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[Opinions] Holden
I really like this name but I'm not sure whether it's usable. Wdyt? Isn't it tied too much to the character? Also I know that there is a car company with this name... =/
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I think it makes quite a nice name actually. You're right, there is a car company called Holden. It's not trendy or popular here in Australia, so I like it.
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For me it's more tied to the car - Holden is one of the more popular car brands here in New Zealand, and I've never read Catcher in the Rye, although I am aware of it. It's more of a secondary association for me. I would probably like the name more if I had read the book and associated the name mainly with the character, but as it is, Holden reminds me of tosser boy-racers and I really dislike it.

This message was edited 5/6/2008, 7:20 PM

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I love the name Holden! It's been one of my favorite names since high school. Yes I read Catcher in the Rye and I love that book, it's one of my favorites...I feel like once you bring a baby home and name him Holden you'll think of the baby and not the character any more. He'll get a few comments on Catcher in the Rye but what's wrong with that? It's a great book. I got the reference from Little House in the Prarie since my name is Laura and it never bugged me. Holden William is most likely gonna be one of my kid's names eventually lol. Plus it means "Hollow Valley" and i just get the image of a peacefull little secluded green valley and it's a nice thing to come to mind in my opinion.
I mean it's getting a smidge trendy I guess...but as long as you like the name it shouldn't matter. Go with Holden. I love it!
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Its nice but its getting trendy.
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Ditto.I do like it though.
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I don't like it because it's a surname and very trendy-sounding.
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It's usable - but it's trendy, and I think most people will think of the character. I personally don't think that's a bad thing, as I think Holden Caulfield is a great character. I wouldn't use it, but I wouldn't mind it on another boy. On a girl, though? Not so much.
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I like Holden very much. Not because of the character but a lot of people will think of that. It's so long since I read the book, it doesn't colour my perception of Holden at all anymore. I remember he was pretty miserable and because of that, I think Holden sounds a bit unhappy.

This message was edited 5/6/2008, 1:11 PM

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Way too Catcher in the Rye. And reminiscent of "hold" and surnamey.
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A lot of people may think of the character (though I must admit I've never read the Catcher in the Rye) but it's quite trendy now, so it's not out of bounds, though he might get a few comments through his life, just as a casual comment might be given to a Juliet, it's not going to bother them constantly. I've never heard of a car company named Holden, but that's hardly teasing material.
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What character?I don't really like it myself.
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From The catcher in the rye...I had to read this book in my last year at high school, you didn't? I thought it's a part of high school curricula in most countries all over the world...

This message was edited 5/6/2008, 12:09 PM

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Nope.
I read Henry V, The History of Mr Polly and To Kill a Mockingbird at GCSE.
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What's GCSE?
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General certificate of secondary education = set of exams students have to pass in Britain...or at least I think I'm from central Europe =)
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GCSEs are just for England and Wales
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and Northern Ireland :)
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I wasn't sure about Ireland because they're devolved as well. Must not be in control of education?
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So, did you go to high school?No offence meant, of course. Did you go to normal schooling, or just take a test, or both? I'm a little confused, here.
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I think it would be the equilvalent of SATs? Whatever you take at that age. You can do A-levels at age 17-18 before university (college) which are optional.
Just to clarify.
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What I don't get is...Are those the only three books you read your last year of high school, and what do these tests have to do with the amount of or the books you read? Just curious. =)

This message was edited 5/6/2008, 1:56 PM

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hmm. let me think..
There was a lot of poetry we had to do. Mostly modern stuff. It was a book of poetry, each half of the year did half of the poems.
There was a bit of coursework on media, we did the film version of To Kill a Mockingbird and Where Eagles Dare (teacher's favourite film).
Some creative writing coursework.
I can't really remember much, i'm afraid.
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You're right, they're taken at ages 15-16 and are basic qualifications
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You're lucky we've had to read about 12 different books every year at high school.
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Wow,You all had it easy, we have 30-40 books to read every year of high school (Croatia and worl literature) + 1 book a month in every foreign language we had (English and German for me, and Spanish for 2 years).
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I liked the reading part!
I just hated essays.. especially creative writing, ugh!
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Yeah anything is better than creative writng, I mean not everybody has the talent so why torture poor students
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A girl at my school got pregnant last year and named her son Holden. She was going to name him Holden Caulfield, but he ended up Holden James. She apparently really liked The Catcher in the Rye.I think it is very much tied to the book, and it has a very trendy sound (being a surname and all, and ending with -en) but I don't think it's unusable. The Catcher in the Rye is a pretty well-respected book. Just expect quite a few comments on it ("Oh, was he named for the character?")
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