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Help[Opinions] Oleander
Yes I know it's an extremely poisonous plant...
BUT
It's been in my head for awhile now but I'm still not quite sure if I like it.
I can't remember where I first heard it used as a name, but I do know I later heard it used on a minor character on the animated kids show Jimmy Neutron (it's a boy by the way).
Also I'm not sure if I like it on a boy or a girl. I'm leaning towards boy since it has the same sort of sound/ending as Alexander, Lysander etc.
WDYT?
BUT
It's been in my head for awhile now but I'm still not quite sure if I like it.
I can't remember where I first heard it used as a name, but I do know I later heard it used on a minor character on the animated kids show Jimmy Neutron (it's a boy by the way).
Also I'm not sure if I like it on a boy or a girl. I'm leaning towards boy since it has the same sort of sound/ending as Alexander, Lysander etc.
WDYT?
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Replies
It would be terrible on a girl. But it's not good on a boy either...
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When I hear it, I can't help but remember when I was a kid and parents and teachers saying: "Don't you ever touch an oleander! The flowers are pretty, but it's very poisonous! If you touch it you die!". Which is probably exagerated, but can't shake the idea it's something you can't go anywhere near, so, not the best of associations.
On the top of that, it just looks really pretentious on both genders and too flowery and girly for a boy. What about Leander?
On the top of that, it just looks really pretentious on both genders and too flowery and girly for a boy. What about Leander?
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I really like the name, and because of the ending -ander, I prefer it on a boy. It would be a very nice (and pretty original) alternative to Oliver, in my opinion.
Ollie would be a cute nickname for a boy named Oleander, as would Andy. As suggested previously, you could also simply drop the 'O' and call him Leander for short: this is a valid masculine name.
Other nicknames I can think of are: Lander, Landry and Lenny.
Ollie would be a cute nickname for a boy named Oleander, as would Andy. As suggested previously, you could also simply drop the 'O' and call him Leander for short: this is a valid masculine name.
Other nicknames I can think of are: Lander, Landry and Lenny.
This message was edited 11/30/2007, 8:06 AM
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All I think about is the book and movie "White Oleander". I don't know if you know either, but it's a story about a mother who kills her boyfriend and is sentence to life in prison and how her daughter copes with it while being in foster care. So it's not the best associations for me.
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I'm not going to be getting over the 'extremely poisonous plant' thing. Anyway, I don't like random words being used as names, whether their meaning is good or bad. It definetly sounds more appropriate on a boy than a girl.
How about Leander instead? Almost exactly the same, a legit name, and not connected to a poisonous plant.
How about Leander instead? Almost exactly the same, a legit name, and not connected to a poisonous plant.
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I didn't know Oleander was a poisonous plant lol. I like it, it sounds cool. I associate it with Mr. Oleander, a character on the TV show Degrassi. So I think of it as a boys name.
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I dislike Oleander for a variety of reasons. However, I love the similar Leander...it's one of my *top* names for a boy.
Oleander definitely has a masculine feel to it to me.
Oleander definitely has a masculine feel to it to me.
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Ivy itself is not poisonous. It's a vine. A rather pretty one. Poison Ivy is a different plant than Ivy itself, so a person named Ivy is not taking her name from the harmful variety.
Although I agree, I don't think the fact the plant is poisonous matters much; I don't know how many people even know that off the top of their heads about oleander. That said, I just don't like the sound of it as a girls' name.
Although I agree, I don't think the fact the plant is poisonous matters much; I don't know how many people even know that off the top of their heads about oleander. That said, I just don't like the sound of it as a girls' name.
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Nice name, but I'd limit it to a girl just as I would with nearly all flower names. Think of names like Lily, Rose, Iris, Heather, Laurel, Ivy, Daisy, Olive and so forth. The category is essentially feminine.
Would you always call the child by a four-syllable name, or would it become a shortened version? If so, what would the short name be?
Would you always call the child by a four-syllable name, or would it become a shortened version? If so, what would the short name be?
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