Do you know the reasoning behind why you got your name?

[NordicInScandinavia]

I know my mom had pretty much no choice, my dad LOVES telling how he had always said he wanted to name his first born son and daughter after his parents and then if he got more kids he'd not care, especially since we'd also be sharing their last names since he was named after their fathers.

At least I'm named after a great woman, who is named after supposedly even greater woman - which I've a hard time believing is true, since my grandma was the best.

[WhiteSteve]

Hahaha, kind of a funny story, in that my mom wanted to name me “Hamilton”…. do not ask me why, lmfao. I feel like that would’ve negatively shaped my life experience😂

Luckily, my dad saved the day, and was like “absolutely fucking NOT”, and I ended up with “Steven”, or “Steve.” My dad says it was supposed to be like the old actor Steve McQueen, who was nicknamed “The King Of Cool”…. that is WAY more what I’m looking for.

I have a somewhat similar last name to him too, and I’ve been complimented on my full name before. A chick at a weed dispensary said “wow, that’s a great name!”, and then this old guy I helped out and got to talking with a little at my old bar job, he introduced himself, and in a professional situation I give my full name when I introduce myself. When I told him, he looked briefly taken aback, and he said “that sounds like a stage name!”, lmao.

I don’t know, I thought that was kind of cool, albeit a bit of an overreaction on his end. I never really think of it, how my name comes off, but to hear that some people are like “damn, that’s a cool name”, I guess I like that😝 It’s nothing special, fairly simple, but it just rolls off the tongue well, I guess, and has a little “action hero” to it, haha.

“Steve” is a Steve name. “Hamilton” is a Stu name, lmfao.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/9UefQYjG7rM

Ham Porter, lmfao, that would’ve been my destiny😂😂😂

[NicholasRedone]

There's the whole Santa Claus / cute aspects and British influence, not just a Greek name or a name given to sporting icon Nike lol.

And let's face it - I seem like that kind of personality. Call me a nice guy and cringe, however + however 👀 👀 👀

[HelpfulWoman]

not anymore.
my mum said I was the only kid out of 3 she named as the other 2 were named by her mother.
my dad said he named me.
My mum has previously commited benefit fraud with me as an accomplice (think 12 year old) and told my sister me and other sibling were products of rape to get her to stop feeling "inferior" to us...

[Beckybooboo]

My mom's name is Betsy and she absolutely hates it! When my dad introduced her to his friend, he thought my dad said "Becky" and his friend continues to call her Becky to this day. My mom fell in love with the name and said if she ever has a daughter, she's gonna name her "Becky". Enter me!

[Anonymous]

My aunt died really young due to complications with Lupus before I was born, so I was named after her. Unfortunately her death was super painful for my family understandably. As a side effect, they have never called me by my first name. Recently I actually had a discussion with them about this in that I understand back then why it was tough, but it's decades later, and they aren't actually honoring her name by literally never saying it, so now they try to say it more.

[Shiprex]

I got the same name as my father and middle name from his older brother and my godfather.

[NordicInScandinavia]

I've never understood people naming their kids after themselves. 🙈 I'm kinda resenting my HUGE ass family, for not naming their kid after our grandma, she deserves being remembered in future generations but I'll be damned if I name my kid after myself. So I guess I'll be the last of us.

[Shiprex]

I think it's easier as there brings in some heritage and is less cringe than naming it after the Hotel/City/country/month/Movie star/Disney character etc. that has become "trendy". Like you say named after someone IMPORTANT in their and your life is kinda nice to feel part of something real

[NordicInScandinavia]

It might be, but it's like honouring yourself opposed to honouring your heritage kinda thing in my opinion, but I do agree it is way better than to name your child after some insignificant thing or name your kid "ugly", no kidding, that IS a name. My mom dated a kid named Ugly son of ugly (translated), a very mad case of naming your kid after yourself. 😂
We have a couple of forenames that run back to 1400 something that keep on circling around and I love that. If I ever have the fortune of having a child, they'll be getting one of those as a middle name.

[Shiprex]

Sorry but I had to chuckle at naming a kid Ugly. It is like Asian names where the name is also associated with other terms like sunrise or money.
I worked in a place where a kid had a name Yoyo and another Toffee But again that's the English chosen name rather than their Asian name. One of our friends in Asia has a young kid who called herself Circle which is actually quite cute I thought because pronunciation is important for the English name selection.
I worked also with kids from a family where one was called Tiger and others had been named after mythical characters.
Living in Sweden I have seen a large range of Scandinavian names, much wider than my Celtic roots, that can be quite astounding. Working in the International education here also has a massive range of unusual names and attendance calling can become quite a challenge when you've folk from all around the world when you've got to take careful consideration of how you name them
There is one kid who stands out though and his Surname is Easy and I think THAT is pretty cool.

[NordicInScandinavia]

Everyone has to chuckle a little bit over that one. But yeah, the Icelandic language and our names can be quite literal and amusing when translated.

I must say that most Asians I know, have pretty regular names and their children either Icelandic/Danish.

