dimanche 16 novembre 2008

Say my name, say my name

Now, I’m all for originality, but let’s not screw up the kids, eh? I mean, being original is fine when it comes down to choosing to have a barcode tattooed onto your forehead (although it’s been done before) but when it means calling your child Barcode, then that’s a different thing altogether.

There have been plenty of stories recently about people calling their kids stupid names – remember Tallulah Does The Hula From Hawaii, anyone? Or the twins, Benson and Hedges? But it is not these that concern me the most.

What worries me more than anything is the proliferation of totally made up names. Names that have come from nowhere and mean nothing.

Often it is just a single letter or part of the name that has been changed for effect – Latasha, Shanita, Jelissa, Jeswald, Natrick.

And then there are the names that have had a bit added to them – I give you LaDawn, ShaLisa, LaTanya. I’ve met a LaCorey and a DeJohn. Really. I have. And don’t get me started on D’Shaun.

But the crème de la crème – the totally made up names. Those that have truly been thought up on the spot by the parents. Let’s have a round of applause, ladies and gentlemen, for Quanesha, Tyaishia and Shalonna. For LaCrasha and Trinique and Keyair. And for my very favourite – ShaQueen. Beautiful and understated, I think.

Really, these are all names that we encountered during our big American road trip in ’07. It got to the point where we were so startled by some that we started to write them down.

But it’s not just in the United States that you find this. In the UK you don’t have to go far too find an Aimii, a Cydney or a Mishell. Bad spelling or innovation?

Whatever happened to George, Julie and Peter? Normal names for normal people.

I thank the Lord every day that my parents had the foresight to give me a normal name. They gave me a normal, everyday, easy-to-spell name.

I'd tell you what it is, but I prefer it if you just call me Sir.

24 commentaires:

Lane Mathias a dit…

Sir
I can't even pronounce most of those names.

No one in my family has a name longer than four letters. We like to keep it simple:-)

Anonyme a dit…

try some of the Welsh ones - Gwyneira, Rhiannon,Sian-elin ,Blodwyn,Enfis oh and some of those Danish ones curl your hair - Putte, Pernille, Lonni,Valborg

Tony a dit…

I prefer to call you Sir-queshia!

Louise a dit…

Well, Sir, Anthony made me laugh (hoarsely) out loud!

OK, I have a first-cousin-once-removed (you Europeans get that, right? A great deal of Americans don't.) who has five children, and all of them are Le-something-or-another. I would tell you their names, but I can't remember them, all, and even if I could, I couldn't begin to spell them. And they don't call ANY of them by those names, but some mono-syllablel nickname. (I think the "real" name with the least amount of syllables is four.) I don't get it.

I like unusual names. I/we chose unusual names for our children. (For America.) BUT THEY ARE NOT MADE UP. We did not do funky spellings. And we know the names are hard, and few Americans can figure them out, but we are teaching our children to be patient when people mispronounce. (One of them is an Irish name--you can imagine.)

But if I had a boy, he'd be Philip. Not on the top-10 list, but simple.

I am 100% opposed to made-up names.

Unknown a dit…

well, SIR, that's actually quite an interesting (and distinctly AMERICAN) observation you have there. i found an article that may shed some light about it:

http://www.slate.com/id/2116449/

The Hangar Queen a dit…

Don't forget the famous twins LeMon and Oran Gello.

Some of the names are astounding.I once encountered a Derrierishia.I don't know how she could live with herself going around causing all that psychic trauma wielding such a name.

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Lane, that sounds good to me. A perfectly acceptable tradition...

VM - you have a great point. I love me a Blodwyn tho, very funny....

LaTanya, you can call me Sir-queshia anytime you like...;-)

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Louise, Irish names can be amongst the worse - Niamh, Medbh, Mairead, Aosline, and so on....but they are amongst the loveliest too...and at least they have a tradition attached.

Mike, I'm checking it out now...

travelling, but not in love a dit…

HQ, Derrierishia?!? That's just beautiful. I may use that one for myself!!! he he. You win.

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Mike, I'm a little bit stunned by the top twenty 'white ' names that the article lists. If anything it shows a lack of imagination...

Four of the top 20 are:

Katelyn
Caitlin
Kaitlin
and
Kaitlyn...

Lord help us all....

Brett a dit…

Some parents are just too mean, i met a Richard Turpin once!

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Brett, that's not a great name, is it?

I used to work with a Sherrol Flynn once too. Crazy.

aims a dit…

Oh Lord! I saw a derivation of my own name in your list and shuddered! It could give me nightmares!

Go from this to this -

My aunt and uncle - both names starting with E - had nine kids. Every single child has a name starting with E. Just about drives me nuts and I never know whom I talking to.

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Aims, that's hilarious...

My Grandmother was one of seven kids and each had a name that ended in -a. Dora, Ida, Hilda, Olga, and so on. So I guess we are all only one step away from name madness.....

tornwordo a dit…

My dad's name is Dick. That was pretty hostile of the grandparents don't you think?

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Torny, it's a bit mean. I agree.

In the UK newspapers last year there was the story of the young boy called Drew Peacock.

And his parents who, having realised that they had named their baby 'droopy cock' decided to write to the newspapers rather than change his name.....

cb a dit…

Dude- We've given the world jazz, baseball, and now creative baby names.

Don't be a hater. Embrace it!

LaTisha, LaQueesha, LaTosha, Tayshawn... the list goes on and on.

travelling, but not in love a dit…

CB, you know I'm ready to embrace all sorts of things american....but Jazz?

Come on.

Unknown a dit…

I blame P-Diddly

travelling, but not in love a dit…

KP, it seems as good a place to start as any with the blame....he he

Anonyme a dit…

We had a Victor Diamond Jubilee Jones
and a Rosie Harse in school
the of course u have the funny welshified ones Dai up and down , dai the milk Gwenny cock a latch, mary twphead

travelling, but not in love a dit…

VM - some classics there luv.

Swearing Mother a dit…

Today I have mostly been dealing with a patient called T'Kai. No, honestly, it was definitely T'Kai. Which makes a change from yesterday when the lad's name was TJ. Short for Teej, apparently.

I fear for the future.

travelling, but not in love a dit…

SM - Im sure I've told you about J-Lo Jones, the six month old baby at Dr Smart's surgery....?