped both names in the end and settled on a completely different name. (then gave her about 5 middle names :smalltongue: )


Personally, i keep i word document on my computer with all the cool names that i hear in it and put into male, female and unisex columns. when i eventually get around to having kids i should have collected a few and, if i have a partner, we'll hopefully be able to agree on one of them.

[Collin152]

It's a good thing I don't get to have children.
I love these insane names.
I'd totaly name a kid Rashiel.
Or even Lucifer. It's a perfectly good name!


I once met a kid named Jasque. I love that name, and the guy wasn't half bad either.

[celestialkin]

Or even Lucifer. It's a perfectly good name!


I believe that is actually illegal in the US.

On a related note: I believe it's illegal to call a child after the 13th/bad apostle in Germany.


Also, if you're saying you can not have children because of a sexual orientation, there are alternatives available to you. If you want them, that is.

[Agamid]

I believe that is actually illegal in the US.

it's also illegal in the US to name your child a number. the very fact that they had to introduce a law against it worries me.

[celestialkin]

it's also illegal in the US to name your child a number. the very fact that they had to introduce a law against it worries me.

I personally see it as taking away our freedom.

However, I always wondered if a Star Trek geek somewhere has named their daughter 7 of 9...


However, how did that singer "Formerly known as Prince" do it?

[Agamid]

However, I always wondered if a Star Trek geek somewhere has named their daughter 7 of 9... [/QOUTE]
i'm sure there's one somewhere, i mean a friend of mine once had a client called (and i kid you not, this was his actual birth name) Fluffy Love Bunny.

[QUOTE]However, how did that singer "Formerly known as Prince" do it?
I'm sure that if you can pay lawyers as well as I'm sure Prince can they'll be able to find you a loophole.
Either that or he did it outside of america, or before certain laws about names were brought in.

[Nychta]

@ the OP:
Your child may not appreciate being named after a fantasy character.

[Castaras]

If I ever have kids (very unlikely. Got lots of stuff about myself I really don't want to pass on), I'm gonna give them a normal name. It's helped me a lot through life, as the teasing's been much less for me than it could have been if I had a weird name, like some of my friends. And even the bullying I've had has been crap enough to affect my confidence, and self-esteem, and such.

[Tirian]

I have to say, it's rather apt that this thread should be necromantised, in view of the fuss there's been in the papers these last few days about Sarah Palin and her daughter Bristol.....

I think that Bristol is a pretty name. Kind of nature-y without being overused like "Sierra". I definitely prefer it over Track, Willow, Piper, and Trig.

I disagree with an earlier poster that it's illegal to name a child Lucifer in the United States. As opposed to nations like Germany, France, and New Zealand, there is virtually no hard rules. You can't refuse to name your child (the UN has declared that a name is a fundamental human right), and that name has to be alphabetic (so you can't name your child 5 Smith, but Five Smith is okay), and I believe that's it for concrete regulation. The trick is that your county registrar or whoever might refuse to process your child's birth certificate if she doesn't like the name you have chosen, at which point you would need to get a judge to intervene on your behalf, and finding a pro-Lucifer judge might be tricky.

I'm also not a big fan of names that come to us from fiction, especially when it was from a popular television show or movie in the year the child was born. I'm looking at you here, Willow, Piper, and Trinity! If it's a relatively common name that just got a boost from a movie (like Rose when Titanic came out), then that's more or less okay. Drizzt is ... no.

And, for the record, if I were forced to choose a unique fictional name for my child, I'd go with Deckard.

[celestialkin]

[QUOTE]However, I always wondered if a Star Trek geek somewhere has named their daughter 7 of 9... [/QOUTE]
i'm sure there's one somewhere, i mean a friend of mine once had a client called (and i kid you not, this was his actual birth name) Fluffy Love Bunny.


LoL. Oh dear Sardior.

Now I want to know why he (or was it a she?) has not had a name change.

I can just imagine the playground beatings...



[QUOTE]I'm sure that if you can pay lawyers as well as I'm sure Prince can they'll be able to find you a loophole.
Either that or he did it outside of america, or before certain laws about names were brought in.

Very true. Sadly money talks.



@ the OP:
Your child may not appreciate being named after a fantasy character.

Maybe, or maybe he would. Is it any different than the score of children named after a singer or actor who was popular at the time of their birth?

I like it.

[celestialkin]

I think that Bristol is a pretty name. Kind of nature-y without being overused like "Sierra". I definitely prefer it over Track, Willow, Piper, and Trig.

I disagree with an earlier poster that it's illegal to name a child Lucifer in the United States. As opposed to nations like Germany, France, and New Zealand, there is virtually no hard rules. You can't refuse to name your child (the UN has declared that a name is a fundamental human right), and that name has to be alphabetic (so you can't name your child 5 Smith, but Five Smith is okay), and I believe that's it for concrete regulation. The trick is that your county registrar or whoever might refuse to process your child's birth certificate if she doesn't like the name you have chosen, at which point you would need to get a judge to intervene on your behalf, and finding a pro-Lucifer judge might be tricky.

I'm also not a big fan of names that come to us from fiction, especially when it was from a popular television show or movie in the year the child was born. I'm looking at you here, Willow, Piper, and Trinity! If it's a relatively common name that just got a boost from a movie (like Rose when Titanic came out), then that's more or less okay. Drizzt is ... no.

