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Strange baby names

(255 Posts)
Grammaretto Tue 19-Mar-19 15:40:51

I've just read the list of names chosen last year in Scotland. There's a Lucifer and a Corbyn.
Why would anyone inflict such a heavy burden on a baby?
I have no objection to unusual names or old fashioned ones and I appreciate you don't want the child to be one of 4 or 5 in the class with the same name - as I was, but really awful to name your child after the devil. Perhaps Corbyn's sister is May.

HiPpyChick57 Sat 23-Mar-19 08:46:07

I called my dd after a surname that is also a Christian name. The way I spell it has turned it into a very pretty name.
The original can be used for a girl or boy but she’s the only one with it spelled this way.

If she had been a boy her father wanted to call her Maximus Aurelius after a character in his favourite film. That was never going to happen!!!
Although in our school we have a Maximus everyone calls Max.

Luckygirl Sat 23-Mar-19 08:37:19

I once cared for a child whose name was Astrid Railway Station Smith (not her real surname). Apparently it related to her place of conception. And the same reason related to a boy called Hawthorn (thank heavens it was not a rose bush!).

Definitely old names coming back - one child of my acquaintance is called Agnes. I think that is such a harsh name for a little girl- apologies to all Agnes's out there.

DanniRae Sat 23-Mar-19 08:15:35

My daughter and her partner, who are teachers, are expecting a baby boy. When it comes to choosing a name for him lots of boys names that are suggested by the family are rejected because one of them has taught a little horror with that name! So no Benjamin, Matthew, Daniel then........hmm

Grammaretto Sat 23-Mar-19 07:01:16

grannyactivist you remind me that name associations must influence our preferences.
A girl who was nasty to me at school was called Edna. Sorry any nice Ednas out there.
Then the baddies in girls' comics, Girl's Crystal and School Friend. There was Ursula who generally got her come-uppance at the end.

GrandmainOz Sat 23-Mar-19 05:42:24

grannyactivist I knew a Cornish lady called Odette when I was a nipper. I associate the name with beauty, as she was one of the most naturally stunning women I've ever met. Still remember being in awe of her all these years later!

Elrel Sat 23-Mar-19 02:05:41

Earlier a poster asked when shortened names started to be used. In the 1960s my cousin Betty (as she was christened) had to insist to teachers that her sons' names really were Terry and Tony, not Terence and Anthony.
I taught a lovely girl named Cheyenne Tequila. A friend's delightful GD is Apache.
In Larkrise to Candleford the character Queenie's actual name was Victoria.
I think the unlucky girl whose parents named her Tallulahdoesthehulainhawaii was very keen to change her name to K.
When I asked his Chinese mother how I should pronounce her son's name which was written as Xexy she said firmly 'In England he is Gary.' Sensible woman!

paddyann Sat 23-Mar-19 00:33:57

on News in England? We tend to know how she pronounces it here .its like Mhairi Black who doesn't use the MH which is pronounced as V and pronounces her name Mairi .Its up to her how she says it and up to us to respect that.I've never heard Kezia pronounced with the emphasis on the last part here ,though its not a common name .her Dad certainly says it the way she does.He's a staunch SNP man ,starnge situation for him a daughter who leads her party at such a young age but its the wrong party where he's concerned

grannyactivist Sat 23-Mar-19 00:11:38

One of my little treasures has the beautiful (to me) middle name of Odette.

GrandmainOz Fri 22-Mar-19 23:36:12

My ex h's family had a line of great aunts: Charity, Mercy, Hope. Mercy in particular was the most wonderful, quirky, kind lady

Jalima1108 Fri 22-Mar-19 11:13:57

The Scottish Labour leader was Kezia Dugdale so we all learned how to pronounce her name.
It's not pronounced correctly on news reports though, Grammaretto

paddyann Fri 22-Mar-19 10:57:49

Grammaretto Richard Leonard ..who knows nothing about Scotland and makes it apparent every time he opens his mouth .

Maggiemaybe Fri 22-Mar-19 09:18:07

Lovely, Anniebach! My friend back in the 70s used to babysit twins born on Christmas Day - Holly and Ivy.

Anniebach Fri 22-Mar-19 09:13:03

When I was a child there were three elderly unmarried sisters living in our street, Faith, Hope and Charity .

ditzyme Fri 22-Mar-19 08:34:06

My eldest granddaughter is called Summer, and I remember feeling rather proud of her having that name. It was fairly unusual at the time, I loved the hippiness of it, made me think of music festivals, the surfing sounds of 60s groups like the Beachboys. And it has a happy, positive feel about it I also know someone with a new baby called Edith, which I also love, it has a quaint feeling about it, brings to mind, to me, elderly spinsters smelling of lavender with a lace hanky tucked up their sleeve. A gentler, less complicated time than nowadays.

Chewbacca Fri 22-Mar-19 08:04:35

One of my colleagues' husband is called Beverley. It causes no end of confused!

Nanah67 Fri 22-Mar-19 07:59:03

Heard a mother shouting at a child in a shopping center..Poncohontas stop climbing on that shelf. I never heard the second name??

Grammaretto Fri 22-Mar-19 07:43:58

The Scottish Labour leader was Kezia Dugdale so we all learned how to pronounce her name. It's good and memorable. I don't know who followed her but isn't it a fact that you are only sure who your MP is if you are it.

GrandmainOz Fri 22-Mar-19 04:11:43

jalimamy youngest dd is Kezia, pronounced the same way as yours. Her father chose the name. She loathes it unfortunately. Nobody seems able to pronounce it.
Sometimes she gives up and says "just call me Kez" which is easier for them, but she hates that even more, poor lass!

RedHotPolkaDot Fri 22-Mar-19 03:39:43

I’ve heard of a young man called Ocean, rather like that somehow. Another mum had named her son Teddy, not an Edward or Ted, but Teddy. However, each to their own.

GillT57 Thu 21-Mar-19 22:17:46

Billy Connelly had a sketch years ago about children's names. One I remember was "Genghis McCann" grin

muffinthemoo Thu 21-Mar-19 21:44:54

varian at least they avoided Thyssen and Krupp then

BradfordLass72 Thu 21-Mar-19 20:57:31

Jalima1108 Yes, you're right. Kuini is said like 'Queenie' but with a slight Maori inflection which makes it sound a little more like "Koo-een-i'.

Te kuini ataahua = the beautiful queen.

We had a lovely queen here, Dame Te Atairaangikahu and the name Kuini became a popular tribute.
Formerly it was for Queen Victoria.

varian Thu 21-Mar-19 20:40:49

I know twins called Otis and Max. I've always wanted to ask their Mum if they were conceived in a lift.

chattykathy Thu 21-Mar-19 20:34:24

I taught a pair of twins called Odin and Odessa, both gorgeous.
The 'best' was John Thomas (Thomas being the surname) and his parents had no idea shock

Jalima1108 Thu 21-Mar-19 20:34:02

Your Kezia puts the emphasis on the Kee and we put the emphasis on the Zi