"Unfortunate" name associations

[Hiro Protagonest]

Obviously the most awesome car name is "Ford Prefect".

The best is Roy Mustang.

So Final Fantasy, of all things, is what we connect to so many slightly uncommon names?

Nice.

Yeah the reaction to the name "Gilbert" seemed... a bit much.

[Aedilred]

My aunts father in law is called Paul-Rudolf, one of her brothers in law Paul-Eckert, and her son Jan-Paul. I thin there is at least one more Paul-something in the family, and the naming tradition goes far more back. Her husband is kind of the odd one out and hasn't a Paul in his name like his brothers.

Speaking of unfortunate associations, Rudolf is said to have become popular in the 30s because of Rudolf Hess. And I don't think there are any Rudolfs born after '45.

I know a Rudolf born in the late 50s, though not in Germany. His mother apparently used to have a dog called Rommel.

I make no further comment on that subject.

[Marlowe]

That... seems like a really stupid idea, to be honest Okay, I guess I can see "Mercedes" as it was originally a name but Audi, BMW, Rolls Royce? Okay, maybe the last. A few work but most names seem really off...
Though, in the author's defence, when you hear "Volvo" and you are unaware of the car it can sound quite ominous: "The Evil Lord Volvo plans to rule the land with his minions of Darkness, Skoda and Lamborghini".

Making the same mistake that fanfic author did. The characters weren't named after car Manufacturers but car models. Many of which were personal names in the first place.

Incidentally, "Audi" is an alternate form of "Audrey".

[Yora]

Audi is actually Latin for "listen". Which is the meaning of the founders family name "Horch" in German.

[Malak'ai]

Yeah the reaction to the name "Gilbert" seemed... a bit much.

Well considering our surname is "Flood", you can see why I think it's horrible. I'm just glad I got the name that's past down my mothers side of the famiy as a middle name.

[Cen]

Since I took genetics class during studies, I'll never look at girls called Amelia like I used too...

[t209]

Well, my mom's former landlord in Myanmar had this unfortunate name: Ching Chong. Yes, this was his real name and she lived in a Chinese-Burmese neighborhood.

[Aedilred]

Well, my mom's former landlord in Myanmar had this unfortunate name: Ching Chong. Yes, this was his real name and she lived in a Chinese-Burmese neighborhood.

A lot of Chinese and related names can be amusing to the childishly inclined. The last dynasty's family name was Qing (roughly Ching) - I wouldn't be surprised if that was part of the original inspiration for the "Ching Chong" thing. The imperial title itself was "Wang".

[BWR]

A lot of Chinese and related names can be amusing to the childishly inclined. The last dynasty's family name was Qing (roughly Ching) - I wouldn't be surprised if that was part of the original inspiration for the "Ching Chong" thing. The imperial title itself was "Wang".

One cannot help but think of this scene.

[BannedInSchool]

Bugs Bunny ruined both Elmer and Nimrod.

[sktarq]

Names originating in Ancient Greek or Rome seems to be just uncommon in English (and German) speaking countries, I think. Though I guess Brutus or Nero aren't popular in Italy either. Of course, if your parents decide to give you the name Oedipus you know something is wrong with them.

Hilariously this caused rather a row between my parents. My father wanted me to be named Tarquin. A name he picked up from Shakespeare but is actually the name of the last Roman "Kings" (as in pre-Republic). This was batted around for months apparently but eventually a different more northern European name was selected-I have not used that name except on forms and with my mother for 15 or more years now. Using almost always my last name or occasionally the name Tarq which a group of friends liked so much when they heard the story from my father that they chose to use it in lieu of my given name. So my father's choice eventually won out...especially on the internet.

Bugs Bunny ruined both Elmer and Nimrod.

so true. Especially on the Nimrod side.

[Joran]

Apparently kindergarden classes will be full of little Annas and Elsas in a few years

I have a cousin who married someone Norwegian and his kids are named Annika and Hans. I'm sure Frozen was a fun time for them.

Wait till you start seeing Brans and Danaeryses (I have no idea what the plural form of Danaerys should be)

In the U.S., there's been a spike in people named Khaleesi. Yes, this drives everyone I know up the wall because Khaleesi is her title, not her name.

Ariel became very popular back in the 1980s after Disney’s The Little Mermaid became a hit. Now most people assume that if you’re named Ariel, you’ve been named after the character from that film.

Which is why people shouldn’t name their children after popular movie characters.

I named my daughter Fiona. Hopefully, people won't remember the ogre Fiona from the Shrek movies when she ages into elementary school. Most people, if they comment about her name, think it's a pretty name.

P.S. Other bad names to name your kid: Delilah and Ophelia.

[sktarq]

Probably the worst I've encountered would be Hentai Taiwan <insert monosyllabic slightly uncommon Chinese name>. The given name is pronounced like the sub-genre of Japanese porn. Poor Fellow.

[TheThan]

I named my daughter Fiona. Hopefully, people won't remember the ogre Fiona from the Shrek movies when she ages into elementary school. Most people, if they comment about her name, think it's a pretty name.

P.S. Other bad names to name your kid: Delilah and Ophelia.

I actually associate Fiona with a character from Zoids Chaotic Century. But I like the name so it doesn’t bother me.