And, for the record, if I were forced to choose a unique fictional name for my child, I'd go with Deckard.

Why are so many people against names because they originate fro m fictional sources? Sure Drizzt is insanely difficult to spell and pronounce, but why hate a name just because it originated from a fictional source?

You do know that all names once started this way? All names, in every language, were once made up by individuals. If they weren't, we'd all just him pointing at each other and referring to everyone as "her" and "him".

[Player_Zero]

I like the name Cloud or Cloyd and Vincent too...I'm facinated also to the name Haji in the anime movie Blood Plus The Last Vampire...I like that name...Awesome...

Here is the offending necromancer.


Thread Necromancy
Bringing a thread back from “the dead.” If a thread has fallen to page three and hasn’t been posted in for a month and a half, don’t post to it. Start a new topic if you want to discuss the subject.

Just FYI.

This thread was dead for over a year.

[Castaras]

I think that Bristol is a pretty name. Kind of nature-y without being overused like "Sierra". I definitely prefer it over Track, Willow, Piper, and Trig.

The problem with Bristol...is that it's a town/city in Britain.

Poor guy who's called Bristol...

[celestialkin]

The problem with Bristol...is that it's a town/city in Britain.

Poor guy who's called Bristol...

Eh. There are people named Virginia here in the US, and they are named after a whole state.

However, is there something specifically wrong with the town/city Bristol?

[EllysW]

The problem with Bristol...is that it's a town/city in Britain.

Um, is that bad? Because I have a daughter named after a county in Britain, too. Sadly I read on Wikipedia that it was negatively affected by the U.K.'s foot-and-mouth crisis of 2001. Then again, my daughter is frequently negatively affected by the foot-in-mouth crisis of 2008, so I guess they have something in common after all.

[/stream-of-consciousness]

[Castaras]

I dunno. It's just...surely there's gonna be loads of teasing for them? :smallconfused: Maybe I'm just too paranoid about names and bullying... But I kinda feel sorry for those who have weird names/names that are of places/weird names...

[celestialkin]

I dunno. It's just...surely there's gonna be loads of teasing for them? :smallconfused: Maybe I'm just too paranoid about names and bullying... But I kinda feel sorry for those who have weird names/names that are of places/weird names...

There will always be teasing. If it's not your name they use against you, it will be something else.

And any name can be twisted to tease someone. Don't you remember?

I remember that in elementary there was this girl called Rita in my class. Poor girl. The original four/five season original series of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was airing during those years. Great memories for most of us, but not for her I believe.

[WalkingTarget]

Why are so many people against names because they originate fro m fictional sources? Sure Drizzt is insanely difficult to spell and pronounce, but why hate a name just because it originated from a fictional source?

You do know that all names once started this way? All names, in every language, were once made up by individuals. If they weren't, we'd all just him pointing at each other and referring to everyone as "her" and "him".

The thing is, "traditional" names in a lot (if not most) cultures actually mean something, or at least meant something in their culture of origin before being exported to other places and adjusted to fit the language conventions. For example, my name is the Anglicised version of the Hebrew name יִשַׁי which simply means "God's gift", likewise the name "David" comes from Hebrew דָּוִד which is "beloved". Even somewhat strange names for people that come from real-world sources still have meaning ("Dakota" is a name I don't particularly care for, but before it was a name for a few states it was a word for "friend"). Names in English-speaking countries don't have a lot of that anymore, but it still comes across (mostly with female names in my experience: Crystal, Ruby, Rose, Daisy, Pearl, Amber, etc). Sure, somebody had to be first to use a word as a name for a person, but it's not like traditional names were just random syllables.

Names like "Drizzt" and "Aragorn" don't have that benefit. They might mean something in whatever fictional language the author invented to go with them, but it's still fictional in that regard. I don't necessarily have a problem with using a name of a fictional character, but I do kind of dislike using names that are well-known in the general populace to have come from a fictional source. Everybody knows that Aragorn was that character from LotR. Many fewer people would be able to place the name Aliera (which I like). Drizzt is just hard to spell/say and I think would get the child picked on.

[celestialkin]

The thing is, "traditional" names in a lot (if not most) cultures actually mean something, or at least meant something in their culture of origin before being exported to other places and adjusted to fit the language conventions. For example, my name is the Anglicised version of the Hebrew name יִשַׁי which simply means "God's gift", likewise the name "David" comes from Hebrew דָּוִד which is "beloved". Even somewhat strange names for people that come from real-world sources still have meaning ("Dakota" is a name I don't particularly care for, but before it was a name for a few states it was a word for "friend"). Names in English-speaking countries don't have a lot of that anymore, but it still comes across (mostly with female names in my experience: Crystal, Ruby, Rose, Daisy, Pearl, Amber, etc). Sure, somebody had to be first to use a word as a name for a person, but it's not like traditional names were just random syllables.

Names like "Drizzt" and "Aragorn" don't have that benefit. They might mean something in whatever fictional language the author invented to go with them, but it's still fictional in that regard. I don't necessarily have a problem with using a name of a fictional character, but I do kind of dislike using names that are well-known in the general populace to have come from a fictional source. Everybody knows that Aragorn was that character from LotR. Many fewer people would be able to place the name Aliera (which I like). Drizzt is just hard to spell/say and I think would get the child picked on.

