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HelpJethro and Matilda
Well, it appears that my taste is going in this colorful direction again. I occasionally feel the need to shed all of my honoring name traditions and follow my wild heart into the warm colors of Matilda (mauve-raspberry) and Jethro (fire red), abandoning my cooler puritanically colored Susannah, Isaac, and Benjamin, which, while I do love them, they don't give me necessarily "happy" feeling like Jethro and Matilda, names that make me want to dance and party.
I want to be that person -- but this colorful feeling is often so fleeting, and I suspect that it is influenced by the waxing or full moon. I like bright colors a lot, but my contrasting mood is so cool by comparison that I fear I'd distance myself too much from Jethro and Matilda in my colder, more introspective state of mind.
But I love each of these names so much. They've both long lurked in my lower top 20, but now they have exploded into my consciousness, overshadowing any other names. I think this is a good sign for my psychological state. I must be happier.
I think I NEED to have a daughter named Matilda. I am a descendant of Saint Matilda on my father's side.
And Jethro. Words cannot begin to paint an adequate picture of my enthusiasm for this name.
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I want to be that person -- but this colorful feeling is often so fleeting, and I suspect that it is influenced by the waxing or full moon. I like bright colors a lot, but my contrasting mood is so cool by comparison that I fear I'd distance myself too much from Jethro and Matilda in my colder, more introspective state of mind.
But I love each of these names so much. They've both long lurked in my lower top 20, but now they have exploded into my consciousness, overshadowing any other names. I think this is a good sign for my psychological state. I must be happier.
I think I NEED to have a daughter named Matilda. I am a descendant of Saint Matilda on my father's side.
And Jethro. Words cannot begin to paint an adequate picture of my enthusiasm for this name.
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This message was edited 8/9/2014, 6:03 AM
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I think the thing with names and colours is people don't often think of the same colours with the same names.
Matilda sounds mauve-raspberry to you but to me it's really dark green, almost black. To me, Jethro is pale yellow. Susannah is sandy yellow-orange, Benjamin is terra cotta... Emmeline is blue, Maeve is deep navy, Tamsin is orange, red and gold. Sylvia and Sophia are a shimmering, pearly white.
Just saying, cos if you do use these names you gotta think that people really don't see the same colours when they hear them..
But using Matilda cos you're descended of Matilda is cool :)
Matilda sounds mauve-raspberry to you but to me it's really dark green, almost black. To me, Jethro is pale yellow. Susannah is sandy yellow-orange, Benjamin is terra cotta... Emmeline is blue, Maeve is deep navy, Tamsin is orange, red and gold. Sylvia and Sophia are a shimmering, pearly white.
Just saying, cos if you do use these names you gotta think that people really don't see the same colours when they hear them..
But using Matilda cos you're descended of Matilda is cool :)
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My Spectrum
I have grapheme color synesthesia. When a name has prominent letters, it makes the whole name that color, though many have secondary colors where there are prominent letters. James is a very red name, for example, because both the letters J and M are red. Vowels are often not picked up for me unless they begin the word. Nathalie is mostly pale orange but the h creates a secondary hue of navy blue, which adds to the reason that I prefer the spelling Nathalie. Jasper is an interesting case because each letter has such a distinct color that it makes it the most colorful name for me. I can think of no other name that has so many colors.
How I associate each letter:
A - yellow
B - navy blue
C - light blue
D - brown
E - black or dark red
F - orange
G - deeper-than-medium red
H - blue
I - white
J - medium red
K - indigo
L - light blue
M - medium red
N - tawny
O - white
P - indigo
Q - pale blue
R - dark green
S - sage green
T - dark red
U - black
V - violet (easy to remember)
W - light blue
X - black
Y - brown
Z - black
1 - white
2 - green
3 - red
4 - blue
5 - yellow
6 - green
7 - red
8 - blue
9 - yellow
0 - white
I have grapheme color synesthesia. When a name has prominent letters, it makes the whole name that color, though many have secondary colors where there are prominent letters. James is a very red name, for example, because both the letters J and M are red. Vowels are often not picked up for me unless they begin the word. Nathalie is mostly pale orange but the h creates a secondary hue of navy blue, which adds to the reason that I prefer the spelling Nathalie. Jasper is an interesting case because each letter has such a distinct color that it makes it the most colorful name for me. I can think of no other name that has so many colors.
How I associate each letter:
A - yellow
B - navy blue
C - light blue
D - brown
E - black or dark red
F - orange
G - deeper-than-medium red
H - blue
I - white
J - medium red
K - indigo
L - light blue
M - medium red
N - tawny
O - white
P - indigo
Q - pale blue
R - dark green
S - sage green
T - dark red
U - black
V - violet (easy to remember)
W - light blue
X - black
Y - brown
Z - black
1 - white
2 - green
3 - red
4 - blue
5 - yellow
6 - green
7 - red
8 - blue
9 - yellow
0 - white
This message was edited 8/10/2014, 3:09 AM
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Woww... it's all neatly worked out and everything!! So I guess it's when you see the letters written down, not when you hear them spoken? If adding a H in Natalie adds blue?
Is it the same for other languages? Like do written French words give you the same colours because they use mostly the same alphabet, or do letters with accents change things? What about Chinese characters or Arabic script? Would they give you colours to or do they not mean anything?
Sorry, sorry for all the questions. I'm just thinking through my fingers. You don't have to answer if you don't want :D
Is it the same for other languages? Like do written French words give you the same colours because they use mostly the same alphabet, or do letters with accents change things? What about Chinese characters or Arabic script? Would they give you colours to or do they not mean anything?
Sorry, sorry for all the questions. I'm just thinking through my fingers. You don't have to answer if you don't want :D
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This is AWESOME. I now feel like I am missing out on something really cool.
