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Announcing Hated Names Week

June 30, 2012 By appellationmountain 66 Comments

Angry Talk (Comic Style)

Angry Talk (Comic Style) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Every year I take one week to choose all of the names, typically without input from anyone.

This year, I had a slightly different idea.  I’ve really enjoyed writing about Cohen and Madison and Apple.  I typically discover there’s much to love aboutanyname, even one  that provokes strong feelings in others.  And so I’ve decided to dedicate the week of July 23 to the Most Hated Names in America.

So far, the schedule looks like this:

  • Monday, June 23 – Nevaeh
  • Tuesday, June 24 – Jayden
  • Wednesday, June 25 – Brooklyn

But then comes Thursday, and I’m stumped.  There are plenty of trendy names that fall out of favor quickly, typically those borrowed from celebrities or infamous figures.  That’s not quite what I have in mind, though.  You might not call your daughter Kimora, but do you really loathe the name?

So which names completes the set?  No fair saying Hayden or Zaiden – that’s too easy.  And no geezer names, either – they have to be modern, trendy names, ideally ones heavily in use.

Suggestions welcome.

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Comments

  1. Duckieswife says

    July 22, 2012 at 5:58 PM

    Hate destiny.
    Any kid named after a day of the week, is silly.
    Apple.
    Names of places, like London or Paris.
    In England we have Morgan for a girl, which always sounds so masculine.
    Don’t like Felix, Toby or Oscar

    Reply
  2. Emily S says

    July 9, 2012 at 5:22 PM

    I dislike Madison, and I have a theory about its origin as a girl’s name and I’d like to know what you think.

    Remember the 1984 movie Splash with Tom Hanks and Darryl Hannah? In that movie she picks out her own name off of the street sign for Madison Avenue, and Tom Hanks says “you can’t be named Madison, no one is named Madison!” or something like that.
    Anyway, my theory is that a bunch of expectant moms in the mid-eighties watched that movie, thought Darryl Hannah was super-cute (also, Darryl?) and the name has been going strong ever since.

    What do you think of my theory?

    Reply
    • AirLand says

      July 10, 2012 at 5:09 PM

      I’m totally shocked that you have not heard that before!

      Reply
  3. Sarah says

    July 9, 2012 at 11:02 AM

    The title-giving names such as Princess or Sir actually have a very interesting history. They are a response to the racism of the Jim Crow era in the Southern USA.

    During this era (1860s-1960s), most white people refused to call African-Americans Mr. or Mrs. So-and-So. Instead, they called African-Americans by their first names (which was very disrespectful in this era), or “boy” or “gal.”

    To avoid this problem, African-Americans started naming their children names such as Admiral, so that white people would have to call them a title when talking to them. Pretty creative, isn’t it?

    You can learn more about this in the book “The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson.

    I think this is a fascinating piece of name history.

    Reply
  4. liz says

    July 8, 2012 at 12:42 PM

    I had another thought about this — maybe you should do an old fashioned hated names week as well. For example, why does something like Mildred seem so completely undoable, even though it has an interesting ending kind of like Elowen or other names there is some interest in.

    Reply
    • appellationmountain says

      July 8, 2012 at 1:27 PM

      That is a great idea! I’m blocking the week of October 22. I’ll need to think about the criteria a little bit, but yes – that makes sense.

      Reply
      • Charlotte Vera says

        July 8, 2012 at 7:16 PM

        Ooooh, excellent idea! I personally love Gertrude but would never use it because I fear people would think I’m abusing my child (like my friend Buffy, who has heard on more than one occasion that her “parents must have hated her” when she’s introduced to people).

        Reply
      • Bek says

        July 8, 2012 at 7:53 PM

        Perfect! The week of my anniversary – what a nice gift 😉

        I’m really looking forward to this whole hated names week shin-dig.

        Add me to the McVoters.

        Reply
        • C in DC says

          July 10, 2012 at 11:44 AM

          Edna! Melvin! Leroy! Will my grandparents’ names ever sound cool again?

          Reply
  5. caroline says

    July 8, 2012 at 12:13 PM

    *sigh* Cannon is my mother’s maiden name and I always planned to use it for a boy, but now it just gets lost in the “manly surnames co-opted because they sound cool and tryndy” genre.