I guess that it all depends on one's views. As someone who dislikes the very idea of "tradition" and "traditional" I do not truly understand the importance you described. But I understand and respect that many others do.

I disagree that a name should "mean something", though. That can be much worse than being named something like Drizzt. Before I had my official name-change done over two years ago I spent twenty years of my life called Jesus. I was born in the US and have lived here all my life, so I never liked the Spanish pronunciation of it. At least once a week on average I would get someone (an over religious Christian, an over meddling Atheist, someone who hates Christianity, a teacher who felt he needed to protect the class, etc) who refused to call me "Jesus" (pronouncing it in the traditional English method) and insisted on calling me "Jesus" (pronouncing it in the traditional Spanish method). Even worse there were MANY, FREAKING TONS, of people who DEMANDED that I refer TO MYSELF and that EVERYONE ELSE refer to ME as "Jesus" instead of "Jesus".

Nearing the end of all that I was barely able to keep myself from jumping on people like a mad (and properly PO'd) animal when I would have the same freaking dialog:

Me: "Hello, my name is Jesus."

Other person: "No! YOU'RE name (as in you, not mine, yet I am still dictating what YOU should call YOURSELF) is "Jesus", not "Jesus"!"

You folks who are not bilingual need to understand. It is like arguing Tomato(tuh-mey-toh) vs. Tomato(tuh-mah-toh) constantly for you're entire life. After two years of no longer needing to deal with it I am still buggingout talking about it...

So yeah, I will not be naming my kids after a "traditional" name of any kind.


p.s. Since I was around 12/13 I have dreamed of naming my one-day daughter Serenity. Is this really that odd for a guy?

[dish]

The problem with Bristol...is that it's a town/city in Britain.

Poor guy girl who's called Bristol...

Fixed for you.

Now, lots of people are named after towns / places. (Chelsea Clinton, anyone?)

The main issue I have with using Bristol as a name for a girl is...the word has an alternate slang meaning. To illustrate: pretty girl walks down the street, guy passing by says, "Phwa, look at the pair of bristols on that one." (Just to be anvilicious, it means "breasts / tits / knockers" - probably closer to the second two than the first.) The name is not going to catch on in the UK.


...The thing is, "traditional" names in a lot (if not most) cultures actually mean something, or at least meant something in their culture of origin before being exported to other places and adjusted to fit the language conventions. ... Names in English-speaking countries don't have a lot of that anymore, but it still comes across (mostly with female names in my experience: Crystal, Ruby, Rose, Daisy, Pearl, Amber, etc). Sure, somebody had to be first to use a word as a name for a person, but it's not like traditional names were just random syllables...

My real name was invented by an author in the nineteenth century. He did use a word-root from a living language to base the name on, but broke all the rules of that language while doing so...
The name has proved ridiculously popular ever since (especially around the time I was born.:smallannoyed:)

[WalkingTarget]

I guess that it all depends on one's views. As someone who dislikes the very idea of "tradition" and "traditional" I do not truly understand the importance you described. But I understand and respect that many others do.

I wasn't suggesting necessarily that "traditional" names were better, just that names that have been names for a long time weren't just made up from whole cloth like fictional ones often are. You had implied that real names and fictional names were equivalent because somebody had to be the first to use a word as a name for a person. That was the point I was addressing.

I have issues with specific fictional names on an individual basis, but that's an unrelated topic (the last half of my second paragraph actually, I probably should have separated those thoughts better). As I said, I like the name "Aliera" even though, to my knowledge, it's not tied to any real-world language.


My real name was invented by an author in the nineteenth century. He did use a word-root from a living language to base the name on, but broke all the rules of that language while doing so...
The name has proved ridiculously popular ever since (especially around the time I was born.:smallannoyed:)

Wendy?

[dish]

Wendy?

Nope, try again! :smallwink:

Also, for your information 'Wendy' was not invented (http://www.wendy.com/wendyweb/history.html) by J.M. Barrie (and Peter Pan was published in the twentieth century).
[/pedant]

[Tirian]

Now, lots of people are named after towns / places. (Chelsea Clinton, anyone?)

Just to pull one random year out of the US government stats, the top 500 names for girls granted in 1982 included Chelsea, Victoria, Jordan, Madison, Sydney, Sierra, Savannah, Cheyenne, Asia, Virginia, Charlotte, Guadalupe, Carolina, Dakota, India, and Paris, plus numerous alternate spellings of several of those, so we don't mind dipping into the atlas so much over here. To me, the most memorable line to come out of The Dukes of Hazzard was "Never trust a woman named after a state."

I don't know anything about the reputation of Bristol UK but I'm quite certain that Bristol Palin would make Alaskans think of Bristol Bay, the stretch of the Bering Sea that separates the Aleutian Islands from the mainland.


The main issue I have with using Bristol as a name for a girl is...the word has an alternate slang meaning. To illustrate: pretty girl walks down the street, guy passing by says, "Phwa, look at the pair of bristols on that one." (Just to be anvilicious, it means "breasts / tits / knockers" - probably closer to the second two than the first.) The name is not going to catch on in the UK.

