Why do people like names that are plain, common, and boring?

Names like John, Peter, Michael, Lisa, and Linda are all so common. These names mean nothing.





Why do some people get ticked off knowing that other babies around them have more unique names?

Why do people like names that are plain, common, and boring?
Excuse me! My name is Linda and I resemble that remark!! lol! No, seriously, how can you say that these names mean "nothing". Have you done any research on them? Most of these "old" names are steeped in tradition and meaning and hold much meaning for both the people named them and their parents' who chose the names. Either for family or meaning or whatever.





Linda, for your information, means "pretty" in Spanish.


Peter means "rock" in Greek (as in strong as a rock)


John means "God is gracious" in Hebrew


Michael means "Who is like God" in Hebrew


Lisa means "God is my oath" and is English in origin





These names are common for a reason. They are classics.





They are not fabricated like some of the bizarre names I see on here. I have nothing against unique names and I believe that people should name their children as they wish (hopefully keeping the interests of their children in mind above their own shallow egos), but I don't think that anybody should put down others' names. We all have personal preferences and most of them are going to differ and if they didn't the world would be a pretty boring place.





It's not peoples' unique names that tick me off but the judgmentalism I see in ridiculous questions such as this one!
Reply:While you are entitled to your opinion. Lisa, Linda, and Peter are no longer common names and all of these names are beautiful, classic and have meaning. And then there are names like Maeylaehah which has no meaning and can't be spelled or pronounced and names like Aquanetta which have no meaning except to imply a big can of hairspray. I certainly would never be "ticked off" because some poor kid had a horribly "unique" name when I chose to give my child a beautiful, classic, traditional name that will withstand the test of time, never become old or outdated because it was too trendy, people will always be able to spell and pronounce it, people will always be able to tell what gender my child is and not have to guess, and it will be appropriate and not ridiculed in a business or professional setting when they become a grown adult.
Reply:I don't think people get ticked off. I think they just pity the poor child whose named something completely stupid just because his/her parents wanted to be different.
Reply:Cus alot of people are plain common and boring
Reply:plain common names are nice also, my children have what I thought at the time we unique and now it seems everyone has that name. Where as my third son has a name that I thought was common (Joseph) and you don't tend to hear that as much these days. Yea you here it but not all the time like you used to.
Reply:They probably have boring names themselves.





I would never punish my child by giving them a name that 29340983409283049832042 in the world have that is just dumb.
Reply:I personally don't care for common names but it's really a personal choice. I like unique names so that is what I'm going to choose regardless of what anyone thinks:)
Reply:I knew some kids in school that had yewneek names and I felt sorry for them because I thought they had retarted parents.
Reply:Well....if you'd spent your life spelling your name for people...then you'd wish you had one of those common, boring names...
Reply:John: (Hebrew) God is gracious, Bible, name honoring John the Baptist





Peter;(Greek,Latin) small rock, Bible; Simon, renamed Peter, was the leader of the twelve apostles





Lisa; (Hebrew) consecrated to God (English) a short form of Elizabeth





Linda; (Spanish) Pretty





and my personal favorite


Michael;(Hebrew) He who is like God


and my first borns name


that all sounds like something to me
Reply:I don't get it either... a lot of those names are Biblical and that's why some do it... Like my name for example... I'm Rachel ( Out of the Bible ) and my Brother is Matthew.... Oh so common but my mom did it for a reason. I names my son Colin... Not so common.... and If I had to name any more boys I would name them Nash and Ace.... I LOVE THEM!!!!
Reply:What is a name though? A Name is a word that is associated with a specific individual. Names, whether unique or common, in the end mean nothing because all they are, are associations with specific people. Even if that specific person is named after someone or someplace special, itall comes down to association.
Reply:Could be it's a name within their family. And the name has special meaning.....Some people name their children from there heart.
Reply:it is not that people like these names, it is that parents who try to come up with these weird names are thinking only about the short term effect that the name will have on their BABY. Well guess what babies grow up, they become little kids and the weirder the name the more likely the kid will be picked on because of it. And even if you say "well kids will be kid, they will make fun of each other no matter what" guess what, kids grow up, they become adults. Just because your cute little baby is okay now with some weird name, when they are applying for a job, or are going to a business meeting or arguing a case infront of the supreme court they want people to be talking about how smart or talented they are, not about what a strange name they have.





You may say "But my baby is going to be creative like me, they will want a creative name." well first of all that is not a given fact, they might want a nice normal name, they might want to be a nice boring person, with a nice boring job, being named 'moonbeam' does not fit in with being an accounts payable supervisior. And even if they are very creative, they will get nicknames no matter what you do, they may even start calling them self by the nickname, but at least if they have a semi-normal name on their birth certificate people will take them serious when they are doing business.





