Comments on: A Job For Which I Think I’m Qualified: Naming Your Kids. Or At Least Your Pets. http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558 Feel Smart Again Sun, 8 Nov 2009 15:56:41 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: hannah http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558/comment-page-2#comment-94352 hannah Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:48:35 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558#comment-94352 Great post, I have to say I enjoyed Jason!'s comments aswell.. while I was reading it one of my coworkers shouted jason! as he was trying to talk over a customer what are the chances.. ha.. might I say it works well.. Jason! Great post, I have to say I enjoyed Jason!’s comments aswell.. while I was reading it one of my coworkers shouted jason! as he was trying to talk over a customer what are the chances.. ha.. might I say it works well.. Jason!

]]> By: greenstrawberries http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558/comment-page-2#comment-21713 greenstrawberries Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:22:16 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558#comment-21713 Well, my name is Camille, which needless to say there weren't a whole lot of growing up. (there actually was one other one in my elementary school) I was named as such because my dad is French and my mom is American and they wanted a name that the whole family could say. On that note, I HATE being called 'Cammy" because, it's not my name, and in French my name is pronounced Cam-ee (but not like Cammy in English). My family (and best friend, and obviously, all French people that I know) call me the French version of my name, and a lot of English speakers think that they're pronouncing my French name when they call me Cammy. It annoys me. I am also NOT Camilla. People also tend to misspell my name, I'm forever saying, "one m two l's." It doesn't help that I have a REALLY unusual last name, Papon, which we Americanized to be pronounced Pahp-own. I won't even attempt to tell you how it's supposed to be pronounced. As a teacher of small children, I have heard the following for my last name, pap-on, pap-oon, poop-on, pimple, and pinecone. No, I'm not kidding about the last two. When I was in college, the guy who handed back the id cards was forever mispronouncing my first and last names as Camel Poop-on. Classy. The other issue I run into is the fact that with my middle names (I have 2) I have 29 letters in my name. Camille Lucienne Genevieve Papon. Seriously. On every standardized test that I had to take there were only 6 spaces for the first name and room for 1 middle initial. So, my name would come out, Camilll. But, really, be nice to teachers. I had an Artheaveia (pronounced Artavia)in my class once. I have also had a Sema J (pronounced Sem-ah Jay) it's James backwards. He had a twin with an equally bizarre backwards name. In middle school there was a girl the grade above me called, London England. Her first name was London, her last name was England. The name you give your kids will be with them for the rest of their life, don't give them some awkward, hard to spell version of a name, or something that is really common. Well, my name is Camille, which needless to say there weren’t a whole lot of growing up. (there actually was one other one in my elementary school) I was named as such because my dad is French and my mom is American and they wanted a name that the whole family could say. On that note, I HATE being called ‘Cammy” because, it’s not my name, and in French my name is pronounced Cam-ee (but not like Cammy in English). My family (and best friend, and obviously, all French people that I know) call me the French version of my name, and a lot of English speakers think that they’re pronouncing my French name when they call me Cammy. It annoys me. I am also NOT Camilla. People also tend to misspell my name, I’m forever saying, “one m two l’s.” It doesn’t help that I have a REALLY unusual last name, Papon, which we Americanized to be pronounced Pahp-own. I won’t even attempt to tell you how it’s supposed to be pronounced. As a teacher of small children, I have heard the following for my last name, pap-on, pap-oon, poop-on, pimple, and pinecone. No, I’m not kidding about the last two. When I was in college, the guy who handed back the id cards was forever mispronouncing my first and last names as Camel Poop-on. Classy. The other issue I run into is the fact that with my middle names (I have 2) I have 29 letters in my name. Camille Lucienne Genevieve Papon. Seriously. On every standardized test that I had to take there were only 6 spaces for the first name and room for 1 middle initial. So, my name would come out, Camilll.
But, really, be nice to teachers. I had an Artheaveia (pronounced Artavia)in my class once. I have also had a Sema J (pronounced Sem-ah Jay) it’s James backwards. He had a twin with an equally bizarre backwards name. In middle school there was a girl the grade above me called, London England. Her first name was London, her last name was England. The name you give your kids will be with them for the rest of their life, don’t give them some awkward, hard to spell version of a name, or something that is really common.

