Home » Other » Community Hangout » Baby Names - who's right
Baby Names - who's right [message #173251] Sun, 21 May 2006 00:50 Go to next message
rleishman
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Expecting my second child in July and am looking into boy's names.

In the name-book, I found Phinneas - Hebrew for "Oracle". OK, so we're not Jewish, but I reckon it's a top name. Wife doesn't agree.

Quick vote...
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #173263 is a reply to message #173251] Sun, 21 May 2006 03:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Littlefoot
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Huh, first I misread the name - thought it was "Peanuts" - and wondered who wants to call his baby "Peanuts, dinner's served!" Therefore, I agree with you ...

... r wife Very Happy

Phinneas is not an ordinary name; at least, I've never heard of it (but that's nothing new). I guess that no matter what we vote here, your wife will judge at the end Smile

Anyhow, congratulations to you and Mrs. Leishman!
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #173270 is a reply to message #173251] Sun, 21 May 2006 05:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
djmartin
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Phinneas or Phineas?

Have you googled 'phinneas'? You would have found http://sbutler.typepad.com/main/2005/01/phinneas.html

The 'Phineas' club includes - Phineas Taylor Barnum aka P.T. Barnum, and the character Phineas Fogg of 'Around the World in 80 days' fame.

David
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #173288 is a reply to message #173270] Sun, 21 May 2006 08:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Frank
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djmartin wrote on Sun, 21 May 2006 12:53


The 'Phineas' club includes - {snip} and the character Phineas Fogg of 'Around the World in 80 days'


Wasn't that Phileas?

Congratulations from Holland as well Ross!

Why not call it after our administrator? Wink
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #173298 is a reply to message #173251] Sun, 21 May 2006 11:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barbara Boehmer
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I agree with your wife. Whatever name you choose should be something agreeable to both of you. If you are not Jewish, why give your child a Hebrew name? Think of whether the name is something that the child will like both as a child and as an adult. Sometimes it is nice to have something a bit unusual or unique, so as not to be confused with others, but not so strange that other kids will make fun of it. I do not, for example, approve of the name "Chastity Bono" that Cher named her daughter. If I were that kid, as soon as I was old enough to do so, I would legally change my name and ask that others call me the planned new name until I could do so or maybe use the first initial and middle name or some such thing.

In one of my ninth grade classes, we sat alpabetically, Barbara Bierman, Barbara Boehmer, Barbara Brown, and Barbara Carrasco, 4 Barbaras, including 3 Barbara B's. There are at least several other Barbara Boehmer's in this world. I know this because I have either heard of them or received an e-mail or seen things about them on the internet. I was at a veterinary office once where I received some very strange treatment and ultimately found out that there is a veterinarian with the same name as me and they apparently assumed, incorrectly, that I was trying to impersonate her for some unknown reason. It apparently never occurred to them that I was just another person with the same name who brought her cat to the vet. They were very nasty to me, without explaining why. I didn't realize what the problem was, until my regular vet that had referred me to the specialist explained it. There have been people arrested because someone else with the same name had a warrant for their arrest. In situations like these, it is nice to have a unique name that is not likely to be mistaken for others.

So, you're an Oracle fan, but is it appropriate to name a child after it or are you just joking? Why not name him after an admired relative or friend? What other names are you considering? What about girls' names or has your wife had a sonogram and you know that it is a boy. You might choose something unique as a formal name and use a shortened nickname for informal purposes. You might also consider what the resulting initials would be.





Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #173717 is a reply to message #173298] Wed, 24 May 2006 03:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rleishman
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Registered: October 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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OK, looks like I'm on my own here. Have to think of something serious now... Frown
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #174207 is a reply to message #173251] Fri, 26 May 2006 08:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
smartin
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I don't know, it isn't that bad. I agree with Barbara's points though, that it be agreeable to both (although as we guys know, things in life often only have to be agreeable to the misses), and it has advantages to not be an ultra common name.

Personally I like names with flexibility, something that can have various nicknames or abbreviated names. Something with options for the kid to go by. Not as a suggestion, but just an example that pops to mind, with Nathaniel you have Nathan and Nate and Thaniel and Natty and Nat.

But at the same time, do some serious googling research on the name, particularly if it is unusual, to see what else your specific spelling would imply.

As far as the picked on bit...that is a fine line. In one strange sense, having a tough name, one likely to draw attention, might help establish toughness and character as he grows up. But if you cross the line, then it is just crazy and you are just wishing for him to get his butt kicked every day at school. Those sorts of things also depend on how tall / big you and your wife are, and therefore how likely your son will be a big kid will less to fear.

Crazy to have all these thoughts on such a seemingly simple topic. What name did your wife want again?
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #174220 is a reply to message #174207] Fri, 26 May 2006 10:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barbara Boehmer
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Some people like nicknames and some people don't. If you have a long formal name, then it may be nice to have a nickname. My grandmother's name was Violet. She said that all her life, everybody called her Vi and she hated it, including my grandfather, even though he knew she hated it. She told me she named my father Noel, because she figured it was short enough that nobody would be tempted to use a nickname.

Have you heard that song that Johnny Cash sings about a boy named Sue?



Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #174221 is a reply to message #174207] Fri, 26 May 2006 10:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barbara Boehmer
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Location: California, USA
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Here are the lyrics to "A Boy Named Sue" for anyone who is not familiar with the song.

            My daddy left home when I was three
            And he didn't leave much to ma and me
            Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze.
            Now, I don't blame him cause he run and hid
            But the meanest thing that he ever did
            Was before he left, he went and named me "Sue."

            Well, he must o' thought that is quite a joke
            And it got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk,
            It seems I had to fight my whole life through.
            Some gal would giggle and I'd get red
            And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head,
            I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named "Sue."

            Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean,
            My fist got hard and my wits got keen,
            I'd roam from town to town to hide my shame.
            But I made a vow to the moon and stars
            That I'd search the honky-tonks and bars
            And kill that man who gave me that awful name.

            Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July
            And I just hit town and my throat was dry,
            I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew.
            At an old saloon on a street of mud,
            There at a table, dealing stud,
            Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me "Sue."

            Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad
            From a worn-out picture that my mother'd had,
            And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye.
            He was big and bent and gray and old,
            And I looked at him and my blood ran cold
            And I said: "My name is 'Sue!' How do you do!
            Now your gonna die!!"

            Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes
            And he went down, but to my surprise,
            He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear.
            But I busted a chair right across his teeth
            And we crashed through the wall and into the street
            Kicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer.

            I tell ya, I've fought tougher men
            But I really can't remember when,
            He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile.
            I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss,
            He went for his gun and I pulled mine first,
            He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile.

            And he said: "Son, this world is rough
            And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough
            And I knew I wouldn't be there to help ya along.
            So I give ya that name and I said goodbye
            I knew you'd have to get tough or die
            And it's the name that helped to make you strong."

            He said: "Now you just fought one hell of a fight
            And I know you hate me, and you got the right
            To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do.
            But ya ought to thank me, before I die,
            For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in ya eye
            Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that named you "Sue.'"

            I got all choked up and I threw down my gun
            And I called him my pa, and he called me his son,
            And I came away with a different point of view.
            And I think about him, now and then,
            Every time I try and every time I win,
            And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him
            Bill or George! Anything but Sue! I still hate that name!





Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #174227 is a reply to message #173251] Fri, 26 May 2006 11:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
smartin
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Location: Jacksonville, Florida
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Now that...that would be an example of crossing that fine line
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #174348 is a reply to message #174227] Sun, 28 May 2006 05:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rleishman
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Phew. And for a while there I thought you guys were taking this a bit too seriously. I needn't have worried. Wink

Anyway, looks like we'll be married a bit longer - we're pretty close to settling on a boy's name that we're both happy with (which she thought of).

Oh yeah, short names don't help with with nicknames

Roscoe P. Coltraine Leishman
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #174370 is a reply to message #174348] Sun, 28 May 2006 18:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
djmartin
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Roscoe,

If the 'P.' in your name stands for 'Phinneas' then it is quite acceptable for you to name your son after yourself.

David
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #174390 is a reply to message #173251] Mon, 29 May 2006 01:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dushyant
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Registered: September 2005
Member
hi

Advanced congrats to you and your wife
Good to know people like oracle and like to name their sweet heart after it. Obviously u dont want to name a tongue twister for your child (Schwarznegger,Schweneberg).

If ur not jewish, then why name ur child in hebrew, its confusing and misleading and to an extent may be not permissible as well(just for discussion can u think of naming ur child in Arabic when you are a christian) there are more beautiful names for oracle in other languages as well, try to do R&D

Hope ur kid grows to become a superstar
All The Best

Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #174662 is a reply to message #174390] Tue, 30 May 2006 03:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rleishman
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
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dushyant wrote on Mon, 29 May 2006 16:34

just for discussion can u think of naming ur child in Arabic when you are a christian



On the same basis, would you consider it strange for a non-Irish person to name their boy Sean or Patrick, or a non-Greek to name their girl Helen?

Jacob (granted, the spelling has changed from the Hebrew) was the most common boy's name in Australia (2004) where Jews are very much a minority.
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #174713 is a reply to message #174662] Tue, 30 May 2006 06:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Frank
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Registered: March 2000
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How's Null for a name if you cannot decide?
Wink
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #174799 is a reply to message #174713] Tue, 30 May 2006 10:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Art Metzer
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Frank, you're working way too hard.

Cool
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #175259 is a reply to message #174799] Thu, 01 June 2006 07:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rleishman
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Registered: October 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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I'll ask the wife. Get back to you....
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #175266 is a reply to message #173251] Thu, 01 June 2006 08:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
smartin
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Null is better than "Boy" (you know, Tarzan), at least from a relational database standpoint. Rather than throwing in some made up value for a name as Tarzan did (he obviously never worked with a "real" database, probably a microsoft access guy all his life), null would indicate the true absence of value.

But...shouldn't the name field be non nullable?

(oh, and I bet I can predict the wife's answer)
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #175295 is a reply to message #175266] Thu, 01 June 2006 10:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Frank
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Problem with Null as a name is that it is a paradox. As soon as you name him Null, his name will be known and no longer be Null, leaving him with no name, whence Null...
Wouldn't tell the wife this..
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #175406 is a reply to message #175295] Fri, 02 June 2006 03:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rleishman
Messages: 3728
Registered: October 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Well, with an L-surname, I can always go for N.U.L.L. initials. Or better yet: S.Q.L.
DML, DDL, limitless opportunities.
And for the mainfraim buffs: JCL, COBOL....

Still waiting for my wife's feedback on the Null idea. Strangely, she's not talking to me at the moment...? Not sure why.
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #175415 is a reply to message #175406] Fri, 02 June 2006 03:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Littlefoot
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Perhaps she's asleep? Wink
Re: Baby Names - who's right [message #175509 is a reply to message #173251] Fri, 02 June 2006 09:47 Go to previous message
smartin
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Registered: March 2005
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
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I like the initials idea...my last name starts with M, which also has options. I'll have to keep that in mind if/when we have another kid.

Might be best not to mention the initial part though to the mrs, but I'd probably tell her anyway if nothing else to watch her reaction.

Speaking of initials, an old friend of mine (well, his wife), named their son Alexander. They gave a middle name of Steven. And, unfortunately for the little one, his last name also starts with S.
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