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I don't. I never would have wanted to see my mom as a maroon-colored three dimensional square with black triangular spikes OH MY GOD.
There are only two names that I associate with colors without any concrete reason for doing so. Susan is yellow and David is brown. David is very very brown, which may be a reason I've never been able to like it. I don't know why those two names are those colors to me. The few others that I associate with colors, I can see there's a reason for it---Rose is red because of roses, Sylvia is silver because of the first syllable, Sally is yellow because I immediately think of the "Dick, Jane, and Sally" books that were used in my elementary school, in which Sally was the little sister with curly blonde hair. Their cat's name was Puff.
Even with these, it's pretty basic. Yellow, brown, red. There's no mauve or raspberry or lime green.
Come to think of it, "Dick, Jane, and Sally" is proof right there that Dick was usable at least through the 1950s.
There are only two names that I associate with colors without any concrete reason for doing so. Susan is yellow and David is brown. David is very very brown, which may be a reason I've never been able to like it. I don't know why those two names are those colors to me. The few others that I associate with colors, I can see there's a reason for it---Rose is red because of roses, Sylvia is silver because of the first syllable, Sally is yellow because I immediately think of the "Dick, Jane, and Sally" books that were used in my elementary school, in which Sally was the little sister with curly blonde hair. Their cat's name was Puff.
Even with these, it's pretty basic. Yellow, brown, red. There's no mauve or raspberry or lime green.
Come to think of it, "Dick, Jane, and Sally" is proof right there that Dick was usable at least through the 1950s.
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I honestly think my synesthesia isn't some mystical brain-thing, but the filtering of influences, memories, imagination and associations - like your Sally = yellow example. Sometimes it seems magical and random, but only because I can't trace the pathways of memory backwards. I find most of my colours to be pretty straightforward too - like most r names are red, because red starts with r. Some names I don't get colour-feelings for, because (I assume) there's nothing for my brain to draw on for it.
I don't know if that means I don't have "real" synesthesia or what.
I don't know if that means I don't have "real" synesthesia or what.
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We understand that color association is subjective here.
This message was edited 8/10/2014, 2:57 AM
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Quite a few of us around here mention colours when we talk about names, because many of us have touches of synesthesia (as it appears you do!). It's pretty well understood that names are different "colours" for different people. We just like sharing what we "feel" from the names, it's all in good fun :)
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Ohh... thanks :) I kind of didn't get that. I mean, I thought everyone matched names with certain colours but I knew that the colours are different for different people, so I was all like "not everyone is going to think Matilda is a raspberry name!"
Thanks for explaining!
Thanks for explaining!
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I've always wondered what was up with you "colour" people. Just googled synesthesia and took a quick test. Every question seemed completely outrageous to me! So I guess I do not even have a touch of synesthesia Wow, I had no idea this was a real thing.
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I don't have synesthesia, either. Motivated by your Googling, and pretty well bored tonight, I decided to Google it, too. I came upon this statement, made by a person who says s/he has synesthesia:
"Certain people have certain shapes too. This is really hard to describe. My mom, for instance, is a three-dimensional maroon coloured square with black triangular spikes. [italics added] My grandmother was rectangular and yellowish. I have an aversion to people who are orange diamond-shaped and avoid them like the plague."
This horrified me and sent chills down my spine.
My mom...black triangular SPIKES?
"Certain people have certain shapes too. This is really hard to describe. My mom, for instance, is a three-dimensional maroon coloured square with black triangular spikes. [italics added] My grandmother was rectangular and yellowish. I have an aversion to people who are orange diamond-shaped and avoid them like the plague."
This horrified me and sent chills down my spine.
My mom...black triangular SPIKES?
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Black triangular spikes.
Run awaaaay....
Run awaaaay....
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They're great names =)
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I like Matilda. It's cute and sweet and ages well. Plus, the nickname Mattie on a little girl is just awesome. Jethro... You're right, Jethro is a bright, fiery red. I can see why you like it so much. I like it to, with its J- beginning and the th in the middle. It's fabulous. I can see siblings named Jethro and Matilda.
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Wow, you poetic descriptions and explanations are rather moving! I'm happy that you are happy. And I find your more colourful names more interesting than your regulars.
I really like Matilda and think that Tilly might be about the best little girl nickname there is. Tildy too.
Jethro is way too redneck for me personally.
I really like Matilda and think that Tilly might be about the best little girl nickname there is. Tildy too.
Jethro is way too redneck for me personally.
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Whatever floats your boat, but you don't seem to be one hundred percent certain. I would suggest not using any name your enthusiasm for which is influenced by the waxing and waning of the moon, as that is in constant flux, you know. You can't keep changing a birth certificate every two weeks. You didn't ask for an opinion, but I don't need to be asked. Jethro is horribly hillbilly--I know it's pedestrian of me to not be able to shed that image, but there's no changing it-- and Matilda is heavy and ugly. But then, with just a few exceptions, I don't see colors when I hear names---I know there's a term for that, but I can't remember it at the moment.
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synesthesia
I see colors with some names but for some reason it's never influenced whether I like a name or not. It's only the sound that does it.
I see colors with some names but for some reason it's never influenced whether I like a name or not. It's only the sound that does it.
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I like these two together! They make a friendly sort of sense, especially reading your heartfelt description of why you love them.
And honestly, I love seeing your more passionate, colourful side peek through :) It warms my heart. And there's nothing that says you can't have both - honouring and passion. What about Matilda Susanna for a combo?
And honestly, I love seeing your more passionate, colourful side peek through :) It warms my heart. And there's nothing that says you can't have both - honouring and passion. What about Matilda Susanna for a combo?
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