Whats in a name??
@cinderella2007 (2662)
August 14, 2008 4:16am CST
Gone are the days of children inheriting names from relatives. Children are now more likely to be named after the celebrity of the day.
In 1907 more than 400 baby boys were named Norman but that fell to two in 2005. The name Norman can be traced back to the Norman conquest of 1066.
In 1907 300 baby girls were called Gertrude but none were given the name of the 7th century saint in 2005.
Other names such as Edna, Ethel, Walter and Percy have also almost died out research has found.
The one popular name that is still around is Richard. A total of 4,671 babies were named Richard in 1807 but that fell to 2,289 in 1907. In 2005 only 538 babies were registered named Richard.
A researcher said some of the most popular names have stood the test of times.
Thomas was in the top five names for boys 100 years ago. Last year it was the most popular, after Jack. Other names which have fallen out of favour have been replace by something similar. Olive has lost popularity but Olivia was the most popular name in 2006.
Swedish authorities say parents can now call their newborns 'Budweiser' or 'Metallica' after naming rules were relaxed. However it is still illegal to call a child God, Allah or the Devil!!
What made you choose your child's name?? Have they inherited any names from the family? What name would you choose to call your child?? Would you be influenced by celebrities or by family names??
2 people like this
8 responses
@kayedanda (1850)
• Philippines
15 Aug 08
I have a three-month old daughter and her name is Svetlana. I got that name from a close friend in college with the same name. When Svetlana (the older one) and I first met, I told her that she has a lovely name and when the time comes that I have a child of my own and it's a girl, I'll name her Svetlana too. :)
@cinderella2007 (2662)
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15 Aug 08
So you was influenced on friends name. I think thats nice, especially if a unique name!! What would you have named your child if it had been a boy??
2 people like this
@kayedanda (1850)
• Philippines
15 Aug 08
yes, Svetlana is quite unique, i believe it's a russian name. if i had a baby boy? the hubby wanted Hayden. he said it sounded good with our last name, so:)
1 person likes this
@dagda24 (366)
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14 Aug 08
I don't have children but if I ever do I would try and give them a more unusaul name, but without being silly.
When I was at school almost every class had four or five Sarah's in it. When I was younger my name, Sophie, was not common and I was the only one in our school, which was quite nice in a way. Now the name is gaining more popularity every time I go out I here angry parents shouting "Sophie, stop that." And always think I'm being told off.
I would name my children after celebrities or fruits, but I also wouldn't like to call them the same as every one elses children. I think your name is part of your identity and it can be hard to have to share the name with many people you know.
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@cinderella2007 (2662)
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14 Aug 08
I like unusual names but not totally weird names!! I would like to add my middle name and my boyfriend's name in with our child's name. My middle name (Maura) is unusual and I like it. My mum has the same name so its special to me. My boyfriend is called John so that is why if I have a boy I would like an unusual name for him as John is a very popular name!!!
thanks for responding x
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@dagda24 (366)
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14 Aug 08
I always fancied my children's middle names being my parents names but my brother has already used both of my dad's names with his two boys and I felt people might think I was copying him if I did that!
My favourite boy's name is Thomas but it's so, so popular at the moment. Maybe in a few years time it will have less popularity.
I really like the name Maura. The only time I've ever heard it before is Maura Tierney from ER. It's lovely though.
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@cinderella2007 (2662)
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17 Aug 08
I believe there is an author called Maura aswell, I could be wrong!! Yes there isnt many maura's around which is why I would like to continue the name down and it is a nice name too!! I like it!!
Can you not change your dad's names abit and make another name out of it?? Its a shame that your brother has used your dad's names!! Thanks for responding.
@Modestah (11177)
• United States
15 Aug 08
we name our children after Saints that we wish to be their patrons.... sometimes taking a family members name in honor of that Saint or altering it to the diminutive or masculine as appropriate.
so for instance my father Joseph and my mother Anne - a daughter may be name Anna Josephine or Johanna.
Francis is a family name as the great Saint was given at baptisms or taken at confirmations quite frequently in our family - so a daughter is given Francesca.
