The Name-Party Revisited

Noreen · **Posted:** 06 Jul 2021, 11:49

A friend has twin two-year-old great grandchildren called Ottilie and Felix - I think EMBD would approve! But I've never come across Ottilie except for Maria Marani's suggestion of it as a name for Sybil at the name-party Jem held in Lintons. The girls' sources of inspiration back then included names of animals, a doll, royalty (do we think Lilibet might take off?) and literature. If EMBD had been writing that chapter today, what names do you think might come up?

Alison H · **Posted:** 08 Jul 2021, 08:33

After last night, probably Harry, Raheem or Jack for a boy :lol:

. I can't really see Lilibet taking off, but Charlotte's very popular, and there are certainly a lot of Harrys (or should that be Harries?), such as Messrs Kane and Maguire, born after Charles and Diana chose the name, which'd been seen as old-fashioned until then.

Some of the more "interesting" celeb children's names, maybe? Apple. Sunday Rose (although that sounds more EJO than EBD). North West.

I don't watch Game of Thrones, but names from that seem to be popular with people looking for something "different".

Noreen · **Posted:** 08 Jul 2021, 10:46

I suspect any teens now would be likely to suggest names of sports or pop heroes, or names prominently in use on television - latest soap opera baby names etc. Certainly much more likely than anything from books. Apparently television-inspired names grew in popularity during lockdown, which I suppose shouldn't be a surprise, and the wish for something different is apparently finding inspiration on Instagram.

And yes, I think Harry (whether short for Henry or not) has become a sort of default male name, rather like Jack was in the 1970s and 80s, though I think it's very telling when someone posts on Mumsnet that her young sons have unusual names - James and John...

Sophie, Olivia, Amelia, Lily and Isla are among the more popular girls' names, and Muhammed, Noah, Oliver, Arthur and Leo for boys. I don't know about Lilibet - it's so very associated with the Queen, but as Lily is already so popular (I saw a Summer Lily just this morning) I suppose it might at least add to that.

PS Sunday Rose always makes me think of Sunday Roast, I'm afraid...

lizco2 · **Joined:** 11 Jul 2019, 11:54 **Posts:** 343

I know a Summer Rose and a Winter Lily - not related to one another. Replacing the initial C with a K is currently popular pace the Rooney family. Names that had gone out of fashion are returning - Sydney, Alfred (or Alfie), Albert, Ruby, Edith and Dorothy come to mind.

Merlot · **Joined:** 24 Jul 2009, 18:58 **Posts:** 541

Seems that Nevaeh is a popular name know of at least two recent new borns, took a while and then someone said its Heaven backwards!

Alison H · **Posted:** 08 Jul 2021, 17:03

An American rapper's responsible for that one!

Grace · **Posted:** 08 Jul 2021, 17:27

Noreen wrote:

A friend has twin two-year-old great grandchildren called Ottilie and Felix - I think EMBD would approve! But I've never come across Ottilie except for Maria Marani's suggestion of it as a name for Sybil at the name-party Jem held

I have a feeling one of the children in the Nurse Matilda books is called Ottilie. I think it’s rather an attractive name.

I am obsessed with the crazy names of the people in Say Yes to the Dress: Chassidy, Joshula, Jodidea.

lizco2 · **Joined:** 11 Jul 2019, 11:54 **Posts:** 343

There was a popular jazz singer in the 1950s/60s Ottilie Paterson who sang with the Chris Barber Jazz Band.

Noreen · **Posted:** 08 Jul 2021, 22:17

Grace wrote:

I am obsessed with the crazy names of the people in Say Yes to the Dress: Chassidy, Joshula, Jodidea.

I can see why - I've never forgotten the two random kids I came across called Carkus (try saying it) and Candilena. Predirta's pretty hideous, too...

Grace · **Posted:** 08 Jul 2021, 22:33

Carkus!

My mother always swore there was a little boy in my kindergarten class called Gooey… spelled Guy. I don’t remember.

thefrau46 · **Posted:** 09 Jul 2021, 08:25

Grace wrote:

Carkus!

My mother always swore there was a little boy in my kindergarten class called Gooey… spelled Guy. I don’t remember.

I think that's one of those anecedotes that does the rounds as I've heard of it before.
I have a friend called Yvonne, pronounced the normal way (if anything is normal nowadays), who knew of someone who pronounced her name Why-von- ee.
Seriously I think that both are very possible. So your mother is probably right, Grace.
My friend had a pupil called Sean, pronounced See-ann. I had a pupil who got very fed up of correcting people when they pronounced her Siobhan the usual Irish way. Her mother had read the name and liked it but didn't realise that it wasn't pronounced phonetically. Poor Sigh-oh-ban!

To bring the topic back on track, sorry no suggestions as I have lived out of the UK for too long to be up-to-date with name trends. Definitely a footballer name for a boy but for a girl? I have no recent popular culture knowledge.

Grace · **Posted:** 09 Jul 2021, 11:03

Hmmm… my Australian friend assured me that Yvonne is pronounced Yuh-vonne, and that’s why so many Australians are spelled Evonne.

thefrau46 wrote:

Poor Sigh-oh-ban!

Yes indeed!

Some years back I was stunned to learn that Bruce Willis and Demi Moore had named their daughter Scout because To Kill a Mockingbird was their favourite book. Just recently I was a lot more stunned to read about the poor little girl who died after swallowing a battery. Her name was Harper-Leigh.

The only possible author name I can think of for a boy is Tom-Clancy. But I expect Harry-Kane is more likely. What do you think?

Grace · **Posted:** 10 Jul 2021, 18:54

Apologies for posting again but I just came across Datoria.

Noreen · **Posted:** 10 Jul 2021, 21:34

Whatttt????

thefrau46 · **Posted:** 11 Jul 2021, 05:51

According to Google it's Romanian and means debt or liability. That sums up parenthood well, I think. :lol:

Two friends have new grandchildren. Felix James and Ivy. How would Ivy fit into the CS? There is a precedent - Ivy Norman.

Noreen · **Posted:** 24 Jul 2021, 16:10

I'm sure Ivy would be a quite popular name among the CS pupils these days, along with Edith and Lily - but then Edith and Lily seem to have been popular in other countries for years.

A much younger friend has just sent me a photo of her five-month-old son, Rufus Augustine John, which I think is a bit different (though I do also know a teenager called Rufus). Neither is red-haired, though. One website I saw recently described the name as "on the cutting edge of cool", which I would think is probably enough to sink it for ever. I'm not sure whether CS fans would go for having a child named the same as Joey's beloved St Bernard or not - and come to think of it, wasn't it Rix's choice for Sybil?

lizco2 · **Joined:** 11 Jul 2019, 11:54 **Posts:** 343

My great-nephew, 18 months old, is called Rufus. I don’t see why CS fans would not want to call their child after Joey’s beloved dog. After all, she called her next dog, Bruno, the name of her close friend’s husband!

As for it being, “the cutting edge of cool”, I can imagine my niece saying a very rude word on hearing that!

Merlot · **Joined:** 24 Jul 2009, 18:58 **Posts:** 541

an ex work colleague has named her son Sebastien Wolfgang

Victoria · **Joined:** 17 Nov 2011, 02:45 **Posts:** 1354

Merlot wrote:

an ex work colleague has named her son Sebastien Wolfgang

At least those are real names. I have a great-nephew-by-marriage who is just called "Wolf".

The Name-Party Revisited

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