Probably the worst I've encountered would be Hentai Taiwan <insert monosyllabic slightly uncommon Chinese name>. The given name is pronounced like the sub-genre of Japanese porn. Poor Fellow.

Russell Peters has something to say about ethnic names. (A bit explicit, you’ve been warned).

Damien is a name that will always be associated with the Antichrist.

[Marlowe]

I had three names in China I would discourage my co-teachers from naming girls.

"Andrea" - It means "Manly". Nasty thing to do to a little girl.
"Kelly" - Means "Contentious".
"Emily" - Means "Stranger", or "Rival". Interesting that "Emil" is a stereotypical "villain" name. Completely unrelated to "Amelia".

Personal names, especially girl's names for some reason, are quite telling about the society that spawned them. Hebrew girls names are often weirdly unflattering in meaning and are often derived from domestic animals. Celtic names are simple descriptions of appearance or derived from wild animals and natural formations. Old English/Germanic names often have clannish or military associations. Latin girls names are generally just a feminine construction of a male name. The Greek names generally struck me as the most eclectic.

[Joran]

I actually associate Fiona with a character from Zoids Chaotic Century. But I like the name so it doesn’t bother me.

I associated it with Fiona Glenanne from Burn Notice, but now it's just my daughter XD

[Eldan]

Since I took genetics class during studies, I'll never look at girls called Amelia like I used too...

Oh yeah, that one's pretty bad. There's a few others like it, but I can't find the list.

Edit: there's of course also people who share a family name with a famous disease. Like anyone named Alzheimer.

[GPuzzle]

Oh yeah, that one's pretty bad. There's a few others like it, but I can't find the list.

Edit: there's of course also people who share a family name with a famous disease. Like anyone named Alzheimer.

There was a guy in my school whose last name was Chagas.

He was a direct descended of Carlos Chagas, the man who discovered the Chagas' disease.

Not sure how he reacted to that.

[Wardog]

Old English/Germanic names often have clannish or military associations.

Best example: "Gunhilda", which apparently means "war war".

Although when the Germanic peoples weren't naming their children after something to do with war or leadership, they seem to have like to just mash two nouns together with no regard to meaning. One of my favourites being Randall/Randolf, which mean "shield wolf".

[TheThan]

I went to school with someone named Michael Jackson. No he was not a famous pop star.

[Joran]

I went to school with someone named Michael Jackson. No he was not a famous pop star.

One of my student body presidents was named James Bond. That's probably a fortunate name association, albeit one that probably gets old.

[TheThan]

One of my student body presidents was named James Bond. That's probably a fortunate name association, albeit one that probably gets old.

If i had that for a name, I'd totally own it.

receptionist: and your name sir
me: Bond, James Bond
Receptionist: *annoyed look*
me: no really look *provides ID*

[Aedilred]

If i had that for a name, I'd totally own it.

receptionist: and your name sir
me: Bond, James Bond
Receptionist: *annoyed look*
me: no really look *provides ID*

For bonus points, Bond as a first name and James as a middle name, thus giving you a valid reason to say "Bond" twice.

And murder your parents.

Apparently Fleming chose "James Bond" for his hero (inspired by a friend of his who was an actuary or something) as the most boring name he could think of. I wonder if he anticipated how perception of that name would change.

[Wardog]

I went to school with someone named Michael Jackson. No he was not a famous pop star.

Was it the former head of the British Army?


(Also, I work with a Michael Jackson as well).

[hamishspence]

Apparently Fleming chose "James Bond" for his hero (inspired by a friend of his who was an actuary or something) as the most boring name he could think of. I wonder if he anticipated how perception of that name would change.

Actually it was inspired by the writer of a bird book, if you believe Wikipedia and the quotes it gives:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bond

The name James Bond came from that of the American ornithologist James Bond, a Caribbean bird expert and author of the definitive field guide Birds of the West Indies. Fleming, a keen birdwatcher himself, had a copy of Bond's guide and he later explained to the ornithologist's wife that "It struck me that this brief, unromantic, Anglo-Saxon and yet very masculine name was just what I needed, and so a second James Bond was born".[3] He further explained that:

When I wrote the first one in 1953, I wanted Bond to be an extremely dull, uninteresting man to whom things happened; I wanted him to be a blunt instrument ... when I was casting around for a name for my protagonist I thought by God, (James Bond) is the dullest name I ever heard.
—Ian Fleming, The New Yorker, 21 April 1962[4]

On another occasion, Fleming said: "I wanted the simplest, dullest, plainest-sounding name I could find, 'James Bond' was much better than something more interesting, like 'Peregrine Carruthers'. Exotic things would happen to and around him, but he would be a neutral figure—an anonymous, blunt instrument wielded by a government department."

[TheThan]

I know someone who wanted to give his first son the middle name of “Danger”.

So when his son grew up he could say “Danger is my middle name”. but his wife shot that idea down.

[Joran]

I know someone who wanted to give his first son the middle name of “Danger”.

So when his son grew up he could say “Danger is my middle name”. but his wife shot that idea down.

Penn Jillette's daughter is named Moxie Crimefighter.

I also have a friend who just got married and decided to make her middle name "Adventure".