Posted on 06/27/2006 10:33:31 AM PDT by qam1
Many parents, especially celebrities, are choosing distinctive names or spellings to make their children stand out
Choosing a name for your newborn requires a certain level of sober reflection, contemplation and introspection.
Expectant parents consult relatives and friends, leaf through scores of books and scour the Internet for just the right handle to reflect their little cherub's shining personality, obvious brilliance and unquestionable character.
So it makes you wonder what the recent spate of Hollywood celebrity parents were thinking - or drinking - when they chose such distinctive names, to put it kindly, for their high-profile offspring. That goes for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who named their daughter Shiloh, and Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, who named their girl Suri.
Sure, we've had a chuckle at some and scratched our heads over others, but before you go calling your sons Dilbert after your favorite cartoon character or christening your daughters Brangelina because you adore Couple-of-the-Moment Pitt and Jolie, give it some thought, baby and parenting experts say.
Like all parents, celebrities see their children as extensions of themselves and choose names that reflect their tastes and values, says Babytalk magazine senior editor Christina Vercelletto.
"What's driving this is this whole sort of Gen-X competitive parenting trend," Vercelletto says. "Parents who are now in their 30s, they have their children, and they feel that from birth it's practically a competition. You want your child to stand out. We live in a competitive society, and you don't want your child to blend into the woodwork."
"Names are really brands," says Rachel Weingarten, a branding and trends expert and the president of GTK Marketing Group in Brooklyn.
Take Brangelina's baby, Shiloh. "You're saying we have turned this into a money-maker from birth,"
"It's this whole, 'Look at me' kind of thing."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
I was joking.
Out of all the kids,Diva Muffie got Frank's snoz.I always had the hots for Moonie girl,though.Thought she looked sweet in National Lampoon's Europeon Vacation.
I heard that was happening.
I don't believe in the Pope
Thanks for the ping! We are going through it again with a scheduled C-section on July 20th for our 2nd (another boy), and coming up with a name has been a big pain in the butt.
lol.
I think just to do one up on all these egomaniacs is name my next kid "Supreme God and ruler of all being, space time, and dimension"
OK, how is it pronounced, "neeve"? And maybe you will know this one: one of my favorite authors is Maeve Binchy. Please tell me how to pronounce Maeve!
Hey, I knew an "Immaculata Concepcion," too! I wish I could post her last name, but that wouldn't be polite.
Suffice it to say that it was an Italian name that referenced a large bovine animal.
She was a tall and stunningly beautiful girl, liked by both boys and us girls, and was NEVER teased about her name. Everybody called her "Mackey."
Regards,
PS: Best names I've ever come across personally: Doctor Positive and his brother, Tau Ceti. Still won't post the last name, but it was the same as an 18th century president's.
How about Onesiphorus, Epaphroditus, and Narcissus Marsh? The latter was Archbishop of Dublin back in the 17th century.
But he believes in you.
A huge chunk of the boy's names in use today started out as surnames, but I agree, unless the surname in question is commonly considered a first name, like Lee or Stewart, stick with your own family.
It just looks silly if you name your child McClendon or Atkinson if you aren't related to any.
Though I think patronymics are an interesting idea for resurgence as first names. If you are named Thomas, you name your kid Thompson. Or Walter names his son Watts. John - Jenkins. At least the names mean something to the child's heritage.
Ack! Now THAT'S a mouthful!
Those poor kids...
Regards,
PS: BTW, my own kids are named William Charles and John David. I have names picked out for my next 17 kids, too, but alas, have had no more...(#1 on the Girl's list: Mary Catherine -- I NEVER meet any baby Marys anymore).
Pronunciations of Niamh (Neave) & Maeve here (also has buttons you can click to hear the names spoken by a native Irishman, Frank McCourt):
http://www.babynamesofireland.com/pages/girl-names-i-m.html
http://www.babynamesofireland.com/pages/girl-names-n-z.html
I rather like "Moxie," for a girl, at least as a nick-name.
I don't like gender neutral names, period.
No more "Cameron" please! No more "Parker." AND NO MORE GENDER NEUTRAL NAMES!
Well, you know that England is the natural home of the oddball name.
It's also a soda ;-)
http://www.babynamesofireland.com/pages/girl-names-n-z.html
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