While you ponder that one can I just say I HATE the current trend of funky names for your baby. And not just funky baby names, but also funky spellings of your baby's name.
Growing up I was never a huge fan of my first name. It was a popular name, so every other chick in my class had the same name. Then my mom threw in another wrench. At school I was called by my first name, but at home I was called by my middle name. And my mom spelled it wrong.
Okay, according to her she spelled it as the current trend dictated, but by the time I was five and wanted a little name plate for my bike, it was spelled wrong. Granted, the spelling isn't way out there and the male version is spelled the way my mom spelled my name, but still....
I realize we're in the 21st century, so coming up with an original name that half the kids in his/her class won't have, but is still normal is getting a bit difficult. However, does that mean you should sentence your child to a lifetime of "Audio Science" (Shannyn Sossamon and Dallas Clayton) or "Pilot Inspektor Riesgraf Lee" (Jason Lee) or "Sparrow James Midnight," (Actually, I commend Nicole Richie for throwing a normal name into the mix. Perhaps this child won't be completely effed as he gets older.)
And don't even get me started on "Nevaeh." It isn't unique, it isn't cool. It's "diputs."
And then there's the whacked out spellings. I think this is even worse than the abnormal names. Why would you want to give your child a name that people will 1) misspell and 2) most likely mispronounce. Let me tell you, as a person who is very familiar with #1, IT SUCKS!
It stinks that whenever name tags are premade I go around as the wrong person. It stinks that there is never a pen/keychain/anything with my name on it. It stinks that I have to constantly correct people. It stinks that even after I correct people, they still get it wrong. I am very grateful though that while spelled differently, the spelling is not so different that people can't figure out how to say it.
I mean, phonetically these names, Destyneigh, Jennafer, Morganne, Mykal, and Zacharie, are messed up. Sure you can figure them out, but if pronounced the way they are spelled, they're pretty funny names.
Okay, so now back to "La-a"? Any takers on how that's pronounced?
Here's the (unfortunately) true story:
The teacher had no idea how to pronounce the name "La-a" and therefore, just pronounced it like it it was spelled. As in "La. A note to follow So!" with an extra "ah" attached to the end.
Then during Parent/Teacher conferences the parent of little La-a comes in and says, "We need to discuss my child's name because you don't know how to say it!"
And the teacher replied, "Yes, we do need to discuss it because, you're right, I don't know how to pronounce it!"
The parent, "It's "LaDASHa. The 'dash' isn't silent."
I predict that by the time Lil Mootz's generation is old enough to get married, there will be a huge rise in name change requests in the courts.
And for the record, "Lil Mootz" is NOT his real name or any variation of any part of his real name.
22 comments:
LaDASHah? SERIOUSLY? What are parents thinking? My guess is that they aren't thinking. So frustrating!
Are you kidding me?!? HAHAHAHAHA!
Actually, I grew up in the South, this does not surprise me!
I substitute taught where we used to live, so I have seen some crazy kids names. However, one day I see a name on the roster that looks somewhat like this
Xthalkjfabaihwoairh
Ok, obviously that wasn't her real name, but it did start with an X and was about that many letters long.
I asked the teacher next door how to pronounce the name. She herself had no idea but told me the teacher just called her "Z"...so that's want I did. (The way her name was pronounced it started with a Z sound.)
Later in the day, the little girl told me that her mom told her she was no longer allowed to be called Z as she wasn't learning her full name and how to spell it. Uhm, newsflash mom...how do you expect a first grader to learn such a crazy name!
I have a name for the idiot mother who said the dash is not silent but you probably don't want to see it here.
And my name is Sara. But even on facebook where people can see my name next to where they're writing a comment they have a tendency to spell it with an "h". I almost unfriended people for it because I can't stand the idiocy of looking at a name and still spelling it wrong. And my name is ALWAYS spelled wrong.
TOTALLY understand. I had three people in my 1st grade class with the same first name. So I want my child's name to be unique. However, "unique" now is a "normal" name. The names may be a bit "old-fashioned" but people will still be able to spell and pronounce them!
HAHA. the dash isn't silent. dear lord that gave me a laugh I needed!