Saint Rose of Lima is greatly loved and easily becomes a middle name.
I happen to like Saint Gertrude the Great and am astonished that none have been named Gertrude as I hear young women being called Trudy (though not usually Gert) which I thought was always a nick name for Gertrude.
I would think the one name that has really stood the test of time has been Michael after the ArchAngel.
1 person likes this
@cinderella2007 (2662)
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15 Aug 08
So you have been influenced by saints. I like the idea of mixing two names together, it makes the name unique.
I thought Michael would have been a favourite aswell.
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@SHAMRACK (8576)
• India
15 Aug 08
Dear friend,
I was as Shamrack may it was a King's name and I do hope name gives an identity for a person and if it is more related to any religious names it could be considered that person is from a certain group or religion, then names ending with father's name or house name so on were there. Now as you quoted it has become more relaxable that variety names are heard. Names with much of no religious or family background are give today. I hope name do project the identity but now many uncommon names come up or more of restrictions as before are not kept.
@ellie333 (21016)
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14 Aug 08
Hi Cinderella, My middle name and my brothers middle name are family names that have come down from great great grandparents but our first names aren't at all but I don't know why we were called them. My own children I chose what I would class as normal everyday names which are very popular still though my eldest daughter is a variation. I have never been swayed by celebrities names at all or even family, I would class my own childrens names as more Biblical than anything, Jacob being one example. Ellie :D
@cinderella2007 (2662)
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15 Aug 08
Me and my brothers have middle names named after our parents. From researching our family tree, there are some lovely names but I have come across one family who named their youngest son Pickles!! I mean this is like 1850 but even still....Pickles!!! Also I have noticed that parents have used the mothers maiden name as a middle name for at least one of their children!! There is one called Kitchen as that was the mothers maiden name. Not only is it interesting finding out these names but what jobs they did also!!
Thanks for sharing x
1 person likes this
@magojordan (3252)
• Philippines
15 Aug 08
Well That's really interesting. I am named after a basketball player but sadly I don't play the sport maybe would have been better if they named me after a magician or something. 
Also I think that naming your child would greatly influence him because names have different meanings and choosing a bad meaning for your child's name might not be a good idea.
Also I think that naming your child would greatly influence him because names have different meanings and choosing a bad meaning for your child's name might not be a good idea. @cinderella2007 (2662)
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15 Aug 08
Thats the only think when you name a child after a celebrity or something, they might feel influenced to be as good as that celebrity. Also parents may push that child into that area/sport or something!!
I agree that names have different meaning and does reflect on the child. Thanks for responding.
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
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14 Aug 08
I always wanted unusual names for my children but not too unusual, I wanted them to have names that not everyone they bumped into were called! Living in a small town you would think that it would be pretty easy!
Out of the four children that I have, I would say two have names that are not that widely used where I live. I have a Jack, but when we came up with his name there were hardly any children named Jack, but I think that the year Jack was born everyone called their child Jack!! He has three Jacks in his class.
My name when I was a kid was not widely heard of, nowadays seems everywhere I turn someone has my name! I was never influenced by celebrities, I think some of their names are ridiculous plus everyone would know that I had named my child for them. I am not much for old fashioned names either, I am sure my daughter would be thrilled to bits when she is older if I had called her Gertrude, ethel, edna or olive.
1 person likes this
@creative_genius (992)
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17 Aug 08
Whew who'd want to call their child 'devil', 'god' or 'allah'? I must admit I don't know anyone called Ethel, Edna, Gertrude or Walter. I don't have a child and I am not sure how I'd choose the name. I'd probably dicuss it with the father and trawl through baby name books. I would hate to follow a trend and gie the child a common name.
@cinderella2007 (2662)
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17 Aug 08
Hey thanks for sharing!! Who would have thought that name choosing could be so hard!! Would you use any family names when naming your child??
Everyone in John's family has the name John, Ron or Christopher in it and I cant use Christopher but would probably use John as a middle name!! Who knows, I might not even have a boy, could have about 10 girls instead!! ha ha lol