Parents who come up with these off the wall names for their children are beyond selfish. It annoys me to no end that people choose their childs' name as their own way to be creative, the baby is not about YOU it is its own person, the baby's name is not your chance to leave your creative mark on the world. The baby IS your mark on the world, and giving it a strange name because you have a creative jones is the most self thing I can think of.
Reply:Some kids get boring names because they are named after a family member, especially for boys. That's why there are so many John's or Robert's around...I've never seen/heard of anyone getting mad because a child had a more unique name though.
Reply:Names that you feel are plain, common, and boring may be just what others like in a name. It's just personal preference.
Reply:John, Peter, Michael are all Biblical names. Have lots of meaning.





WHY do people insist on unique names that are GUARANTEED to get the child teased? Don't they even consider that the child will suffer all its life?





My name is so unusual that I often went home crying when the other kids ganged up on me. People still laugh as they see my name for the first time, and ALWAYS mispronounce iit. Also, it would look horrid on some kind of degree or certiificate.





How could my parents have hated me so much, as to do that to me?





I made sure that my own kids were named the most common names that I could find. No one EVER teased my kids for their names.
Reply:Because common sense will tell you they do not stay babies for ever !


What sounds cute and trendy now may at somepoint in this persons life come back to bite them on the @ss when they are out in the real world. I wouldn't want to make an enemy of my kid!
Reply:And how would you know they mean nothing smart a**. I like both common and unique names.
Reply:they are jealous they do not have any creativity to name their baby something other then ella. i ignore peopel comments about the babys name, teh names are always perfect fo rthe baby
Reply:People don't understand why a person would be so selfish and self-gratifying to so hastily choose a name that will haunt a child for his/her entire life.





My impression is that people choose these strange names not for their child, but for themselves. "Look at ME, look at what I named MY baby. Isn't it different?" These people are just begging for attention. A child's happiness is not worth trading for a little shock factor. When people say their baby's name and get a reaction, they feel special for a minute. It's pathetic but true.





80% of managers toss out resumes with weird names (unique is a euphemism). It's sad that these people must suffer for their parents' self-esteem issues.
Reply:When naming our children two girls one boy, my husband and I had to agree on the name. We both wanted something that was meaningful yet not out of this world. Children can be very mean to other children so when choosing a name always keep that in back of your mind. We did, and that includes middle names. Our children's names aren't very popular but that aren't crazy either. Why our oldest daughter is the only Valerie on her soccer team and was the only Valerie in her preschool class. The name Valerie isn't what I call common, plain or boring but neither is it crazy or bazaar. But most importantly it fits her just perfectly.
Reply:They do mean something. However, many people are afraid of change and individuality. Also, sometimes a really unique and crazily spelled name can cause problems. My middle name is LaShay. All through school, the 's' was lower-cased. Having is lowercased made me mad as that's not how I learned it. I, myself, love unique and uniquely spelled names. But I know the costs of it. I also like more traditional names which are actually less common today.
Reply:Just a question, do YOU have an odd name? Probably not. Otheriwse you wouldn't have asked this question. My name's Angele and my ENTIRE life (24yrs.) I've had to deal with people completely flubbing my name. It honestly gets aggravating. I've been called Anjelly, Angel, Angelina, Angela, and a host of others. If you want your child to ALWAYS be the name the substitute teacher messes up, or the doctor's office who can't seem to get it right, or the DMV, DHS, or various others then by all means name your kid some hard to pronounce stupid name. Every time I go somewhere I anticipate having to correct someone about my name. People should really take this into account when they name their children.
Reply:One persons plain, common, and boring is another person's classic, meaningful, and significant.





Similarly, one person's unique is another person's made-up.





I admit it, I'm a snob! The more misspelled or made-up teh name, the more I think "uneducated". Not cool, i know sicne I used to teach.





Finally, it is the classic names that are unusual now. There are a gazillion Kylee, Ryleigh, Shylieh, etc.'s but in my girl's large daycare, she is, beautifully, the only Mary.
Reply:Your choice in names typically changes with age and maturity so sometimes the name you would choose for your child at 23 is not anything you would have chosen if you were pregnant with them at 32.





Also, naming your baby after a family member, loved one, or one of the parents. Also, strong names like Michael are time tested and prove to names of people that go far in life.





Lastly... a lot of people are tired of the 'cutsie' weird spelled names and think those are just as ridiculous as you may think naming a baby John is.





To each their own!
Reply:Maybe because some people feel they are naming children and not a dog. These children will eventually grow up and have to live with outrageous names that were picked on a whim and have nothing to do with value, tradition, family or any sense of normalcy. Are there really parents out there who are all worked up about how another kid has a 'way cooler' name than their kid? Are we back in 7th grade again? Would you like it if your parents named you something like chopstick? How cool is it going to be when DeeLightful Leigh turns 85?
Reply:because those people have dull lives and minds
Reply:because they are safe and have no imagination or they just happen to really like a plain name.