What's in a name?

[shootingstar]

I have a boring 1 syllable name from the 1950's when the name was more popular. I was born in 1959.

When you say hi to me, it sounds like hygiene. When you say hi to my partner, it sounds like hijack.

No kiddin'.

I do have a lovely middle name...in Chinese...which embarrassed me as a kid. It was so ethnic-sounding to me. Until I learned of its the English translation: "orchid". My first name in Chinese means, "precious" or "highly treasured". I am the eldest in my family so not surprising I was given this name. It bears no relationship to my English first name.

Orchid is a common flower traditional Chinese name for girls. Like rose or lily is for English/UK cultures.

I most strongly advise parents explain to their child about the meaning of their name, particularily if it is non-English language based. A child needs to be proud of their name.

[Aggie_Ama]

I am fond of having a name with meaning. Mine does not, it was popular at the time and my mom found it beautiful. My middle name is her middle name (or was now it is my maiden name) but she just used it because it went with Amanda. My brother was named after two boys in her pre-school she was teaching. Not that they were her favorites, she just liked their names. Oddly his middle name is my father's but that is not why my parents picked it initially!

My niece is named after my husband, I think it is such a sweet tribute. He and his brother are extremely close and if we are to have a boy his middle name will be after my brother in law.

[Tuckervill]

From today's paper, a new twist on Chloe.

Khloee

No kiddin'.

The rest of her name was, apparently, unremarkable.

Karen

[IFjane]

I learned this last week - one of the parents in our program has a child - her firstborn - named Genesis. I like it! Of course, my first thought was of the progressive rock group and not the biblical connotation...

[oxysback]

I've had a good laugh reading this thread!

Now, for the downside of growing up with an unusual name...

I have an aquaintance named Mireille. I, personally, love how the name sounds, but she has an equally unusual last name. She's now old enough to get her first job, but she's finding that potential employers don't want to call her back because not only are they unsure of how to pronounce her first name, but her last name is difficult, as well.

She's taken to spelling her name phonetically (she puts 'Maray') on her job applications, but then they call back asking for 'Murray'. The poor girl can't win!

[margo49]

It's a lovely name.
The woman who wrote French Women Don't Get Fat is Mireille.

[uk elephant]

I didn't think I grew up with an unusual name until I went away to college. In Norway my name, Eli, is a fairly common girls name. The same name in the US where I went to college is a fairly common jewish boys name. And I have had many surprised professors who expected me to be a boy when I showed up in class. But I like my name, and where it came from. It's my great-grandfather's middle name.

[Meaux]

My mom knew someone who had a OBGYN with the name...wait for it...wait for it...Dr. Beavers. Wow.

I've seen first names like Princess and Sparkle before. Can you imagine going to school with the name Sparkle??

[shootingstar]

I have a boring 1 syllable name from the 1950's when the name was more popular. I was born in 1959.

When you say hi to me, it sounds like hygiene. When you say hi to my partner, it sounds like hijack.

No kiddin'.

I do have a lovely middle name...in Chinese...which embarrassed me as a kid. It was so ethnic-sounding to me. Until I learned of its the English translation: "orchid". My first name in Chinese means, "precious" or "highly treasured". I am the eldest in my family so not surprising I was given this name. It bears no relationship to my English first name.

Orchid is a common flower traditional Chinese name for girls. Like rose or lily is for English/UK cultures.

I most strongly advise parents explain to their child about the meaning of their name, particularily if it is non-English language based. A child needs to be proud of their name.

and the next sister after myself, her lst Chinese name translates as Twilight or Dusk. so with her middle name translation is Twilight Orchid.

Another sister gave birth to her lst child, a daughter 2 months ago. My sister dithered over whether or not she wanted to give the child (that is half-Chinese) a Chinese middle name.

She consulted my father..who does have a more poetic soul than my mother..
So the girl is Ella, middle name is Mei (as pronounced "May). "Mei" means beautiful in Chinese.

By the way, the colloquial name for the U.S. by the older generation of Chinese immigrants is Mei Gok..or beautiful country. It must have the Gold Rush dreams...or something.