Am I dooming my future children?

[Pegghead]

Compared to some of the names I've heard in my time those names are fine. Really as long as the intentions behind the naming are pure and it won't result in a child getting ridiculed then name your kid whatever you want.

Personally I've always felt that when I have kids I'd like a son named Gordon and a daughter named Alice.

 

[Foxblade618]

I think I can contribute to this discussion in a way few others can. My parents gave me a pretty unusual name. I'd rather not say what it actually is but it's a latin word that shows up in scifi writing fairly regularly.

I do not like it.

I won't bore you with a lot details, but nothing positive has ever come from it. Mostly I just have to correct people, repeat myself and spell it for them. Also, I'm really tired of the 'That's an unusual name!' conversation.

I have given serious thought to changing it but dispite how much I dislike it it is part of my identity now and I can not decide on a 'normal' name that I'd like to go by instead and doing so really is a lot of trouble to go through. I might still change it one day though.

I have never told my parents I wish they'd just given me a normal name and I probably never will.

So, from someone who has an unusual name, don't do it. Do not make your child carry that (admittedly fairly small) burden because you think it's cool.

I appreciate your insight on this topic. I have a mildly unique name myself, and did not have the same problems as you, but then again, my name is not so different that I am the only one with it-not by a long shot actually. Though, are our proposed names THAT unusual? I don't really think so (Lyra certainly isn't that weird and will happen regardless, as that character has great personal meaning to the both of us), but I can see the potential problems with Maes

 

[Radelaide]

Speaking as someone with an unusal name, it's not too hard. Yes, kids are asshats and they be cruel, but you grow up and learn to be above it.


My name is Adelaide, my brother's name was going to be Bede (pronounced Bead) and you learn.

 

[Foxblade618]

I highly doubt that the names " Maes " and " Lyra " equate to having a latin word as a name.

OT: I like them, but it would be wise to not base naming your children on the opinions of people on the interwebz.

Noted, nor was that my intention, just trying to get a broad stroke of opinions on the topic and will most likely decide on these names regardless of what anyone says, but it never hurts to take the temperature of the water.

 

[warprincenataku]

My wife and I have discussed this many times, we're both nerds and plan on having a theme for our kids. We both are fans of Mortal Kombat, so if it's a girl maybe Mileena or Sonya and if it's a boy, we're thinking Scorpion or Shao Khan!

 

[Floggo]

Bruce - if a boy
Brucette - if a girl

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

The name Lyra is nice, i quite like that one, although she could end up being called lycra depending on what her future hobbies are, but i would stick with the name Lyra.
The name Maes is okay, but i think there is a better one to be had, but it's still quite a good name.
And remember, kids will draw on anything they can to make a joke, for example 'get em' lennie' was made by someone in my school to a person named lennie.
It was from 'Of Mice & Men'.
THat suprised me because of who it came from.

 

[Shikua]

Listen, foxblade, these names are fine. I have the completely ordinary name of Alex, but I was named after Worf's son from TNG, so I have my nerdy name. You want odd names though? My cousin named her sons "John Basil Blues" and "Archer Phillip Sunshine". I shit you not. There are no shits to be had here. These are odd names. Lyra is completely fine and I am baffled at how people can manage to mis-pronounce Maes.

 

[Grafin Drachen]

I personally like the unique names. It gives them a chance to stand out in a crowed unlike when someone yells "Brittany" or "Matthew" and 10 heads pop up (In my grade 8 class, there where 6 Brittany's and 3 Matthew's...) So I say go for it.

Sure some people pick some very, very strange names, but as long as you DO put some thought into what could be a potential for easy harassment, all should be good to go. As many have mentioned, if kid's are determined, ANY name can be turned into a nasty slur. Lyra kind of reminds me of Laura, but different enough to stand out. Maes does sound awfully close to Maise, the French word for corn, but it's got a distinctive ring to it. I suppose it also depends on what you've given as a middle name(s) if any. Initials count too Mine are NHL, so I got a bit lucky there being a hockey fan! Someone in my family is Mychelle Linn, and my sister's best friend is Acasa Beers (No middle name)....

