http://www.bridesblush.com/trends/strange-children-names-fb/

The parents are Mormon, not sure if they are active or not, but regardless, why are Mormons so into overly unique names? I hear of very interesting names in my own stake...

Note: Not every Mormon names their children weird names, as some names that Mormons name their child are fine, and even some uniqueness is okay, but a large, increasing number of them are going too far in naming their children too unique names.

Names of children in link above:
Titan—-WHY is it a person’s name
Laikynn—-say no more...I will go the lake to go lakin’
Tatum—-fine name
Madden—-maybe keep that name in the football simulation game people play

Well, now you've made my dear friend Judic cry!!!

I hope the next time you hear "Judic West to the white courtesy phone, please!" you will stop and reflect...


Okay, just kidding. Judic wasn't crying...


What I've noticed lately is that Hispanics are starting to get into the game! Here are some names I've seen in Mexican periodicals:

GIRLS:

Lechuga
Nalga
Maxima
Emi
Doñita
LaCruda
Mensa


BOYS

Calzonsin
Chon
Prietito
Bálgame
Jovenazo
Orale
Hank

Re Lechuga and Nalga - we all know these aren't made-up names or random spellings. It seems to be child abuse to name a child
Lettuce or Butt Cheeks (the English translation of these names).

The one that would bother me is "Hank!"

For the record, I did not name either daughter Nagal or Lechuga.

And don't you Spanish-speakers secretly giggle when some ditzy RfMer tells you she is Mensa material?

I bet you named your kid Hank.

Maybe you named a couple of them Hank.

NOTE to Elder Old Dog:

[[[Alexis forgives you, though she claims not to know for what she is forgiving you. She has issued a blanket pardon for wrongs including but not limited to any involvement on your part in relation to the disappearance of the Lindberg baby, the entire D.B. Cooper incident, Chappaquiddick, both Kennedy assassinations, and any crop circles for which no one has claimed credit.]]]

When I served my mission in South America in the early 2000's, I knew a guy whose given name was either Ascension or Asuncion who went by Chon. His son had the same name as his father and was called Chonito. Donita is sometimes the diminutive for Dona. Emi is often short for Emilia. I can't vouch for any of the other names listed other than maybe Hank.

Why shouldn't Hispanics climb on the bandwagon in terms of giving their kids dumba$$ names? they have just as much right as does any other ethnic group to foreordain their children for hardship, bullying, or whatever else comes as a result of having been given a lame name.

One of my nieces, (NOT Alexis, btw) was substitute teaching in May.She taught a child whose first and middle names, both listed on the attendacne sheet, were Gene Pool. It sounds like another name-related urban legend (similiar to the mythical twins Orangello and Lemongello, or the famous but elusive LaDasha, spelled La-a (the dash ain't silent) known by no one personally, but almost all of us know someone who claims to have known her) but my niece sent me a screen shot of the roll sheet on the condition that I would delete it immediately.

Utah probably beat the trend in terms of ridiculous names though the rest of the nation would appear to be closing the gap. I'm not sure the gap will ever be eliminated entirely because the people of utah are still reproducing at a greater rate than does most of the nation. They have more opportunities to use their fertile imaginations when naming their offspring.

[[[Alexis forgives you, though she claims not to know for what she is forgiving you. She has issued a blanket pardon for wrongs including but not limited to any involvement on your part in relation to the disappearance of the Lindberg baby, the entire D.B. Cooper incident, Chappaquiddick, both Kennedy assassinations, and any crop circles for which no one has claimed credit.]]]

I once tried to be 'funny' but ended up being mean. ...so not much has changed.

But in her case, she'd done nothing to deserve it. I really did regret it and apologized in the same thread. Again, <phew!>

If that's the worst thing to happen to Alexis in the rest of her life, she will be very lucky. Sometimes everyone needs to get over something instead of dwelling on it and being a victim.