    Reply
  6. Emma says

    July 8, 2012 at 11:09 AM

    Ditto Princess or Gunner/Hunter/Cannon – extreme gender role names like that seem to get people riled!

    Reply
  7. Kaeli says

    July 8, 2012 at 3:17 AM

    Please please please……definitely a MacKenzie or a Mc name! They’re just terrible, made up sounding names on girls. Such a wasted opportunity to name a daughter something beautiful and classic!

    Reply
  8. Lynsey says

    July 5, 2012 at 8:56 AM

    it has to be names that are cute on the small children but you know that when they are grown up they will never use it, my daughter goes to school with a poor child called pear and her sister (twin) Apple they take so much stick from the other kids

    Reply
  9. Andy says

    July 3, 2012 at 10:41 PM

    Definitely gotta go with Dakota. Having grown up around a reservation, I can’t even begin to describe how loathsome it is to hear parents call their son/daughter by this :/

    Reply
    • SkyeRhyly says

      July 5, 2012 at 10:27 AM

      Dakota is one of my favorite boy names, I love it.

      Anyway, I’d suggest Semaj.

      Reply
  10. Megalady says

    July 2, 2012 at 10:05 PM

    LOL, people love to hate. I dislike the very popular Avery and Addison; both drive me up the wall. Then there are many hated categories of names too, such as the -aiden/-ayden crowd or masculine names on girls (to say nothing of feminine names on boys).
    I actually really like Mackenzie (love Macky) and many other suggestions (Cash, Jagger, Ryder, Gunner…). 😐 … 😀

    Reply
    • appellationmountain says

      July 3, 2012 at 5:34 AM

      Very true, Megalady. What inspires me to write about the names is that I usually don’t hate them by the time I’m done. Nevaeh, while still not a name I would use, all of a sudden made a lot of sense by the end of the post. And I could appreciate her sound on its own merits, too … Jayden wasn’t as much of a slam-dunk, but then I never really hated Jayden. I just find him overexposed.

      Reply
      • Claire says

        July 3, 2012 at 11:05 AM

        Abby, I’m glad you pointed this out! Nevaeh does have a nice sound, and I’ve never hated Jayden either–in fact I’m looking forward to meeting a grown man named Jayden, because I think it would be kind of sexy. What I have a problem with is all the utterly unimaginative parents who seem to think a name is only good if it RHYMES with Jayden. I think what a lot of “haters” are responding to is broader trends, rather than any specific name.

        Reply
        • caroline says

          July 8, 2012 at 12:09 PM

          Well, the Jayden lovers were initially copping onto the rhymes-with-Aiden trend, right?

          Reply
    • Angie says

      July 9, 2012 at 9:55 AM

      I’m so sorry I’m late to this party 🙁 I’ve never liked Addison either. But I know some lovely people, friends and family who have named their daughter Addison. I’m not sure if I entirely hate Addison or just don’t understand its popularity. I find the name overrated. Maybe in my case “hate” is just a strong word for overrated.

      Oooo Cash Jagger Ryder and Gunner somehow remind me of Maverick. I’m not a fan of that one either.

      Reply
  11. C in DC says

    July 2, 2012 at 10:24 AM

    I’ll jump on the Mc- bandwagon. Michaela/McKayla seems to have started the trend, and it’s the corruption that bugs me.

    My other pet peeve is that every other girl on TV seems to be named Rachel lately. Is there no other acceptable name? The worst case I’ve seen is a book made into a TV movie where they changed the girl’s name from Randi to Rachel. Why was that necessary?

    Reply
  12. Alice says

    July 2, 2012 at 8:30 AM

    It has to be Anniston.

    Reply
  13. Lou @ Mer de Noms says

    July 2, 2012 at 7:30 AM

    New brainwave! What about Miley?

    Reply
  14. Bryony says

    July 1, 2012 at 8:45 PM

    Campbell for girls. Absolutely loathe it.

    Reply
    • dancingwithdad says

      July 2, 2012 at 12:55 AM

      Sounds like a Mc- Day and an -ayden Day is needed 🙂

      Reply
  15. Liz says

    July 1, 2012 at 2:11 PM

    And neeson not needing. Sigh.

