WHAT are you thinking namng your child THAT??!!!

[Anonymous]

I was just watching Steve Harvey and he was talking about really bad baby names that have been used in 2012, like Mayo Head, Hashtag, Lust Garten, etc... He was also saying he hated the name his parents gave him so much that he changed it to Steve. I really wanted to hear what his real name was, but, DARNIT! I was switching over the laundry at that moment and missed it, (btw, if you heard, let me know!). _______________________________________________________________-______-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Obama's mother was named Stanley, which is clearly a boy's name. She was obedient enough to keep it until college, but she went by S after that out of shame for having a 'boy's' name. _________________________________________________- _______________________________________________________________________________________ It really made me want to know, if you gave your child a really 'awful' name, one that you clearly know your child will be made fun of for, one that has people giving you funny looks every time you say what your child's name is, or gave your girl an obviously masculine name or your boy an obviously girly name, WHY did you do that???!!! ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Seriously. I really do want to know and understand the motivation for this craziness. Is it because you truly think uniqueness is THE most important thing in a name? Is it because you want revenge on your baby for your pregnancy symptoms and child birth experience? Is it because you are so mean spirited that you relish the idea of your little boy or girl being made fun of EVERY day that they go to school? If it's because you just want them to be unique, there are PLENTY of names that are unique that are still beautiful. ____________________________________________________________________________________ It really doesn't have to be Mayo Head in order for your child to be the only one in his class with that name. And if you're just against gender steriotyping and don't want your child to feel 'locked' into the identity of being his or her gender, then name them something gender neutral, like Jessie, (not jessica) or something like that. If you really wanted a girl, so you give your son a girl's name, or you wanted a boy, so you give your girl a boy's name, (which was the case with Poor Stanley mentioned above), then you are just selfish and cruel imo, because forcing your child to live with a daily reminder of your gender dissapointment is just an awful thing to do. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I AGONIZED over the names of each of my kids. I WISHED they could just name themselves, because I know that no matter what I named them they STILL may grow up and hate the name, but there are obviously some names that pretty much guarentee that will happen. I thought about what their name rymed with, (because we all know if the other kids can come up with a funny and very unflattering ryme with your child's name they will, and will call them by that ryme forever), and thought about any obvious invitations to teasing inherent in the name. My cousin, for example, never lived down the fact that her first name rymed with her last, at least not until she got married and changed her last name. _________________________________________________________________________________ This is why I named my odd Elizabeth, maybe I played it TOO safe, but not only is that a pretty name, but there are so many variations on it that she could decide to go by if she chooses. It was the closest I could come to letting her choose her own name. At least it gave her a few options on what to be called. My other two were named after beloved family members. Granted, we do have the problem, if you call it a problem, of Elizabeth often having other little girls in her class with the same name, but she really doesn't mind. Still, like I said, it is possible to give your child a name that is both unique AND beautiful. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I know one common excuse for this is the old, "It's my kid and my decision and I honestly don't care what anyone else thinks." I get that, but YOU are not the one who is going to have to live with that name, your kid is, and they may hate it. Are you going to feel bad if a few years down the road they tell you they hate it, cry when they get home that the kids tease them relentlessly, changes it when he grows up? Or are you still going to be glad you named your kid Hash Tag or Vomit Pile? _______________________________________________________________________________ Now, don't think I mean you if your child just has a unique name that is really lovely, I'm talking about the ones who surely have to KNOW they are setting thier kid up for a lifetime of humiliation. WHY??!!!__________________________________________________________________________ PS, I did do paragraphs, and put a space between each paragraph, but for whatever reason when I posted it the paragraphs weren't there, so I've gone back and edited in these lines between paragraphs.

What do you think when you see a kid with a really awful name like Mayo Head or Lust Garten?

• Only group members can vote in this poll.

1. 0% - Wow! How unique! :)
2. 76% - Ugh! WHY would you do that to your poor kid??!!
3. 18% - Well, I wouldn't do it, but to each their own, I guess.
4. 1% - LOVE IT!
5. 3% - Other, (please explain)

[kaitybird]

I think to each their own.  Some people are just out to please only themselves when they name their child because they can.  When I worked in the school district we had a mother give her 2 daughter's stripper names.  One lady was naming all of her daughers after gemstones which some are okay but others not so much.  I have never made fun of anyone for what they have named their child as their child has to grow up with the name and the parents will have to deal with all the negativity and questions if and when they arise!

