Baby Name Stats

[cryptique]

I think Hunter Scott is a very nice name, you should really think about it.

The great HST aside, I'm not a fan of Hunter as a name ... or Tanner, Austin, Madison, or any of the other yuppie-cutesy names that have been in vogue for the last decade or so.

 

But that's just me.

[Preferred B]

I work with 4 people who have named their daughters Madison in the last 3 years. As a 'Jennifer', #1 name of the 1970s, I can tell you that it sucks to have such a common name.

My niece (who almost twelve now) is named Bailey Madison. The "Madison" is there because it was my mom's maiden name, so now my sister is pissed that it's gotten so popular.

 

A (youngish, white) guy in my office has daughters named Ruby and Selma. When a friend of mine heard that, she said "oh, I didn't realize you worked with a sharecropper."

 

As the recipient of a torturiously odd name, I do officially hereby beseech all prospective parents to picture the literal and metaphoric beatings your child will get.

 

Please, PLEASE stop the insanity.

 

Sometimes I could just slap my mama.

 

Thank You.

Is your name actually Crowjack?

[Mrs. Peel]

I still stand by naming a daughter "Fred"

 

 

My mom's childhood friend is named Freddie. I love that! There was a show in the late 80s about 3 or 4 sisters who all had very long feminine names that could be shortened to male-sounding nicknames. I thought that was so cool.

 

 

In high school the homerooms were divided up by last name. My row had 5 people, 4 of which were Jennifer S.'s.

[rareair]

My mom's childhood friend is named Freddie. I love that!

 

 

I know my parents love me, stand behind me come what may.

I know now that I

[quarter23cd]

My wife and I don't go for particularly common names, I guess. Here's my analysis of my kids' names:

 

Jolene - hit its peak in the 1970s, presumably around the time of the Dolly Parton song. Currently this name is ranked so low, it might actually be in negative numbers. My daughter could possibly go her whole life without ever meeting someone who shares her name.

 

Maura - Hey, this one made the list! 2005 rank: 807

 

and, the newly-settled-upon name of our baby due in April:

 

Corrine - Once again, pretty much nonexistent.

[quarter23cd]

Maura - nothing like naming your child "sorrow" to ensure a happy life.

If that's the worst problem she has to overcome in life, I'll be quite happy for her.

 

My wife liked the name because she is/was convinced that it was a variation on her name (Maria). I was initially like "ummm, I'm not so sure..." But I was eventually won over by the name, and now love it.(beats the snot out of Madison or any of those names where people think its cute to use a "y" in place of an "i" or whatever) And besides, when she hits her inevitable goth phase in high school, you can't get much more badass than having a name that literally translates to darkness or sorrow.

 

And besides, its a very common Irish name, which greatly pleased the old Irish couple we used to rent an apartment from back when we were deciding on names.

[Mrs. Peel]

My mom has a friend named Moira, which I've always liked.

 

I already have a girl's name picked out if we ever have kids. But Al doesn't know it yet. Tessa, after my aunt Theresa who has always been called Tessie. And I've also always been partial to Gretchen for some reason.

[jenbobblehead]

My grandmother, b. 1927, was named Loretta. My mom is named Lorene. I am named Daniel; my sister is named Amy.

 

my grandmother's name is Loretta as well!

[Lammycat]

The great HST aside, I'm not a fan of Hunter as a name ... or Tanner, Austin, Madison, or any of the other yuppie-cutesy names that have been in vogue for the last decade or so.

 

But that's just me.

I'm with you on this. Just too damn obvious. Trying too hard.

 

Though the best dog we've ever had was an incredible yellow lab named Tanner. He'd hang at shows, bars, parties, etc. with us. Never needed a leash.

[quarter23cd]

I already have a girl's name picked out if we ever have kids...Tessa

I'm pretty sure I've told you this before, but Tessa is my cat's name.

[Mrs. Peel]

I'm pretty sure I've told you this before, but Tessa is my cat's name.

 

 

I know, I know. I still contend that it's a very weird cat name. Although I have a cat named Calvin, so what do I know.

[quarter23cd]

I know, I know. I still contend that it's a very weird cat name.

That's ok, in my eyes it is a perfectly acceptable cat name and therefore a somewhat unusual child's name.

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

I've known a Mara and a Maura. Both nice girls and happy, so far as I could tell. I imagine the name is more common in bible-thumping circles.

[quarter23cd]

I've known a Mara and a Maura. Both nice girls and happy, so far as I could tell. I imagine the name is more common in bible-thumping circles.

Not sure I'm seeing the connection.(unless you count the similarity to Mary/Maria, which are quite popular, but not exclusively within religious communities)

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

The girl's name Mara is pronounced MAHR-ah. It is of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is "bitter". Biblical: Naomi, mother-in-law of Ruth, claimed the name Mara as an expression of grief after the deaths of her husband and sons.

[quarter23cd]

Ah. See, the info I came up with told me this:

 

Name: Maura

Origin: Latin

Meaning: Dark

 

I'd heard of the "sorrow" connotation before, but none of my searches came up with a biblical origin/description. Funny how those name-origin sites frequently come up with conflicting information.

[terrfish]

Ok, I had to chime in because I have some seriously weird names in my family.

 

My mother's name was Welcome. As in "you are.." It was a family name. She was named after her grandfather, who actually didn't use it, he went by his middle name Matthew. Her best friend used to refer to her as "Willie"

 

I have an uncle named Theron -- he goes by John.

 

I have an Aunt Tillie.

 

I also had an Uncle Stan who I called Uncle Lefty. Yes, he was left-handed, but so was everyone else in his family except my dad.

 

My dad's name was Steve, but everyone called him Shep.

 

I somehow emerged with a pretty normal name (Terri), which according to the cool thingy at the beginning of this thread is not even in the top 1000 names any more.

[cryptique]

Welcome qualifies as seriously weird, but the rest aren't all that odd.

 

I knew two guys named Theron when I was a kid. I believe they were both Greek.

[bjorn_skurj]

Back in the old days there was Cotton and Increase Mather.

[austrya]

My wife and I don't go for particularly common names, I guess. Here's my analysis of my kids' names:

 

Jolene - hit its peak in the 1970s, presumably around the time of the Dolly Parton song. Currently this name is ranked so low, it might actually be in negative numbers. My daughter could possibly go her whole life without ever meeting someone who shares her name.

 

Maura - Hey, this one made the list! 2005 rank: 807

 

and, the newly-settled-upon name of our baby due in April:

 

Corrine - Once again, pretty much nonexistent.

 

My sister is named Corinne. She could never find those little license plates for her bike when she was little.

[terrfish]

Welcome qualifies as seriously weird, but the rest aren't all that odd.

 

I know right? Seriously weird. Needless to say, when I had my kids I did not carry on the family name. My mom passed away in '93 and believe me, she would have understood. She hated her name. Kids used to tease her and call her "Thanksgiving".

[jenbobblehead]

Though the best dog we've ever had was an incredible yellow lab named Tanner. He'd hang at shows, bars, parties, etc. with us. Never needed a leash.

i knew a great Tanner as well. my best childhood friends' golden retriever! once ate an entire bag of mini milky way bars, wrappers and all one halloween.

[M. (hristine]

Back in the old days there was Cotton and Increase Mather.

I loved those names.

[wheelco]

the end of Freakonomics has a great discussion on the social import of this topic

[cryptique]

My wife and I don't go for particularly common names, I guess. Here's my analysis of my kids' names:

 

Jolene

 

Maura

 

Corrine

Those are awesome names. Well done.