Given the choice, would most people want a unique name or a traditional one?

Which would you want, and which would you have wanted when you were at school?

Given the choice, would most people want a unique name or a traditional one?
Traditional, my name is actually Randi and I HATE it. So I go by Miranda instead, something traditional would've been so much better. No muss, no fuss, pronounceable, classic, and common. Grandma Randi doesn't sound right, but I'm sure you could picture a Grandma Miranda or something like that.





Lol, speaking of odd names... Apple, can you imagine her when she's a grandma? Granny Apple, might as well call her a Granny Smith Apple.
Reply:Traditional.





The "unique" thing is a load of rubbish, let's face it. You bastardise the spelling of a perfectly good name, or else invent something stupid, and next thing you know there's another 3 of them in the same class at school, and they aren't even all the same gender. The minute you hear an uncommon name and decide you'd like to use it, it isn't unique is it? Because if you're copying it, so's half of Chavtown.





My name's very traditional, but also pretty uncommon. As a schoolgirl I'd have given anything for something more "ordinary". I still wouldn't mind - too many people get it wrong even when I spell it for them (and there's only one way to spell it too!)
Reply:Apparently, studies have been done which suggest that kids with unusual names do worse in school than other kids, and this is because the teachers presume that they're not very bright and then mark their work accordingly, not because they really don't perform as well as other kids.





That said, I personally prefer names which are somewhat unique. My brother was in a class of 30 kids in year seven and yet there were only six different names in use in the class! Okay, it was a Catholic school meaning that there were a higher proportion of Matthews, Marks, Johns etc than there would have been in other schools, but still, I can't imagine anything worse!





I think the answer, if you do like unique names, is to give a child a unique first name and a traditional middle name, and then if they grow up hating their name they can just use the middle name instead.





I think also, when choosing a unique name, be careful of what connotations it may have. Are there any celebrities with that name - if so, people will always think of them. Are you using a place name - that's fine a long as it's a nice place.
Reply:unique names might be in right now, but they are too common. Half of them are hard to pronounce and look like a random mixture of letters. I prefer traditional names, they have strength and character. If i was at school I would want a proper traditional name. more kids would make fun of you if you had a completely unheard of name, then if you had a traditional name, but them again kids are going to be mean not matter what your name is. i find unique names lack meaning, strength, and most are just blank shots of creativity in the dark, meaning replacing an "i" for a "y" or a "c" for a "k", not very original.
Reply:Myname is not a very common one but it's still a name that everyone recognizes when I say it. I feel so sorry for the kids today that are getting whacko names. Some of the names I see on this board are horrible.





It seems whn giving a name, people want unique but when saying what they'd like for themselves, they say traditional.





I bet somewhere there is a kindergarten class where every girl is named Emily and every boy is named Jacob.
Reply:I think it is different for everyone depending on the own personal preferences and experiences. My name is very common, all through school there were 3 %26amp; 4 of us with the same name in every class. Even now at 25 yrs old I have a step-sister, and two best friends with the same name as me. So, I personally would prefer to have a more unique name but I like to be unique and different from everyone else. Someone else who likes to be "normal" may like having a common or traditional name.
Reply:Personally i'd rather have a more traditional name afterall who wants to be a 50 year old called "pilot inspektor"





For the time my name was quite unusual when i was younger and was the only one in my school year called it, i hated it, nowadays there's tonnes of girls with the name but back then i hated being unique.
Reply:When I went to school it wasn't the 'cool' thing to have a unique name. My name is the name of two people near and dear to my mom put together. Lynann. Spelled as it sounds... Lyn Ann. Teachers, students... everyone called me all sorts of names LeeAnn, Lahann... Lieannn... But not my name. I hated it. Growing to a teenager, I had everyone call me Lyn. Most still do. It's easier. But now that I am older, I do appreciate the uniquness of my name. I love different names, just not crazy spellings. And as times change, I see more people accepting unique names better. Naming is hard. It is probably one of the most important gifts we give our children. It is not to be taken lightly, but rather thought and thought about. And althou it is our desicion in naming, it is just as important getting others peoples opinions and views... I think the perfect combo seems to be a unique name paired with a traditional (family) name that has meaning. Atleast this works for my children, Brody William and Riley James :)





Great question!





Lyn
Reply:The best of both worlds: something that is present in history and is familiar when you hear it, but isn't used much anymore at all. That's why I'm going for Daphne for my daughter. You hear it, you know how to spell it. Conversely, you see it, you know how to say it. It's rooted in Greek mythology, and it's in the lower 500's in popularity, so it's very unlikely for her to be Daphne H. in school.





