New Post
Search
Help[Opinions] Malcolm.
This is the name we've chosen for a boy and I've shared it with some people. All of the reactions so far have been lukewarm, which surprises me. It got pretty positive reviews on the board, from a wide variety of people. Do you guys think that it's old-fashioned or weird? Is it really tease-worthy, or am I being unduly worried? I really don't want my kid to hate their name, which seems to be a family curse. I hate my name, my sister hates hers, my mom hates her and my dad hates his. (My dad is the only one with a real excuse - being a male named Lynn is not easy.)
Thanks!
Thanks!
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
I wouldn't worry too much about it. Most people are weird about names pre-baby and there's really no accounting for taste, it's impossible to pick a name everyone is excited about. Malcolm is a fine name and they'll get used to it! I'm afraid I can't give any advice on making sure someone doesn't hate their name, some people just do and you can't control how future-Malcolm might feel
1
Yeah, I'm not sure how you would do that, either. You never know whether a kid is going to like their name or not, because you're going by YOUR taste, not THEIRS. That's just life.
1
ditto...
And you don't know if some person named Malcolm is going to make a name for himself by doing something horrible that everybody remembers for generations and his name gets associated with it, like Adolf. That was a perfectly respectable and fairly common name till Hitler came along and did what he did, assisted by another Adolf, Eichmann. Just like that, Adolf was poison and probably will be for a good long time. It wouldn't have happened with Hans or Peter or Wilhelm, but Adolf was distinctive enough to be singled out, fair or no fair.
And you don't know if some person named Malcolm is going to make a name for himself by doing something horrible that everybody remembers for generations and his name gets associated with it, like Adolf. That was a perfectly respectable and fairly common name till Hitler came along and did what he did, assisted by another Adolf, Eichmann. Just like that, Adolf was poison and probably will be for a good long time. It wouldn't have happened with Hans or Peter or Wilhelm, but Adolf was distinctive enough to be singled out, fair or no fair.
1
For some reason, Hans Hitler just doesn't sound as menacing. :/
1
I wonder (ot)
Surely there must have been a huge influx of baby boy Adolphs during Hitler's reign. I wonder if after his fall, all those Adolphs changed their names or if there is a lot of old guys named Adolph in Germany and it's not as shocking a name over there.
Surely there must have been a huge influx of baby boy Adolphs during Hitler's reign. I wonder if after his fall, all those Adolphs changed their names or if there is a lot of old guys named Adolph in Germany and it's not as shocking a name over there.
1
I have met one Adolf. He was a counselor I went to once as a teenager. Very German last name too and I didn't know what to expect. He turned out to be a very, very nice man, hard to guess his age, maybe around fifty, and this would be about 1995 or 1996. No idea where he was born, no accent of any kind.
1
Well, there are still quite a few older guys named Adolf around. I'd say the youngest ones are in their late 60s now.
Is it a shocking name? Hmm. On a baby born today it definitely would be. More than ever, actually. But that wasn't the question. On those older guys... it's kind of ambiguous. I mean, our generation, people in their 20s, we are probably the last ones to grow up with living Adolfs still around. So, you know, first, when you are little, they are just "Grandpa Adolf" or "Adolf, the elderly man from down the road" to you. It's just a normal name. No different than "Grandpa Richard" or "Albert, the next door neighbor". Then, however, when you start taking History classes in 5th or 6th grade, the name becomes sort of a huge "ummmm, yeah, ewww, oy!" to you. Then, by 8th or 9th grade, you learn about the full scope of what living in the Third Reich actually meant, what the Nazis did, how all of this could happen; it's taught not only in History class but in virtually every class at school (well, maybe not Maths, but you know...), you visit concentration camps, etc. And at home you start asking questions. That's at least how it was at my school and the experiences my friends and I made. Could be different for others.
So, anyway, when it comes to the name Adolf, the lines are a bit blurry, I'd say. There is a certain shock value, of course there is. Then again, there are those elderly men from your childhood. It's all a bit... um... "schizophrenic", if you can call it that.
And of course the name is considered totally unusable here, but I think that goes without saying.
