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Help[Opinions] Benedict?
I used to think it was girly for some reason but it has really grown on my lately. Suddenly I think it's a strong and masculine name and I would love to meet a little Benedict.
What's your opinion on Benedict and do you think Bic could work as a nickname or is it just silly?
What's your opinion on Benedict and do you think Bic could work as a nickname or is it just silly?
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Tired of it.
It's a board darling and not even one of the better ones. Plus it's the name of the current pope, whom I REALLY dislike.
It's a board darling and not even one of the better ones. Plus it's the name of the current pope, whom I REALLY dislike.
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Bendict is nms, but I'd be happy to see a little Benedict. I think Bic works as an nn, but it reminds me overwhelmingly of the singer Bic Runga, who is very good, but female, so she makes the name feminine to me. She's a New Zealander though, so most people overseas won't have heard of her.
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I like Benedict a lot. I don't care for Bic - unpleasant associations.
I wouldn't use Benedict though because I would get tired of people asking me if he was named after the Pope.
I wouldn't use Benedict though because I would get tired of people asking me if he was named after the Pope.
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It's growing on me steadily, to the point where I'm considering promoting it from MN to FN favoured status. I think a lot of that's down to BtN, as a number of posters I like and respect are rather vocal in their love for Benedict (see below) :p
Associations-wise, the current Pope is a slight negative (I disagree with the Catholic Church's position on a number of things anyway, and His Holiness Benedict XVI has tended to take more conservative stances on them than his predecessor). However, this is more than outweighed by Benedict's being the closest non-innuendo alternative to Benedick, the moniker of one of the best, brightest and funniest Shakespeare characters :D
Bic reminds me of the brand of biro.
Associations-wise, the current Pope is a slight negative (I disagree with the Catholic Church's position on a number of things anyway, and His Holiness Benedict XVI has tended to take more conservative stances on them than his predecessor). However, this is more than outweighed by Benedict's being the closest non-innuendo alternative to Benedick, the moniker of one of the best, brightest and funniest Shakespeare characters :D
Bic reminds me of the brand of biro.
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I adore Benedict! I'd be thrilled to meet a little boy named Benedict.
Bic is ridiculous IMO but as a nickname, anything goes.
Bic is ridiculous IMO but as a nickname, anything goes.
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Benedict's grand! I don't detect a tincture of femininity...
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#1 best boys name EVER
And Bic/Bick is SUCH a good solid strong nickname. Benedict is oooooooh I love it I'd so love to meet one. I really hope the Pope has brought with him a surge of baby Benedicts.
The dumb Arnold argument is way tiring. I get way tired of these. "Minerva?" "McGonnagal." "Rudolf?" "Red nosed reindeer." "Benedict?" "Arnold." If I met a Minerva, Rudolf, or Benedict, any association *I* had would be overriden quickly, and I think it's the same way for all but the most stubborn conservativenamers.
And Bic/Bick is SUCH a good solid strong nickname. Benedict is oooooooh I love it I'd so love to meet one. I really hope the Pope has brought with him a surge of baby Benedicts.
The dumb Arnold argument is way tiring. I get way tired of these. "Minerva?" "McGonnagal." "Rudolf?" "Red nosed reindeer." "Benedict?" "Arnold." If I met a Minerva, Rudolf, or Benedict, any association *I* had would be overriden quickly, and I think it's the same way for all but the most stubborn conservativenamers.
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Total ditto! I'm completely in *love* with Benedict.
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Ironically, I don't think of the reindeer. The "dolf" ending makes me think of Adolf. But I think I'm the only person with that association. I've yet to hear another person who thought that about Rudolf. But I still really love the name. It's so handsome and dashing and ahhhhh wonderful! I just couldn't personally use it because of the association I make. But I think Minerva and Benedict are 100% usable. I do think of Arnold when I hear the name Benedict, but it's really not that bad, to tell you the truth. I don't think most people would have a horrid connection with it. And, like you said, Arnold didn't spark a genocide. He was a traitor, and he messed things up on the American side quite a bit, but that's about it. Minerva is no big deal at all. The Harry Potter connection will pass. And even if people still think of Minerva McGonnagal when they hear the name, I doubt it will be all that pronounced in a good 10 years.
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I actually recently read a letter to the editor that made several extremely ignorant comments, several extremely more ignorant comments, and then referred to Heir Rudolf Hitler. I wanted to punch walls.
But yeah you and him are definitely the only ones on earth. :P
I appreciate your encouragement A!
But yeah you and him are definitely the only ones on earth. :P
I appreciate your encouragement A!
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Haha... A...
Nobody's ever called me A before. Feel free to, I don't mind, but it's just never been done. The evolution of my nicknames started with Leenie (because of the "leen" in my name), changed to tortellini, changed to tort, which I disliked because a tort is a type of felony. So Leenie stuck, and it sorta changed to Leeniebean and/or Leeniebeanie (no clue why, probably just cause it rhymed). But Leenie is the one that most people use. Odd, I know, but it works!
