Most hated baby names

[spacefem]

So this week I made a baby name suggestion generator (http://spacefem.com/pregnant/names/) and someone in a pregnancy community said it made the mistake of suggesting Tristan, the 80th most popular boy name in America but 7th most hated! I had no idea there was a "most hated names" list but a savvy blogger compiled one, it's here:

http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/ ... in-america

So bad news: if you plan on naming your daughter after a virtue, like Hope, Destiny, or heaven-spelled-backwards Neveah, someone's gonna hate her name. Same goes for if you name your son Jayden, Brayden, or anything that rhymes with them. If you make up a unique spelling, people will hate it.

I personally think this is important info! As I've said before, I'm against the idea that parenting decisions should be all "my kid my choice shut up". Just like I believe your friends should hold an intervention to keep you from marrying the wrong guy, the world needs to confront you if you're about to give your kid a name we all hate. This is important stuff, people!

I won't post the most hated name list here, you'll have to click the link. I'd rather hear from you first on whether there are names you hate. I feel like we had a topic on general "names you wouldn't name your kid" but I can't find it... and it seems like it was mostly stuff like "this girl Courtney bullied me all through elementary school so that name's out". No, this is more about names you hate just on principle, because of how they sound or how weirdly popular they've gotten. How about it?

[dwarp]

Mackenzie, Mckenzie, Mykenzy...whatever it is. I see it ALL the time now...don't people understand that their kid is going to be one of 18 in their class? I never thought it was that cute, but now I feel like everyone I know has a Mackenzie and they're all spelled weird. Also my cousin named her baby Shane, and all I could think of was that western movie "I hate you Shane! Come back Shane!"...turns out that's the dad's favorite western....

Also Zoe. I don't know why, but I feel like Zoe is becoming so common for....no reason.

That being said, I want to give my kids relatively Jewish names, which I'm sure some people will hate. I'm sad that Noah is becoming popular again because it's my favorite name but I kind of have this thing where I want my kids to be the only one of their name in the class.

[monk]

I don't hate names so much as I hate spelling. If you like a name, pick the standard spelling of it. Don't stick Y's where i's are supposed to be don't stick k's where c's are supposed to be. Don't go originating the spelling of your kids name because you want to set the apart. my kids name is George but it's spelled imadumass.

on the other hand, if you've come up with an original name, spell it however you want.

[spacefem]

my kids name is George but it's spelled imadumass.

dude, this totally made me lol. first, I'm against alternate spellings too... some gal in babycenter once posted to ask what we thought of "lurine" and I was like, "urine, with an L?" and she was like "no it's pronounced like lauren" and I was like "but it's GONNA BE PRONOUNCED LIKE URINE, HONEY"

babycenter is full of gems, for those who don't know, if you ever get pregnant it's not QUITE as dumb as yahoo answers but it's only about a notch up.

[Mathmo]

I kind of have a resolution not to hate names because I think it tends to be all tied up with class privilege and snobbery and things and so I try to just accept everything. Because I don't want to be in a conversation being all like "oh I think X is such a tacky name" and find the person I'm talking to has a nephew called X ... (having said that, I would not recommend naming your child X.)

I think that baby names which are very much like surnames are a bit confusing - so like Mckenzie. (Although I know "like surnames" will change in different places around the world). And I'd definitely go for avoiding names that look like another word spelled strangely or have connotations you want to avoid. I'd also say check your initials before you decide ... don't give your kid initials like L.O.L. W.T.F. W.C. etc.

Also, I thought it interesting that Catherine (the one who's just married Prince William) is Catherine with a C but Kate with a K. Anyone else think that? I guess Kate is a more standard spelling than Cate ...

[Sonic#]

I kind of have a resolution not to hate names because I think it tends to be all tied up with class privilege and snobbery and things and so I try to just accept everything.

I think this is a good response to have. I've got some quirks. Just a note - if someone's actually named this, I try not to prejudge the person. But I don't want any hypothetical children of mine to have these names, and I just have a reaction against them as names.