I'm one of those with a challenging name, I don't need to be called up before I know it's my turn places because the indivual calling my name will be pacing around looking all nervous 9 times out of 10. I've cursed my parents for giving me my name MANY times growing up. Now that I know the story behind my grandma's name (&Icelandic superstitions) and how she managed to live up to her name and now I try to do the same.

[Shiprex]

Yes the calling out of names can be an amusing if not traumatic time for the called and the caller. Some students from the Indian and Asian subcontinent have really long names that you fond can be tough to pronounce then they respond with just call me Jess. Like the register can't put a preferred name down in brackets. They said computers would make life easier. Pfft!

[NordicInScandinavia]

Lol, my siblings often get a weird look when introducing themselves. Their names shout Nordic, however their appearance does not and it's been amusing (and probably draining for them) at times. You'd think you'd not be able to butcher a 4 letter name but you can and it's done to me daily. 😅 Even Jess can be read in multiple of ways. (I know some who'd read it y-es)

[Shiprex]

In Sweden when I am speaking English or Swedish I will pronounce the name in the way the person introduces themselves so as to get it right in their ears BUT some will adjust their name for English listeners. It's something I have found as being very attentive to others by locals

[NordicInScandinavia]

I'm so rude, that I at times ask people if that is how they pronounce their names or if they're trying to make it more accessible to me. 😅 I've yet to met a person that doesn't appreciate me trying to call them by their names correctly. I've butchered many names until I got them correct.

[Shiprex]

This resonates with me too. It's important to people in public when you address them to hear the way they want to be called as it should as an error can create some degree of comedy that may not disappear.

[RingOfFire]

The weird thing is that I know where I got my middle name, but I don't know where I got my first name. My mother passed away 2 years ago and I forgot to ask her!

[NordicInScandinavia]

My condolences

[RingOfFire]

Thank you. 💐

[jazzy34]

Yes. I’m named after a television actress. She was famous in the late 80s/early 90s. My mom thought she was really pretty. 😊

[HungTexan]

My middle name is the same as my Dad. My first name is an old family name.

[elizamichale1]

It was my mum's work name.. she loved this name n had told dad this is the name their daughter would get

[nawtee_me]

Then shouldn’t you be elizamichele2 if your mom was the first elizamichele. lol

[elizamichale1]

@nawtee_me lol Eliza was her work name not real name but she loved her name... n this is not the first account coz tht was suspended by gag so my brother made this n added 1 with my name

[andreasderjuengere]

I do. Andreas was one ancestor of mine with good conduct, honourable achievements and reaching an unusually high age for 'our' ancestry.

[MemeSupreme]

yes

not gonna say it tho bc it'd give away my name right away lol

[MisterWack]

I’m a mister and I’m wack.

Anymore questions?

[Joshydavid25]

My mother is a devout Christian and gave my two brothers and I Biblical names.. Caleb and Joshua crossed the Jordan River to get to Jericho..

[KostasKouvalis]

My parents said they named me after an Irish king, which si weird 'cuz we're not even Irish

[bolverk]

I was named by my Maternal Great-grandmother, it is a Welsh name that translates to 'small man' in English, which has turned out to be a bit ironic, as I'm 6'2" very broad through the shoulders and weigh 300lbs - all muscle.

[AviatorTom]

My first name is just one that was popular for boys when I was born... my parents liked it. My middle name is after my maternal grandfather.

[Mynameisbobby]

Robert was my dad's middle name that's how I got my name.

[CubaPirate]

Yes I was named after my father's brother who died in a motorbike accident before I was born

[Anonymous]

My mom named me. She wanted a name that sounded WASPy without being too stuffy.

[Jerre]

Yes. My mother saw it in an advertisement in Look Magazine

[Jerre]

@nordicinscandinavia Thank you for the Like

[OlderAndWiser]

My paternal grandfather was OlderAndWiser, my father was OlderAndWiser, Jr., and I am OlderAndWiser III.

[clampfan101]

I inherited it from my dad, who inherited it from his dad. When I finally get married and start having children, my firstborn son will be the fourth. (Something I’ve never heard of in modern times. I hope it makes him feel like a prince!)

[Alexa6]

I was named after my grandmother. From my father side.

[ShellyB]

I was named after one of my mom’s friends, she just always liked the name.

[D_Bone_Steak]

dick bone... doesn't take a genius Einstein

[DizzyDesii]

My mom said she named me after some random white french lady that she met one day

[LiamJHayden]

I like to think that it's because my parents were Billy Batson fans, but I actually do not know why. My dad's middle name was Joseph, but not sure where the Liam came from.

[NathanDavis]

my great-grandma

[Apple1996]

I'm named after a singer

[nawtee_me]

Come on we know you are the actual singer…. lol

[OneViewpoint]

No clue what my parents were thinking.

[TwoToTooTutu2]

It belonged to an old family member.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I was named after an Archangel.

[RageBabe]

From a song.

[Simslover92]

Soap opera

[Chargirllll]

No I never even cared

[Professor-college]

Yes. My parents told me why i have my name

[PaleDale]

No, I wish I did