"Designer" names

[Yokai]

I don't really care much either way about 'designer' names. Trivun is my first name, and I've lived in England all my life. I was born here. Hell, I think I'm the only person in the UK with my full name (Trivun Luzaic) and probably one of about five people in the country with the name Trivun at all (if there are any others then they're most likely immigrants from Eastern Europe).

It's a very interesting name. I don't see the issue with names that are common in other countries, or even names that are completely made up. As long as they don't obey fictional pronunciation laws and don't sound too ridiculous. It's really only a problem when you have common names with completely made-up spelling. I know a guy named Damon, except his name is spelled DAYMONE. Which is unbelievably stupid.

Back in high school I remember there were so many girls named Brianna (which is practically made up anyway) and the only way you could tell them apart on a list was by what batshit spelling the parents had put on the birth certificate. There was a Breeana, a Briyana, a Breanah, and a Brionna, and lord knows how many others.

I hope this doesn't come across as racist, and I may be making a sweeping generalization here, but this seems to be pretty popular with some African-Americans. This is made all the more complicated by their pseudo-French naming conventions. I've heard so many variations of Tyrone, or Chaniqua, or Michonette...it is all very confusing.

Incidentally, people frequently spell my name SIMONE--which, while a real name, is generally not applied to those of the male persuasion. I've met people who were surprised I was a guy, because someone they knew had mentioned me in an email or some such and gotten my name wrong.

I'm rambling, aren't I? I'll shut up now.

 

[theSovietConnection]

First thing I thought of when I saw the thread.

Anyways, some names are annoying as sin to look at, but unless it could bring harm to the child, it generally doesn't bug me too much.

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

Of all things I have trouble with my last name, Hancock. In the US, John Hancock is well known for signing his name really large on our Declaration of Independence and his name is now a euphemism for signature. However, whenever people ask for my name they invariably say, "Like John Hancock? How do you spell that?" Cue the facepalm from me. Do people not read anything these days?

 

[Tukadian]

Here's the most retarded one I've seen to date: Ciial

That's pronounced 'Kyle'.

Oh. Oh god. No. Just... Really? Ciial. Did the hospital say "Kyle" was already taken for that server?

Wow, that actually made me bust out laughing just picturing the doctor going over it with the mother.
"I want to name him Kyle."
"Sorry we already have a Kyle, How about Kyle443?"
"Umm, no, I don't want any numbers in the name."
"How about Ky-El?"
"Wasn't that Superman? No... that was Kal-el wasn't it? Whatever, hyphens are too cliche."
"Everyone's interchanging K and C these days, that seems to be the rage."
"Okay... Cile then."
"Taken."
"... Surprise me..."

 

[CJMacM]

I can't stand that, just spell your kid's name like it's supposed to be. And if someone's looking for a unique name for their kid, find one that's uncommon not a regular named spelled differently to be special. It just adds confusion.

For example, one girl at my school is named "Michellie" and it's pronounced Mik-ay-lee. It's not the worst example but she still gets grief over it and she said that the way her parents spelled her name bugs her.

Some people think my name,Catriona, is basically Katrina but it's not. It's gaelic so it's pronounced a lot differently than it looks, not just spelled different for the sake of being spelled different.

 

[AceAngel]

I was named after a Video Game character...gar gar!

Really? Who?

Picture this: My name is Luigi and I work in the field of games. Everytime I work in a group, they keep asking if I like drawing Green Warriors owning Red Evil Plumbers.

I'm not even Italian or related to the archipelago-of-the-European-Boot continent (I know what I said sounded wrong) so my parents must have had a really sick sense of humor...