[Anonymous]

Elizabeth is a beautiful name ...my oldest is named Elizabeth

[Anonymous]

I have heard wayyyyyy worse but my cousin named her kids, Lark, Robin and Hawk.

[mp3mom]

My choices were based on the fact you could not do anything to them, such as Michael to Mike; I chose Erin, Ryan, & Kelly. Even THEN, people have managed to shorten them, lol.

[Neuro]

Alright that makes sense. It's not like I don't think someone has it coming for insulting another person's name, I was just wondering if it's a philosophy that's taught XD

Quoting Looneyfarmmom:

I tell him that his name is unique like his grandfather and that it isn't common but it is a very nice name from Spain. He naturally has this dry yet sarcastic sense of humor and he is very quick witted so he can come up with things on the spot. He is like my sister in that aspect. When she verbally slaps you lol no one even realizes it until they have to do the double take. So when I told him that his name is unique and all that I think he automatically thought those who have the same name were boring. That boy surprises me every day. And I cannot condone it so I can't just go "Oh way to go!" I did high five him for sticking up for himself and telling him he can only do that when someone is being mean to him and won't let up. 

Quoting Neuro:

Did... did you actually teach him that parents who give their kids common names don't love their kids and effectively damn them to be boring faces in the crowd? Or is that just a nifty comeback?

I mean, darn.

Quoting Looneyfarmmom:

Kids are going to pick on your kids no matter what. I have a very common name and they still picked on me. And if they pick on a name it is because the parents make a big deal out of it. Actors have "strange" names and even change their names to stranger names to get noticed and boy do they have it nice. 

Some days I wish I had a pretty name and not a typical normal name. I gave my son a Spanish name that was his grandfathers and adult's still made a big deal out of it and tried to make fun of it. Until they learned Mommy was meaner than they were and put down their boring names. Pouts all around. People try to make fun of me all the time to this day for stupid reasons and then they start crying about why I have to be so mean. Well everyone told me I had to learn how to deal with the bullies so I can be nice but if you piss me off I can get really mean. 

One kid made fun of my son about his name Tomas and told him it was a stupid name. My son just smiled and said, "At least my Mother loved me enough to name me something unique unlike your Mother who wanted you to be boring and fade into the crowd." Score one for bubba bear. I just laughed behind my book. 

[awesomeamylynn]

My name was really common when I was younger and I hated it! In my high scchool class of 54 student, three of us were named Amy!

I wanted to give my kids unique name. we named our oldest daughter Brittany Dawn when she was born in 99'. It was a name we kept coming back to. After she was born, the name Brittany started popping up all over the place and I groaned. Brittany has PDD-NOS or autism spectrum disorder. She has very limited social skills and often has trouble fitting in. For her, having a common name gives her a true sense of belonging. She feels like she has something in common with "all of the other Brittany's in the world." It works for her.

My youngest daughter is Amica- pronounced a-me-ca Sophia. She loves having a unique name. Her name works for her because she is one who is meant to stand out. Kids never seem to think her name is strange. It is there parents who do a double take when they first hear her name. Amica use to get upset when people would misprounce her name. Now she just rolls her eyes, shakes her head, and gently corrects them.

[awesomeamylynn]

My friend named her daughter Itsa-Marie and her son Nanito. I could not believe it when i heard her daughter's name.

Another friend of mine, Brenda, has a sister named Alice so she named her first born Brendalice!

[raven1114]

what's dumb about giving your child a name that a dozen other kids in their grade don't have.

Quoting Anonymous:

Yes, but they are both dumb.

Quoting raven1114:

Eh, there's a differnce in unique and just stupid.

[Anonymous]

Everything, when many can't even pronounce the names any longer.

Quoting raven1114:

what's dumb about giving your child a name that a dozen other kids in their grade don't have.

Quoting Anonymous:

Yes, but they are both dumb.

Quoting raven1114:

Eh, there's a differnce in unique and just stupid.

[RiotPixie]

Heck, my 6 year old son has a perfectly normal name. Aidan. But now there is a craze with that name. But they ate always spelled different. So everyone misspells my son's name. They wanna do Aiden or Ayden. Nope, folks. Traditional Irish spelling.