My girlfriend's favorite baby name for a boy is Oscar, a name that I simply cannot stand outside of the muppet.
I don't like names that are so improperly spelled that the name just looks ridiculous (Lindsey or Lindsay are fine; Lynzee isn't).
I don't like some names even though they're well-accepted (like Tabitha, Charles, Pamela, and Bradley). I cringe at names with apostrophes in them (like De'shaun. I'd be better with Deshaun).
I hate names that are directly derived from common objects, like Stone or Candy.
I don't really like the abstract or gemstone names for my own child, but I'm okay with them otherwise (Pearl (I have a great uncle named Pearl Wayne), Emerald, Love, Destiny (my cousin), and the like).
Names that start with K when I think they should start with C. I'm not talking about common ones, like Catherine and Katherine. But I far prefer Colby to Kolby, Colton (I'm meh about this) to Kolton (NO!). Sometimes it goes the other way around, like Kane to Cane.

Now, having read the post, I'm not surprised by what's listed, but many of those don't set me off. Some of the Mc- names aren't bad. Gertrude... I can see that, though I like my Germanic names. (I'd probably go for a softer one like Erika though.) As for all the "-aiden" names, what? I guess I haven't talked to any 5 year olds, but are these names common?

[MFS]

so I should be safe, having named my kids Taliban, Fartknocker, Gangrapist, and Donaldtrump?

[Spike]

9. Michael (6). The whipping boy for people who scorned "common" names. Names like Matthew, Sarah and Emily also came up several times. (Notably, they were the most likely names to be defended by others in the conversation.)

I am definitely in that defensive camp. They're not "common" names, they're "classic" names. Emily, Anna, Michael, Robert, et al are excellent names because they've withstood the test of time. If your grandparents have a friend with that name and it doesn't sound silly (like Oscar or Gertrude) it's a damn good name.

I also have a bit of bone to pick with screwed up spellings. It can take a good name and immediately make it look cheap and trashy.

[Butterfly North]

There are kids in my hometown with names like 'Princess' and 'Bliss', and that's the thing that annoys me. I don't see it happening so much to boys really, but there's this tendency to name your little girl something that will be cute on her (if you're into that sort of thing) but absolutely ridiculous on an adult.

Also now I'm in Oxford I have a kind of snobbery about posh names. I'm not going to go into them on the public bit of the forum because that feels like bullying when I'm thinking of specific people. But it's hard when someone says to you 'Oh you must meet Crispin!' not to assume that Crispin is a bit of a twat (I don't know anyone called Crispin).

[Sonic#]

^ That's the really funny thing about these prejudices though. Crispin sounds like such an odd name, but Crispin Glover (George McFly in Back to the Future) is a good actor.

[Aum]

My parents were going to name me Joshua. I'm happy they didn't. My big sister intervened and told them she would move out if they did. (She was 7 at the time.)

I don't like the name Kirsten, and the really common names like Emily, Michael, David, Joseph, etc. It makes me think that people lack creativity when they pick those names.

I like the name I was given but I'd probably only feel comfortable mentioning it in the members only section.

[monk]

Crispin is widely popular with the Shakespeare set.

so I should be safe, having named my kids Taliban, Fartknocker, Gangrapist, and Donaldtrump?

Tali, the knock man, G and TRUMP are all great kids names, I've known kids to grow up with worse nicknames that were provided by their own family.

Also, I thought it interesting that Catherine (the one who's just married Prince William) is Catherine with a C but Kate with a K. Anyone else think that? I guess Kate is a more standard spelling than Cate ...

Do to the overwhelming abundance of Catherine derived names amongst the members of Spacefem I am declaring that I love ALL derivations of Catherine and all spellings of it and declare it the one exception to the funky spelling rule.

[Tweek]

so I should be safe, having named my kids Taliban, Fartknocker, Gangrapist, and Donaldtrump?

You called a child 'Donandtrump'?

[kelsa]

Strange spellings of names with already established spellings for no reason. I have a Hmong friend who has a usual name spelled differently because of the discrepancies in letters and sounds, the same with a few Chinese friends, I totally get and respect that. Its people with a kid named Kaiteyia with no reason that get the skeptical eyebrow from me.

[Meperidine]

My brother's name is Braden >< I don't know if it's just because I love him but I feel like spelling it with a y makes it a lot more odious.

[Tookie]

I'm actually a big fan of slightly antiquated-sounding names like Gertrude (Gertie? Best nickname ever!). It might be a personal bias, based on my own name, but I like the classics, you know? I tend to cringe at anything new-fangled.