Is it a shocking name? Hmm. On a baby born today it definitely would be. More than ever, actually. But that wasn't the question. On those older guys... it's kind of ambiguous. I mean, our generation, people in their 20s, we are probably the last ones to grow up with living Adolfs still around. So, you know, first, when you are little, they are just "Grandpa Adolf" or "Adolf, the elderly man from down the road" to you. It's just a normal name. No different than "Grandpa Richard" or "Albert, the next door neighbor". Then, however, when you start taking History classes in 5th or 6th grade, the name becomes sort of a huge "ummmm, yeah, ewww, oy!" to you. Then, by 8th or 9th grade, you learn about the full scope of what living in the Third Reich actually meant, what the Nazis did, how all of this could happen; it's taught not only in History class but in virtually every class at school (well, maybe not Maths, but you know...), you visit concentration camps, etc. And at home you start asking questions. That's at least how it was at my school and the experiences my friends and I made. Could be different for others.
So, anyway, when it comes to the name Adolf, the lines are a bit blurry, I'd say. There is a certain shock value, of course there is. Then again, there are those elderly men from your childhood. It's all a bit... um... "schizophrenic", if you can call it that.
And of course the name is considered totally unusable here, but I think that goes without saying.
This message was edited 5/13/2013, 4:13 PM
1
No, it's hard to see a Hans as scary or threatening.
1
Right, same with Benito, which isn't even an Italian name to start with. If Mussolini's name had been Giuseppe or Giovanni, I doubt it would have fallen out of use or be considered the Italian equivalent of Adolf as Benito is in Italy. And Myra fell out of use in England after Myra Hindley indeed because it wasn't something like Anne or Elizabeth.
And something tells me we won't be seeing many Silvio's been born, at least not in a certain part of the population.
And something tells me we won't be seeing many Silvio's been born, at least not in a certain part of the population.
This message was edited 5/14/2013, 2:32 AM
1
You're being unduly worried. Malcolm is respectable, it's easily pronounced, it's versatile, a kid can grow up with it, it's a good name. If you're getting lukewarm reactions, it's probably just because it's...one of those names. It's not bad , but it's not going to excite a lot of people, and that's okay. The way I see it is, I would rather choose a name that inspired lukewarm reactions than negative ones. All that matters is that YOU love the name.
It's also important to remember that most people IRL are not namenerds. The reactions you get here are just going to be different. We're weirdos- most people don't keep lists of combos or get excited with the SSA list comes out.
It's also important to remember that most people IRL are not namenerds. The reactions you get here are just going to be different. We're weirdos- most people don't keep lists of combos or get excited with the SSA list comes out.
This message was edited 5/13/2013, 11:55 AM
1
And if you needed another reason to use the name...
...I give you this man...
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000532/
C'moooon! ;)
...I give you this man...
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000532/
C'moooon! ;)
1
I've never liked Malcolm to be honest. I find it boring, dull and too old-fashioned. I just can't picture it on a kid. But, it's your child and your choice. Go with what you guys like.
1
I've only known one or two men named Malcolm so I can't say it's dated or old fashioned even though they were much older than me. The name seems pretty fresh in my mind. Also, I'm not sure what he could be teased about. True, the name won't be common compared to those of his peers, but that's a good thing, right? BTW, I find it quite handsome and it was my 14-year-old dd who turned me on to the name. ;-)
1
Don't stress!
Billina is right- Malcolm isn't an 'exciting' name. It isn't super fashionable, so all the non-name nerds aren't going to squeal over it, the way they might with Elijah or Jackson or something...names they might have considered using themselves.
It is a strong and respectable name, but probably not a name that they've given a lot of thought to themselves before. It is one of those names that is just *there*.
Lukewarm is better than negative. And there aren't really many (if any) cons to the name that I can see. No real teasing potential, long history of usage, nickname potential that makes it more approachable when he is a teen if he wants it, not too common, easily pronounceable. It isn't a name I'd pick but I can't think of a single good reason not to use it.
He/she is the child of you and X- it could be your only child and you need to choose a name that represents the two of you and that you both love. It is hard enough finding a name two people both love, you'll never find a name everyone loves!
Billina is right- Malcolm isn't an 'exciting' name. It isn't super fashionable, so all the non-name nerds aren't going to squeal over it, the way they might with Elijah or Jackson or something...names they might have considered using themselves.
It is a strong and respectable name, but probably not a name that they've given a lot of thought to themselves before. It is one of those names that is just *there*.
Lukewarm is better than negative. And there aren't really many (if any) cons to the name that I can see. No real teasing potential, long history of usage, nickname potential that makes it more approachable when he is a teen if he wants it, not too common, easily pronounceable. It isn't a name I'd pick but I can't think of a single good reason not to use it.
