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I think I'm mostly in the "fresh" camp. Not many names that I have really *known* people named, are on my list. But it does seem to help me like a name better, once I have at least seen someone named it in real life.

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My "fresh" faves (names for which I have not been personally acquainted with anyone named them - not counting people I only overheard their name, not counting characters etc):
Damon, Merrick, Rowan, Nicholas (! I'm sure I must have known a Nick at some point but none come to mind!), Alexander (same thing ... I just didn't ever get to know any. I've known at least 2 Alexandras though.), and Adrian - it has been on my favorites longer than I've known the Adrian I know
River, Meryl, Isla, Claudia, Edith, Gemma
I've at least heard of, or come across people or characters named all of those. But I didn't become acquainted with them.

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My "familiar" faves - names of people I've personally known, that are favorites
Marcus / Marc, Conrad, Raymond / Ray
Julia, Carol, Darcy

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Names I didn't like until I encountered children named them, and only then did they become faves: Iris, Mavis, Cyrus, Malcolm

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Names I think I might have as bigger favorites, if they hadn't been the names of people I knew: Victoria, Emily, Derek, Thomas / Tom

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I think my favorites mostly sound to me like they would belong to children - I don't perceive them as names very likely to be the names of people 25-50. I think having met an adult or peer with a name, makes it feel 'older' to me, and if I've never met any, it doesn't seem as 'old' even if I do think it's 'dated.' But it's less marked for guy names. I don't mind so much if guy names sound older and more familiar.

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- mirfak

This message was edited 8/14/2018, 5:43 PM