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If I'm talking to someone face-to-face and they open a statement with the phrase, "I don't mean to offend anyone...", assuming I respect the person making that statement, there's a good chance I'll observe that those words, in my experience, rarely precede something that reflects well on the speaker.True story: about a month or so I'm talking to a guy who says, out of the blue, "I'm not a bigot by any means, but if my granddaughter wanted to marry a black man I'd shoot him." When he saw me staring at him like he was psychotic, he quickly added: "That's not racist! It's just how I see things." How does any rational human reply to that?
So, yeah, I'll second Meepo's general point.
Dammit, why am I never around when that happens?
Look at WENDY. the first recorded use of that name was in Peter Pan. Barrie MADE IT UP... It went on to be VERY popular.Urban myth. Peter Pan (the original play the book was based upon) debuted in 1904, but
The name is found in United States records from the 19th century; Wendy Gram, a female resident of Ohio, was born in 1828.
On the other hand, Jonathan Swift did make up the name Vanessa as a pseudonym for Esther Vanhomrigh, and it spread pretty well from there.
A friend of a friend named his boy Raistlin. I still cringe whenever I hear him say it.
I feel sorry for the kid, cause you just know he is going to get bullied when he gets older.
Stupid name.
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A friend of a friend named his boy Raistlin. I still cringe whenever I hear him say it.
I feel sorry for the kid, cause you just know he is going to get bullied when he gets older.
Stupid name.
How many of his peers are going to even recognize that name? Any of them that are going to recognize a fictional character from thirty-year-old fantasy literature aren't in any position to throw stones.... ;)
On the other hand, Jonathan Swift did make up the name Vanessa as a pseudonym for Esther Vanhomrigh, and it spread pretty well from there.
So goes the story, although it might simply be a form of a name that had been in use 300 years before then. Who knows? But I suppose if you go back far enough, ALL names were made up at some point.
Isn't language just a madeup ordering of noises anyway? Every word, names included, were made up by someone.
Exactly -- so even names that had some actual meaning, way back when (mine meant "Honorable Ruler," thank you), were named after words which are, in turn, random collections of sounds that someone made up once upon a time to stand for that thing.
There's a lot of back posts in this thread to go through, but has anyone considered that the reasonably common name of 'Wendy' didn't exist until the fantasy story 'Peter Pan' was written?
Reggie
There's a lot of back posts in this thread to go through, but has anyone considered that the reasonably common name of 'Wendy' didn't exist until the fantasy story 'Peter Pan' was written?
Already dubunked that urban myth. Do skim just a bit, or at least Snopes before you post!
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Isn't language just a madeup ordering of noises anyway? Every word, names included, were made up by someone.Exactly -- so even names that had some actual meaning, way back when (mine meant "Honorable Ruler," thank you), were named after words which are, in turn, random collections of sounds that someone made up once upon a time to stand for that thing.
Being that my name means 'crown' or 'garland', I am now amused by the image of me sitting on your head.
Did you know that Proctor and Gamble admitted on public TV that they donate their profits to Satanism? If someone contradicts me, I'll repeat it in half a page, until people start mentioning it in other threads.
That's how urban myths work.
On the other hand, Jonathan Swift did make up the name Vanessa as a pseudonym for Esther Vanhomrigh, and it spread pretty well from there.So goes the story, although it might simply be a form of a name that had been in use 300 years before then. Who knows? But I suppose if you go back far enough, ALL names were made up at some point.
I'd say they're probably BOTH right.
Just because one guy sounded out a bunch of letters till he found one that sounded good... doesn't mean that someone else didn't do the same thing 300 years ago.
I've come up with quite a few names for characters that I found out later was very similiar to characters other people played before I started, or even were popular in books I hadn't read...
I have a nephew named Logan. My sister disdains anything to do with comics and was quite annoyed when I told about Wolverine. To this day she believes that more people will associate the name with Logan's Steakhouse (not sure how nationwide they are... but we have one here...) then 'some comic character...'
I have a character named Elric... APPARENTLY his name keeps getting thrown around in threads about famous fantasy characters... APPARENTLY he's a bit more violent/psychotic then my guy (he's a sweetheart..)
I'd never heard of these books, doesn't mean I stole the name.
How many of his peers are going to even recognize that name? Any of them that are going to recognize a fictional character from thirty-year-old fantasy literature aren't in any position to throw stones.... ;)A friend of a friend named his boy Raistlin. I still cringe whenever I hear him say it.