He/she is the child of you and X- it could be your only child and you need to choose a name that represents the two of you and that you both love. It is hard enough finding a name two people both love, you'll never find a name everyone loves!
1
If I had a son today, there is a good chance his name would be Malcolm. It's not old-fashioned, weird, or tease-worthy, IMO. I think you are being unduly worried. Malcolm is a perfectly fine name, and it won't be your fault if he does hate his name.
1
I like it, though sometimes it reminds me of that show Malcolm in the Middle.
1
Yes, it's a little old-fashioned, and yes it's a little weird. It's just the right amount of both. It's a name that feels like it could be old, but doesn't feel dated in the way that once-overused names do (like, say, Douglas). It also has some trendy sound/style to it - like Cormac and Malachi and Lincoln - but it's too sturdy, too easy to deal with, and too frequent to seem hipster-spunky-fresh.
It's not tease-worthy. If hating one's own name is a family trait, you can't fight that by giving your kid that name instead of this. He'll still hate it.
I think you should stop telling people, especially people older than yourself, because taking their discouraging reactions to heart can wreck you for naming. You won't ever find a good name that makes them all happy and is also really freaking cool like Malcolm is. All people will think of, when you tell them a disembodied name, is some image they dredge up from memory - and usually it'll be negative, for any male name that isn't frequent on men, or popular on babies. But when you introduce a baby with the name, they're motivated to be positive, not negative. They say hmmmm .. aha, that really is a nifty ol' name.
I know I told you this but ... when I met a little boy called Malcolm, it completely crystallized for me, what a cool name it is. I think it's smart and manly and serious, but it has enough spunk to be worn by someone young and sassy.
It's not tease-worthy. If hating one's own name is a family trait, you can't fight that by giving your kid that name instead of this. He'll still hate it.
I think you should stop telling people, especially people older than yourself, because taking their discouraging reactions to heart can wreck you for naming. You won't ever find a good name that makes them all happy and is also really freaking cool like Malcolm is. All people will think of, when you tell them a disembodied name, is some image they dredge up from memory - and usually it'll be negative, for any male name that isn't frequent on men, or popular on babies. But when you introduce a baby with the name, they're motivated to be positive, not negative. They say hmmmm .. aha, that really is a nifty ol' name.
I know I told you this but ... when I met a little boy called Malcolm, it completely crystallized for me, what a cool name it is. I think it's smart and manly and serious, but it has enough spunk to be worn by someone young and sassy.
1
thanks.
It was my brothers who gave me pause. Both are school teachers and both raised objections. Malcolm will be one of those names that isn't liked, but once the baby is born no one will say a word. Except for my Mom, but she'll get over it. I just wanted to check reactions again. This board has a wide range of people and the name seems accepted by all types.
It was my brothers who gave me pause. Both are school teachers and both raised objections. Malcolm will be one of those names that isn't liked, but once the baby is born no one will say a word. Except for my Mom, but she'll get over it. I just wanted to check reactions again. This board has a wide range of people and the name seems accepted by all types.
1
Well, it's been on our short list of names we agree on for ages, and since it's also a family name, it's probably what we'd use for a second son, so I love it. And when I was canvassing our friends and family, it was very well received. Though since its a family name, maybe they're just biased remembering dear old Uncle Malcolm? I digress. I do think it's a little old fashioned and a little weird, but in a good way, that's what I like in a name. As far as the name hating thing, I think unless you name your kid something outlandish, chances are he won't hate it. Most folks I know don't give their names that much thought, kwim? Naming is just like every other aspect of parenting, all you can do is make a reasonable choice and hope for the best ;).
1
I like Malcolm, it's a perfectly pleasant name. You have no control as to whether he'll like his name or not. And, I'm not usually the one to make this argument, but it's your (and Xander's) child, not theirs!
1
I personally don't like it, but it's not tease-worthy or particularly weird. I think he'll be fine. There's always a chance that your kid will hate their name. If you name him something popular and maybe more "socially-accepted", he might hate his name because of its popularity. It's a pretty unique name, and he might actually grow to like it for that very reason. Do what you want, and don't fret too much about it :)
1
A good name.
I love it. It's a good name. It's fairly common where I grew up, a town that was largely ethnically Scottish (in Nova Scotia[New Scotland].)
I love it. It's a good name. It's fairly common where I grew up, a town that was largely ethnically Scottish (in Nova Scotia[New Scotland].)
1