Sheesh. I have long held the belief that any two or three syllable word can be a euphemism for breasts (ex: "Whoa, get a load of the fajitas on HER!"), and it disappoints me to see how much that works out in practice.


My real name was invented by an author in the nineteenth century. He did use a word-root from a living language to base the name on, but broke all the rules of that language while doing so...
The name has proved ridiculously popular ever since (especially around the time I was born.:smallannoyed:)

I still maintain that "My parents liked Peter Pan" is not a message to expect your child to carry around for life. (ETA: Okay, if your name isn't Wendy, then I'm curious as to what it is because I've never heard of a similar data point.) While certainly not true now, it was in the beginning, and it would be true for anyone in this age who decides to be among the first to name their child Neo or Legolas.

[WalkingTarget]

Nope, try again! :smallwink:

Also, for your information 'Wendy' was not invented (http://www.wendy.com/wendyweb/history.html) by J.M. Barrie (and Peter Pan was published in the twentieth century).
[/pedant]

I was aware of that, but enough other people aren't (including actual Wendys that I've known) that I took a shot. I salute you for knowing.

(well, I got the publication date wrong in any event, dang)

[dish]

Sheesh. I have long held the belief that any two or three syllable word can be a euphemism for breasts (ex: "Whoa, get a load of the fajitas on HER!"), and it disappoints me to see how much that works out in practice.

That's the human race for you (or at least the English-speaking portion of it)...continuing to disappoint.


Okay, if your name isn't Wendy, then I'm curious as to what it is because I've never heard of a similar data point.

I wasn't going to say, but I am weak. Weak, I tell you!

Ok, obvious hints: Scottish nineteenth century author. Scots Gaelic word-root. (Edit: oops, screwed up on my own name. It was invented by an eighteenth century Scottish writer. The nineteenth century one may have copied it, or may have devised it on his own.)

[WalkingTarget]

Ok, obvious hints: Scottish nineteenth century author. Scots Gaelic word-root. (Edit: oops, screwed up on my own name. It was invented by an eighteenth century Scottish writer. The nineteenth century one may have copied it, or may have devised it on his own.)

Fiona? That one came from James Macpherson (and then William Sharp, apparently).

[Sir_Norbert]

Just to pull one random year out of the US government stats, the top 500 names for girls granted in 1982 included Chelsea, Victoria, Jordan, Madison, Sydney, Sierra, Savannah, Cheyenne, Asia, Virginia, Charlotte, Guadalupe, Carolina, Dakota, India, and Paris, plus numerous alternate spellings of several of those, so we don't mind dipping into the atlas so much over here. To me, the most memorable line to come out of The Dukes of Hazzard was "Never trust a woman named after a state."
At least half a dozen of those were personal names before they were placenames, but the rest... well, collectively they make me weep for the future of humanity. According to behindthename.com Madison is even in the top five. That's just... appalling beyond belief. When there are so many beautiful names to choose from, why parents insist on saddling their children with a name that sounds like it belongs to a plain middle-aged receptionist with no life, no ambitions and no dreams is something I will never understand.

[Dr. Bath]

Sheesh. I have long held the belief that any two or three syllable word can be a euphemism for breasts (ex: "Whoa, get a load of the fajitas on HER!"), and it disappoints me to see how much that works out in practice.

It's Cockney rhyming slang by the way. titties -> 'Bristol cities' -> 'Bristols'

Oho! Those funny old Londoners with their virtually incomprihensible slang!

It doesn't have to make sense.

[Tirian]

At least half a dozen of those were personal names before they were placenames, but the rest... well, collectively they make me weep for the future of humanity.

Agreed on the first part. I should not have claimed that Americans take their inspiration from the atlas, so much as saying that we do not veto a name just because your daughter's name might become her home someday. I'm certain that the same is true in England to a certain extent whether they would accept "Bristol" or not.

But I actually don't find any of those names particularly objectionable. In fact, I had occasion a few weeks ago to have my groceries rung up by a young woman named Asia, and over the course of the transaction I switched from thinking it was an odd name to thinking that it was a pretty one. It's not a name that I'd choose for my child though; I appreciate that it is gracious to give our children names that will be unique throughout their school careers, but these days it is just as easy to do that with Susan or Karen as it is to come up with a new way to misspell Mackensie.

[Collin152]

I believe that is actually illegal in the US.

Religious intolerance! I daresay!


Also, if you're saying you can not have children because of a sexual orientation, there are alternatives available to you. If you want them, that is.

Psh, like I'm gunna raise a child alone.

Nah, I just wouldn't make a good parent. I have issues.
But who knows? maybe they'd resolve.

[Vaynor]

I guess that it all depends on one's views. As someone who dislikes the very idea of "tradition" and "traditional" I do not truly understand the importance you described. But I understand and respect that many others do.

I disagree that a name should "mean something", though. That can be much worse than being named something like Drizzt. Before I had my official name-change done over two years ago I spent twenty years of my life called Jesus. I was born in the US and have lived here all my life, so I never liked the Spanish pronunciation of it. At least once a week on average I would get someone (an over religious Christian, an over meddling Atheist, someone who hates Christianity, a teacher who felt he needed to protect the class, etc) who refused to call me "Jesus" (pronouncing it in the traditional English method) and insisted on calling me "Jesus" (pronouncing it in the traditional Spanish method). Even worse there were MANY, FREAKING TONS, of people who DEMANDED that I refer TO MYSELF and that EVERYONE ELSE refer to ME as "Jesus" instead of "Jesus".