The use of ersatz names goes along with the notion that somehow every child must expect unique treatment - something which is impossible on a mass scale. It also ceeates weakness in the child, and a belief that individuality is something to be given not earned.

The LDS do give their children awful names, but this is an old tradition. Even in the early church, you find Orsons, Zeras, Goldens etc. In the Snglish speaking world this is far from unique - African-Americans sometimes give their children awful manufactured names like "LaTiq" or "Shaquille", and white Southerners do this too; Australia has produced well known women with names like Kylie and "Googie"; and the English upper class sports monstrosities such as the girls' name "Lettice". In English speaking Africa, you can encounter first names like Shakespeare, Nelson, Precious, Miracle and so on. Americans have a tendency to use surnames as first names even when there is no family connection.

Jordan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
Even in the early
> church, you find Orsons,

Orson is Latin via French. Hardly exclusive to the LDS movement. It's a little old fashioned now, but was more commonplace until the mid-20th Century.

Not exclusive to the LDS, but not a great first name IMHO.

FWIW, I never cared for my real first name.

I work with an LDS couple who named their daughter Lynkin -- pronounced "Lincoln". They were getting upset because people thought her name was LinkedIn. Sigh...

But Mormons are hardly the only ones to use weird names.

Apple Paltrow-Martin (Gwenyth Paltrow's daughter with musician Christ Martin).

Pilot Inspektor Lee (Jason Lee's son).

HWint Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Apple Paltrow-Martin (Gwenyth Paltrow's daughter
> with musician Christ Martin).

I hope Gwyneth did not marry Christ.

But she did give birth to Moses.

So no surprise they are int weird names for their kids. What’s really cringe-worthy is when they spell these strange monikers in equally weir ways.

What is an "erzatz name?"

Lot's Wife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is an "erzatz name?"

He correctly typed, 'ersatz'. Your spelling is wrong.

You can look up the definition of, 'ersatz', I'm sure.

Weren't you an educator? Or, maybe I'm confusing your history with another poster. If so, sorry.

> He correctly typed, 'ersatz'. Your spelling is
> wrong.

Yup. I misspelled a word. I do that sometimes.


-------------
> You can look up the definition of, 'ersatz', I'm
> sure.

Yes, I know what the word "ersatz" means. I just don't know how that adjective can be applied to a person's name. I mean, is the name "made of inferior material" like a pirated purse? Is the name "not genuine?" What would a "not genuine" name look like?


-------------
> Weren't you an educator? Or, maybe I'm confusing
> your history with another poster. If so, sorry.

CD, I have never said what my job is. No worries, though. I simply get tired of people criticizing other people for their gestures of greeting, the names their parents gave them, etc.

There are no "ersatz" names.

"Ersatz Israel" is probably the most common usage of 'ersatz', and as such has had a number of meanings, basically depending on one's political views.

I first ran across the phrase reading Leon Uris 'Jewish' books. That phrase and eretz Israel.

Then there's ersatz coffee, or ersatz meat, etc., etc.

I think ersatz has multiple meanings, and people are always trying to find more uses for potentially potent words.

Like God

(See? I can spell it correctly, but then I have to wash my hands and wipe down my keyboard.)

Ersatz Israel refers parts of the modern country outside of the traditional boundaries. The notion is that the genuine Israel is debased by the addition of lands that are not "true" Israel.

That usage would only make sense regarding personal names if one were describing those names as fake, inadequate, or inferior. My point remains the same: calling other people's names "ersatz" is condescending and insulting.

Lot's Wife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------


> That usage would only make sense regarding
> personal names if one were describing those names
> as fake, inadequate, or inferior.
In a word, “yes”, and when you name your child “East Wind” or “Flying Fish” ersatz is exactly the correct modifier for “name”.

Do you have a list of "true" names so that others can avoid the ersatz ones?

What are the principles on which such a list would be constructed? Your preferences?

Lot's Wife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ersatz Israel refers parts of the modern country

No it doesn't. That's Eretz Yisrael meaning the land of Israel.

