Susie O'Brien on baby names - Adelaide Advertiser

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

My google search brought up this page, Div!

Well, I see both points. I don't like names with stupid spellings. I don't mind optional letter "e" at the end or not, I don't mind names that have a variant (two of my names are case in point: one is a Welsh spelling and the other a family one). I do dislike names spelt to make people unsure of the pronounciation and just to add in the letter X, Y, or anything else "cool". (I also dislike Jaymz for James and have done since I first heard it over 15 years ago.) I've taught a Claire and a Clare in the same class - not a problem (thankfully they sat at opposite sides, so I could remember "I's left!").

Other points - Cierra isn't "Sierra" (which ain't even a name in my book) but an Irish varient of Keira/Kira/Kiera. Interesting about "Princess" - in the UK, you can't give your child a title as a name, nor can you deed poll it into your name. Also, endings of "ie" and "y" are often traditionally interchanged so I don't see a problem with that.

Archie is a normal name - short for Archibald. I dislike nicknames given as formal names, but that's just me. And I like the name Erin, but DH agreed with O'Brien. Or should we insist she spells it O'Brian?

[mrsmac]

AS the mother of a beautiful Erin I have to protest LOL but I agree with all the rest.
As a teacher I find the same as BW- some names have bad associations for me- every Haidyn or Jaiden I have ever known has had to got to remedial reading classes LOL Actually until this year all the Aidens have too but we have some new ones LOL
Someone on my FB liked a site called "Everyone knows a **** named Jess" highly upsetting for the mother of a Jess LOL (even if she does dress like one!!!)

[Roryrory]

Very funny article Div. You know my thoughts on made up names

[Tiff+2]

I agree with most of this, but wow, this lady is seemingly VERY judgmental! Of the Erin's I know, what she wrote couldn't have been further from the truth. If I was an Erin I would be completely offended she even wrote that and it is a great thing she's not my sister, I doubt I'd speak to her about anything after an such an outburst.

As for the American state refernce, I think she needs to have a look at how a lot of them got their names!!! I think she may find they came from people... I could be wrong though??!

My family is very opinionated about my children's names. I didn't want anything completely out there, but on the same token I didn't want "Jane" to be called out in class and 3 other girls answer. I do believe a name should be decently, so I did my best to keep my childrens names simple to read, spell and pronouce (which I wasn't 100% successful in doing, but if you say it as it reads, not as you think it says, you'd get it right!).

I wouldn't care to read any further articles of Susie's!

[mrsmac]

The funny thing is some names you can have 2 or 3 in a class and they aren't that common! This year we had 2 Jaspers start kindy - I have never thought that a common name! We also have 2 Poppy's- again not what I would consider common. Last year I had 2 Luca/Luka s in my class.

[butterfly_warrior]

Annalise, Melanie, Jessica. I'm completely blanking on the boys names I've had multiples of, but I have NEVER taught a Jane.

[Glamourcide]

The funny thing is some names you can have 2 or 3 in a class and they aren't that common! This year we had 2 Jaspers start kindy - I have never thought that a common name! We also have 2 Poppy's- again not what I would consider common. Last year I had 2 Luca/Luka s in my class.

I figure it's a generational thing. When I was growing up, there were always plenty of Angelas, Rebeccas, Jessicas and Karlys. Nowadays they're practically unheard of, and 'uncommon' names like Poppy, Cooper and Bailey are a dime a dozen!

[Tiff+2]

The funny thing is some names you can have 2 or 3 in a class and they aren't that common! This year we had 2 Jaspers start kindy - I have never thought that a common name! We also have 2 Poppy's- again not what I would consider common. Last year I had 2 Luca/Luka s in my class.

I do agree with this to an extent. Although not a teacher I use to work in a child care centre and had a few names come throught that I thought were a little different, then there'd be more... And yes I know young girls names Jane, Betty, Elsy, Esme, but not a lot. Thankfully I live in a small town... There are about a 1000 Ava's around, but haven't yet come across a Tiera or a Hadley! Not in Music classes, preschool, kindergym, swimming or mother's group.... So far so good!

[Pandora]

Michael ??? really ?? I was saying Mikayla in my head LOL.....

PMSL. Yes it's Michaela, but because she'd only seen that spelling she didn't twig that it was a feminine version of Michael.

Which would be ok, except that she has a brother Michael and a sister Michelle ( the mum not Mykaelah)

[Pandora]

The only Erin I have personally known was male, and definitely never slept with the football team.
I read it as a random example of how a name can have negative associations for people.

[Glamourcide]

The only Erin I have personally known was male...

I was just thinking about this earlier (I believe I was peeing at the time lol, needed something else to occupy my brain!) and I wondered, maybe 'Erin' was a creative version of 'Aaron'? Just a thought, as I agree with the others who have referenced this - all the Erins I know are women

[mrsmac]

No its not, its the old name for Ireland, its very traditional actually!!!!

Tiff+2 - I taught a Hadley about 6 years ago in Yr 5, it was a boy though.

[Tiff+2]

Yeah Mrsmac, I have deinfately heard of male Hadley's and I have no doubt there are plenty of Hadley's out there, both male and female, but in this town I am yet to meet one. I got the name out of a baby name book, this is just getting back to what I said earlier, I like less used names, not anything out there.

[mrsmac]

I know thats what you meant, I was trying to say how uncommon it was, I see 100s of children as I have been teaching for a long time and that is the ONLY Hadley I have met.

[PumpkinZulu]

^ Apparently it's an Egyptian custom to give your child a 'meaningful' name even if it's not a traditional or typical 'name' word. The parents chose the name 'Facebook' to honour social media's role in the recent protests and political saga that we've all seen unfold on the news.

Oh god I missed you!!!

[Glamourcide]

Nawww! *blushes* You know I'm still lurking lol! Love ya
x

[ezymay]

The only Erin I have personally known was male, and definitely never slept with the football team.
I read it as a random example of how a name can have negative associations for people.

Really a male Erin??? Unusual... I've not heard of a man being called Erin. The name means Irish goddess of peace and the old name for Ireland

Certainly name associations can be very strong but like Glam said i think once a child has that name and ppl get to know the child they then become the association.

[butterfly_warrior]

Marlene, Can I please get to meet your Mitchell? Please?

Funnily enough, every Samuel (or Sam) I ever taught was a pain in the bum. Fortunately there were few enough of them that they didn't completely obliterate the nice associations the name has for me and DH. But I've gone into those reasons many times before, I won't do it again.

And for what it's worth, to me, Erin is a very quiet, very intelligent and absolutely lovely young woman. I'd be very happy if my boy brought home an Erin like that when he's older!

BW