Ah, baby names.
I could talk/read/blog about them all day. I read this unimpressive and presumptuous, yet mildly interesting NY Times article yesterday about celebrity baby names. It discusses such winners as Pilot Inspektor and Moxie CrimeFighter. Actually, I really like the name Moxie a lot, and what's so bad about CrimeFighter as a middle name? At least it won't be read in roll call at school.
Suri, on the other hand--actually also a pretty cool name but wide open for teasing. Chop Suri; Suri with a fringe on top. Or will Katie Holmes's children never hang with kids who watch Oklahoma?
So the title of the article is "Why Stars Name Babies Moxie, Moses and Apple." I just want to say for the record that I think Moses is a fantastic name, and a traditional one. Moxie, while less fantastic (and the bearer of which not technically the child of a "star"--her father is magician Penn Jillette), is pretty good. Apple, on the other hand, I do not think is a fantastic name at all, although I applaud Gwyneth Paltrow's decision to use a name she loves. Coco, Courtney Cox's daughter's name, is a "foody" (not to be confused with "foodie") name that I actually do like a lot. Chanel's influence, maybe?
Anyway, I love Moses the person (the one from Exodus, that is) and Moses the name. Now that Chris Martin & Gwyneth Paltrow have named their second child, a boy, Moses, I feel that I can share that little tidbit with you. Plus Moe is such a cute nickname, despite images of Calvin's grade-school tormentor that might come up.Although I am a little saddened that yet another celebrity couple has used a name that I like. Isn't that snobby of me? I never once imagined or planned my wedding until I got engaged, but ever since I was old enough to write I have made lists of names that I like. My taste has changed somewhat in the past 20ish years. These days it's a trendy taste--old-fashioned, biblical, "unique but not too weird," easily spelled--so no matter what I name my children, they'll probably run into other people with the same name eventually. But I guess that doesn't really matter. It's sort of an imagined status thing, I guess. Unless I use names like "Inspektor," I'm resigned to it.
Plus, when I taught swimming lessons I had quite a few Moseses. It's not that new. Granted, none of them spoke English. But there is many a young Moses running around out there.
So the thing about Apple--I read somewhere that multiple consonant sounds next to each other, especially when one is "L" ("R" and "L" together in particular), are not very popular in names these days because they're not especially pleasing to the ear, which is maybe why the sound of the name "Apple" bothers me, and may explain the absence of old-fashioned names like Mildred, Virgil, and Shirley while names like Sophie, Leah, and Elijah enjoy a resurgence.
A few holes in that theory, obviously. I can think of about 20 great (and popular) names off the top of my head that defy it.
Apple is just not very pretty-sounding, not only the "pl" but also the "Ap." Although I'll admit it does look pretty in writing.
Anyway. Someday we'll turn to my (fairly dynamic) list of favorites for real. Unfortunately, Matt and I disagree on many of my favorites. The fact that we even talk about names is hilarious since he really doesn't like to, and these conversations usually end with him saying, "Can't we talk about this when there's actually a need?" It's a guy-girl thing, I guess.
Oh well.
I have a while yet to work on him.
21 comments:
I LOVE baby names. Always have. And they always change.
When I was 8 I wanted to change my name to Clara,( I LOVED the Nutcracker, and wanted curly hair) but I wouldn't name a child Clara now. BUT I did name a child Ara (family name) and a child's middle name Claire. Take that to your therapist.
ANyway, I think Gwyneth gets too much grief for a lot iof things, but especially names. The girl is named Gwyneth, her mother is named Blythe. Her offspring will have more creative names. It's a family thing. And who are we to judge. Although, don't get me wrong, I love judging celebrities, and lots of other people, for that matter.
I think America loves to bash Gywneth because she's wealthy, skinny, successful and seems to be happy. People hate that.
True. My point (well, one of my points) is that Moses isn't off-the-wall, at all, yet people are like, "GWYNETH GOES CRAZY WITH THE NAME AGAIN!"
When I was 8 I think I wanted to be named Tiffany, the effects of which I'm guessing will probably not show up on my own kids. But you never know.
