Comments on: What’s Your Name Again, Kid?

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 06:36:40 +0000

or Dovie since Paloma is Spanish for Dove

By: Panya

Panya — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:22:00 +0000

This is why I can’t use Alexander as a first name — I don’t want an Alex, and I like too many of the other nicknames to choose just one! I love Alexander though, so I want to use it as a middle name.

I’m going to have the same sort of problem with my daughter though, whom we’re planning on naming Katherine [after my mom, Kathy]. I’d love for her to be Kasia, but I have a cousin Natasha/Tasha. Katya is my second choice, but I fear she’ll end up a Kate.

By: appellationmountain

appellationmountain — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:27:08 +0000

LOL, Jane! I attempted to use the spellings Amee & Amme before giving up and becoming Amy Abigail – A. Abigail – Abby. Only to find that hordes of little girls now share my “uncommon” name. Oh well …

By: Jane

Jane — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:04:18 +0000

Ooooo I can’t agree with the comment “everyone knows kids never want to stand out or be different” – I spent a good part of my childhood (through the ages 6-10) lobbying my parents for a more interesting name than Jane. I wanted a name that no one else had. It was a major obsession. I have met several other people with the same childhood experience of wanting a name that stood out more, was more interesting, and different.
P.S. I gave up the parental lobbying at around age 10, but I did start lying to people about my name, telling them I had all sorts of interesting middle names, and spelling my name Jayn for a long time! Cringe! Now I like my name, but it took me until my mid-20s to spell it Jane and be proud of it.

By: Jane

Jane — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:57:55 +0000

I agree with YouCan’tCallItIt – I had the same thought about it being a boy/girl thing – most of the men I know with unusual names, always wished they had more common names, and most of the women I know with common names, wished they had been given mure unusual ones. I can see that Clarina is an exception here – a woman with an unusual name who wished she’d been given one that fit in more easily. Interesting!

By: appellationmountain

appellationmountain — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:30:47 +0000

Thanks, Kat. And I love your “salad bar” visual.

By: appellationmountain

appellationmountain — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:29:47 +0000

How ’bout Lola or Polly?

By: Kat

Kat — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:28:24 +0000

Whoops – hit send before I was ready.

Does anyone else have any ideas for nicknames for Paloma?

By: Kat

Kat — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:27:36 +0000

Awesome story. I can relate to your angst about trying to find JUST the right name with the right circumstances for optimal nickname capabilities; meaning, the one you want. I still have yet to find that name.
But I think you were successful overall because your child likes his name, and was allowed to call himself what he wants when he wants. Since we can’t predict how our children will like their stand-out or fit-in name, offering them a salad bar of nicknames seems to be the next best thing. I am leaning toward Susanna for this reason, and wishing there were more options for Paloma for the same reason. (I want to call her Lola, but worry that it won’t stick).

By: JNE

JNE — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:09:11 +0000

Great post! I often wonder how Imogen will react to her name as she grows older. I liked being the only one with my name, but no one misspelled Jade or had a hard time figuring it out based on what was written. Having said that, there was a brief moment around age 10 or 11 when I thought it would be nice to go by my much more common middle name. So maybe age/stage in growing up plays a large part in that part of a group vs. unique individual push and pull.

Imogen may not be so ‘easy’ in pronunciation or spelling as Jade, at least here in the states. I don’t get to find out before we have to name #2. I’m not sure I want that information anyway. Right now, all I know for certain is “Immy” is the name of choice for referring to herself because she stumbles through the full-on Imogen. And that’s more than fine for me. Part of the appeal of Imogen is that it has a slew of nicknames and I’m fine if she chooses to go with one or another that isn’t my favorite for a spell. After all, it’s her name. And her super common middle (Lily) is always there as a back-up if that’s what she wishes. I know I’ll never be sad that her name is what it is. I just hope there are enough options for her to feel comfortable and happy with her name too.

As for those who insist on full names, that’s well and good, but rarely practical, even with shorter names. Sure, I do know a James and a David that go by their full names all the time. But most, especially those whose parents insisted on the full name all the time, end up with nicknames in school. My husband’s folks are non-nicknamers. They went with Leigh for their first son (not an odd spelling for a boy in the UK) and that works – no nicknames possible, really. They followed that up with Micheal (yeah, he goes by Mike) and Nigel (which doesn’t really have an obvious nickname, but he’s Nige much of the time among friends). So, short of using a single syllable name, it’s likely your kid will choose to go by a nickname in school whether the parents are thrilled or not… at least that’s what I’ve seen.

Thanks for sharing about Alex/Aly/Alexei’s current nickname preference… it’s definitely something I’ve wondered about for my girl too… In a few years, I imagine we may be in a similar spot.