To learn more about how the Name Nerds Jerks group began, we reached out to the moderator team on Reddit. "This sub started as a joke - there was a post on the main Name Nerds sub that inspired me to comment about how we needed [another] sub," one of the moderators, Kydashian, told Bored Panda. "Meg (another moderator) responded that she made it, and then my exact comment was 'mod me, daddy'. Boom, new sub."
"I don’t think either of us ever thought there were going to be this many like-minded jerks, but it has been so much fun! I think our community has taken off because it’s a place where you can truly be honest and have other people chime in," Kydashian explained. "If you ask your cousin what they named their baby and they respond with something ridiculous, you’re probably going to smile and say something kind. However, you bring that name to our subreddit, and we’re all going to laugh with you. Like any subreddit, there are some 'go-to comments' that show up on the main, that we will comment as a joke and it’s just a fun place to laugh at the absurdity of it all. I dare you to post 'I’m thinking of Juniper' and let the sub tell you what they think. I think we’re a good outlet for some people to be able to joke around and let off steam over some petty things."
We also asked if they had any advice for people considering making up a name for their children. "Thinking of naming your kid something unique that you made up? [We] have one piece of advice: Don’t."
"But seriously - children grow up to have their own full adult lives and will have to sign their mortgage, apply for jobs, and have professional relationships for the majority of their lives," Kydashian shared. "Keep that in mind!"
The group is lighthearted and fun, but the moderators raise some valid points. Please don't make your children's lives easier the second you name them.
To gain some insight from a baby naming expert, we reached out to professional baby name consultant and founder of My Name For Life, Sherri Suzanne. First, we wanted to hear what inspired Sherri to get into this field. "I’ve had a lifelong passion for onomastics (study of names) and started my name database at age 7 and still use it today!" Sherri told Bored Panda. "Names are like art—they represent different styles and cultures and sounds and looks. I collect names like some people collect sculpture or painting."
"I’ve been naming since elementary school—family members, dolls, pets—for anyone I could pester to let me help," Sherri says. "I was managing editor of magazine in New York when I first assisted a pregnant co-worker name her child. She mentioned it to another mom-to-be who mentioned it to another until I was helping parents by word of mouth quietly throughout the Nineties. I began to formalize my procedures in the 2000s and brought my services to the web about 12 years ago."
We also asked Sherri why she thinks there is a trend of naming children strange names. "To be honest, many of the most peculiar names people cite to me are the stuff of urban legends," she told Bored Panda. "I think they enjoy seeing my reaction. Having said that, there have always been parents who stretch the envelope when it comes to naming. But I think more parents are being adventurous namers nowadays as a result of being exposed to a variety of tastes and styles via the internet. Add in the fact that many pop-culture figures have names 'outside the box', and you can see the temptation for many parents to join in."
"In truth, while originality and individuality are part of 21st-century culture, the overwhelming majority of parents want their child to stand out but also to fit in," Sherri explained.
We also asked if she thinks parents should have complete free range when it comes to naming their kids. "In general, I’m not in favor of imposing regulations," she shared. "But I absolutely think common sense must prevail! The Golden Rule is to name selflessly, putting the child first."
We also wanted to hear from the expert how parents can strike the perfect balance of picking a unique name that will stand the test of time without going too far out of the box. "As I mentioned, it’s a challenge for modern parents to help their child stand out while fitting in," Sherri said. "One of the most requested name types in my practice nowadays are familiar names that have fallen out of use. These names give just the right touch of originality while remaining comfortable. However, I use lots of techniques to help parents bring individuality to a child’s name—from picking names in ancestral languages to finding names in literature, history and art."
So what are the most important factors parents must keep in mind when naming their children? According to Sherri, "Our future success depends on our ability to introduce ourselves with confidence. So parents can be creative if they wish but also be practical and sensitive. No names that form jokes, rhymes, puns or phrases. Express individuality in 'I’m Sofia with an ‘f’--not Sophia.' I’m cautioning against creating a spelling like Sofeeyuh just to be different. If you want to be original, better to just pick an uncommon name. A name that seems nice on paper may not work well in daily life. Lift name candidates off the page and test them out loud to make sure they can be said easily and with confidence. Pick a name you like to say. You’ll be saying it a LOT."
