tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6985160381296840347.post4236086259831435698..comments2024-02-16T10:22:18.748-06:00Comments on Kelly's blog on his interests: Generations and attitude towards unisex namesKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05422091619504878141noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6985160381296840347.post-21069915312870983242010-08-21T19:08:17.527-05:002010-08-21T19:08:17.527-05:00Interesting - this rings very true.
I think that ...Interesting - this rings very true.<br /><br />I think that the socioeconomic aspect to unisex names can't be forgotten either, though, despite its influence not being as great as the generational aspect. I attend a private school (in England, which I suppose makes a difference, too) and as the first member of my family to do so, I'm in a better position than others at my school to observe class differences.<br /><br />Middle and upper class parents like to choose unusual names, often making flamboyant selections for their sons which would be seen by others as feminine - names such as Florian or Bellamy. The other school of upper and middle class parents, those who stick stoicly to classics such as George and William, would call these parents pretentious, and to an extent some parents do make such choices to mark themselves out as upper class, to show intelligence via literary connotations et cetera.<br /><br />Add to this the nicknaming habit of us Brits - it is very rare for me to meet someone who doesn't go almost exclusively by a nickname - and these boys quickly become Flo or Florrie and Bell. Incidentally, I had never come across "Gabe" for Gabriel before visiting Nameberry; every Gabriel I know goes by Gaby. Parents of these boys are roughly half and half Generation Xers and Boomers. While using 'girly' names is different from using unisex names, I think it is similar to those parents now attempting to claim back names which had almost fully transitioned to girls' names, using Beverly and Addison on their sons.<br /><br />A large part of the unisex names issue is of course the fact that it became acceptable for girls to have traditionally masculine traits (with the feminist movement) a good while before femininity in men was accepted (I say "was", but I don't believe the transition to acceptable has fully occurred yet), and sensitivity in men valued.<br /><br />A small rant related to my last point - I am so sick of reading that parents are choosing such-and-such a boys' name for their daughter because they wanted a 'strong name'. These posts always read like they did so out of feminist motivation, but the whole thing is shockingly contradictory. So Catherine isn't a strong name? Oh no, of course not, I get it - names can't be strong if they're girls' names - girls must pretend to be boys to get on in life! Yeah, real gender equality there.<br /><br />Re-reading this I realise that I come off as a complete bra-burner; apologies for my ranting,<br />ElviraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com