Seriously though -- a job recruiter to my college put it best to a friend of mine with the name "jenny" -- her real name, not a nickname. "Excuse me, Jenny, why would you put your nickname on your resume?" "uh.. it's my given name." "oh."
Why, as a parent, would you put your child even in an awkward position for future job seeking by giving them a weird name, or naming them a nickname for that matter!? Bah.
La-a? Ladasha. Are you kidding me? You can't just put a - in a name and expect people to know it is a dash.
People are weird.
I had to read this twice to really figure out what the dash thing was...lol...blonde moment! Good post though!
I've heard the la-a thing before, but reading your telling of it was pretty great. :)
I read about this somewhere, in the news either online or in the paper and this mother is obviously not a very intelligent woman and I hope that when that little girl turns 18 she runs fast and changes her name either by the spelling or completely changes it.
I don't mind common names with a slight spelling creativity, although I'm pretty classic in my names. My oldest would be the only one with a some what unique name spelling, but in the Top 100 names it's in the top 50 or top 25 for last year (with her spelling), Jordyn (the common being Jordan).
Oh and I have a very common name and people still spell it wrong, I had a college professor ARGUE with me that my name had to be short for Christine or Christina (my legal name is Christy) and I rarely can find anything with my name spelled "correctly", there's just so many variations that are not odd, just not the same!
There's a website that has nothing but rediculous and insanely unusual names, I can't remember the web address, there's some insane ones, as bad as La-a
Well I am all for creative spellings, obviously, but that is just ridiculous!
OH GROSS...dash!! hahahaha
I hate this too.
I worked with a girl who named her kid Rachael..It's just Rachel with an extra "A" thrown in for good measure. Then she bitched if her school or doctors office spelled it incorrectly. Seriously?? YOU are the abnormal one..not everyone else!
I have/had a weird name growing up. Penny Sweet. I got picked on all the time. Although it is spelled just as it should it taught me that names are a hard burden to carry. (also peeved about the lack of keychains/accessories)
What are parents thinking? Seriously.
I'm going to remane myself
Penniey.
why not?
Your middle name is spelled correctly. All the other spellings are incorrect!
I think unique names are cool!
I grew up with out without major childhood trauma. However, as you are MORE than familiar with, no one ever pronounces it right the first time. But its not cause it's spelled funny...people just can't read :) You can't win either way!
Ohmygosh. That is beyond ridiculous. Why in the HELL would you do that to your child?
My husband's name, Nathen, is spelled with an 'e' where there is normally an 'a'. He constantly has to correct people in the spelling, and every time he gets so pissed off at his mom.
Some people just name their kids the weirdest things. Its like they pick 3 words out of the dictionary randomly and say "there we go!"
I'm glad we went old-school with my son's name. We plan to do the same with our next child. No one will have their names because they're so "old fashioned" and I am perfectly okay with that.
I don't think many of us loved our names when we were kids.
Thanks for the chuckle. Next time I see a hyphenated name of any kind I will be sure to add in the "dash" when I pronounce it!
Holy moly. I've heard of some crazy names... but wow. "laDASHah" is ridiculous!
My mom's given name is "Kim" and it got her sent to the principal's office in school when she refused to put "Kimberly" on her paper.
P has an unusual name (which is partially why I refer to him as P, but I'm thinking of giving in and just typing his name), but not obscure. His last name is trickier, and I wouldn't dream of naming my kid something that's going to be hard to pronounce both for first and last name.
i totally cracked at that name!!!!
Wow, I also hope the mother is saving money for the future therapy bills.
This was a great post as you're right with all those funny VIP names. Cannot understand why they do this to their kids...
But I never had a guess how to pronounce La-a. My first guess was maybe "LaYa" or something like that. Never thought to say the dash. Very unusual name or spelling though.
Re-freaking-diculous! And please, don't pronouce the dashes haha
We spell our sons name "uniquely", but that's because we are Polish so we spelled his name in the traditional Polish spelling. His name is Maksym (Maxim). We call him Maks (Max). I aboslutely love his name and the spelling and don't regret it, even though I do have to correct the spelling or tell people how its pronounced!
but, I will say that I am not some crazy bitch about people spelling it wrong! I only spell it when people ask, if they don't and they spell it wrong (or correct in terms of American spelling haha) I honestly don't care. It's the same name, he will still be called the right name!
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