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Take these for example:
Garnet
Amethyst
Aquamarine
Diamond
Emerald
Pearl
Ruby
Peridot
Sapphire
Opal
Topaz
and
Turquoise
| Beautiful. Gem-names are lovely *heart*. | 3 | |
| Some are good, some are awful. | 30 | |
| TACKY.TACKY.TACKY. | 20 | |
| Meh. Live and let live. | 5 | |
| Understandable but I wouldn't name a baby after one of these. | 11 | |
| I like gem names and I'd name a child after one. | 5 |
I'm going to contradict most of the rest of the people here and say -
Why the hell not?!
What's so wonderful and special about the 'traditional' names in English speaking countries?
You know, ALL names start somewhere. ALL names were new once. And, for the most part, when they are first given to a child, they have quite literal meanings.
Amy, from the Old French 'Amée', means "beloved". The first child called Amy, was literally called Beloved. Yet most of you would look down on parents calling their child Beloved!
John is from the Hebrew 'Yochanan', meaning Yahweh (God) is gracious. The first child called John, was literally called God-is-gracious. How would you feel about a parent naming their kid God Is Gracious?
You know in many countries, they are far more open and imaginative with names. They are happy to invent new names, or name a child after something beautiful or important. It doesn't matter that it isn't traditional, it doesn't matter if it's unique. It's a name.
Why you think naming a child after a precious stone is somehow worse than naming a child an ancient phrase meaning God Is Gracious.. I just don't understand. I think it's sad, and it's an irritating thing about Western - and particularly English-speaking - culture.
This is a very good point, and I do agree. I was only selfishly thinking about the desire I would have to punch someone named "Apple" or "dinner fork" or "marshmallow" or whatever the celebrities are calling their vaginal droppings these days.
I understand that people's knee-jerk reaction to 'special' or 'different' names is negative, and that's because it's so culturally ingrained that you pick a name from a list of long established names (often Christian), otherwise you're being somehow absurd, cruel to your child, arrogant thinking they deserve to be different etc. etc.
But I think it's incredibly boring and old-fashioned to think this way. I think if a name sounds nice, and doesn't have negative or embarrassing connotations (I mean 'dinner fork' or 'marshmallow' could be demeaning), why not?
And I actually quite like the name Apple :P Apple of my eye, the 'fruit of knowledge', the cause of the Eureka moment for Newton. Apple.
Another good point, but, at the end of the day, whether you agree or disagree with society's norms, you do have to think about what your weird name kid is going to have to go through on the playground.
I totally agree with you. As I say, it's something I find irritating about Western (English speaking) cultures - but I suppose change would have to be gradual to avoid children getting mercilessly bullied for unusual names.
I'd still encourage a little more tolerance and imagination towards naming, though, to bring about that cultural change in attitude. We're so quick to judge.
I don't like the idea of parents pushing their values on their kids any more than is necessary, and some names are exactly that to me. Chastity and Virginia are good examples, and there would be a far more examples if everyone was named after the values of their parents. I don't think objecting to that is some sort of Western close-mindedness. A name which is effectively meaning-neutral, like John or Amy, might be uninspiring and safe but at least parents of those children aren't making their values part of the child's identity. Amy grows up with something close to a blank canvas, but Chastity is stuck as a walking advert for her parent's values whether she agrees with them or not.
"I don't think objecting to that is some sort of Western close-mindedness"
I'm not saying objecting to a name is inherently Western close-mindedness. I'm saying objecting to a name purely on the basis that it isn't traditional IS Western close-mindedness. There are many valid reasons to object to a name - for example if it was broadly offensive.
As for the idea of parents pushing values on their kids through their name, hey - some silly parents might call their kid something ridiculous or provocative, laden with an agenda. Some already do. I'm not saying parents should name their child without consideration of how others will interpret that name.
I'm simply advocating greater acceptance of non-traditional names. There are many beautiful words, sounds and phrases in (and outside of) the English language that could make great names.
It isn't so much how other people will receive the name, as how far the name can genuinely fit the person's identity and individuality. I really think meaning-neutral names - traditional or non-traditional - are much better at reflecting the flexible nature of a person's identity rather than conflicting with it.
Maybe I'm surrounded by unusually tolerant people, but I've never felt like there is much intolerance towards non-traditional names just because they're non-traditional. Of course everyone should be accepting of any name - I don't know how anyone could disagree with that :)
I agree with you about 'neutral' names, they are preferable. That's beside the point I was making, since - as you say - non-traditional names can be neutral too.
From my experience, plenty of people see non-traditional names as gimmicky, aspirational, part of the culture of celebrity; I think that's a shame.
Fucking gay, parents give their children the worst fucking names these days even aside from gem names, just fucking terrible!
Good idea for a girl if you expect her to become a stripper. Otherwise only a few of these are acceptable. Garnet might kind of pass as boy's name, all the others sound feminine, terrible, or both.
Ruby is okay. Diamond sounds like a stripper name. People can name their kid whatever they want, but that won't stop others from making fun of the kid's name.
I legally changed mine when I was 18.
Is LaQueefa an appropriate name? Think before you name.
I'm thinking these folks have no imagination. Especially when it comes to imagining how much their children will be teased in school, because their parents gave then such stupid names.
Some of them are fine. There are worse things to be named after.
Like this:
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1457324/thumbs/o-BATMAN-BIN-SUPARMAN-facebook.jpg
Some people are too lazy to come up with names for their kids. Me, I'm too lazy to have kids.
The only one I like from those is Ruby, which is also my paternal Grandmas name.
I don't give a shit about what they name their kids. They can name them whatever they want.
Woah, unanimous votes for TACKY.TACKY.TACKY.
But, seriously, naming your kid after pretty rocks?
Vomit! Getting creative with names is essentially the same think as having "kick me" tattooed on your child's back.
Not as bad as naming kids after days, months, and cardinal directions.