What's in a name?

[sandrajo]

How much do you think we're influenced and moulded by the names we're given at birth?

[DotH]

Well my Dad named me after Dorothy Lamour and I might not be quite as Glam as she was (though I try), but I think I am quite romantically inclined in my own way.

http://i1.tinypic.com/200qveo.jpg

[Scotman84]

Really don't know, but having been watching Sport Relief tonight I'd be VERY wary of the name 'Davina' !!!!

[turkey154]

Well i was named Hollie and my last name is Bird

for years i have heard the usual jokes about my first and second name...my whole name is one big joke! lol

but i dont mind...it gives me something to talk about and also some of my friends call me Bird as my nickname.

In the last few months i have become proud of my unusual name...i couldve been named something awwwwwwful couldnt i!

[maggie01]

My name as always been a hindrance to me in that I hate it. It always sounds so snotty. I hated anyone shortening it when I was younger now I wish people would.

[miffy63]

My name is Sarah which I've always hated, especially when people try and shorten it. My mother wanted to call me Sadie and I'm convinced my life would have been more exciting as a Sadie, I'd have been more popular at school for a start!

[Rufio]

D'ya know i've only ever met one other person in my entire 22yrs with the same name as me? It's not an unusual name or anything, but at all my schools and workplaces i was the only person with this name. So i suppose it could explain why i feel special and unique, and a bit smug when i meet people called john or sarah ;p

[Dolly1308]

Well Rufio what is it ?

[maxi29]

Interesting question: I obviously felt so as when I was in my early 20s I changed my name, or rather, started using my middle one.

There were a few reasons for this: firstly, many of my schoolfriends called me Max anyway as they were a lot of people at my school with my first name. Secondly, Max was what my parents originally wanted to call me and only didn't so when they acquired a dog with that name a few months before I was born and thirdly (and mainly), I was moving to London and wanted to create a new name for myself - quite literally.

I actually felt a different person since changing my name, some friends think that there are two sides to me, one conforming to my old name and some to the new; I think that's a bit fanciful though. I do have two other friends who also dropped their first name in favour of their second and also feel very different.

[joko]

i read of a study done regarding peoples initials and of their surnames.

people who had surnames like - pratt, pigg, cox, etc and people whose initials were things like - D.O.G, P.I.G, N.O.B, G.A.Y etc tended to have more instances of depression and general problems of misery and did not excel in their lives, had issues etc, than people with names like smart, goode, lovejoy etc and initials like G.O.D, H.O.T, A.C.E, etc.

it also it mentioned names that were considered a bit daft or had connotations and that people would make judgements about.

names like myra and adolph fell into a huge lull after their crimes. and generally after lesser known crimes in local areas the names of the criminals were chosen less according to birth records - even common names like paul and john fell.

i know a guy who recently ppanned to name his son igor. when i asked what he thought of the connotations he said he hadn't really thought about it when it was chosen (his wife is russian or something and it is fairly common there) he went away and asked people and everyone was horrified - i must admit i thought it wasn't a nice name either and the kid will get skitted terribly - however i am now pleased to say he stcuk to his guns and named the boy igor.