Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This should always be the number one thought when naming a child. It is not cute, unique or special to give your kid a name that will get them teased or spend a lifetime spelling or pronouncing it for people. It is selfish and dumb.
That's a really good point. My name is spelled with an "i" but the traditional spelling is a "y". I spent years correcting people's spelling of it and some people (teachers, especially) don't appreciate being corrected.
That's a really good point. My name is spelled with an "i" but the traditional spelling is a "y". I spent years correcting people's spelling of it and some people (teachers, especially) don't appreciate being corrected.
hmm. I have never seen Hedgehog spelled with an i or a y.
Remember when Ashley and Frances were common boy names?
FrancEs has always been a female name. FrancIs has always been a male name. I have never met a male Frances, nor a female Francis (though I am sure there were a few, given how similar the names are..)
There was a time, not far in the past, when parents wanted those unisex names in order to NOT put their daughters at a disadvantage later in life. They thought a "strong" (ie- possible MALE) name would give their daughters more options when applying for school, jobs, etc, or at the least, not put at them at a disadvantage when applying for positions that men were also applying for. That mind set seems to be fading into the past, and now I see many more parents choosing girls names that are VERY unmistakenly feminine- Isabella, Sophia, Olivia are all very popular now.
By cross gender names I suppose this could include so-called unisex names which are more often associated with both genders, but what I really am curious about is using more common boys names on girls, and girls names on boys. For instance Michael on a girl and Autumn on a boy kind of thing.
Although this seems to be more common for boys names to be used on girls, as a guy named Chelsea I've found a handful of other male Chelsea's on the net, so it's a name not really in common enough usage to be considered unisex and yet enough parents seem to find it usable for a boy that it isn't completely unique either.
And out of interest, maybe you could mention here if you have known of any male Chelsea's or similar spelling variants too.
I went to college with a guy named Chelsea. (You weren't a theatre major in 1979 by any chance, were you?) I also know a male Chesley, who has roots far enough into rural Florida I'd give it 50/50 he was meant to be Chelsea and his parents were just illiterate.
My nephew, who has a gender-neutral name-but-often-feminine, got sent to the principal by a substitute teacher who thought he was being fresh when he answered during roll call.
And I have friends who are a married couple, both named Tracy.
And being Southern, I know about a million adults with surnames-as-first names. Not just the usually Barrys and Whitneys, but Crosby, Blanchard and Heyward.
FTR, my kids all have traditional, gender-specific names.
I went to college with a guy named Chelsea. (You weren't a theatre major in 1979 by any chance, were you?) I also know a male Chesley, who has roots far enough into rural Florida I'd give it 50/50 he was meant to be Chelsea and his parents were just illiterate.
No. I wasn't born then But interesting that you do know two guys named Chelsea and Chelsey given how uncommon it is. I think I have heard it may have been used more often for boys before it became really popular for girls, but was just one of those names rarely used... i.e. never really took off for boys either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aconite
My nephew, who has a gender-neutral name-but-often-feminine, got sent to the principal by a substitute teacher who thought he was being fresh when he answered during roll call.
I used to dread substitute teachers although that never happened to me. But I've experienced teachers like that including one who assigned me to an all girl's group for a school trip and then wouldn't change things around when they realized I was male.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It is not cute, unique or special to give your kid a name that will get them teased or spend a lifetime spelling or pronouncing it for people. It is selfish and dumb.
But interesting that you do know two guys named Chelsea and Chelsey given how uncommon it is. I think I have heard it may have been used more often for boys before it became really popular for girls, but was just one of those names rarely used... i.e. never really took off for boys either.
