More parents using txt language to make their child's name gr8
The mobile phone age: More parents are using text language in their children's names. It might not be every parent's idea of a “gr8” way to name a baby. But our growing habit of using text messages to communicate appears to be having an impact on what we call our children.
Abbreviated versions of traditional Christian names are appearing on birth certificates along with “original” ways of spelling which even include punctuation marks.Anne has been changed to An, Connor to Conna and Laura to Lora. There were reportedly six boys who were named Cam'ron instead of Cameron, and according to the online parenting club Bounty, one girl born last month was born Flicity.
And basic changes to spelling have led to numerous Samiuls (Samuel) and reports of 23 different versions of Isabelle or Isabella, ranging from Izzabella to Yzabel.
Some experts have warned that odd spellings bestow no favours on the child [Editor's note: well f'n duh!!]. Albert Mehrabian, a psychology professor at the University of California who has researched the impact of irregular names, found in that “less attractive characteristics were attributed to individuals with less conventionally spelled names”.
Professor Mehrabian said: “Unconventional spelling connoted less masculinity for men and less femininity for women [and] more anxiety and neuroticism were attributed to those with less common names.”
John Dunford, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said that it was possible that new mothers and fathers had lost the ability to spell forenames. He added: “Some of it is genuine misspelling; some is parents looking for a unique way to spell a name and some is just carelessness.
“It makes life very difficult for teachers taking the register and completing forms.”
The new names continue the trend by parents who seek to be original over the naming of their children – although not always successfully. Last year a couple were told they would not be allowed to register their son's name as 4Real. [Editor's note: these people should be shot.]
Officials in New Zealand ruled that the use of a number made it inappropriate, and Pat and Sheena Wheaton had to opt for their second choice instead – Superman. [Editor's note – really, really shot. Many times.]
In this country, other bizarre choices officially registered have included Ikea for a girl as well as Moet for boy whose parents might have a soft spot for the champagne label. [Editor's note: Horsewhipped, then shot.]
The trend is thought to be inspired by the “original” names given by celebrity mothers such as Gwyneth Paltrow, who named her daughter Apple, and Jamie Oliver's wife Jools, who has daughters Daisy Boo and Poppy Honey. [Editor's note: Quartered, whipped, then shot.]
However a spokesman for Bounty said parents were putting a lot of thought into new names as a way of increasing their childrens' individuality. Pauline Kent said: “Some of these new and different names are a way for parents to give their children a unique identity.
“It is similar to the thinking that goes in to naming a new brand of product for example – something to make them stand out from the crowd.”
Others in recent registers have followed the example of the Beckhams who famously named their eldest son after the place where he was conceived. But while David and Victoria chose Brooklyn, children in Britain have been named after places such as Finchley in North London and the cathedral city of Ely in Cambridgeshire.
Both are male names. Other examples of unusually named boys registered in the past 12 months include Rocky, Rivers, Tudor and Red. As well as Ikea, recent girls' names have included Paprica, Caramel, Bambi, Fire-Lily, Skylark and Tame which apparently stands for The Apple of My Eye.
[Editor's note: Branded, drawn, quartered, whipped, shot and then burned, with the ashes thrown into the Thames.]
*snerk*
Most of these names would have been used by porn stars or American Gladiators in the past… and that must be where the parents go for inspiration.
I am both amused and appalled. And relieved about our relative conservatism. In Austria you can only use existing gender-specific praenomina for your children.
(http://livejournal.com/users/mirli)
Aww. Apple isn't really that objectionable, other than the fact that there's a major corp by the same name. I also recall incidences in my class of people named Skylar, as a boy. And you know. In the seventies, Pippin Galadriel Moonchild (etc).
This is totally a fear-factor piece, anyway. In the last five years, the most popular (privileged) girl's name has been Olivia or So(ph)(f)ie, and the most popular (privileged) boy's name Ryan. I manage a database of kid's names all day. Trust meeeee. And thank heaven Madison is over.
(http://livejournal.com/users/pretentiousgit)
We've promised ourselves that our offspring would have sensible names, without bizarre spelling, that would sound nice in french and english. I don't want my kids putting me in a crap old folks home as revenge :)
(http://livejournal.com/users/talisker)
That sounds like a marvellous plan. Really, it does. Also, I admire you deeply for it!
(http://livejournal.com/users/pretentiousgit)
What's the worst you've seen so far?
(http://livejournal.com/users/talisker)
Also, I like Sophie. What's wrong with it, just tremendous over-(ab)use?
(http://livejournal.com/users/talisker)
I like Sophie, too. It's just that people seem to think it's this totally distinct! name, which, um, there are like 97 of them in my DB right now. It's a very nice name, though.
The worst I've seen is probably Maximillian. The mother couldn't spell it. All the rest appear to be traditional from the cultures of the parents: Tatiana, Kimiko, Anastasia. There have been a few weird spellings (Conor), but otherwise remarkable normalcy.
My favorite kids so far are the brother and sister Loki and Freya.
(http://livejournal.com/users/pretentiousgit)
yay Norse mythology! Unless he's a hulking 6 foot blond behemoth, that'll go down well in suburbia :)
(http://livejournal.com/users/talisker)
Hee. As a matter of fact, he's totally a little blonde kid. I think you may be thinking of Thor, though: Loki, being the skinny-ass god of evil/mischief, was always described as being dark and slight. In Other News:
I spent too much time reading in my youth. And now!
(http://livejournal.com/users/pretentiousgit)
you rock. you know this, right?
(http://livejournal.com/users/talisker)