Nearing the end of all that I was barely able to keep myself from jumping on people like a mad (and properly PO'd) animal when I would have the same freaking dialog:

Me: "Hello, my name is Jesus."

Other person: "No! YOU'RE name (as in you, not mine, yet I am still dictating what YOU should call YOURSELF) is "Jesus", not "Jesus"!"

You folks who are not bilingual need to understand. It is like arguing Tomato(tuh-mey-toh) vs. Tomato(tuh-mah-toh) constantly for you're entire life. After two years of no longer needing to deal with it I am still buggingout talking about it...

So yeah, I will not be naming my kids after a "traditional" name of any kind.


p.s. Since I was around 12/13 I have dreamed of naming my one-day daughter Serenity. Is this really that odd for a guy?

Problem with the fantasy names thing is that most fantasy names sound cool when in context, like Zargor Destroyer of Worlds! (not saying this sounds cool, just to make a point) It becomes pointedly less cool when it's Zargor! Accountant!

[skywalker]

Naming your child Aragorn: Cool. Aragorn was a hero from a classic literary work.

Naming your child Drizzt? Not so much. Not only is Drizzt incredibly hard to spell and pronounce, most self-respecting nerds are not going to respect the name, and explaining it will be like "Well, there was this series of novels... No, they weren't really good, but my nerd parents liked them..."

I love the name Wendy. I've always been a huge Peter Pan fan but I think it's just how pretty the name is. I also like Gwendolen(or Gwendolyn). I guess I'm just all about Welsh.

My friend wanted to name his (as yet unborn) son Dreadrick(or some otherwise spelled variant of this name). His nickname, of course, was going to be "Dread." He was going to combine this with two middle names starting with O(one of which was Orion) and a last name starting with "M." This would form the initials "DOOM." I told him his baby-making privileges were revoked. He was going to name it "Agonie" if it was a girl, but then he found a cat to name that :smalleek:

I think Orion is a cool name, tho.

[Gitman00]

I actually knew a couple who named their kid Durin. I think it worked. Not as odd as Drizzt or as obvious as Aragorn, and you have to know your Tolkien fairly well to pick up the reference (as in, actually read the books, not just saw the Peter Jackson movies).

[celestialkin]

You can't refuse to name your child (the UN has declared that a name is a fundamental human right),

Wait, what about cultures who feel children should choose their own names upon reaching a certain age? That seems culturally unfair/bias.



and that name has to be alphabetic (so you can't name your child 5 Smith, but Five Smith is okay)

I do not even understand this one.



The trick is that your county registrar or whoever might refuse to process your child's birth certificate if she doesn't like the name you have chosen, at which point you would need to get a judge to intervene on your behalf, and finding a pro-Lucifer judge might be tricky.

Wait, WTF? They are allowed to do that?

So for example: If the registrar or whoever happens to be an uptight Christian, and a Muslim family wanted to name a child Mohamed, they are allowed to simply say no to the parents because they feel like it?

You say it like this happens regularly.

[Occasional Sage]

Some horrid examples (http://www.review-news.com/main.asp?SectionID=60&SubSectionID=126&ArticleID=3946&TM=64774.64) of baby names, noting which were challenged by their local governments. There are, sadly, more.

Beyond names like 4real, there was a kid in China whose parents want to name (her? him?) with an IM chat symbol.

[Collin152]

So what, I could get away with naming a kid Lucifer if I wasn't in a predominantly Christian country?

[celestialkin]

Some horrid examples (http://www.review-news.com/main.asp?SectionID=60&SubSectionID=126&ArticleID=3946&TM=64774.64) of baby names, noting which were challenged by their local governments. There are, sadly, more.

Beyond names like 4real, there was a kid in China whose parents want to name (her? him?) with an IM chat symbol.

This makes me wonder, could you name a girl Princess?

[Collin152]

This makes me wonder, could you name a girl Princess?

Which makes me wonder, could you name a boy Princess?

[skywalker]

Some horrid examples (http://www.review-news.com/main.asp?SectionID=60&SubSectionID=126&ArticleID=3946&TM=64774.64) of baby names, noting which were challenged by their local governments. There are, sadly, more.

Beyond names like 4real, there was a kid in China whose parents want to name (her? him?) with an IM chat symbol.

Actually, if you're talking about the "@" symbol, it's pronounced "aita" in China, which translates as "love him." Several boys have the @ symbol in their name there.

Actually Collin, it doesn't happen often. My "uncle from another grandmother"(semi-godfather?) likes to tell stories of his med-school colleagues who, during OB/GYN residency, convinced uneducated new mothers(who were under the effects of epidurals and other birth drugs) that words like "Penus" and "Vigina" were legitimate names. These names weren't discovered until later.

Altho, no offense, your willingness to name a child Lucifer in our culture indicates(as you have previously said) that you probably shouldn't have a kid right now.

[Collin152]

Altho, no offense, your willingness to name a child Lucifer in our culture indicates(as you have previously said) that you probably shouldn't have a kid right now.

Having a child right now presnets bigger issues.
And they could totally go by Lu. I wouldn't mind.
Or Lucie, if it's a girl.