> outside of the traditional boundaries.

Wrong.

The notion
> is that the genuine Israel is debased by the
> addition of lands that are not "true" Israel.

Wrong word...

> That usage would only make sense regarding
> personal names if one were describing those names
> as fake, inadequate, or inferior. My point
> remains the same: calling other people's names
> "ersatz" is condescending and insulting.

I think when we give our children names, we have to be respectful of them. I know very well about stupid names, I had a full name that caused people to go into fits of giggles whenever it was read out, because it is such a strange combination. I'm also not keen on my first name. My cousin decided to give his children names which reflect our European roots, except no one could pronounce them!

So if you give kids stupid names, they'll end up like me. :)

> No it doesn't. That's Eretz Yisrael meaning the
> land of Israel.

Eretz Israel and Ersatz Israel are different things. The use of different words is a hint.


----------------
> > outside of the traditional boundaries.

Borrow your buddy's dictionary and look it up.


--------------
> I think when we give our children names, we have
> to be respectful of them.

I think we would all benefit if you would provide us a list of names that you find sufficiently "respectful" and not "ersatz."



---------------
> I know very well about
> stupid names, I had a full name that caused people
> to go into fits of giggles whenever it was read
> out, because it is such a strange combination. I'm
> also not keen on my first name. My cousin decided
> to give his children names which reflect our
> European roots, except no one could pronounce
> them!

An interesting but irrelevant digression.


----------------------
> So if you give kids stupid names, they'll end up
> like me. :)

Funny, but there are some people with really strange names that have done great things in the world. I would have thought there was no connection between personal names and achievement, but what do I know?

and change the spelling and make it impossible to figure out.

I type medical records and Utah isn't unique to doing this. I'm shocked by the names I type and always have been. I always send my daughter names she should never name a child, but then my daughter's name was pretty unique when we named her that name (my husband came up with it, but I spelled it different than he wanted it). While working at Sam's Club for 5 months, I worked with a girl with the same name as my daughter, just spelled different. I hear it more and more.

My ex's name is his grandmother's maiden name. It looks like a name that many people have including a famous mormon except it isn't pronounced the way people think it is.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/10/2019 08:02PM by cl2.

Girls:
Emma
Eliza
Ruth May

Boys:
Moroni
Brig
Lehi
Liam
Ezra
Dallin

I had an Aunt LaMon, an Aunt LaPreal and an Aunt AnnaDawn, an Uncle Guy and an Uncle Bud.

Levi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I had an Aunt LaMon, an Aunt LaPreal and an Aunt
> AnnaDawn, an Uncle Guy and an Uncle Bud.

To be fair, Guy is an old and good name. Think of Guy de Maupassant, the classic French writer, or the English hero Guy Fawkes. I'm told, and this may be folk myth, that "guy" in the sense of person originates from Guy Fawkes.

Welcome to my world. Every year I look at my class list and sigh. My favorite is when a student or a parent is offended -- OFFENDED I tell you! -- when I inevitably mispronounce the kid's name in the first few days of school.

Sometimes the spellings are so off in terms of standard phonics that I joke that teachers should offer a free service -- tell us what you want to name your kid and we will offer up some appropriate spellings.

Yes, over the years my teaching career introduced me to an interesting array of names!

One year, I had a boy who was named after the hockey player Ty Domi. His parents just mashed the first and last names together and called the boy Tydomi.

Most teachers obviously have a decent grasp of phonics, but during my residency, I treated a little girl whose mother was a first grade teacher. The child's name was spelled MacKyla but pronounced McKAYla. I pity the first graders who enter her class not already having mastered phonics, because their teacher is not likely to be of much assistance to them in that area.

After my shift, I complained about the non-phonetic spelling to my wife, who agreed that the teacher is probably a dim bulb and that the kid will need to go through life spelling and pronouncing her name for every new acquaintance, but argued that at least the spelling and pronunciation were in the same ballpark. Jillian says that a parent can spell a child's name QzzRmNNX and insist that it is pronounced /sam/.