I feel sorry for the kid, cause you just know he is going to get bullied when he gets older.
Stupid name.
Yeah... I've got a friend who named his kid Derrick after a long running NPC he always brought in.
Ordinary enough name... but his Friends all know where it came from and there were a few eye-rolls...
As for Raistlin... I'm sure when he gets to school he'll just be called Ray.
Though it DOES beg the question... It's one thing to pull a name from a fantasy novel... but why pick an EVIL one??
Why would you want to shackle a child with a name that (for those who recognize it) have negative connotations. At least Aragorn and Arwen are the GOOD guys...
Raistlen went totally evil nearly destroyed the world... Same with names like Jezebel and Delilah... Literature doesn't paint these people in the best of lights... and I picture a child being VERY disappointed when they find the origins...
It's like naming your kid Lucifer or Adolph.. or Vadar. Tarkin... If you have to draw from books... at least pick the HEROES ;)
It's like naming your kid Lucifer or Adolph.. or Vadar. Tarkin... If you have to draw from books... at least pick the HEROES ;)
I'm a big fan of Paradise Lost. My poor potential son.
Hey, I heard that the name Wendy actually comes from Peter Pan!
How many of his peers are going to even recognize that name? Any of them that are going to recognize a fictional character from thirty-year-old fantasy literature aren't in any position to throw stones.... ;)A friend of a friend named his boy Raistlin. I still cringe whenever I hear him say it.
I feel sorry for the kid, cause you just know he is going to get bullied when he gets older.
Stupid name.
I think they are probably going to wonder why he is named after a dried up grape.
I went to school with a girl named Anduril. Even though I must have read Lord of the Rings a dozen times in school, I never knew thats where her name came from until it was mentioned in her graduation announcement. Pretty much everyone just assumed it was an old family name or something, so its really probably not the end of the world having an unusual name like that unless you really draw attention to it.
I hope to one day have a child named Alexander, and it will be Lex for short.
Regarding the "black" names discussed earlier, like Shaneequa and the like, I consider it excellent that various cultures find and shape their own identities. We should all have the right to be proud of the good things we are a part of. Give it 50 years or so, and nobody will raise an eyebrow about Shaneequa. They are often beautiful names, too, so no argument there. The only issue I can see about it is how someone not part of the relevant culture would be treated by others, i.e. if a white girl called herself Shaneequa.
But really, that is not the main issue about names.
The central issue is that you should be able to call yourself whatever you like, in different situations. Why should people not have a "right" to be called Michael at work, George with his wife, Andy with his pals, and so on? Any trouble resulting from this would pile up on the person making his own choices, very rarely someone else. Most would choose the simple deal of one name. But look at the names here: All sorts of names showing all sorts of self-image or desired projected image. Wouldn't that be better than: "Application from someone who has a weird name. Recycling bin!"
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If I'm talking to someone face-to-face and they open a statement with the phrase, "I don't mean to offend anyone...", assuming I respect the person making that statement, there's a good chance I'll observe that those words, in my experience, rarely precede something that reflects well on the speaker.True story: about a month or so I'm talking to a guy who says, out of the blue, "I'm not a bigot by any means, but if my granddaughter wanted to marry a black man I'd shoot him." When he saw me staring at him like he was psychotic, he quickly added: "That's not racist! It's just how I see things." How does any rational human reply to that?
So, yeah, I'll second Meepo's general point.
I would shoot anyone my granddaughter wanted to marry just for the heck of it...imagine an old man running after a young guy with a bleeding ass down the street yelling profanities.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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I would shoot anyone my granddaughter wanted to marry just for the heck of it...imagine an old man running after a young guy with a bleeding ass down the street yelling profanities.
I joke about this with my Goddaughter.
It gets worse though, her dad's National Guard.
"Sgt. Rickey! Why are you checking out that Rocket Propelled Grenade?"
"Daughter's first date, Sir!"
*pause* Sgt. Rickey, would you like to check out a LAW Rocket as well?"
Her mom's afraid that between the two of us, she'll never date.
I said, "No, she'll just find someone who will treat her right... or else."
:-)
Madison as a girl's name started with the movie Splash in 1984.
However, "According to the Social Security Administration, Madison can be found within the top 1,000 names for boys up until about 1952." It started to make the cross-over to girl's name before the movie, although it became a mass exodus afterwards.