My name is really pretty and traditional: Katherine Elizabeth. I love the fact my parents named me after people the loved, but I hated being one of six Kates in my high school classes. My sister is also named after family members: Amelia Margaret. Her name was very uncommon growing up. It was in the low 200's in popularity when she was born, and there would be one or two other Amelias in the whole school, rarely in her grade and only once with the same last initial. I had such a common name I went by our last name for awhile.
Reply:i think i have quite a unique name, although its becoming increasingly popular.i think its also quite traditional, so somehow it weirdly fits into both genres. i think when i was younger my name (which by the way is annabel) helped me to stand out, and i felt more original. now, i still prefer having a more original name, although i think traditional names are very pretty.


annabel xx
Reply:My name is a bit unique I guess. Its not uncommon but some people spell it differently or have similar names.





I'm deffinatly choosing a unique name for my child, as I dont want them having the same name as 10 other kids in there class.


I'd choose a name that IS a name though, just not a common one. I wouldnt give them a name they could be bullied with, i.e. Apple, Banana etc.


I like names like Summer, Alexa...
Reply:It is a double sided sword. My name is Johnstone and I always get one of 2 questions-


What is your first name? Or,


Isn't that a black persons name? (Even if it was, so what? How can a name mean the colour of someones skin-it REALLY annoys me how stupid some people are.)


But would I change it? No, I had a bit of stick for it, but more good than bad. I called my son Jacob, but I wanted to call him Conrad-I got a big fat no! I got angry and tried to choose Vladimir-after Dracula-but that got turned down, too.


The thing to do is choose a name that is different, but won't get them beaten up in the playground. If I was going to change my name, it would be Samuel Zachariah Churchill, but even though Johnstone is a bit stupid (it is a small town outside Glasgow, I'm told) I am happy. So yes-choose a different name.....but not one that will get your kid beaten up!
Reply:I have an unusual name and I absolutely hate it! Every time I give my name, I have to spell it, and then answer questions like 'That's an unusual name - where does it come from?'


In many circumstances, I have tended to keep in the background, rather than give my name and answer all those questions.





My sympathy to Miranda. I can imagine at a party someone saying 'and that girl over there is Randi'.
Reply:growing up with the name michaela, i hated it. no one had my name and i was teased for it. even my nickname was teased. looking back i like that i had a different name. no one needed to use my last name to figure out "which one"%26gt;








today, my name is more common. i met so many michaelas.
Reply:I would FAR prefer something more traditional - I haven't got an unusual name at all, just unusual spelling, and I can honestly say there is nothing worse than going through life spelling your name. I can only imagine how annoying it must be if people's first response to you intorducing yourself is "pardon?" !
Reply:I like my name and am fine with it every day of my life. The only thing I dislike about it is saying, "with a Ch not a K" and as little effort as that takes to correct I'm glad I don't have to spell my entire name out at the drop of a hat.
Reply:I always hated my name (Amanda)





I think i would have wanted a unique name. Saying that my mum was guna call me Holly or Amelia, and i prefer both of them to Amanda





xx :-) xx
Reply:Most people would like unique names.


I love the name Roseyla and i have thaat name


I would like Marie better if i was at school because its a cute name and my teachers love i soo much, my teachers daughter has the same name
Reply:My name is jessica azalea and everyone called me azalea since there was tons of jessicas... but i love my middle name is so unique :D but at the same time is not one of those names that just mean "pick on me" i like different names but not ridiculous :)
Reply:both


a unique first name and a traditional middle name


something like


Azalea Leigh


Myla Christine


Sadie Linn
Reply:Somewhere in between, I grew up with four other girls of the same name in my school class alone. So something different but nothing too unique like the celebrity babies are punished with.
Reply:I think unique names are a bit chavvy and trashy. It still makes me laugh when I think of poor Malandra Burrows who was on I'm a Celeb... a few years ago. She was named after her parents Malcolm and Sandra!
Reply:I quite like traditional names, mine is unusual but not so unusual i was bullied. i don't like the names some of the celebrities give their kids
Reply:Traditional - by using most "unique" names you may as well brand "chav" across your child's head.
Reply:I would say unique names i love unique names by the way my name is unique
Reply:Unique names are quite the fad these days. Traditional names sound strong, distinguished %26amp; successful.
Reply:I would have wanted an uncommon name. I hated being one of many Jessica's in school. But I wouldn't have wanted anything too crazy!
Reply:More traditional names.


I love Susan and Joanna.


My DIL has a very unusual name. I don't think anyone has it. It didn't bother her much.
Reply:I would want an unusal name every time!! i love my name, i think katrina is a very unique and gd name althought people are starting to heard it more
Reply:My own name, a traditional one. I am so glad that my mom didn't rely on the opinions of people like the misfits on this site to help choose my name.
Reply:What does unique mean? Why is it assume that if someone wants a unique name for thier child then it is going to be stupid or crazy or hard to spell. Not eveyone likes the traditional name and by the way how do you think these traditional name came about. Someone had to first use it then it became popular.





And another thing is I hate for people to say you cant or wont get ahead in life because of your name?????