Jillian is correct! I've seen some spellings and associated pronunciations that are not even close.

Sadly, there are some seriously undereducated teachers. Most of the teachers that I've seen in my urban district are (at a minimum) good enough to get the job done, but there are those few who are abysmal. I had a student teacher who was graduating from one of the online, for-profit diploma mills, and she never should have been allowed anywhere near a classroom.

I've reached my peak proficiency at teaching phonics, and almost all of my students this year are reading anywhere from six months to four years above grade level. Not all students respond to phonics instruction (some are whole word readers,) but most will.

The most awful name I have ever run across - and this was in a government setting - was (and no, I'm NOT kidding) was

"@$$hole," only in regular letters.

The child's mother explained, loftily, that it was pronounced
"Ah - zho - lay."

Yeah. Right.

A person should be allowed to pay whatever $ is required to change one's own name and then give himself or herself that name or anything like it, but it shouldn't be allowed for an innocent child.

and father’s names.

When I worked in Switzerland in the 1990s, there was apparently a law that said newborns had to be given officially approved "Swiss" names. Other foreign colleagues complained about it.

I had a classmate named Felatia in college earlier in the 90s.

The French and Icelanders have such a list as well. I don't like prescriptivism that is quite that strict, but certain names should have a veto on them. Giving your child an obscene name should be a no-no.

Didn't you just say you are not a "statist" but here you propose that some version of Big Brother should have "veto" power over how people name their children.

Oh, you are a "statist," a "corporatist." That is evident in much of your posting, particularly your feeling entitled to criticize how others think, behave, and present themselves. Someone who valued individual liberty would not take offense at names, hand gestures, the announcement of one's gender identity.

You care about what people do far too much to be a libertarian.

The job of the state is to protect individuals not the opposite. An adult can *choose* to call themselves Phallic Dunghill Toilet Smith the III, but naming a newborn child that kind of thing comes under the realm of child abuse. Even I think the state *has* some role.

That is a first-rate demonstration of your preference for state domination. You are what Samuel Huntington termed a cultural totalitarian, uncomfortable with individualism and pining for the simplicity of a dominant socially-active state.

You are the sort of Westerner whom Orwell warned against in 1984.

Nope, try again. I believe in a highly reduced state, not a completely absent state. The state has rights to raise armed forces to defend the territory - but not in the bloated sense the USA has now - from other hostile states and violent revolutionaries.

"That is evident in much of your posting, particularly your feeling entitled to criticize how others think, behave, and present themselves."

If people wish to behave like morons, there is very little the law can and should do about it. That behavior should not be actively encouraged though.

If some idiot wishes to fart in an elevator, that is not illegal, but it is not acceptable either.

"You are the sort of Westerner whom Orwell warned against in 1984."

Nope, that was Stalinism, and those who modify the language to promote Communism in Eretz Ingsoc.

p.s.
"Someone who valued individual liberty would not take offense at names, hand gestures, the announcement of one's gender identity."

That's a load of crap. I don't think people should fart in elevators, but I don't think the police should concern itself with it. Likewise, if you enjoy fisting, doesn't mean some doofus has the right to expect me to.

As for children's namss, a deliberately offensive name is an attack on that child before it can make a choice. When an adult calls themselves a stupid name, then they condemn themselves and not another. But calling a child by such a name will affect its psychological development and well-being. It is a form of abuse.

Jordan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nope, try again. I believe in a highly reduced
> state, not a completely absent state.

And yet you think the state should have a veto over the names people give their children.


------------
>The state
> has rights to raise armed forces to defend the
> territory - but not in the bloated sense the USA
> has now - from other hostile states and violent
> revolutionaries.