    Reply
  16. Liz says

    July 1, 2012 at 2:10 PM

    * Bear it not beat it. Darn iPhone.

    Reply
  17. Liz says

    July 1, 2012 at 2:09 PM

    I really dislike Liam, to me it’s like the Bruce of today, really awful. Apologies to those who love it. It all started with calista flOckarts son , right? And Liam needing I guess. I also dislike the mckennas, but they are far from my style; Liam is nearer to it but I can’t beat it; perhaps I am alone in finding this interesting 😉
    Looking forward to fright week.

    Reply
  18. Kayt says

    July 1, 2012 at 11:48 AM

    Madison/Addison
    Makayla

    Jaxon

    I’m really excited for this week! Should be a good read.

    Reply
  19. Lola says

    July 1, 2012 at 10:51 AM

    I’ll second (or fifth, whatever), my bloomin’ surname on girls! MacKenzie sucks on a girl! And Addilyn (wtf is *that* exactly?)

    For boys, I can’t understand the -ayden phenomenon nor do I enjoy hearing Flynn. yuck.

    Reply
  20. Emily says

    July 1, 2012 at 2:49 AM

    What about Cullen? 😉

    Reply
  21. Mair says

    July 1, 2012 at 12:41 AM

    So many great suggestions already on the list, but I will second all of the Mc-names and Maci, which I loathe.

    Reply
  22. Elizabeth W says

    June 30, 2012 at 11:50 PM

    Oh please please don’t do JUST Jayden, hit that whole set.

    I just saw a birth announcement for a Quayden — I kid you frickin’ not.

    Reply
  23. Kristin says

    June 30, 2012 at 10:52 PM

    Brighton

    Reply
  24. Natalie says

    June 30, 2012 at 10:41 PM

    Any Mc… girl name as previosuly stated (McKenna, Mcayla etc etc)
    Tyler, Kyler etc
    Any abbreviated name (Josh instead of Joshua etc)
    Any name ending in double E (Kylee, Ashlee, Destinee etc)
    Title giving names (Princess etc)
    Many more that I can’t think of right now, looking forward to reading these.

    Reply
  25. Kristin says

    June 30, 2012 at 10:23 PM

    Also Hunter. I’ve seen it get rather heated debate on several forums.

    Reply
  26. Kristin says

    June 30, 2012 at 9:57 PM

    My first thoughts were Mackenzie and Makayla, too.

    Reply
  27. Charlotte Vera says

    June 30, 2012 at 9:30 PM

    I’m in favour of any Mc/Mac name being featured, particularly the vandalised McKayla/Michaela. Would you like any McFries with that McName?

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      July 1, 2012 at 4:21 PM

      I agree.. my vote is for the Mc names.. i really dislike those
      McKennna, McKayla, McKenzie/Makenzie

      Reply
  28. Liz says

    June 30, 2012 at 8:52 PM

    I’ll second Chase. I also dislike Liam quite a lot.

    Reply
  29. British American says

    June 30, 2012 at 7:50 PM

    From Emily’s list above, I’ll second Gunner & Cash.

    Chase is another I’m not especially fond of.

    Mc girl names aren’t my thing either.

    Reply
  30. Julie says

    June 30, 2012 at 4:28 PM

    Brielle, Cheyenne, Serenity, Dakota, Chase, Gunner and Tucker.

    Reply
  31. KO says

    June 30, 2012 at 4:12 PM

    Oh and Landon!

    Reply
  32. KO says

    June 30, 2012 at 4:11 PM

    Aww. I wish you had’t removed the Cohen post. I’ll second any of the McGirlsnames, Hailey, Caylee, or Caitlyn. For boys how bout Jackson, Logan, Greyson, or Zander?

    Reply
    • appellationmountain says

      June 30, 2012 at 6:13 PM

      Oops – didn’t mean to! It is just another post splinched in the site migration. I’ve restored Cohen … dozens more to go!

      Reply
      • KO says

        July 1, 2012 at 4:26 AM

        Huzzah!

        Reply
  33. Claire says

    June 30, 2012 at 1:02 PM

    Harlow, McKayla and all variations, Peyton/Payton, and for boys, Mason.