IF I ever where to bear children, my now ex and I had discussed names and some we came up with where unique in there own way, but depending on context could be warped. I prefer odd spellings of anything, but combine the two and you can get some really odd ones. Here's a list of some of the better ones we had (That I can remember). We tried to have some unique spelling, but we tried to keep it tame as if we had kids, they would be able to pronounce/spell them at some point before schooling. We also tried to go a bit semi-normal with some so that the kid would not be "too odd".

Boys:
Archturis Desmond or Desmond Archturuis, Kurda Joseph, Dakota Meyles (May-ells),

Girls:
Evanna Ane-Mayre, Tabitha Makenzie, Hecayte Jennifer or Jennifer Hecayte and Helaina Morigan.

Besides, it's also a big trend now, in recent years, it seems a lot of parents are opting for some less-traditional names, and it's not just whacked-out celebs..

 

[Tich]

If I have a daughter, I'd name her Amelia, like a name in a fairy tale.

But something normal, yet special. Why try to reinvent the wheel when so many cool names already exist.

 

[zehydra]

You'd be surprised at how uncommon names don't actually provoke that much taunting. I myself have a relatively uncommon name (though not THAT rare). I got made fun of it for other reasons, unrelated to its rarity. But even still, I'm not scarred or screwed up or something for having an uncommon name by any means.

If anything, it helps reinforce a positive sense of uniqueness in a person.

 

[joshthor]

i thought this was going to be completely different. i came in expecting to be able to use a joke. wait. are you for sure going to have these kids? like are you and your wife/girlfreind trying right now?

if not my joke works

*ahem* here goes:

(imagine swave british man (NOT ME!) ) ha ha ha. dont worry my good chap, you arent going to have children



now. lyra is good for a girl. i hate maes though. sounded more like a girls name than a guys name to me. but original is good.

i wish my parents hadnt named me josh (in a class of 56 in my elementary school 6 kids were named josh. for my birth year i had the most common name) that being said i dont mind my name it just is super unoriginal.

 

[zehydra]

Whew. Reading this thread took a lot off my shoulders. Now at least I know that my future son Punchmeinthedick won't be made fun of.

That aside, if I had a son I always wanted to name him Deckard. So, I guess that is nerdy, but I can't find anything wrong with it. Kids are going to be mocked regardless of their name. It is just what kids do. Little fucking assholes that they are, and all. I can't imagine why anyone would want a child.

They're not that much better than adults, really. Adults just hide their feelings better. (I mean from ages 6+.)

 

[Lukeje]

EDIT: Maes is pronounced Mays

You realise that `maes' is `field' in Welsh, right? If he ever goes to Wales then people would pronounce it `mice'.

 

[Angerwing]

At least you didn't name your kids like my uncle did. He has four boys, so my cousins are named (in order):

Tim, Tom, Jim and John.

That marvelous troll.

 

[TheLoneBeet]

Uncommon names are awesome. Yes your child may be taunted a little, but everybody gets taunted for one reason or another. I have a really boring common name and I was still taunted about it. Children always find something to taunt each other about. It's what they do. If it's not your name is your hair, or your glasses, or your clothes, or etc. etc.

 

[Angerwing]

Whew. Reading this thread took a lot off my shoulders. Now at least I know that my future son Punchmeinthedick won't be made fun of.

That aside, if I had a son I always wanted to name him Deckard. So, I guess that is nerdy, but I can't find anything wrong with it. Kids are going to be mocked regardless of their name. It is just what kids do. Little fucking assholes that they are, and all. I can't imagine why anyone would want a child.

And I guarantee his nickname would be dickhead.

That's the nickname my family came up with for Deckard Cain, of Diablo fame.

It's a pity though, Blade Runner was a good movie, and it is a badass name.

 

[roflmecopter]

All kids get made fun for something or other.

 

[v3n0mat3]

I'm tempted to name my firstborn son Bruce Wayne or firstborn daughter Barbara Gordon. I probably won't, though. Hey, I may be a nerd, but I'm not about to name my children after characters from a TV show, Video Game, comic book, or movie.

 

['The Eel']

Those seem like normal enough names, OP.

If I ever have kids, I like the names Matthew, Lucien, and Vincent for a boy, or Marisa, Vanessa, and Amelia for a girl.

If I wanted to doom them, I'd name them something like Dindarest or Roesgeni. Or NULL POINTER. /jk