More unintentional irony. The data (I know how you hate facts) are that the US government comprises 35.4% of GDP. The Canadian percentage is over 39%. So Canada is more "bloated," more "socialist," than the United States. The numbers would be even more embarrassing for you if Canada paid the full bill for its national defense rather than freeloading on its southern neighbor. A full accounting would thus put your government at 41 or 42% of GDP--making it as socialist as such horrible places as France at about 45%. So forgive me if I find your complaints about the United States ironically amusing.


---------------
> If people wish to behave like morons, there is
> very little the law can and should do about it.
> That behavior should not be actively encouraged
> though.

Backtracking a bit? No longer arguing that there should be a list of names that are "vetoed?"


--------------------
> "You are the sort of Westerner whom Orwell warned
> against in 1984."
>
> Nope, that was Stalinism, and those who modify the
> language to promote Communism in Eretz Ingsoc.

Foolishness. Oceania is the UK and the US and Western Europe. Orwell was warning that all the demonization of outsiders and minority insiders was feeding into a social militarization essentially identical to what Stalin had created in Eastern Europe.

So yes, anyone who demonizes outsiders and minorities and calls for the state to impose norms regarding names, language, majority dominance, etc., is precisely what Orwell was warning against. As a communist he was not worried about socialism per se, just its merger with nationalism as in "Ingsoc," the "Eng"lish equivalent of Nazism.

The irony is that there are folks like you who think that Oceania, "Inglish Socialism," and people with names like Winston Smith are Soviet. That failure of comprehension makes it impossible for you to grasp Orwell's message: that the friends of liberty must beware those who, like you, impulsively prefer a merger of state and society.

"And yet you think the state should have a veto over the names people give their children."

Only in extreme cases, where a child has been given an obviously offensive name. You presumably would like children to bear such names as Sh*thead, Fellatia and LaTrina. If an adult wants to be called such things, then they can choose them, and hell mend them. But with a child, there is an obvious abuse aspect, that should be seen as a pointed to other forms of abuse and neglect.

Some of the idiotic names mentioned in this thread like Lettice or Brigham, well that's up to them and the government shouldn't intervene. It is still a form of contempt for the child though.

I note that all notion that the US is a bloated socialistically inclined state, which makes sense given that your society is both more bloated and more socialist. Gone also is any defense of your mischaracterization of 1984, which makes sense given that Orwell flew whoosh right over your head.

What we are left with is, as I predicted*, your statement that yes, the government should intervene to stop parents from naming their kids things that the government finds offensive. That is precisely what Orwell warned against: the Westerner who fancies himself a libertarian but in fact is a statist. Heaven protect us from such people, for they are the ones who throw their liberties on the bonfires of incipient tyranny because tyranny is more "efficient" at imposing social norms of which they approve.




*I don't deserve much credit for "predicting" your answer since you are quite consistent on this score. Society and its instrument, the state, should restrict those activities that you find "offensive."

The USA has been heading down the statist road for some time now. Eisenhower warned of the military-industrial complex, where the corporate and military are merged. It is a prophecy come true. Even before then you had the so called New Deal.

<<Нравится вам или нет, но история на нашей стороне. Мы вас закопаем.>>

"the government should intervene to stop parents from naming their kids things that the government finds offensive."

Do you think parents should be able to name their children LaTrina, Fellatia or Sh*thead? Yes or no?

"That is precisely what Orwell warned against: the Westerner who fancies himself a libertarian but in fact is a statist."

A very idiosyncratic resding of Orwell that Slavoj Žižek would be proud of. The only thing is that it's untrue. Ingsoc does not even pretend to be anti-statism.

You have five minutes to find a single instance where I self-describe as a libertarian specifically.

Jordan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The USA has been heading down the statist road for
> some time now. Eisenhower warned of the
> military-industrial complex, where the corporate
> and military are merged. It is a prophecy come
> true. Even before then you had the so called New
> Deal.

Wow. So in 1959 Eisenhower predicted the 1930s New Deal? It's amazing that he had so much foresight.

As for the US moving towards statism, you may be true. It may only be a matter of time before the Us reaches Canada's level of socialism. Then who knows? The sky, maybe even Sweden, is the limit!


