Comments on: The Sixth Sin: DIY Names http://appellationmountain.net/2008/05/07/the-sixth-sin-diy-names/ Baby Naming Blog Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:34:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: appellationmountain http://appellationmountain.net/2008/05/07/the-sixth-sin-diy-names/#comment-2357 appellationmountain Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:33:55 +0000 http://appellationmountain.wordpress.com/?p=77#comment-2357 I'm not opposed to unusual names - obviously! But when a name makes my eyes hurt, I think it's gone too far. I can understand the desire to spell the name Madalyn, even though I'll forever prefer Madeleine. But Caceigh? Lynzee? Vynsynt? They go too far. Over time, many names do morph for any number of reasons. Katelyn looks "right" to many people, while the original - Caitlin - seems tortured. And so I find it hard to fault Katelyn, or even Kaitlyn, even though they're not my style. I just think it's a mistake to twist a name beyond recognition. They remind me of cutesy personalized license plates - fun to decipher if you're stuck in traffic, but not practical! I’m not opposed to unusual names - obviously! But when a name makes my eyes hurt, I think it’s gone too far. I can understand the desire to spell the name Madalyn, even though I’ll forever prefer Madeleine.

But Caceigh? Lynzee? Vynsynt? They go too far.

Over time, many names do morph for any number of reasons. Katelyn looks “right” to many people, while the original - Caitlin - seems tortured. And so I find it hard to fault Katelyn, or even Kaitlyn, even though they’re not my style. I just think it’s a mistake to twist a name beyond recognition. They remind me of cutesy personalized license plates - fun to decipher if you’re stuck in traffic, but not practical!

]]> By: SophieGray http://appellationmountain.net/2008/05/07/the-sixth-sin-diy-names/#comment-2354 SophieGray Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:24:21 +0000 http://appellationmountain.wordpress.com/?p=77#comment-2354 I think we're a bit luckier in Australia, as there really doesn't seem to be that much 'kre8tyv' spellings down here! I mean, we get a fair few, but nothing too drastic! Take my 3 year old's kinder class this year, their names are all completely 'normal': Benjamin - Max - Thomas - Brody - Liam - Daniel - Milo Matilda - Hollie - Ella - Emelie - Tasha - Vera - Lilly - Claire - Madeline ... a few are just very common! In early high school (middle school / JR High in the US, I think), I tried to get people to refer to me as Anais, as I was sick of hearing Sophie (that was around..1995ish), but it just got too confusing! I appreciate the simplicity of more traditional names, really. I think we’re a bit luckier in Australia, as there really doesn’t seem to be that much ‘kre8tyv’ spellings down here! I mean, we get a fair few, but nothing too drastic! Take my 3 year old’s kinder class this year, their names are all completely ‘normal’:

Benjamin - Max - Thomas - Brody - Liam - Daniel - Milo
Matilda - Hollie - Ella - Emelie - Tasha - Vera - Lilly - Claire - Madeline

… a few are just very common!

In early high school (middle school / JR High in the US, I think), I tried to get people to refer to me as Anais, as I was sick of hearing Sophie (that was around..1995ish), but it just got too confusing! I appreciate the simplicity of more traditional names, really.

]]> By: Serena http://appellationmountain.net/2008/05/07/the-sixth-sin-diy-names/#comment-1312 Serena Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:56:38 +0000 http://appellationmountain.wordpress.com/?p=77#comment-1312 lol I have a rather plain first name as well, and it drove me crazy in school. It's not a horrible name in and of itself, but being 1 or the 5 girls in each class with the name Katherine was just irritating. Sure, there are thousands of derivations of it, but I didn't want to wear the name of Katherine, Kate, or Katie. So, my children both got 'different' names- my son's a bit more than my daughter's. lol I have a rather plain first name as well, and it drove me crazy in school. It’s not a horrible name in and of itself, but being 1 or the 5 girls in each class with the name Katherine was just irritating. Sure, there are thousands of derivations of it, but I didn’t want to wear the name of Katherine, Kate, or Katie. So, my children both got ‘different’ names- my son’s a bit more than my daughter’s.

