New Post
Search
Helphow do you feel about using place names and surnames to honour?
I have a fair few of these names for boys. What do you think of this practice?
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
Place names bother me ever since I was a child and saw that stupid commercial about the kids being named after the place they were conceived. The kid in the commercial was named after the car. *eye roll*
I don't mind surnames, but my thought is more that if you can't imagine losing your last name when you are married, keep it. Don't use it as a middle or first name for your child. I can't imagine being close enough to any other surname than my own or my parents to want to use it for my child. Added, most surnames are not very nice sounding as given names.
I don't mind surnames, but my thought is more that if you can't imagine losing your last name when you are married, keep it. Don't use it as a middle or first name for your child. I can't imagine being close enough to any other surname than my own or my parents to want to use it for my child. Added, most surnames are not very nice sounding as given names.
1
I don't think of place names as honoring, but given with fondness. Though I suppose it's much the same.
My grandmother was from a town called Moriah and I can see using for a girl as a middle name with her in mind.
I also like some Biblical place names in reference to the events there, though I don't think that's what you mean.
With surnames I generally prefer to keep them to the middle name spot if they aren't ones that are commonly used as first names, but my family has largely difficult ethnic names that would be rough in the first name spot. I think it's lovely though. I have a boy name that I love that's one letter off of my mother's maiden name that I like because I think of family with it.
My grandmother was from a town called Moriah and I can see using for a girl as a middle name with her in mind.
I also like some Biblical place names in reference to the events there, though I don't think that's what you mean.
With surnames I generally prefer to keep them to the middle name spot if they aren't ones that are commonly used as first names, but my family has largely difficult ethnic names that would be rough in the first name spot. I think it's lovely though. I have a boy name that I love that's one letter off of my mother's maiden name that I like because I think of family with it.
1
If it really is honouring, then I'm more than happy with it. Surnames more than place names, but either actually.
What bugs me is when random surnames (and indeed places) with no connection to anything except fashion are used with no attempt to consider gender suitability, what the place is actually like (India? Really?), etc etc and so forth. I'll spare you the rant! But when actual thought has gone into it - what a pleasure.
What bugs me is when random surnames (and indeed places) with no connection to anything except fashion are used with no attempt to consider gender suitability, what the place is actually like (India? Really?), etc etc and so forth. I'll spare you the rant! But when actual thought has gone into it - what a pleasure.
1
Nt
This message was edited 6/29/2016, 1:05 PM
1
I love honoring in general. I've seen it suggested here that there are better ways to honor a person than the bestowing of their name, but I honestly can't think of any. A name is always there and lasts a lifetime. That being the case, I think that surnames honor just as well as personal names.
As for places---I think it's fine to bestow a place name if the place has meaning to you, but who would this be honoring, exactly? Are you honoring the place? I don't think places really need that. A place can't appreciate it.
As for places---I think it's fine to bestow a place name if the place has meaning to you, but who would this be honoring, exactly? Are you honoring the place? I don't think places really need that. A place can't appreciate it.
1
Although I love honoring, I'm in the "using the exact name only is honoring" camp. So whenever I see, "I'm using Lily to honor my grandmother Brunhilda because her favorite flower was the lily", I don't personally go for it. The same would apply for using the name of where a person is from. But opinions differ, of course. And your maternal grandmother's great-grandfather must be long dead, so we can't get his viewpoint. If it's honoring to you, that's all that matters. I do think Cavan Edward is a nice combo.
1
I like it. First names are obviously more personal, but any attachment to heritage is a great thing to have in a name. It could be done in a tacky way (especially the place names), but it could also be done tastefully depending on what names you have to work with!
I don't have any surnames that could work as first names, but I would definitely use them as MNs.
I know a girl who grew up in a town called Tera. She moved away, her hometown was very special to her, and she named her daughter Tera. I thought it was just about as tasteful as you could get with a place name (it also reminded me of Gone With the Wind; Tara is the plantation name and SUCH an important place in the story).
My dad's side is from Seymour, but it would be tough to pull that one off on a boy. I was born in Xenia, which is a lovely girl's name, but I didn't live there long enough to grow very attached to the place - at least not enough to use the name.
I don't have any surnames that could work as first names, but I would definitely use them as MNs.
I know a girl who grew up in a town called Tera. She moved away, her hometown was very special to her, and she named her daughter Tera. I thought it was just about as tasteful as you could get with a place name (it also reminded me of Gone With the Wind; Tara is the plantation name and SUCH an important place in the story).
My dad's side is from Seymour, but it would be tough to pull that one off on a boy. I was born in Xenia, which is a lovely girl's name, but I didn't live there long enough to grow very attached to the place - at least not enough to use the name.
1