[celestialkin]

Which makes me wonder, could you name a boy Princess?

LoL.

You grow on people Collin. And by this I mean I wanted to beat you with something very hard over the head when I first started encountering you on these forums, but now I think you're pretty cool. Kinda like kobolds I guess.

[Collin152]

LoL.

You grow on people Collin. And by this I mean I wanted to beat you with something very hard over the head when I first started encountering you on these forums, but now I think you're pretty cool. Kinda like kobolds I guess.

Sigged.
And I often give that impression at first.

[Tirian]

Wait, what about cultures who feel children should choose their own names upon reaching a certain age? That seems culturally unfair/bias.

I suspect that the UN is looking for a model like Pikabo Street, who was born Baby Girl Street until she was old enough (i.e. 3) to choose her own name. The ability to choose your own name at a certain age does not mean that you do not deserve some traceable identity before that time.


Wait, WTF? They are allowed to do that?

So for example: If the registrar or whoever happens to be an uptight Christian, and a Muslim family wanted to name a child Mohamed, they are allowed to simply say no to the parents because they feel like it?

You say it like this happens regularly.

I don't know that anyone keeps track of the refusal rate. It undoubtedly has happened; for instance, Frank Zappa was kept from naming his oldest son Dweezil at birth but had to wait until his son was old enough (i.e. 5) to petition a judge for a name change. In a broader sense, I have lived quite a while and have never known or known of anyone whose name was a swear word, Lucifer, Damian, Judas, or Adolf. Could be uncharacteristic common sense from the masses, but I suspect that there actually are people who are exercising a modest baseline of acceptability from time to time. In your example of someone refusing to name a newborn Mohamed, they would be instantly spanked by a judge because Muslim names are indisputably within a citizen's First Amendment rights.

[Occasional Sage]

Actually, if you're talking about the "@" symbol, it's pronounced "aita" in China, which translates as "love him." Several boys have the @ symbol in their name there.


That's the one I was thinking of, yes. Thanks!

[celestialkin]

Sigged.
And I often give that impression at first.

LoL.

I'm honored. :smallbiggrin:

[Collin152]

...
Lucifer
... uncharacteristic common sense from the masses, ...
are indisputably within a citizen's First Amendment rights.

The name means "Light Bringer".
That certain Religions have decided to taint the name is neither here nor there if I don't practice that religoin, am I not right?

[Tirian]

The name means "Light Bringer".
That certain Religions have decided to taint the name is neither here nor there if I don't practice that religoin, am I not right?

Sure is. Have fun storming the castle!

[WalkingTarget]

The name means "Light Bringer".
That certain Religions have decided to taint the name is neither here nor there if I don't practice that religoin, am I not right?

Hmm, just go for "Phosphorus". It means the same thing but doesn't have the religious overtones. :smalltongue:

[Mando Knight]

That certain Religions have decided to taint the name

It's more of adapting semantics, really... since Satan, according to some interpretations of Isaiah (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucifer), is the angel of the "Morning Star," or the "Light-Bringer," fallen from the grace of God. Thus, as is often in literature, scholars gave him the name of his job as his personal name (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MeaningfulName)... regardless of whether they believed it still fitted him or not.

He's not the only one (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucifer) called Lucifer in Christian history, though...

Unfortunately, the inclusion of the name as the translation of "Morning Star" in the 1611 KJV is probably why it's more popular as a demonic name in English...

...but that's all edging too close to topics we don't discuss here. It's still a nice name, just don't expect the kid to be accepted by those who've grown up knowing only one use of the word...

[Collin152]

...but that's all edging too close to topics we don't discuss here. It's still a nice name, just don't expect the kid to be accepted by those who've grown up knowing only one use of the word...

With any luck, he'd have bigger social issues than his name to deal with. Being my kid and all.

[Unique]

so i was talking about baby names with my gf and she says that drizzt is inappropriate (a name i suggested) and aragorn (her pick) isn't. three questions.

1. who would you side with.
2. if you were naming your firstborn after a character from a book, would it need to be a human name?
3. what would you do in my position?1: No. I would side with neither of you. Those are both cruel, albeit for different reasons.
2: My firstborn? Yeah. Subsequent children? Still yeah. Why did you specify "firstborn"?
3: That said....

Mufasa.

[Kneenibble]

On the Lucifer thing, I would just like to point out that I don't know a single soul who would have any problem with somebody bearing that name. I think it sounds pretty. Given the direction society is heading - i.e., distinctly south from Dogma Boulevard - I dare say it would be considered vogue.

I am speaking from Canada, granted. God knows what you backwards Americans would make of it.

One of my favourite books is Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley. One of the main characters is the devil, appearing as a geisha drag queen named Lucy.

Strictly speaking, a woman would be Lucifera.

[skywalker]

3: That said....

Mufasa.

Hells. Yes.

Mufasa... Now that's power. I just hear that name and I shudder... It tingles me.

Mufasa mufasa mufasa!

[Collin152]

On the Lucifer thing, I would just like to point out that I don't know a single soul who would have any problem with somebody bearing that name. I think it sounds pretty. Given the direction society is heading - i.e., distinctly south from Dogma Boulevard - I dare say it would be considered vogue.

I am speaking from Canada, granted. God knows what you backwards Americans would make of it.