]]> By: Christia http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558/comment-page-2#comment-17044 Christia Wed, 11 Jul 2007 19:17:29 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558#comment-17044 Reading this has amused me greatly. Seriously. I love my name. I can't remember how I felt about it as a child, but I'm in high school now and it's great. I have never met anyone else with it. My only problems are 1. People who can't seem to spell it right and 2. My old nickname. Tia. I HATED being called Tia. Luckily, my nickname is now Ralph. My full name is Christia Marie Kransky, which I think is pretty cool. As I've said, I've never met anyone else named Christia. So that's always fun. :) As for pets... All my life, I've had cats. I think I was around 7 the first time I ever got to name one. My sister and I came up with Mitsy. She had a LOT of litters...and we named most of her kittens before we gave them away, but I don't remember most of their names. I'll list the ones I can remember. Gray=Flash, because he ran fast. Black=Pepper White=Salt Orange tabby=Marshmallow I think they were all in the same litter... Later we had a cat named Peepers (we didn't name her) and she had one litter. They were all gray tabbies like her. They were Celeste, Garfield, Godzilla, and Ami Serenity. Ami Serenity was still-born, but that didn't stop us. We buried her in the backyard. Now we've got quite a few animals hanging around here... Cats: Orange tabby=Slice (dad named him) Black=Frankie (sister named him) Black=Junior (dad named him, it's after another Black, Eclipse. They act they same.) Calico=Cleo, short for Cleopatra because of her attitude. She's deceased. Gray=Slate (mom's kitty) Black=Jacob/Jakie (She's a pretty little kitty, and I've always wanted a female cat named Jacob) Black and white=Motor-oil/Dipstick (name pending, he's a rescue) Frog: One-Eyed Willie, Willie for short. Obviously, he was named after the guy in the Goonies. He only has one eye...so it made sense. Fish: Molly, Mr. Gills, and Paco (the placostamus) my dad named all of them, I think. Snails: Speedy and Gonzales (I named them.) Bird: Sonny Rabbit: George. (female) Dog: Scrappy Doo, he tends to get called Doo Doo Most of those animals were named before I ever met them so I'm not sure where they came from... Reading this has amused me greatly. Seriously.

I love my name. I can’t remember how I felt about it as a child, but I’m in high school now and it’s great. I have never met anyone else with it. My only problems are 1. People who can’t seem to spell it right and 2. My old nickname. Tia. I HATED being called Tia. Luckily, my nickname is now Ralph.

My full name is Christia Marie Kransky, which I think is pretty cool. As I’ve said, I’ve never met anyone else named Christia. So that’s always fun. :)

As for pets…
All my life, I’ve had cats. I think I was around 7 the first time I ever got to name one. My sister and I came up with Mitsy. She had a LOT of litters…and we named most of her kittens before we gave them away, but I don’t remember most of their names. I’ll list the ones I can remember.
Gray=Flash, because he ran fast.
Black=Pepper
White=Salt
Orange tabby=Marshmallow
I think they were all in the same litter…

Later we had a cat named Peepers (we didn’t name her) and she had one litter. They were all gray tabbies like her.
They were Celeste, Garfield, Godzilla, and Ami Serenity. Ami Serenity was still-born, but that didn’t stop us. We buried her in the backyard.

Now we’ve got quite a few animals hanging around here…
Cats:
Orange tabby=Slice (dad named him)
Black=Frankie (sister named him)
Black=Junior (dad named him, it’s after another Black, Eclipse. They act they same.)
Calico=Cleo, short for Cleopatra because of her attitude. She’s deceased.
Gray=Slate (mom’s kitty)
Black=Jacob/Jakie (She’s a pretty little kitty, and I’ve always wanted a female cat named Jacob)
Black and white=Motor-oil/Dipstick (name pending, he’s a rescue)

Frog: One-Eyed Willie, Willie for short. Obviously, he was named after the guy in the Goonies. He only has one eye…so it made sense.

Fish:
Molly, Mr. Gills, and Paco (the placostamus) my dad named all of them, I think.

Snails:
Speedy and Gonzales (I named them.)

Bird:
Sonny

Rabbit:
George. (female)

Dog:
Scrappy Doo, he tends to get called Doo Doo

Most of those animals were named before I ever met them so I’m not sure where they came from…

]]> By: Pearl http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558/comment-page-2#comment-17037 Pearl Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:54:48 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558#comment-17037 I don't know how anyone could possibly use names that are the current rage. Give me a break! It's bad enough that we all try to dress the same. How does Dionn, Tove, and Falen sound for not conforming? They all wanted name-changes as teen-agers, but are very happy now. I don’t know how anyone could possibly use names that are the current rage. Give me a break! It’s bad enough that we all try to dress the same. How does Dionn, Tove, and Falen sound for not conforming? They all wanted name-changes as teen-agers, but are very happy now.

]]> By: sarah http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558/comment-page-2#comment-16968 sarah Tue, 10 Jul 2007 18:19:29 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558#comment-16968 i think that we are on a bad road. our dogs are isaac and ella. our daughter is isabelle (not isabella!). and my husband's favorite name so far for our next daughter (due in September) is eliana. is this too inbred? any suggestions? i think a mellifluous first name is essential due to the German hard edges in our last name. by the way, sarah is a common name (my soccer team had 4) but it seems like i don't see as many these days as i used to. i have changed my geographical regions drastically since my soccer team and think that it is interesting that this could have something to do with it. i think that we are on a bad road. our dogs are isaac and ella. our daughter is isabelle (not isabella!). and my husband’s favorite name so far for our next daughter (due in September) is eliana. is this too inbred? any suggestions? i think a mellifluous first name is essential due to the German hard edges in our last name.

by the way, sarah is a common name (my soccer team had 4) but it seems like i don’t see as many these days as i used to. i have changed my geographical regions drastically since my soccer team and think that it is interesting that this could have something to do with it.