Lastly, Sherri added, "To older children and adults with ‘adventurous’ names: If your parents gifted you with an attention-grabbing name that you love, then go ahead and embrace it! However, if your name is a source of pain and insecurity, remember that we each have power over what we are called. Short of name-changing, remember that nicknames, middle names and initials are all ways to tame a wild first name."
If you'd like more naming words of wisdom from Sherri or to learn about what the most popular names are right now, be sure to check out My Name For Life right here.
#7 This Sub Has Ruined Me. I Saw This And Immediately Started Thinking Up Nicknames
It’s amazing that some of the baby names on this list were actually signed off on for multiple reasons, one of which being that both parents agreed on the name. Of course, not every child has two parents around at birth. But every parent should have a few family members or close friends that they discussed their baby names with as well. Yet somehow, there are children out there named Abcde and Imunique. According to one survey though, Kinzleighanne probably did not get her name overnight. Apparently, 75% of first-time parents argue over what to name their child. In fact, baby names are the number one thing expecting parents argue over, beating out whether or not the mother should return to work and whether or not to have a second child by a longshot.
And when it comes to why baby names have become so loose over recent years, Laura Wattenberg, creator of BabyNameWizard.com told Today, “I liken baby names to the dress code. We’ve thrown away the office dress code when it comes to naming. We’ve seen a revolution in naming where there is no such thing as a ‘normal’ name. And, while there is still a number one name, it’s only a fraction as popular as the number one name was years ago.”
After the initial excitement of finding out you’re expecting a child wears off, it’s time to start discussing names. And while most parents like to wait until they know the gender to start narrowing down names, it can still become a very heated topic. So if your partner starts suggesting names like Tryxtynn or Drittney, Carrie Felton of Stuck On You recommends a few ways you can shoot down their suggestions without causing a fight. She suggests creating a no-go list from the beginning and agreeing on a set number of ‘vetoes’ that you and your partner both get, so nobody starts getting their hopes up about a name that the other person truly hates. But when you’ve narrowed down the list a bit and there are still names you would like to discard, here are a few ways to turn your partner off to those names. One suggestion that might be questionable but should certainly do the trick is telling your partner about a past lover who had that name. “Allow your eyes to glaze over while you coo dreamily about that magical night you spent with a hot surfer named Humphrey,” Carrie explains.
Another tactic Carrie suggests for deterring your partner from fighting for a name you despise is to do your research about famous disgraced athletes, murderers, drug smugglers, etc. with that name. If you can convince them that many people will have a negative association with that name, you might be able to persuade them to start looking for other options. Finally, she says that good old-fashioned guilt can usually do the trick too. Both partners should love and be excited about the child’s name, so there is no point in settling on a name that one person won’t be thrilled to share with their friends and family. And as Carrie adds, “Depending on where you live, you will have about two months to finalize your baby’s name after birth so there’s no huge rush.” If, for some reason, the two of you still can’t decide upon meeting your baby, you can live with them for a month or two before picking a name that perfectly suits them.
Depending on where you live, you might have time after the baby is born to finalize a name, but you also might have strict laws in relation to what your baby can be called. Certain countries have approved baby name lists, which can frustrate some parents, but can also protect children from being named Anuhsteezia. In New Zealand, for example, there is a list of banned baby names, including Christ, Messiah, Lucifer and Justice. One would hope that parents would never dream of calling their children many of the names featured on this list, but unfortunately, the list does exist for a reason. Without restrictions in place, New Zealand would have at least 31 ‘King’s, 28 ‘Princess’es, 7 ‘Majesty’s and 25 ‘Royal’s. Apparently, some names still slip through the cracks though. According to CNN, New Zealand has at least one person named Violence and another named Number 16 Bus Shelter.
According to The Washington Post, at least 12 countries currently have legislation in place regarding baby naming, including Germany, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Japan and Malaysia. Some nations, such as the Scandinavian democracies, have these rules in place to look out for the well-being of children and their future reputations. On the other hand, some countries, like Morocco, have banned names of certain ethnic groups. But there can also be logistical reasons for restricting certain names. Some states in the US, for example, don’t allow for diacritics to be in registered names. This means that if you would like to name your child José, he will be legally registered as Jose.