Or were you kidding?
The name Bruce was invented by Bruce Lee as a stage name. The historical figure "Robert the Bruce" was really "Robert the Bruised," but people in the 70s, wanting him to seem more heroic, rewrote it as "Bruce" after Bruce Lee.
The name "Chuck" as a nickname was invented by Carlos Norris, who wanted to call himself after numchucks.
Hey, this is fun!
The use of "Gale" as a girl's name was started after the movie The Wizard of Oz came out, because of the character Dorothy Gale. The publishing of the book also marks the first use ever of the name "Dorothy," which author L. Frank Baum invented for the story.
Did I mention that Proctor and Gamble admitted on TV to being a Satanist cult?
I read somewhere that Kirth Gersen was seen on the grassy knoll on Friday, November 22, 1963.
I know where Jimmy Hoffa is! I know where Jimmy Hoffa is!
I read somewhere that Kirth Gersen was seen on the grassy knoll on Friday, November 22, 1963.
I heard he was disguised AS the grassy knoll (or was that a grassy gnoll?).
(or was that a grassy gnoll?).
I'm picturing a hyena-headed dude sucking on a bong (hey, it was the '60s, right?)
But Still, to have A LAW enacted mandating control over the naming of children... parish the thought.
Once parents decided that they found perfect name for their baby girl in one book. It was French or so they thought. For some strange reason social administration clerk refused to accept that name and write it down into birth certificate. The "name" he rejected? Courtesan.
I read somewhere that Kirth Gersen was seen on the grassy knoll on Friday, November 22, 1963.I heard he was disguised AS the grassy knoll (or was that a grassy gnoll?).
No, Jimmy Hoffa was a holey grass.
The name Bruce was invented by Bruce Lee as a stage name. The historical figure "Robert the Bruce" was really "Robert the Bruised," but people in the 70s, wanting him to seem more heroic, rewrote it as "Bruce" after Bruce Lee.
I realize (or at least hope) you were joking, but I was told by one of my history professors that William the Conqueror, before he had taken over someone else's stuff, was known by the moniker William the Bastard. No wonder the guy went to war!
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Madison as a girl's name started with the movie Splash in 1984.However, "According to the Social Security Administration, Madison can be found within the top 1,000 names for boys up until about 1952." It started to make the cross-over to girl's name before the movie, although it became a mass exodus afterwards.
Or were you kidding?
Not kidding, you can do some research at the Social Security Administration yourself. Although I'm sure that Madison as a girl's name was used before Splash on occasion, it was not considered by the general public until the movie.
Madison as a boy's name was used regularly before. It is, after all, a surname with a strong pedigree in the United States.
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I gotta say, I'm glad that the U.S. doesn't have stringent naming laws, because I'm rather attached to my list of choices:
My Top 5 Girls Names [considering I already used Ophelia for my doggy]
*Persephone
*Guenevere
*Ariadne
*Lorelei
*Circe
My Top 5 Boys Names
*Viktor [i prefer the "k" to the "c"]
*Alastor
*Orion
*Silas
*Markos [the Greek version of the Latin "Marcus"]
I figure that's a broad enough range of options there, and I don't really see any sort of detriment that any of those could cause a child. Hell, I'd even add my favorite PC name to the list if I thought I could get away with it: Severeth. I've had a Severeth in every MMO I've played, and my favorite wizard PC was Severeth. I usually get compliments on that name, and I think a kid wouldn't have too much of a problem with that. Of course, my lady-partner might have an issue with that, so that's why I've got a short list of solid options.
Although I'm sure that Madison as a girl's name was used before Splash on occasion...
Thanks for conceding that -- it's nice to see people able to retract absolute statements when contradicting facts are offered. I have no problem at all acknowledging the huge surge in popularity after the movie, as long as we're not making any false claims.
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If I have a daughter, I hope to name her Raziel. Partly from Willow, partly from Soul Reaver, and partly from the actual origins. I figure, if you're going to pick a name for your kid based on Hebrew mythology, you may as well make it something interesting. This is just me, personally, but I'm kinda sick of knowing so many people with the same damn name. I my family alone no less than 30% of my living relatives (no small amount) have either John or Michael for a name, or some variation thereof (such as Jane or Michelle). My Dad's name is Michael, my middle name is Michael, my brother-in-law's name was Michael, our most recent roommate and regular gaming buddy is a Michael...enough is enough. There comes a point where tradition becomes silly, and is little more than a thin mask over laziness and unoriginality.