One of my favourite books is Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley. One of the main characters is the devil, appearing as a geisha drag queen named Lucy.

Strictly speaking, a woman would be Lucifera.

Lucifera... I like the way it sounds.

And who knows? Maybe I'll just move to Canada. I'm open to suggestiosn for what I do with my life, after all. It's not like I have any real opinions on it.

[Mando Knight]

1. who would you side with.
2. if you were naming your firstborn after a character from a book, would it need to be a human name?
3. what would you do in my position?

1. Neither. The child's first name should be something that others will respect.
2. I would most probably pick a normal European-American name for my firstborn, regardless of whether or not it came from a book.
3. Name the kid something normal so that he doesn't get laughed at 16 or so years later when he's applying for his first job. A "cool" name will be ridiculed as soon as he gets into school and no one else has the name, but a well-picked "normal" name can command respect despite its "normal-ness."

[celestialkin]

1. Neither. The child's first name should be something that others will respect.
2. I would most probably pick a normal European-American name for my firstborn, regardless of whether or not it came from a book.
3. Name the kid something normal so that he doesn't get laughed at 16 or so years later when he's applying for his first job. A "cool" name will be ridiculed as soon as he gets into school and no one else has the name, but a well-picked "normal" name can command respect despite its "normal-ness."

Normal? Like in having three Johns in your classroom? No kidding.

[Sir_Norbert]

Last time I checked, "normal" doesn't mean "ubiquitous". There are hundreds of normal names without having to use the ones in the top five lists.

Though having said that, what is all this hatred for meeting others of the same name, as if it was a blight on your life comparable to what you'd suffer if you were called Drizz't? It also happens to be how I met my lifelong best friend.

[Collin152]

Unique names can be awesome, if you let them be.
Amaranth, Dante, Varius...

See, you people can't let me name children.

[celestialkin]

Last time I checked, "normal" doesn't mean "ubiquitous". There are hundreds of normal names without having to use the ones in the top five lists.

Though having said that, what is all this hatred for meeting others of the same name, as if it was a blight on your life comparable to what you'd suffer if you were called Drizz't? It also happens to be how I met my lifelong best friend.

Aww. That is so cute.

Probably a bit confusing as well I'm guessing?


As for not liking having a common name, I feel it all depends on the individual. As evident in this thread some people think being "different" and "unique" is a bad thing and that it singles you out (in a bad way). However, some of us hate the idea of being like everyone else.

For example, when I had my legal name change done the clerk in my local courthouse who was printing me some papers had to look me up in their system. I forgot exactly how it went, but she was nice enough to tell me that there were a ton (forget the ballpark amount she said) of people with my previous name in my state. Having had the first name Jesus, and a very common Hisp name like Perez it was to be expected, but I still disliked it. It's like a "I'm one of a million identical copies" like feeling. However, when she said that no one at all had my real name I felt ecstatic. To each his own and all that.

As for getting picked on for having an uncommon name? Kids are going to be picked on no matter what. If they don't use your name to do it, they mess with each other in some other way. Plus, kids can twist any name into a funny insult.

[Collin152]

For example, when I had my legal anme change done the clerk who was handing me some peoples had to look me up in their system. I forgot exactly how it went, but she told me that there were a ton (forget the ballpark amount she said) of people with my previous name in my state. Having had the first name Jesus, and a very common Hisp name like Perez it was to be expected, but I still disliked it. It's like a "I'm one of a million" like feel. However, when she said that no one at all had my real name I felt ecstatic.


I happen to know a Jesus Perez, incidently.

[celestialkin]

I happen to know a Jesus Perez, incidently.

LoL. My point exactly.


Also:

Happen to have an image of him? I want to see what my parallel universe double looks like. :smalleek:

That poor, poor guy...

[Collin152]

Also:

Happen to have an image of him? I want to see what my parallel universe double looks like. :smalleek:

That poor, poor guy...


1. Nah, I don't. I don't know him well, and he's not... pictureworthy.

2. Yeep. We all call him Jesus, without the intended 'h' pronounciation. And make appropriate jokes.

[celestialkin]

1. Nah, I don't. I don't know him well, and he's not... pictureworthy..

Fitting, since neither am I.



2. Yeep. We all call him Jesus, without the intended 'h' pronounciation. And make appropriate jokes.

Oh god, the jokes. The same damn predictable jokes again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again. Sure every once-in-a-while someone will come up with a swell original one which made you laugh, but they were so few and far between.

It made for a decent icebreaker, but at times it would backfire if you were talking with a Cristan/Witch/whatever, or if one was within hearing distance.


Sorry for the rant. I got a flashback there......

[Collin152]

It made for a decent icebreaker, but at times it would backfire if you were talking with a Cristan/Witch/whatever, or if one was within hearing distance.


*Is a Pagan*

No backfires yet.

[Gem Flower]

Pagan? I'm a pagan.:smallbiggrin: And, uh, more on topic...:

Naming a child Drizzt or Aragorn is a bit...well...extreme. It could really mess up their life.

[SilentNight]

I'm with Gem here, that could be trouble for your kid in the long run. If I had to choose between the two I'd go with Aragorn because it sounds more common than Drizzt but honestly I'd give him/her something more common. If you want an exotic name look into other languages.

