Am I the only person left who thinks it's crazy to name your kids unusual names? Seriously. What's with the whole 'my kid has to be totally different and have an unusual name or a normal name spelled weird' philosophy that is permeating parenthood these days?
I'm not talking about cultural differences (or at least I don't think I am), I'm just talking about the general trend.
Did it start with celebrities? If so, why is everyone copying them? Hello....Apple is a fruit. Hazel is a maid (though technically that's just an old fashioned name and is easily spelled. There are sooooo many reasons for an infertile to make fun of Ms. Julia-I guess I'm just an overachiever-R).
Brooklyn? Last I checked it was a city. Hell, it was ok for a girls name on a soap opera but for a boy?
Hmmm, why is Millie ranting about this today? Do I smell displaced anger and resentment? Is this the work of an evil brother and sister-in-law?
You bet sure sweet potatoes, it is that indeed. The Mister got a call from evil bil just last night. I tried to be supportive. Seriously. Mister knows how much I don't like bil so it's hard. So, he got off the phone and said something like "well, that was a strange and difficult call."
"Oh?" I said in my most non-judgemental voice (I can usually squeeze a syllable or sometimes two out that aren't dripping in loathing and sarcasm).
"Well, of course it was all about him and his agenda. Which includes how he's realizing that he's going to have less money and free time now that the next set of twins is nearly here."
"Did he ask about you? Did you get to share anything?" I tried to keep it up but see how it gets hard very quickly when the narcissistic bil is on the other end?
"Of course not. He never asks and I never do."
"How is the sil doing? Do they know the sexes of the babies? Any info?" See, I can even ask these kinds of questions occasionally.
"Well, they're painting the nursery and have names picked out."
Ok. I know some of you have issues with people using your names and that totally would suck. I was reading this post over at Within the Woods (which, why didn't I find that awesome blog earlier? Am I always the last to know) where I wanted to throttle her entire family. See, I'm personally lucky and it's only the in-laws that need throttling. I do feel very lucky about that. I was very sure I wouldn't have to worry about any of the names I love. Man, was I ever right about that!
So guess what the names are. The boy name is ok if not too trendy. In fact, bil almost used it for the boy in his first set of twins years ago. He's big into the 'reuse' part of the recycling mantra. In fact, the current wife has a whole set of jewelry, all the way down to the engagement ring, that belonged to the mistress that came between wife #1 and wife #2.
The girl name is the character from a certain movie that had a couple of sequels in the past couple of years. The first movie was really good, and each sequel was progressively worse. I don't want to write it here for fear of being found on search engines by the narcissists but see if you can guess it. They are soooo setting her up to be a stripper or something. I feel for that kid, already.
Thanks so much for the shout out! I'm so glad that I discovered you as well ;-)
BIL sounds horrible; it's so boring to talk to people like that. I always feel like I'm being used. Did you say the SECOND set of twins? Poor twins.
Posted by: Suz | Monday, 21 March 2005 at 13:06
I SO LOVE this entry! Yes, yes, YES! Why do stupid parents have to name their children weird names? And like you, I don't mind a name that comes from a different culture (I have a name such as that, as does my son, but, hello! They are REAL names that do exist--just not heard very often over in these parts of the world).
Ok, my pet peeve is actually common names spelled stupidly. Like, well, let's list them out:
Instead of: We have:
Kay Cai
Jamie JayMeeh
Michaela Mackaylah
Jacqueline Jackluin
Christine Khristeen
Stephanie Stefany
Mindy Mendee
Thomas Tomis
Brittany Britnee
Is it any wonder the new generation cannot spell?
GRRRRRR! It is a first grade teacher's nightmare.
Oh, and I love the made-up names
LeTwana
Moshkelah
Shulanda
Mohreesha
Lajonda
BLECH!!!
I once worked on a postpartum ward in a state hospital and most of our patients were drug addicts and the like. We passed out STD pamphlets, as well as contraceptive pamphlets, to the new mothers, and then would go talk to them later to review the materials. One morning, the hospital clerk who processes birth certs came out to the nurses' station and said, "Oh my gosh, this patient wants to name her new baby 'Chlamydia.'"
Well, you have to admit--it IS a pretty sounding word.
Posted by: wessel | Tuesday, 22 March 2005 at 05:24
Does the girl name start with "T"? Hmmmm can't quite guess...
OK: lame namer, clueless and insensitive brother, gives new wife the ex-mistress jewelery--Wow BIL really does suck! So sorry.
Glad DH has you in his corner! Pam
Posted by: pam | Tuesday, 22 March 2005 at 07:12
Oh, I second Wessel...what bothers me much more than unusual names is common names spelled unusually. It's so narcissistic and it irks me when I meet someone who always has to point out that so and so's name is actually spelled 'xyz' like that's how everyone should do it if the world were a perfect place and it isn't at all that they are narcissistic assholes, no not at all.
I have simple names picked out, that are easy to spell because I remember the days of taunting. Plus, my actual name is one that has a variety of spellings to it and it irritates me to always have to correct people because I'm so not into that, so I want my kids to have a SIMPLE, EASY name. Sheesh...sorry for the rant, this is a HUGE pet peeve for me.
Posted by: Emily | Tuesday, 22 March 2005 at 19:02
Suz-Yep, you heard right. Second set of twins (one with each wife). The first were the old-fashioned way. This set is the new, improved modern way. (He'd been snipped in between so that should have been a clue to wife #2).
Wessel and Emily--I'm right there with you with hating spelling common names unusually. I didn't want to come off as being as judgemental about names as I truly am. I agree that it's a total narcissistic thing to do. I actually met an Erickque once. Can you believe that? Kids have it hard enough. Don't make it even harder for them. The names I like are aslo simple to say and spell. Well, one has two spellings but they're both considered normal.
Pam~~Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. It does indeed start with the letter 'T'. Bil is so much worse than even I can believe. Mmmm, I see future posts.
Posted by: millie | Tuesday, 22 March 2005 at 22:21
Millie,
Are you kidding me? Erickque? OMG, they couldn't have found a more convulated way of spelling that simple name if they tried. WTF? Is that going to be his stage name, because it sure as hell sounds like it. The best 'worst' spelling of a name that I saw recently was 'Brys'. I stared at it, looked at it and finally said outloud, "Bris? Isn't that a jewish ritual for circumcision?" Mortified (not me, them) I was informed that no, it's "BRYCE". "Oh" my was response, "That's not really spelled correctly, but o.k., you're probably used to correcting people a lot." And walked away. LOL. Serves them right. I wasn't embarrassed, they are spelling that name incorrectly because those letters together do no form the word 'bryce' no matter how much you want it so. I've had to learn to live with a lot of things in my life that aren't going to be so no matter how much I want them to be, so they can learn with the reality that they are stupid and misspelling their child's name, o.k.? Hee hee.
Posted by: Emily | Wednesday, 23 March 2005 at 10:37