Is naming in the genes???

[triss]

Not genetic necessarily, but taught? My mom gave me an unusual name, Tristan, for the time (1960s) and for my gender. I think she awakened my interest as a child by commenting on my name and other names, though I don't specifically remember anything. Probably because I have always talked about names, all three of my daughters are very into names and two of them are also Nameberries. The third one also reads Nameberry frequently and has spent hours naming imaginary families.

[saracita00]

I'm going to go with "genetic" on this one, with the qualifier that my interest in names is pretty much driven by interest in etymology, history, and culture. My dad used to pull obscure words from the dictionary to name things, and always drove us crazy with the vocabulary pages of the Reader's Digest. His father was an English professor and advocate of language fluidity (his pet peeve was modern use of Old English pronouns). Of my siblings and cousins, the individuals who are not interested in English are simply not interested; the ones who do enjoy English have become real geeks about it and there are writers, teachers/tutors, even a lit PhD among them. I appear to be the only one who cares to research the historic use of a name (or word, for that matter), and I view it as my expression of the family "geek gene."

[whirligig]

I'm going to go with "genetic" on this one, with the qualifier that my interest in names is pretty much driven by interest in etymology, history, and culture. My dad used to pull obscure words from the dictionary to name things, and always drove us crazy with the vocabulary pages of the Reader's Digest. His father was an English professor and advocate of language fluidity (his pet peeve was modern use of Old English pronouns). Of my siblings and cousins, the individuals who are not interested in English are simply not interested; the ones who do enjoy English have become real geeks about it and there are writers, teachers/tutors, even a lit PhD among them. I appear to be the only one who cares to research the historic use of a name (or word, for that matter), and I view it as my expression of the family "geek gene."

Maybe someday scientists will find the gene that makes us a name nerd. Just like they have found the one that gives us our hair colour etc. That would be an extremely important day in history for me!!!

[lineska]

Interesting thread!

Safe to say im the only name nerd in my family, but they're all fairly traditional namers, lots of family names. My grandmother had a sense of humor with her sons names though- she gave one the middle name William because he was born on the first ("Bills come on the first of the month")

I'm always amazed how many other writers (myself included) are on here. Theres definitely a correlation between linguists, speech pathologists, and writers -language nerds perhaps- and name enthusiasts.

[mikayla]

I wouldn't even describe myself as a namenerd. I'm expecting a baby in early september, but until very recently me and my boyfriend haven't even discussed names. It's not that important to us. I wouldn't just open a book and point, but I'm not one of those who will decide my baby's name years before I'm even pregnant. I don't think anyone in my family is a name nerd.

[kam]

My parents are much of name-nerds, but they've gotten into it a bit as I've been talking about it recently. When I was little I would make up elaborate, long names for myself and everything else that needed a name. As I got older and my games translated into writing, I started to look up names for my characters and I got into the name game. My aunt was always a bit of a name-nerd too, naming all the pets. Her names were quirky old-fashioned names, often literary as well (Rhonda, Milton, Hamlet were some names).

[whirligig]

lineska-thats an interesting point. I am extremely interested in languages and made one (that I could speak fluently in) when I was little. I wonder how many other people out there love Languages too. I also wonder what draws us into the languages. Is it the sounds or the letter shapes or something???

Also thanks for all the replies!!! I get very excited!!!

[jasmine.lee]

I'm definitely the ONLY name nerd in my family. I love languages! I really want to learn some unusual ones, but my mom thinks I'm a but nutty.
And also the 'I can see a color when I think of this name.' I tried explaining that to someone and they literally thought I was crazy when I was little.

SAB, Jasmine

[whirligig]

jasmine.lee-everyone thinks I'm crazy when I tell them this. I haven't really told many people (including my parents). At first I thought that everyone saw them. It was only when I read the blog by Kaitlin Greyer did I realise I wasn't crazy.

[genevieve!]

Well, sorta. My mom and her brothers and sisters all have very traditional names, so does my dad's family. All my cousins have normal names too. I'm an Eva in a sea of Dylans and Reeses and Kathryns. But, my mom has a very eccentric taste in names. Now, Eva is at #83, pretty popular, but when I was born it was at #318 (the equivalent of Audrina today.) My style is not exactly eccentric but not traditional either...in the middle. So, my answer is yes AND no.