    Reply
  34. caroline says

    June 30, 2012 at 12:53 PM

    Maybe Braylin (or Braelinn, or Brailynn, or….)?

    Reply
  35. Sarah A says

    June 30, 2012 at 12:10 PM

    I vote for all forms of Makayla and all forms of Mackenzie. Destiny is also another good pick for this series.

    Reply
    • Mair says

      July 1, 2012 at 12:24 AM

      Agree!

      Reply
  36. Kimberly says

    June 30, 2012 at 11:33 AM

    I vote for Bentley and any/all forms of Makayla/Mikayla as well. Ullghh.

    Reply
  37. Caitie says

    June 30, 2012 at 11:30 AM

    Madison, or any name used for girls that ends in -son.

    Reply
  38. Chantel says

    June 30, 2012 at 11:13 AM

    Makayla/Mikayla is one that I hear everywhere and dislike immensely! McKenna and McKenzie are right up there, too.

    Reply
  39. Emily says

    June 30, 2012 at 10:35 AM

    Perusing the top 500, I think these would make good picks:

    Jackson/Jaxon/Jaxson
    Ryder
    Ryker
    Cash
    Dakota
    Jagger
    Colt
    Jett
    Gunner
    Donald
    Camden/Kamden
    Armani
    Marvin

    Kaylee/Kylie/Kayla
    Serenity
    Trinity
    Genesis
    Destiny
    Payton/Peyton
    Brynn
    McKenna/Makenna/any McName
    Presley
    Aaliyah/Aliyah
    Miley
    Crystal
    Finley
    Tenley
    Miracle

    Reply
    • Mair says

      July 1, 2012 at 12:24 AM

      I agree with all of these…except for Trinity and Serenity. I wouldn’t use them, but I kind of like them.

      Reply
  40. Kelly says

    June 30, 2012 at 10:34 AM

    How about Mackenzie?

    Reply
    • Hetta says

      July 6, 2012 at 1:55 AM

      Yes! MacKenzie! Ugh! The WORST.

      Reply
  41. Fran says

    June 30, 2012 at 9:58 AM

    What about Caitlin and its many variations?

    Reply
  42. Kristin says

    June 30, 2012 at 9:54 AM

    What about something like Gracelyn or Ashlyn or place names like London?
    Bentley is definitely up there thanks to Maci on 16 and pregnant.
    Everytime I watch Toddlers and Tiaras I’m struck by the names—Ceelee, Sailee and other farfetched end in “e” names, McKenzie (ahhh!), Addison, just to name a few.

    Reply
  43. Meg says

    June 30, 2012 at 9:26 AM

    hmm… i can only think of the overused annoying ones in our neighborhood and they aren’t even that bad i mean, Brittany, Kaitlin, Ashley… i really don’t like Tammy either…no offense anyone! 🙂

    Reply
  44. Chantal says

    June 30, 2012 at 8:36 AM

    I would agree with Bentley (especially on a girl – it represents a lot of other hated names. I recently met a baby girl Bentley). Oh, and maybe Madison?

    Reply
  45. dancingwithdad says

    June 30, 2012 at 7:32 AM

    I’m sad Brooklyn is so hated, though at this point it’s too popular for me to use. I’m wondering why Cohen is so hated?

    Reply
    • Awkward Turtle says

      June 30, 2012 at 4:39 PM

      Basically, for Jewish people Cohen is a significant surname showing relation to a kind of priest (or something similar) but most people who use Cohen as a first name aren’t Jewish. So some people think it’s just stealing part of a culture and some people don’t see a big deal about it and it can cause lots of arguments online.

      It’s not really the name, it’s more the context it’s used in really.

      Reply
  46. Lou @ Mer de Noms says

    June 30, 2012 at 7:17 AM

    Good question! My first thought was Kennedy, but it seems you’ve already covered him/her. Not sure about hated, but Suri was a controversial pick. Or maybe Bentley? Personally, I’m no fan of either Emma or Ella/Elle.

    Reply
  47. Gillian says

    June 30, 2012 at 6:56 AM

    I suggest Kiley, Jaylynn or Paisley.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      June 30, 2012 at 4:30 PM

      I agree with Kylee, Kiley, Kylie et. al. That name drives me nuts.

      Reply

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