--------------
> <<Нравится вам или нет, но
> история на нашей стороне.
> Мы вас закопаем.>>

I love it when you do that: copying some Chinese or some Russian from some website and then pretending that you know what it says. Just gives me goosebumps.


-------------
> Do you think parents should be able to name their
> children LaTrina, Fellatia or Sh*thead? Yes or
> no?

I think it is none of my business and, even more important, none of the government's business.

But then I'm a libertarian.


-------------

> A very idiosyncratic resding of Orwell that Slavoj
> Žižek would be proud of. The only thing is that
> it's untrue. Ingsoc does not even pretend to be
> anti-statism.

Precisely! Orwell is saying that Ingsoc is statist! That's the point. Orwell was warning against people who believe the state should interfere in personal and familial matters--like telling parents what they may name their children!


---------------
> You have five minutes to find a single instance
> where I self-describe as a libertarian
> specifically.

Why would I do that? You pretend to care about individual liberties, but like macaRomney, McDonkie, and some of your other fellow travelers, your instincts are statist. That puts you precisely where Orwell set his sights.

LaTrina

https://www.utahbabynamer.com/

I know a LaTrina in California, too.

If a parent is considering a highly unusual name, it might not be a bad idea to bounce it off someone else. A woman I know wanted to name her son Brockley. She thought it was distinct. Fortunately she shared her prospective name, and someone else pointed out to her what I thought was the rather obvious similarity of "Brockley" to "broccoli."

It's unfortunate for both LaTrinas that no one pointed out the unfortunate similarity between their name and the word much like their name but ending in "e."

https://www.utahbabynamer.com

Result: Delli Embree Smith

An ember deli sounds very unappealing to me.

My TBM coworker named her son Brigham... yes... so named her son after a womanizing, polyandrous,polygamist, pedophile... how sweet!!!

There’s two brothers in the stake around my age whose names are Brigham and Hyrum. I cringe every time I hear their names called during stake activities.

A few weeks ago there was a story on the Salt Lake Fox 13 newscast about some kids that found a plastic case with a loaded gun in the middle of the street. (The story was about how they did the right thing and went to an adult.)

One of the boys they interviewed was named Tungsten. I've lived in Utah for years and am used to the weird names and spellings. But this one hit me like a bolt out of the blue. Yes, it's definitely a unique name for one of God's special little people. But who names their kid after a light bulb filament??? And what is his nickname, tongue?

Don't go making fun of Tungsten. You'll make his sister Molybdenum and his brother Protactinium cry.

Maybe Mormons want to distinguish their children by giving them unique sounding names that will help them to stand out rather than blend in?

Or to show how brilliant their parents are in thinking up original names LOL? Sometimes I've wondered if there's a competition between parents to see who can create the most inventive names for their offspring.

Will it make their children more original and creative? Studies have found that children who are given names that are more common and popular are more likely to fit in with their peers than highly unusual names that sound weird. In this day and age though it seems like anything goes, but I would hesitate before giving a child an oddball name.

You're too young to remember the song "A boy named Sue," by Johnny Cash. But it gets the point across. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIMgEEASoWQ

My DD married a gentleman from Mexico (RM); here are their children's names:

Caleb
Ezra
MacKenzie
Alicia
Emily

they're all teens now, I see nothing overboard with their names, but maybe we're referring to a bit younger generation...

My personal take on your daughter's choice of names is that all other than Ezra are quite mainstream for U.S./Canada names within the past two decades. Ezra may very well be reaching mainstream proportions in the morridor. I've been away from the morridor for several years so I don't know.

I'm curious: is your granddaughter Alicia's name pronounced uh/LEE/shuh or uh/LEE/see/uh ?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/12/2019 03:18AM by scmd1.

the Second, accent on the 'c'


second thought... I'm not so sure; she isn't at home much, prob marry her bf pretty soon...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/12/2019 01:10AM by GNPE.