I actually really like the name Apple...I think it's really pretty. I also, for the record, like the name Gwyneth, and have in fact considered naming a child that if I ever had a little girl. And Sadie. Sadie Grace is in the running at the moment. For my nonexistent child with my nonexistent husband.
I remember liking the name Tiffany too. Although that was when I was a kid also. McKay found a book I had written in third grade with a list of names I liked. Mary....Shay....a lot of crazy ones. She asked me why I never used them. Ha ha. How time changes things
Jake won't let me say the name we are going to name our girl but it's the whole reason I wanted a girl. I really liked it. We hadn't decided on another name for a boy so we would have been in the dark for awhile. We hardly ever agree on names. Although, our girl name I have never ever heard before. We combined what Jake liked and what I liked. You will have to let me know your opinion when she is born.
I like the name Moses though. It was coming back a couple years ago. I don't think it's so crazy. That and I like hearing different names. Since moving to our townhouse I have met two other girls named McKay. I thought that was wierd. Exspecially since the last one was just a newborn and when I asked her name, the mom was all "It's different for a girl, but we liked it. We named her McKay." She wasn't the only one I guess.
-Amy
Before we were even married, Dad said, "When we have kids, we'll name our daughter Bonny Brae and a son Harry Francis." So when we were waitng for Harry, we needed a girl's name - since we never knew the sec of any of our kids - and we chose Daisy. When Phoebe was coming, we had the issue of middle names - Dad didn't think of Brae as a middle name but rather an extension - and he didn't like middle names - but I did! (I won that round when we were on the way to the hospital and I was in labor and said, "If it's a girl, let's name her Phoebe Elizabeth." And your Dad agreed - probably feeling that he ought to concede something to me since I was in labor!) When Eliza was coming, Dad wanted Anna Magdalena - but it didn't seem to fit her - and I said to the nurse - "Doesn't she look like an Eliza to you?" If she'd been a boy, the name of choice was Joseph - since the due date was April 6th!! (Do the numbers - Eliza's bday is the 19the!!) With Hannah, we resurrected the Zachary Pratt that had been planned if Phoebe had been a boy. And Noah waited 3 weeks for a name - I wanted Ezra Jack but Dad didn't - he wore me down - I got to where I would agree to anything just to get the kid a name - but I like Noah too. I never thought of a girl's name - I "knew" Noah was a boy, but not from a sonogram. He was the only baby I "knew" - the others were all guesses.
That's a neat story of your kids' names. It's funny how you never carried one name down from the previous kid. Like Dasiy or Anna. Its a good thing Eliza got her name, There is a children's book I think of when I hear Magdalena. It's quite silly. Anyway I love your story Barbara.
-Amy
Nate and I have always agreed on boy names but not girl names. So the ones that we picked we've been holding onto for a long time. However, since we were pretty sure Hazel would be the last, we almost gave her 10 names, just to use up all the names we liked. Then in the hospital we chickened out. However I am still thinking of changing her birth certificate. I wanted her middle name to be Clementine, Nate wanted Andromeda. Nate won. I want to have both. I guess I better do it before she knows what's going on.
When Aspen was born, I'd never heard of anyone named that. But since then I have met 4 or 5 others.
When I was pregnant with Isaac, we had decided on Sebastian. We got a lot of greif about that one. Then a week or two before he was born, I started thinking that Sebastian wasn't quite it. When he was born he just didn't look like a Sebastian. So we picked Isaac. We got a lot of comments about the new name too...lots of relieved relatives glad that we picked a normal name.
Why pick normal names? I didn't want my kids to have the same name as other kids around them. I was always glad I didn't have to be Jennifer B or Jenn or Jenny (there were 5 Jennifers in my elementary grades.
There is a great essay on the effect of given names in the book Freakonomics. You ought to read it. It will make you think twice before using some names.
Sorry about the loooon post. Just got carried away.
My question is why do people acted so shocked when they hear a new celebrity baby name? Are they ever normal? I have to say that Phinneas was on our list for Calvin (along with 4 others) but we chose Calvin. The next month Julia Roberts had her twins. We might have been facing a Bonny/Ella situation. Not that I am past using Phinneas for a future baby, we'll see. I guess I'll have to have another one to see what we end up with.
I am with Bonny, though. Baby names might be on my top 5 list of favorite things to talk about.
