Strange first names

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snoopysue
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Strange first names

Post by snoopysue »

In my search for a death cert I came across a totally unrelated (I think) person, born in 1887 and called Jubilee Victoria - needless to say when I googled Queen Victoria, the year 1887 was down as Golden Jubilee year! The name might have ensured her long life as she lived to be 87!
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Re: Strange first names

Post by MarkCDodd »

I wonder if is a form of child abuse when you see the names kids get stuck with.
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snoopysue
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Re: Strange first names

Post by snoopysue »

Don't you recon that she probably went by Victoria?

I agree though. In Denmark there is a list of legal names, so the really stupid ones are simply not allowed. There is a boy whose name is Kristophpher, his family fourght for years and years to be allowed to have 2xph - it's normally spelt Kristoffer in Denmark. Poor kid technically had no name while the legal ranglings took place, and now he has to tell people how to spell it all the time!
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Re: Strange first names

Post by gardener »

I didn't know that Denmark did that too Snoopysue.
We have a whole panel of people here who say yes or no to names. Mostly it is based on grammar so if it won't decline like an Icelandic noun then it won't get through, but they are also supposed to filter out names that might cause embarrassment. Even so some of the allowed names are kind of od, you can call your son Bambi now it seems but I'm not sure why anyone would want too!
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Re: Strange first names

Post by peterd »

what happens if an outside becomes a citizen do he after change his name to one on the list :lol:
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Re: Strange first names

Post by MarkCDodd »

I always wanted a son so I could call him Roddy.

With a name like Roddy Dodd he would have to be in show business!
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Re: Strange first names

Post by Northern Lass »

peterd wrote:what happens if an outside becomes a citizen do he after change his name to one on the list :lol:


wot? :?
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Re: Strange first names

Post by snoopysue »

I've just read up on the rules:
You have to give your child a name within the first 6 months or you can be fined. (I heard somewhere that if you didn't give your child a name within 6 months, then the state chose for you. It usually ended up being Margrethe for a girl, or Christian or Frederik for a boy - They are the names used by the royal family - don't think those rules apply today though).
The child has to have a first name and surname (doesn't include the royal family here, as they have no last name!!).
There are 9979 approved boys names, and 12489 approved girls names! So a lot to chose from!!
If you want to change your surname at a later date, then if your proposed surname is born by under 2000 people then there are loads of rules, so that if you have no connection with that name then you have to get consent from those who bear that name! (That must mean that being a Fellows, people would have to get my consent here in Denmark :wink: ).

Is your surname still dependent on your fathers name in Iceland?
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snoopysue
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Re: Strange first names

Post by snoopysue »

peterd wrote:what happens if an outside becomes a citizen do he after change his name to one on the list :lol:


Don't know, but although fifi is on the list, I can't find trixabelle, zowie or roddy!!
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Re: Strange first names

Post by gardener »

peterd wrote:what happens if an outside becomes a citizen do he after change his name to one on the list :lol:



Not anymore :P You used to have to add an Icelandic name, then they said that you only ha dto do that so a child could get it as a patronym. Now they seem to have given up on that entirely and if you did change your name under the old rules then you can change it back.

If you don't name your kid within 6 months they remind you, after another month then they can start fining you :shock:

This was reported here:

A British woman formerly named Ceejay Epton has changed her name to (deep breath): Ceejay A Apple B Boat C Cat D Dog E Elephant F Flower G Goat H House I Igloo J Jellyfish K Kite L Lion M Monkey N Nurse O Octopus P Penguin Q Queen R Robot S Sun T Tree U Umbrella V Violin W Whale X X-Ray Y Yo-Yo Z Zebra Terryn Feuji-Sharemi.
http://www.geekosystem.com/woman-alphab ... me-change/

I don't know if it was true or not :roll:
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Re: Strange first names

Post by Northern Lass »

Wish I could find that rootsweb posting on surnames
it was excellent
the names that some called their kids

like
"not another one" made that up but that sort of thing
just awful!
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Re: Strange first names

Post by brickwalls »

I think the French have a similar system, where the registrar can refuse to register a birth if s/he thinks the name is stupid.

I personally think we should have a similar system in England. Who calls their child "Apple"?

A quick google found this: "Ikea, Moet, Bambi and Skylark have all been registered in Britain in the last 12 months." and that was in 2005.

Apparently someone else has called their daughter "Lambrini".

My family tend to stick with reasonable names. My name comes from the Irish for Oak (answers on a postcard), and my sister is called Cara, which is Irish for friend.
Non omnia moriar - Not all of me will die
Quite a nice thought when you consider what we're all doing
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Re: Strange first names

Post by snoopysue »

Who would call their child Ikea? :o

I like the traditional names - I think they tend to stand the test of time.
I read somewhere that if there was a really popular name for a certain period of time, then the next time that it's popular is when the last generation to bear it die out. Whether that's nostalgia or not I don't know.
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Re: Strange first names

Post by brickwalls »

snoopysue wrote:Who would call their child Ikea? :o

I like the traditional names - I think they tend to stand the test of time.
I read somewhere that if there was a really popular name for a certain period of time, then the next time that it's popular is when the last generation to bear it die out. Whether that's nostalgia or not I don't know.

I'm quite looking forward to seeing the next generation of Ethels and Walters if that is true :P

I think it might be to be honest though, people don't give their children certain names because they're "old peoples names". So, I suppose when those old people have died, that excuse doesn't really hold any water.
Non omnia moriar - Not all of me will die
Quite a nice thought when you consider what we're all doing
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snoopysue
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Re: Strange first names

Post by snoopysue »

brickwalls wrote:
snoopysue wrote:Who would call their child Ikea? :o

I like the traditional names - I think they tend to stand the test of time.
I read somewhere that if there was a really popular name for a certain period of time, then the next time that it's popular is when the last generation to bear it die out. Whether that's nostalgia or not I don't know.

I'm quite looking forward to seeing the next generation of Ethels and Walters if that is true :P

I think it might be to be honest though, people don't give their children certain names because they're "old peoples names". So, I suppose when those old people have died, that excuse doesn't really hold any water.


I always thourght of Leah to be a modern name, but I have several in my tree, going back to the late 17th century. I also have a Silence (which is occurs several times subsequently as a middle name) and a Comfort.
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