I think that came out a bit more pompous than I really intended, but the point stands. It does get a little bit annoying. And I'm not even one of those poor souls who were in classes in elementary school with 5 other people of the same name.
The name is a symptom of the larger abuse that the child will suffer by having religious parents that far out of their minds. The indoctrination he or she will undergo at their hands will probably be total. I am genuinely sad for this child now, and need to take a break from browsing.
Their crass assumption that the child will follow them in their hysterical plight, and that he or she will embrace the name, is typical of the religious mind. Religious indoctrination is abuse, plain and simple, and is the only form of child abuse that doesn't raise an eyebrow.
After reading such an intolerant screed such as this, all I can say is, good.
Apparently, tolerance is a one-way street.
If I have a daughter, I hope to name her Raziel. Partly from Willow, partly from Soul Reaver, and partly from the actual origins. I figure, if you're going to pick a name for your kid based on Hebrew mythology, you may as well make it something interesting. This is just me, personally, but I'm kinda sick of knowing so many people with the same damn name. I my family alone no less than 30% of my living relatives (no small amount) have either John or Michael for a name, or some variation thereof (such as Jane or Michelle). My Dad's name is Michael, my middle name is Michael, my brother-in-law's name was Michael, our most recent roommate and regular gaming buddy is a Michael...enough is enough. There comes a point where tradition becomes silly, and is little more than a thin mask over laziness and unoriginality.
I think that came out a bit more pompous than I really intended, but the point stands. It does get a little bit annoying. And I'm not even one of those poor souls who were in classes in elementary school with 5 other people of the same name.
LOL
I feel your pain. Our game group has three Matts. Big Matt... Little Matt... and now New Matt.
We said if any more Matt's join in, we're just calling him Frank. We don't have ANY Franks ;)
The name is a symptom of the larger abuse that the child will suffer by having religious parents that far out of their minds. The indoctrination he or she will undergo at their hands will probably be total. I am genuinely sad for this child now, and need to take a break from browsing.
Their crass assumption that the child will follow them in their hysterical plight, and that he or she will embrace the name, is typical of the religious mind. Religious indoctrination is abuse, plain and simple, and is the only form of child abuse that doesn't raise an eyebrow.
After reading such an intolerant screed such as this, all I can say is, good.
Apparently, tolerance is a one-way street.
Truly abusing someone, i.e. more than just neglecting them, a child or anyone else, requires a motivation for doing so. Maybe it is addiction, maybe it is something else, but some religious parents do it. It's not a question of tolerance.
Truly abusing someone, i.e. more than just neglecting them, a child or anyone else, requires a motivation for doing so.
Did you read what he said? He said that "indoctrinating" them into the religion of the parents was child abuse, and that naming a child such as that was child abuse and that the parents are in a "hysterical plight" and out of their minds. That's the disgusting intolerance of his comment.
Maybe it is addiction, maybe it is something else, but some religious parents do it. It's not a question of tolerance.
Yeah, and so do some non-religious parents.
I'm not talking about tolerating actual child abuse. I'm talking about the vitriol and hate being spewed by this guy with his claims about religion - that's the intolerance.
I find the religious name above a bit silly, but I don't consider it total evidence that such a child is being abused. Especially considering that many people's names that may seem at first glance as being indifferent actually have religious meanings. My own name actually means "bearing Christ". Would it have been abuse by my parents to literally name me "Bearer of Christ"? I don't think so, but it would certainly would have been clunky and silly sounding for a name.
I find the religious name above a bit silly, but I don't consider it total evidence that such a child is being abused.
I'll go a step further than silly - I think the name is stupid. But, I'm not the parent, it's not my kid, and, per the Wikipedia definitions on the subject, I'd class myself as an agnostic, and more specifically, an apathetic agnostic, so I don't think that I've got a lot of bias for either side here.
Raising a child in your chosen belief structure isn't abuse - it's the norm.
LOL
I feel your pain. Our game group has three Matts. Big Matt... Little Matt... and now New Matt.
We said if any more Matt's join in, we're just calling him Frank. We don't have ANY Franks ;)
I know what you mean. Our group of friends in college had two Robs, so we called one by his SCA name. I actually came into the group late and knew him for 2-3 years before I knew his real name.