]]> By: appellationmountain http://appellationmountain.net/2008/05/07/the-sixth-sin-diy-names/#comment-1265 appellationmountain Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:34:44 +0000 http://appellationmountain.wordpress.com/?p=77#comment-1265 Serena, for what it's worth, my sister describes my kids' names as Eurotrash. Kriegan's not the kind of name I'd ever consider, but to my eye - and ear - it's safely on the right side of creative. As you say, he's free of a superfluous x-y-z or syllable overdose. It's also a very rare surname - it pops up in early 20th century US census records - but it's so sparingly used that it would take some serious digging to get a sense of the name's origins. (I'm betting that it's a respelling or simplification of something else, but that's just an impression.) I'm due to revise the Seven Deadlies anyhow. I stopped at six . But here's my number one sin - the sin of just slapping a name on a child without much thought. Plain vanilla names craze me. (I grew up with one.) So while I stand by my feeling that DIY is dangerous, it beats the anonymous Jennifer Anne, Grace Marie, Michael James and Jacob William. Parents of Jennifer Anne, Grace Marie, Michael James and Jacob William, that's your cue to sound off. :) Serena, for what it’s worth, my sister describes my kids’ names as Eurotrash.

Kriegan’s not the kind of name I’d ever consider, but to my eye - and ear - it’s safely on the right side of creative. As you say, he’s free of a superfluous x-y-z or syllable overdose. It’s also a very rare surname - it pops up in early 20th century US census records - but it’s so sparingly used that it would take some serious digging to get a sense of the name’s origins. (I’m betting that it’s a respelling or simplification of something else, but that’s just an impression.)

I’m due to revise the Seven Deadlies anyhow. I stopped at six . But here’s my number one sin - the sin of just slapping a name on a child without much thought. Plain vanilla names craze me. (I grew up with one.) So while I stand by my feeling that DIY is dangerous, it beats the anonymous Jennifer Anne, Grace Marie, Michael James and Jacob William.

Parents of Jennifer Anne, Grace Marie, Michael James and Jacob William, that’s your cue to sound off. :)

]]> By: Serena http://appellationmountain.net/2008/05/07/the-sixth-sin-diy-names/#comment-1260 Serena Fri, 15 Aug 2008 04:33:34 +0000 http://appellationmountain.wordpress.com/?p=77#comment-1260 I suppose in your eyes, I have committed a sin, but I am very partial to my son's name. We did not mash up our own names to create his, but rather combined cultures. As a proud woman of Scandinavian heritage, I found a wonderful Old Norse name I liked- Regn. It was a bit short and blunt, but I was drawn to it. My husband suggested we combine in a German word, 'krieg' and we found our son's name- Kriegan. It's not spelled with x's, y's or z's, it doesn't have over five syllables in it, but it is different- and you won't find it in any baby book. I suppose in your eyes, I have committed a sin, but I am very partial to my son’s name. We did not mash up our own names to create his, but rather combined cultures. As a proud woman of Scandinavian heritage, I found a wonderful Old Norse name I liked- Regn. It was a bit short and blunt, but I was drawn to it. My husband suggested we combine in a German word, ‘krieg’ and we found our son’s name- Kriegan. It’s not spelled with x’s, y’s or z’s, it doesn’t have over five syllables in it, but it is different- and you won’t find it in any baby book.

]]> By: appellationmountain http://appellationmountain.net/2008/05/07/the-sixth-sin-diy-names/#comment-269 appellationmountain Thu, 08 May 2008 00:18:25 +0000 http://appellationmountain.wordpress.com/?p=77#comment-269 Subtle really *is* the key, isn't it? Sadly, it seems to be in short supply these days! Subtle really *is* the key, isn’t it? Sadly, it seems to be in short supply these days!

]]> By: coolteamblt http://appellationmountain.net/2008/05/07/the-sixth-sin-diy-names/#comment-267 coolteamblt Wed, 07 May 2008 22:47:14 +0000 http://appellationmountain.wordpress.com/?p=77#comment-267 Awww, thanks! I have a personal hate for smashup names. I love the idea of naming kids after family, but not after yourself. Naming a child Ashlyn after daddy Asher and mommy Jaylyn is just dumb. I almost don't mind the ones where the parents share an element of their name in common, like a meaning, and pass that on. That's more subtle and doable. I remember a John and a Shawna who had Gia, because they all came from the name John. Not so bad. Awww, thanks!

I have a personal hate for smashup names. I love the idea of naming kids after family, but not after yourself. Naming a child Ashlyn after daddy Asher and mommy Jaylyn is just dumb. I almost don’t mind the ones where the parents share an element of their name in common, like a meaning, and pass that on. That’s more subtle and doable. I remember a John and a Shawna who had Gia, because they all came from the name John. Not so bad.

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