If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
Celebrities aren't the only ones giving their babies unusual names. Compared with decades ago, parents are choosing less common names for kids, which could suggest an emphasis on uniqueness and individualism, according to new research.
Essentially, today's kids (and later adults) will stand out from classmates. For instance, in the 1950s, the average first-grade class of 30 children would have had at least one boy named James (top name in 1950), while in 2013, six classes will be necessary to find only one Jacob, even though that was the most common boys' name in 2007.
The researchers suspect the uptick of unusual baby names[us.rd.yahoo.com] could be a sign of a change in culture from one that applauded fitting in to today's emphasis on being unique and standing out. When taken too far, however, this individualism could also lead to narcissism, according to study researcher Jean Twenge, of San Diego State University.
Baby naming history
The results come from an analysis of 325 million baby names recorded by the Social Security Administration from 1880 to 2007. The research team figured out the percentage of babies[us.rd.yahoo.com] given the most popular name or a name among the 10, 20, or 50 most popular for that year and sex. Since it wasn't required that people get a social security card until 1937, names before that time may not be random samples of the population, the researchers note.
Results showed parents were less likely to choose those popular names as time went on. For instance, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, about 5 percent of babies were named the top common name, while more recently that dropped to 1 percent.
About 40 percent of boys received one of the 10 most common names in the 1880s, while now fewer than 10 percent do.
For girls, the percentage with a top-10 name dropped from 25 percent in about 1945 to 8 percent in 2007.
Similar results were seen for the top-50 names. About half of girls received one of the 50 most popular names until the mid-20th century. Now, just one in four have these names.
(A list of top-10 baby names by year, and their popularity, can be found here[us.rd.yahoo.com].)
This trend in baby-naming didn't show a constant decrease. Between 1880 and 1919, fewer parents were giving their children common names, though from 1920 to the 1940s common names were used more often than before. Then, when baby boomers[us.rd.yahoo.com] came on the scene, so did more unusual names.
The biggest decrease in usage of common names came in the 1990s, said Twenge, who is also an author of "The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement" (Free Press, 2009) and "Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled - and More Miserable Than Ever Before" (Free Press, 2007).
Agreed. Individuality is good, but if there is way too much of it then it does result in narcissism.
Not only the names, but parents don't want to be authority figures anymore - which only adds to the problem of having a bunch of spoiled little brats around.
I have no problem with different names - but must they be way out there?
I know this poor guy, his parents named him Rainbow - yes, rainbow - his parents were hippies, by the way.
He decided to call himself Raymond after watching Rain Man so that no one would know his real name.
He also says that once he turns 18, he's getting it legally changed.
It either leads to narcissism or mocking in the end.
Rather why not pick uncommon names that are not totally out there?
Like Leah, Alice, Caleb, Colin, names like those.
All uncommon, but none are stupid or embarrassing at least.
Also, I would like to add that weird names leads a child to believe that either they are too different from everyone - which leads to being outcasts or that they believe they better than everyone else.
I have a cousin who's girlfriend decided to name their daughter Skyler - despite it being a boys name.
I've met a girl named Gary. A girl named Robert (but she said it was Roberta - but everyone called her Robbie). I've met a boy named Shelby. And I've met a boy named Regina (I shit you not - that was his name).
Most of them went by different names because everyone made fun of them for their names, usually though sexual insults - calling the girls "dykes" and calling the boys "fags". Despite the fact they were all stright as boards.
What I'm getting at is that the names plus not wanting to be an authority figure equals spoiled brats who think they are better than others.
I can't count the number of Angel's, Deandre's, Demetrius', Jesus' (pronounced who-zay), and Katlin's (alt. spellings) I've had to deal with who were all very narcissistic and claimed to be above everyone else.
It's like spelling Jessica as Jessika or spelling Eric as Erik.
It confuses people. Even my own name is like that. I've never seen so many people spell my name "Racheal" in my whole life - it's a retarded spelling and is even the less common spelling! See, even the kids with normal spelled names get jipped because people always assume the lesser spelling.
I just hate the names that are totally out there. Uncommon is fine. But uncommon to the point of stupidity is another.
With Your Sliced Throat, Call Me Your Queen
Both the Dream-like Aching of My Wounds and the Severe Dripping of My Blood How Much More Time Until the Thoughtless Little Boys Become Men? The Eyes of Lust and Sadism Look Sadly at the Valley of Ecstasy, The Reflection of Happiness
An Explosion from the Core of My Body! It's at the Summit; There is no Escape! How Much More Time Until the Stupid Little Girls Become Women? With Your Cute Voice; Cry Out to Me, Your Elder Sister [erepublik.com]
I actually like Mercedes, in general, but that leads to - uh - "riding" jokes. "Stick shift" and things like that.
Sex jokes in other words.
That's why I feel sorry for my cousins, their last name is Bentley.
Though, the one girl I knew named Mercedes was a real bitch.
I also dislike naming after states/cities, with few exceptions. Virginia, Carolina, Georgia, Phoenix, Dallas, Cleveland, Austin, and Tex.
I don't mind Virginia, Dallas, Austin, and Tex so much though.
With Your Sliced Throat, Call Me Your Queen
Both the Dream-like Aching of My Wounds and the Severe Dripping of My Blood How Much More Time Until the Thoughtless Little Boys Become Men? The Eyes of Lust and Sadism Look Sadly at the Valley of Ecstasy, The Reflection of Happiness
An Explosion from the Core of My Body! It's at the Summit; There is no Escape! How Much More Time Until the Stupid Little Girls Become Women? With Your Cute Voice; Cry Out to Me, Your Elder Sister [erepublik.com]
I hope for her sake that she can change the spelling.
With Your Sliced Throat, Call Me Your Queen
Both the Dream-like Aching of My Wounds and the Severe Dripping of My Blood How Much More Time Until the Thoughtless Little Boys Become Men? The Eyes of Lust and Sadism Look Sadly at the Valley of Ecstasy, The Reflection of Happiness
An Explosion from the Core of My Body! It's at the Summit; There is no Escape! How Much More Time Until the Stupid Little Girls Become Women? With Your Cute Voice; Cry Out to Me, Your Elder Sister [erepublik.com]
Today's Toppers
Parents Choosing More Unusual Baby Names Now
