Do you think first names can reflect your personality?

I have an almost unique name. it is a real name, but never used in the UK where the male version has become unisex. I have enjoyed being unusual but I think the name reflects more my mother’s personality than mine. After all it was her choice!

I know 3 Pauls who are very unpleasant people. I find Susans authoritative and argumentative, and Margarets very negative. So I’ve upset Pauls, Susans and Margarets all in one post. Perhaps it’s my name that’s the problem.

Every Jennifer I've ever known has been a troublemaker.

My brother and husband are Paul’s and are meticulous in some ways and totally chaotic in others! ?‍♀️?

Grandmajean - I had exactly the same situation with the middle name. I even heard some tittering from the guests when my name was read out during my marriage ceremony!

This is a very interesting discussion especially the contributions from retired teachers.

A retired teacher friend of mine said exactly the same thing about how she and her colleagues in her primary school would find their hearts sinking when they learned they had an intake of children with some of the names already mentioned.

I also remember her saying that their expectations of children called, say Jayden or Chardonnay would be significantly lower than Alicia and Hugo.
She said they were all aware that, strictly speaking it was wrong but experience over the years had confirmed their initial assessment.

I wouldn’t imagine it happened much when we were young as most of us shared a relatively limited selection of names, unlike today with any number of celebrity inspired horrors!

Apologies to anyone with the names I listed previously.
I’m interested in your thoughts on the name Rob, Granny23.

Names reflect your age more than anything... Jean, Susan, Pam, Mary, Maureen ..... I bet we're all the same age!

I have an uncommon name, that no one can spell even after me telling them verrry slooooowly.
So I’ve used an abbreviation since I was at Secondary school.

I wanted to be named Helen.

Chestnut

One stands out for me. Dennis is always the naughty cheeky boy, as per Dennis the Menace, Dennis Waterman, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Hopper and also Dennis Wilson the Beach Boy.

My lovely Dad was a Dennis and a very naughty cheeky boy he was, through and through

No one I know uses my full name, it is on formal records. At the vaccine centre I didn’t respond when called until the third time!

In Numerology your full birth name is your Destiny Number. Each letter of your name has a number and by adding them together you reach the Destiny Number. Then each number has a meaning. It may sound weird but having worked out my family's Destiny Numbers it is amazingly accurate!

Quote: A number derived from all of the letters in your FULL BIRTH NAME make up what is called the Destiny number. Destiny is a very descriptive word for the meaning of the this important core element. This is the number that describes the tasks that you must achieve in this lifetime using the name that was given to you by your parents. This name, the complete birth name, symbolizes the opportunities you have at your disposal. This is sometimes referred to as your potential or destiny. Living up to attributes of this number may not be easy, but it is your goal in the here and now. It is your life's purpose, spiritual mission, and your field of opportunity. Unlike the Life Path number which reads as you are, the Destiny number more correctly reads as you MUST or what you can aspire to become.

Should have added that I do think it affected me as I cringed every time "full" names were read out in school !

My first name is very ordinary and I have no problem with it but I have a middle name which was my granny's maiden surname ( very common in Scotland to do this ) It is unbelievably awful and I have always been embarrassed by it. My long dead aunt was very miffed that I didn't like it.

I agree with FarNorth. It affects the way people perceive you. My unusual, slightly foreign sounding name was popular with the boys when I was a teenager!

I have never liked my first name. I'm not going to reveal it here. Suffice to say it's of its generation, I have never met anyone under forty or so with it. It would seem to suit someone boring and staid and I hope I'm not! I can't use my second name because I really loath that...it's Annette which I consider a pink, frilly sort of name (sorry, any Annettes) and I am/was a bit of a tomboy. It was confected from both my grandmothers' names, one being Anne and the other, Henrietta.
Really, I don't see how they can reflect personality because you are given it at birth, unless your personality develops to match? Surely not. I rather agree with Doodledog.

s

ginny

No way can a name reflect your personality. A name is usually given at birth and probably chosen before that. How would anyone know how that person will develop ?

I think that because the name is given at birth it reflects the attitudes and aspirations of the parents, which will affect how the child develops.

Someone calling their child Persephone is likely to bring her up differently from someone calling her Ellie-Mae or Chardonnay (with apologies to anyone with children of those names - of course there will be honourable exceptions ?)

My Mum had a short list of two names for me and she said when I was born neither suited me so I remained nameless for a while until she found one that matched

I think it is the diminutives that reflect the personality. Take Robert for example. Bert = a big burly chap; Rab = a tough one; Bobby or Bertie is a bit soft, a mammies boy, whereas Bob is a fun guy.

Take Margaret. Some remain as Margaret, but most grow up to be Maggie, Mags, Rita, Meg, to suit their personality. The same can be said of the thousands of Elizabeths - Liz, Lizzy, Lisa/Liza, Beth, now Lilibet!

My father never called me by my given name. As I was small he always called me Toots and on formal occasions referred to me as Daughter No2!

Sorry last post is pointless!!

nanna8

Alice? Lovely name. Shrewd and sensible

Unless her surname is Archer!

I think I suit the shortened version of my name better.

LullyDully

Maybe the opinions reflect who you have known.

This is the problem with being a teacher naming a baby. So many memories of a range of children. I taught a few Garys and would never have chosen that name.

My own name will always be linked to a certain prime minister I fear.

Ted ? Harold ? Or was it T or M ?

Marydoll

I'm Mary, which I think has connotations of being plain, sensible and boring.
I sincerely hope I'm the opposite!!!! ?

Not at all. I know a young Mary very talented musician. I also an old Mary who is very amusing. And you don’t sound at all boring by the way !

The uncomfortable truth is that many English names are class-related. Not many working-class Ruperts, not many upper class Waynes.