[Collin152]

What about Asmodeus?
Most people wouldn't know who he's named after.

[Sir_Norbert]

Course they would -- the snake in Redwall. :P

[Archonic Energy]

You folks who are not bilingual need to understand. It is like arguing Tomato(tuh-mey-toh) vs. Tomato(tuh-mah-toh) constantly for you're entire life. After two years of no longer needing to deal with it I am still buggingout talking about it...

i know EXACTLY what you mean.

:smallbiggrin: : My name is Martyn.
:smallconfused: : Hi Martin.
:smallbiggrin: : NO, NOT MARTIN, MARTYN I THINK I KNOW HOW TO SPELL MY OWN NAME. /:smallfurious:

pronouncation wist they're the same but you should see the number of E-mails i get from work collegues who can't simply remember.

it winds me up...
... as a retaliation i delibriatly spell their name incorrectly.

:smallconfused: : That's not my name.?
:smallbiggrin: : Well Martin isn't mine!

[skywalker]

i know EXACTLY what you mean.

:smallbiggrin: : My name is Martyn.
:smallconfused: : Hi Martin.
:smallbiggrin: : NO, NOT MARTIN, MARTYN I THINK I KNOW HOW TO SPELL MY OWN NAME. /:smallfurious:

pronouncation wist they're the same but you should see the number of E-mails i get from work collegues who can't simply remember.

it winds me up...
... as a retaliation i delibriatly spell their name incorrectly.

:smallconfused: : That's not my name.?
:smallbiggrin: : Well Martin isn't mine!

That's a great story Martin :smallwink:

I always try to make a point and pronounce/spell names exactly as they should be. It makes people feel special(which they are :smallbiggrin: Awww)

[WalkingTarget]

i know EXACTLY what you mean.

:smallbiggrin: : My name is Martyn.
:smallconfused: : Hi Martin.
:smallbiggrin: : NO, NOT MARTIN, MARTYN I THINK I KNOW HOW TO SPELL MY OWN NAME. /:smallfurious:

pronouncation wist they're the same but you should see the number of E-mails i get from work collegues who can't simply remember.

it winds me up...
... as a retaliation i delibriatly spell their name incorrectly.

:smallconfused: : That's not my name.?
:smallbiggrin: : Well Martin isn't mine!

You know what's funny? I have that same problem in reverse. I have the traditional/original spelling of my name, but people are always dropping extra letters into it.

Edit - of course, now that I look into it, Martyn seems to be a prominent Irish surname.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Sort of off topic but...

Yes Collin! Come to Toronto! We need more like you!!

[An Enemy Spy]

When I tell people my name they seem to forget it and call me Matt

[Castaras]

I get annoyed when people spell my nickname with a y. It's ie, dammit! Lizzie, not Lizzy! :smallannoyed:

[celestialkin]

I get annoyed when people spell my nickname with a y. It's ie, dammit! Lizzie, not Lizzy! :smallannoyed:

Well, it is a nickname, though.

[Collin152]

Course they would -- the snake in Redwall. :P

Children familiar with Redwall have no place mocking other children for their names.
:p

[celestialkin]

Children familiar with Redwall have no place mocking other children for their names.
:p

What? Why?

I am named after the hero from that book...

[Collin152]

What? Why?

Just roll with it.

I've decided that I could only name children after celestial figures, or obscure flowers (Edelweiss for the win.). Circumstances would bring about more specific naming conventions.
Like, hair color matching the petals of the relevant flower.
If it can be determined early enough.

I'd still want an oldest son named Lucifer, though... Blond, blue eyes. Or maybe grey? It's just a light blue.

Maybe I should genetically engineer my children, for convenience.

[skywalker]

Just roll with it.

I've decided that I could only name children after celestial figures, or obscure flowers (Edelweiss for the win.). Circumstances would bring about more specific naming conventions.
Like, hair color matching the petals of the relevant flower.
If it can be determined early enough.

I'd still want an oldest son named Lucifer, though... Blond, blue eyes. Or maybe grey? It's just a light blue.

Maybe I should genetically engineer my children, for convenience.

Funnily related to genetic engineering and blond with blue eyes, the first thing I think of when I see the word "Edelweiss" is "Hitler." But I have no idea why.

[Collin152]

Funnily related to genetic engineering and blond with blue eyes, the first thing I think of when I see the word "Edelweiss" is "Hitler." But I have no idea why.

The Sound of Music.
Admit it: you've seen it.

[celestialkin]

The Sound of Music.
Admit it: you've seen it.

Dude, who didn't in elementary school?

[Collin152]

Dude, who didn't in elementary school?

I rephrase:
Admit you've payed attention to it enough to recognize a word in an otherwise unnotable song.

[skywalker]

I rephrase:
Admit you've payed attention to it enough to recognize a word in an otherwise unnotable song.

I happen to have a very, very good memory, such that I can recall the strangest things I saw 15 years ago.

However, I will freely admit that I have indeed seen Sound of Music and paid plenty of attention to it.

I actually had a discussion with someone about how if Aliens watched our TV broadcasts, they might assume strange things about us, given that in older TV, Nazis almost always have clean, neat, well-pressed uniforms, while Americans tend to be rough, hardy, and heroic, but not particularly well-kept... All based off of that movie.