I met a kid named Cedar once. He was 6, and I was 16. We were both wearing the same dinosaur shirt.

[spacefem]

Yeah I'd have to say I kinda loved Gertrude, if it weren't for an unfortunate family experience that might have been my daughter's name. And speaking of family... "Harriet" was Jo's close second name. If she'd been born June 14th (Harriet Beecher Stowe's birthday) I might have had to go with it. My family hated it! And people said she'd be called "Harry". So, dang. But if I have another daughter it's still on the list. Harriet Tubman, Harriet The Spy, Harriet in "So I Married an Ax Murderer"... it's a great name, I think! Let me know if I'm wrong.

[helium]

I love Harriet, but I also think that girls with names or nicknames that are traditionally guy's names are awesome and cute.

I am also on the bandwagon for hating re-spells of traditional names. I know a girl who's name is spelled "Cera" and it's pronounced "Sierra" and it pisses me off all the time. Also names like "Bliss" and "Joy" are just asking for trouble, I used to go to school with two sisters named Harmony and Serenity, and they were both some of the meanest, most drama-prone girls I knew.

[Eravial]

I'm not particularly a fan of Genevieve, Joe, Tanya, Richard (happens to be a family member's name, but that doesn't have anything to do with it), Veronica, Alan, Pete, Susan, Kensey, Gillian, and names that are spelled obnoxiously. I do know a girl named Aaren (pronounced slightly different from Erin), though, and I'm pretty fond of that spelling. I don't really care about a little spelling variation, but when you start throwing in excessive vowels/letters in general it gets messy. I don't much like Ann, but I'm fine with Anne.

While I don't really like these names, I can't say I really hate them. Ridiculous spellings do get to me though. Also I once had this kid at camp (which was targeted towards helping low-income kids) named Shi'thead, pronounced shih-thahd. Definitely was like O_O and then I just felt bad for the kid.

Oh, and rhyming names for twins. I'm friends with these twins, Tracey and Stacey, and people are always like "...really?" when they learn their names.

[rowan]

There aren't really many names that make me cringe, unless they're going overboard with "cutesy" and "crazy spelling." I have a pretty uncommon name and I've never encountered someone with the same spelling as I have (the name became popular after I got it, so I figure I'm right ). I think it's awesome. However, I do know other people who have uncommon names and HATE it for that "oh I always have to spell it blaaah" so as far as the kid hating it....

I know someone who named their kid Libberty Belle. Yes, misspelled like that. Really.

I also know someone who named their kid "Streeter" and I was kind of like "bwah" but it's grown on me a little. Kind of.

[kelsa]

I am planning on naming my future basset hound puppy Harriet. I remind the Roogirl of this at least daily to make sure she does not venge on the promise of helping me to acquire said puppy. I also think it is a good human name, but nope, I love Harriet the Puppy RIGHT NOW and the name can't be used for anyone else in my life, evAr!

[StarsInUrEye]

I named my daughter Caden. only I spell it Kadin. eeekkksss.... I just liked it. Can't help it.

Wost name I'v ever hard was Rusty Boomer. seriously, yeah.

[Aelwyn]

Also now I'm in Oxford I have a kind of snobbery about posh names. I'm not going to go into them on the public bit of the forum because that feels like bullying when I'm thinking of specific people. But it's hard when someone says to you 'Oh you must meet Crispin!' not to assume that Crispin is a bit of a twat (I don't know anyone called Crispin).

Uh jeez, I know exactly what you mean. Jonty's the name that really gets me.
My boyfriend's mum does house visits for people who've just had kids. Apparently there's a bit of a trend in naming baby boys Lennon after the Celtic manager Neil Lennon, ewwww.

[spacefem]

Oh, so there's also the list of most popular twin names:
http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/twins.html

It's bad. 30 sets of twins last year were named Taylor & Tyler? Seriously? WHY? They're practically the same name! Faith & Hope is just cheesy. Aiden & Jayden is... just unfortunate.

[miketheheadlesschicken]

Oh, and rhyming names for twins. I'm friends with these twins, Tracey and Stacey, and people are always like "...really?" when they learn their names.

Aw man, I get called Stacy on accident allll the time.

I'm also not a big fan of the last-name-as-first-name thing, so I'm not a big fan of names like Palmer, Mackenzie, Madison, etc.