Job Discussion Forums

[foster]

Having been a teacher for so long, I have met many students over the years. I have decided that if I was ever to have children (which I won't do), I would have one Hell of a time trying to name them, as I have certain relationships with different names based on past and current students. I would be hard pressed to find a name for a child, since certain names evoke a desire to slit my wrists.

Names I can not tolerate:
Trevor
Cody
James
Dane
Devin
Brittany
Caitlin
Jaime (for a girl)
Krista
Amber
Brett
Kristie
Kary
Dylan
Don
Travis
Matthew
Polly
Peter
Paul
John

Oh...the list could go one forever. Now, if your name is on that list, please do not be offended, as I am sure YOU are a lovely person and not an annoying little middle-schooler or high-schooler who was a discipline problem or a spoiled brat.

A good friend of mine has a son named Trevor and I didn't know that before I blurted out how much I truly despise that name....I have known more evil Trevors in my life than anyone should know.

For teachers with kids, was it tough to name your kids? Did you name them only to find later meet some evil brat with the same name or find out the bad connotation behind such a name?

I have also had people say that they have met others with my real name and they have bad connotations with that as well....Somehow, I am not surprised!

[delian]

Hey Foster - I have an idea for if you ever have kids and you need to name them (beyond a friend's suggestion that you call them 'No. 1, No. 2, No. 3...etc.) You could just use a ouija board and get your kids' names from the 'spirit world' - I, uh, know some parents who have actually done that! Who knows what might come up as your future kids' names.

[Atlas]

how about "Hitler". Isn't that a cute name for a student? I have no idea why my colleague tolerated that. Oh, yes I do. Because the school tolerated everything and the students had free reign. Ironic, because this Chinese boy's life wouldn't have been worth a lab rat in a Nazi occupation.

[Lynn]

[anthyp]

I dislike a lot of names on that list, as well.

But what really gets me going are boring names - I would rather meet a hundred Dylans in this life than one more Matthew or Mike. I mean names that are common, names that are typical.

What's the point of giving your kid a name if there will be a billion other people sharing the same one? Seems like a lack of inspiration on the part of mom and dad.

I'm not a father myself, but I'd like to name my first daughter - if I ever have one - Fidelina, after a song I love. Not sure what I'd like to name my son, but it would have to be something interesting and original.

I think foreign names are beautiful! And they can set your kids apart from everyone else.

[foster]

It is wierd how many of the kid's English names in China/Hong Kong make NO sense. I have a Haze, Freedom, Beckham, Kong, King, Jimmy (a girl),Hero, Zero, Xanthe (how to pronounce??)....they just pick anything.

For me, I am NOT having kids. Period. Done. No worries about me naming kids....

But I do notice that when I meet new people, when they tell me their names, I get certain images in my head.

I agree that the boring, over used names are the worst.

[Ludwig]

'Foster', you make a good case against these names, most of which are painful to my ear. If you will, I would add 'Chelsea' and 'Brooklyn' to the list.

[Magoo]

Trevor, definitely! It seems to imply stupidity, somehow (sorry, Trevors), perhaps because of the Ian Dury song, 'Clever Trevor'. I gave my wife an English name so that my (English) family could remember it, but they have no problems with her Chinese name. Any ideas for our crazy-but-hilarious daughter?

[Mark-O]

Foster,

What's the deal with the ubiquitous 'Doris', 'Apple' and 'Betty' in Hong Kong? Where do they get these names. I tried explaining to a chinese friend that the only women with the name 'Doris' in the UK are old dears who are dodging coffins. She didn't believe me.

[Seth]

chinese are the leaders of wacky names. apple is very common, of course. some other names I've come across:

Kinky
Superman (from a 19 year old college student)
Carol (a man)
Whitey
Purple
Stone John
Emporer
Dream
Echo

Someone who named themself John asked me what John means...I told him a John is either a man who solicits prostitutes or a toilet. He changed his name.

The all time worst name I ever saw was actually when I was in the US working at a hospital. Someone named their newborn girl 'Payshentz.'

[johnslat]

Dear Seth,

John: "Hebrew: God is merciful"

Seth: "Hebrew: appointed one"

Regards,
John

[once again]

Certain great composers have been tainted by the names of people on this board...but....I once was served by an assistant called "Lovely Chan".
And I once had a student whose Chinese name was "Man Kok". His mother asked me to give him an English name. I demurred.

[Roger]

So, "Roger" is not one of those names...

Personally, I don't care much since I am glad they do make a token effort at holding on to a pronounceable piece of phonics; imagine you have students who answer to the name of "dadong"; this can mean a number of things, including honourable ones, but if mispronounced, it can mean "ph*ck". I had a student with a name similar to that, really, and she didn't have an English one.

Then again, some really have too much imagination when it comes to choosing a name: a girl called herself "Lamborghini". A boy at my uni entered as English name..."tomato"; another one was "Mecca".
Then, when I taught at a middle school, some students gave me names with a different angle: "Boredom"; "loathi"; "acid" and whatnot.

Some three years ago, the mother of a lively 13-year old proudly introduced me to him: "Mr S., this is my son, Bill CLinton Liu!"

[denise]

During my brief stint in China, I had a student named Cinderella (a woman).

d

[Joachim]

I have/have had students called

Apple
King (a girl)
Engineer
Bomb
Pilot
Palace
Ting Ting Ting
Pear
Bakso (Indonesian for meatball)
Cherry & Cheery (twin sisters)
etc