My favorite baby name story is about Phoebe. When we called my folks after Phoebe was born and told them her name, my dad said, "Phoebe Elizabeth? I'll call her Betty!" (Which he never did!!)
And he wanted to name me Agnes Barbara so that my initials would be ABC - I've always been grateful that my mom prevailed. However my own kids say things like, "Agnes, that would be a great name." I don't think so!
The best story is Mom's aunt who doesn't even go by her real name, they just call her Susie or something (what's that story, Mom?)
And I always thought I was supposed to be Samuel if I was a boy. Hannah, Samuel... I like Zachary Pratt a lot better.
And Apple... she can use my favorite movie quote from Dennis the Menace ("What ya got there, sport?" "[cross-eyed] A apple.")
And I Do Not like the name Suri. Or the whole TomKat/TomKitten idea just really bugs me.
And I always thought that Coco came from COurtney COx.
And I can't think of what I was originally commenting on. Off to finals for me.
I think you are right Hannah - I couldn't remember what the boy choice was, but now I do - thanks for reminding me.
And my Aunt Susie's name was Daphne Elizabeth - a family name on her side (she's an aunt my marriage)but before she was born - back in the day when no one knew what they were having - everyone was sure she was a girl, so they'd refer to her as Susie - and she's been Susie ever since - when the wedding announcement came, I said, "Mom, I thought Warren was marrying Susie? Who's this Daphne person?"
And I think Daphne is a pretty cool name - I like it better than Susie!
I think one of the best name stories is someone on Dad's side, I think everyone called her Dougie girl(her last name was douglass) because they couldn't decide on a name and when she was older she got to choose one for herself.
Is this the right story?
Well for heaven's sake, I go out of town for 2 days and come home to 13 comments on my blog. How nice!
I have a don't ask, don't tell policy on baby names just because it can be such an issue with people. However, I am always happy to hear them if moms-to-be are willing to share their names.
Very interesting stories and comments. "Suri is just a noise not a name. But I don't think she will get made fun of because they probably won't let her be around any other children."--laughed out loud at that one.
Also, re: Coco: according to People magazine or wherever, that was Courtney Cox's nickname as a kid, probably from COurtney COx. I was just saying that I like it because of the Chanel connection.
I remember the Susie story. Also I think there was a similar story on Matt's side of the family. Maybe I'm thinking of his dad's mom, who was named Diana but his dad always called her Diane or vice versa...I don't know. I guess that's not that funny of a story.
"Moses WAS NOT a prophet." "Yes, he was." Remember that story, Katie? I just had a high-school flashback of that guy with the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups shirt (that actually said "Jesus.") We got into a short argument about whether Moses was a prophet. (I was the one who said he was.)
Good times.
My again...I guess it's my blog and I'll comment if I want to, right? The name Daphne reminded me of the Anastasia Krupnik books--for the longest time I thought Daphne was pronounced "Dafeen." haha. I guess I'd never heard it before I read the books. Also, Lila from Sweet Valley High, I thought was pronounced "Leela."
Also--the great thing about names is there are so many zillions of them out there. Kinda funny that so many people gravitate to the same ones--but that's also great. I often wished as a child that I could meet another Eliza and feel "normal" (I told people my name was Marie). Now that I'm an adult, I can appreciate both being uniquely named and running into the occasional Eliza--well, very occasional. I've probably met 5 in my life.
I meant, "me again."
I'll have to have get on and tell the Dougie Girl story - he has lots of name stories - he remembers them too.
I mean I'll have to have Dad get on!
He came to seminary one time, and he was probably wearing the Jesus shirt then, too.
Isn't "Lila" the German word for "purple"? Pronounced "Leela"? I was going to look it up on Alta Vista, but it looks like that's blocked on BYU computers now. Weird.
Yes, lila = German for purple.
Too bad I didn't think of this until now, when nobody's reading this post anymore...but I forgot about my all-time favorite names, a set of twins in Matt's ward when he was a kid, named Ned and Bob.
Kids. In the 80s. Not the 40s.
Ned and Bob.
I love that.
I love that too - I had a friend in h.s. - in fact, she's still my friend - and her brother's name is Ned!!
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