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Help[Opinions] Naming a child after a celebrity?
WDYTO naming a child after a celebrity? Especially a name strongly associated with that person?
Would you feel differently if someone honored David Bowie (for example) by naming their kid David, than you would if they named the kid Bowie? Or would naming the kid after a celebrity at all be crossing a line into worship or crazy fanatic territory? Are the lives of celebrities too loaded to burden a child with that association?
Are there any names of famous people you'd consider using?
and this is but an island in an ocean
Would you feel differently if someone honored David Bowie (for example) by naming their kid David, than you would if they named the kid Bowie? Or would naming the kid after a celebrity at all be crossing a line into worship or crazy fanatic territory? Are the lives of celebrities too loaded to burden a child with that association?
Are there any names of famous people you'd consider using?
and this is but an island in an ocean
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Isn't it weird that Bowie seems more mainstream than Madonna? Why is that? That ones seems fairly acceptable but the other is kind of absurd.
That's how I feel anyway.
It depends on the reason you're honouring your celeb. If it's because they donate to charity, build houses in disadvantaged countries, work with disabled children, came from nothing and made a name for themselves, are well known for their grit and determination -- all that good stuff then yeah! How is it any different than using a virtue name?
If you're naming your kid, Kardashian, I think you need to take a long hard look in the mirror.
That's how I feel anyway.
It depends on the reason you're honouring your celeb. If it's because they donate to charity, build houses in disadvantaged countries, work with disabled children, came from nothing and made a name for themselves, are well known for their grit and determination -- all that good stuff then yeah! How is it any different than using a virtue name?
If you're naming your kid, Kardashian, I think you need to take a long hard look in the mirror.
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Well, I only like it if it's after a celebrity I'm keen on. :D
Seriously, I think it's fine, you don't have to honor a family member, you can honor any other people you find inspiring. If I wanted to honor David Bowie, I'd much rather use Bowie or Ziggy than David. I prefer David as a name but it's too generic. Using Bowie would be more obvious and fitting for honoring purposes.
I don't admire any celebrity enough to honor them literally, but I'd consider using Vincent (for Frank Vincent Zappa and Vincent van Gogh, also for the song "Vincent" by Don McLean, which is dedicated to van Gogh).
Seriously, I think it's fine, you don't have to honor a family member, you can honor any other people you find inspiring. If I wanted to honor David Bowie, I'd much rather use Bowie or Ziggy than David. I prefer David as a name but it's too generic. Using Bowie would be more obvious and fitting for honoring purposes.
I don't admire any celebrity enough to honor them literally, but I'd consider using Vincent (for Frank Vincent Zappa and Vincent van Gogh, also for the song "Vincent" by Don McLean, which is dedicated to van Gogh).
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It's slightly dangerous to name a child after any living person because they could always do something after the child is named that embarrasses you. :)
But I think if one has good reasons to admire someone and can articulate those reasons to the child when they later ask why you gave them their name, there's nothing wrong with it. I would hope that parents who do this would be honoring the person because of their artistic talent, charitable good works, etc. instead of just their wealth and fame, though.
I should also point out that I don't think that most parents who give their child a name which suddenly becomes more popular because of publicity given a celebrity (or fictional character) are actually consciously naming their child "after" the celebrity. I think most of them just hear the name and think it's a cool "new" name for their baby, without intending to honor the person who introduced it into their consciousness.
But I think if one has good reasons to admire someone and can articulate those reasons to the child when they later ask why you gave them their name, there's nothing wrong with it. I would hope that parents who do this would be honoring the person because of their artistic talent, charitable good works, etc. instead of just their wealth and fame, though.
I should also point out that I don't think that most parents who give their child a name which suddenly becomes more popular because of publicity given a celebrity (or fictional character) are actually consciously naming their child "after" the celebrity. I think most of them just hear the name and think it's a cool "new" name for their baby, without intending to honor the person who introduced it into their consciousness.
This message was edited 5/16/2019, 6:58 AM
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It depends on the name. I don't think it's strange to name a son David for David Bowie, or a daughter Stevie for Stevie Nicks, but I'd be sorry for an Axl named in honour of Axl Rose, or a girl whose parents liked Zendaya's acting so much they named their daughter Zendaya. It might be because I dislike surnames used as first names in general, but while I wouldn't mind if someone honoured David Bowie by naming their son David, I'd think it strange if they called him Bowie. Of course, it might also be because I can name many famous Davids, and only one famous Bowie. It might also be unpleasant for a child to be named after a celebrity that is later exposed as, say, a sexual predator, like Michael Jackson or Kevin Spacey. Many celebrities have names I'd consider using, but none in their honour.
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Whether an "honor name" or not, I would not consider using a name that I don't, or didn't, like.
This message was edited 5/16/2019, 1:47 AM
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I wouldn't do it personally, but people can do what they like. I think David is a safer choice than Bowie.
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My son Peter happens to share a birthday with Peter Sellars - brilliant performer, but in person, not a role model! However, he'd have been Peter anyway so I don't think it counts. His first mn is David, but with reference to my birth ln and a good friend - not Bowie.
But, both Sellars and Bowie had good, classic, production-line fns. Naming a child Iggypop or Gaga would be very different and, I think, unthinkable!
But, both Sellars and Bowie had good, classic, production-line fns. Naming a child Iggypop or Gaga would be very different and, I think, unthinkable!
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Hi !!!
I think that it is not so different to call a baby after anyone else. They all are honouring names after people who are an inspiration.
I dislike if it is done because of a trend though.
I'm thinking on using Elizabeth (not the Italian Elisabetta as everyone would suppose) on a girl after Queen Elizabeth II.
It would be a "celebrity" name because actually she is and also because there is an Italian form of this name but I would use the English one.
I think that it is not so different to call a baby after anyone else. They all are honouring names after people who are an inspiration.
I dislike if it is done because of a trend though.
I'm thinking on using Elizabeth (not the Italian Elisabetta as everyone would suppose) on a girl after Queen Elizabeth II.
It would be a "celebrity" name because actually she is and also because there is an Italian form of this name but I would use the English one.
This message was edited 5/15/2019, 11:57 PM
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