]]> By: Jill http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558/comment-page-2#comment-16301 Jill Mon, 02 Jul 2007 01:58:30 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558#comment-16301 I have always liked my name because is is not usual, but at every school I ever attended, there was another Jill. My kids are Andrew and Kathryn and I called them Andy and Kate, but they are adults now and call themselves Drew and Kitty. I have had cats for many years with a gamut of names including the worst (Pokey) and the best (Pyewacket from the movie Bell, Book and Candle). Right now I have Spinner, who grew up with a dog named Yo-yo and a cat named Duncan; Boomer; Princess Anastasia (Annie); and Wally. My daughter is pregnant right now and I hope she will come up with unusual names. She is inclined toward Penelope right now, with no clue for a boy's name. I have always liked my name because is is not usual, but at every school I ever attended, there was another Jill. My kids are Andrew and Kathryn and I called them Andy and Kate, but they are adults now and call themselves Drew and Kitty. I have had cats for many years with a gamut of names including the worst (Pokey) and the best (Pyewacket from the movie Bell, Book and Candle). Right now I have Spinner, who grew up with a dog named Yo-yo and a cat named Duncan; Boomer; Princess Anastasia (Annie); and Wally. My daughter is pregnant right now and I hope she will come up with unusual names. She is inclined toward Penelope right now, with no clue for a boy’s name.

]]> By: Olean http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558/comment-page-2#comment-16293 Olean Sun, 01 Jul 2007 20:19:48 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558#comment-16293 Oh yeah, as for pets, the only one of ours that I got to name is my kitty cat. I spend days looking on the internet for name that would suit him. Then one day, I was reading in a list of indian names and I saw Delsin listed. I have this interesting habit of occastionally "dyslexiating" words intentionally just to see how they sound backwards or swapped up and the name Deslin jumped out at me. He responds to his name so I am thinking I picked a great one! Oh yeah, as for pets, the only one of ours that I got to name is my kitty cat. I spend days looking on the internet for name that would suit him. Then one day, I was reading in a list of indian names and I saw Delsin listed. I have this interesting habit of occastionally “dyslexiating” words intentionally just to see how they sound backwards or swapped up and the name Deslin jumped out at me. He responds to his name so I am thinking I picked a great one!

]]> By: Olean http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558/comment-page-2#comment-16291 Olean Sun, 01 Jul 2007 20:12:53 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558#comment-16291 My name is an old family name; I was named after my greatgrandma. My name takes a few times to get it right but I love that it is unique. For my kids, I"m going to name a boy kid Copernicus and if he wants to, he can go by Nic. I also love "Voltaire" who I'd call Volt. I think those names are awesome! Then my girl names are a bit more common but older names. Augusta, which is a family name and also for Augusta Ada Byron. My other girl name would be Madalyn Hollis after Madalyn Murray O'Hare and a friend of mine. So they'd have names that weren't totally impossible or even near as confusing as mine yet still be unique! My name is an old family name; I was named after my greatgrandma. My name takes a few times to get it right but I love that it is unique. For my kids, I”m going to name a boy kid Copernicus and if he wants to, he can go by Nic. I also love “Voltaire” who I’d call Volt. I think those names are awesome! Then my girl names are a bit more common but older names. Augusta, which is a family name and also for Augusta Ada Byron. My other girl name would be Madalyn Hollis after Madalyn Murray O’Hare and a friend of mine. So they’d have names that weren’t totally impossible or even near as confusing as mine yet still be unique!

]]> By: Gale http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558/comment-page-2#comment-16281 Gale Sun, 01 Jul 2007 02:54:42 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558#comment-16281 My sister had dealt with someone in the hospital she works in who named her twins "Lavoris" and "Listerine." When asked why, she said that she had been in someone's bathroom, saw the two bottles of mouthwash, and thought the names sounded "ethnic!" If I have any kids, I'm naming them Kotex and Stayfree (or maybe Tampax)so they learn humility early on !!! My sister had dealt with someone in the hospital she works in who named her twins “Lavoris” and “Listerine.” When asked why, she said that she had been in someone’s bathroom, saw the two bottles of mouthwash, and thought the names sounded “ethnic!” If I have any kids, I’m naming them Kotex and Stayfree (or maybe Tampax)so they learn humility early on !!!

]]> By: zale http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558/comment-page-2#comment-16279 zale Sun, 01 Jul 2007 02:52:10 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6558#comment-16279 I've always been so very glad to have been named Marnie Justine... Dad did a good job picking them out. Mom named my sister... she got Leslie Nicole. It's good to be first born on occasion. I’ve always been so very glad to have been named Marnie Justine… Dad did a good job picking them out. Mom named my sister… she got Leslie Nicole. It’s good to be first born on occasion.

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