Nobody's ever called me A before. Feel free to, I don't mind, but it's just never been done. The evolution of my nicknames started with Leenie (because of the "leen" in my name), changed to tortellini, changed to tort, which I disliked because a tort is a type of felony. So Leenie stuck, and it sorta changed to Leeniebean and/or Leeniebeanie (no clue why, probably just cause it rhymed). But Leenie is the one that most people use. Odd, I know, but it works!
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so does that mean
any positive association is then overriden? Any of Minerva's Roman glory overriden and any great history or family significance taken away when you meet someone with a name? Or does it just add to your own personal association?
I just feel that sometimes associations are vital. It is annoying to hear those comments over and over again but sometimes they really do make or break a name. That's why you never meet a young Myra in the UK or an Adolf in most places in the world. Sad, but true and I think they should be considered in naming sometimes whether negative or positive associations.
any positive association is then overriden? Any of Minerva's Roman glory overriden and any great history or family significance taken away when you meet someone with a name? Or does it just add to your own personal association?
I just feel that sometimes associations are vital. It is annoying to hear those comments over and over again but sometimes they really do make or break a name. That's why you never meet a young Myra in the UK or an Adolf in most places in the world. Sad, but true and I think they should be considered in naming sometimes whether negative or positive associations.
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I don't think so.
I don't know what Myra is, so.
Adolf is an association that - well probably cannot be broken. But Minerva McGonnagal is a harmless pop figure. Rudolf the reindeer is a silly byproduct of the commercialization of Christmas. Benedict Arnold, while a bad guy, - had no genocide associated with him, and lost quickly.
The associations that I make when making name decisions - Minerva's roman glory, family significance - well, yeah. They are lost on other people. *I* don't really care if my friend was named after her grandma, *I* don't think of her grandma. I think of her. Unless Minerva meets a namenerd or a Roman nerd - yeah, a lot of the glory will be lost on other people. But it won't be lost to me, and that is the important part. The other important part is that a Rudolf or Benedict can function normally in society unburdened by negative associations, and I think they can.
What I meant was, even if a name carries a bit of baggage and a preconceived image, it is almost always lost when you meet someone with it. Names are above all NamesForPeople. Emma is a statistic, Emma is #3 on the charts for girls, Emma is an 80yearold recylced, Emma's Emma Watson and Emma the Jane Austen novel, Emma's evidence of America digging British names - but to my friends Emma is me. When I met this kid Sebastian, I thought it was really funny he had the same name as the crab on little mermaid - for about three days. When I asked my mom about Rudolf she said "reindeer" and then she thought for a minute and said "I knew a guy named Rudy, he was a jerk." "Was he given a hard time about his name?" "Not that I know of."
If you met a Rudolf I think you'd stop thinking of the reindeer first before very long. Probably same with Roman Goddess. That is what I mean.
I don't know what Myra is, so.
Adolf is an association that - well probably cannot be broken. But Minerva McGonnagal is a harmless pop figure. Rudolf the reindeer is a silly byproduct of the commercialization of Christmas. Benedict Arnold, while a bad guy, - had no genocide associated with him, and lost quickly.
The associations that I make when making name decisions - Minerva's roman glory, family significance - well, yeah. They are lost on other people. *I* don't really care if my friend was named after her grandma, *I* don't think of her grandma. I think of her. Unless Minerva meets a namenerd or a Roman nerd - yeah, a lot of the glory will be lost on other people. But it won't be lost to me, and that is the important part. The other important part is that a Rudolf or Benedict can function normally in society unburdened by negative associations, and I think they can.
What I meant was, even if a name carries a bit of baggage and a preconceived image, it is almost always lost when you meet someone with it. Names are above all NamesForPeople. Emma is a statistic, Emma is #3 on the charts for girls, Emma is an 80yearold recylced, Emma's Emma Watson and Emma the Jane Austen novel, Emma's evidence of America digging British names - but to my friends Emma is me. When I met this kid Sebastian, I thought it was really funny he had the same name as the crab on little mermaid - for about three days. When I asked my mom about Rudolf she said "reindeer" and then she thought for a minute and said "I knew a guy named Rudy, he was a jerk." "Was he given a hard time about his name?" "Not that I know of."
If you met a Rudolf I think you'd stop thinking of the reindeer first before very long. Probably same with Roman Goddess. That is what I mean.
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I agree with you there :)
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Benedict is a fine name, but Bic reminds me of ballpoint pens and biscuits (as kids we called them bic-bics). Ned would be better imo (although maybe far-fetched?), and a change from Ben at least.
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I love the name and would use it as a middle name on a future son, however I have family members with the surname Benedict, as an American variant of Benediktsson, which my great-great-grandparents had. So, all admiration aside, it's pretty much unusable for me, unless they decide to change their last name which is unlikely =[
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I personally think that it's more masculine but it could work for a girl...just not as well.
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Nice name, but I associate it way too much with Ratzinger, of whom personally I don't have the highest opinion. Bic reminds me of the ballpoint pens.
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I agree with MelvinSpelvin that Benedict Arnold is my first association (not necessarily the best association, you know?), but as a name it's been growing on me a lot lately. I really do love the sound. It's not something I'd use, but I still like it. And I guess that in Sweden the Benedict Arnold association wouldn't be as pronounced. Bic is fine, but I think Ben works better.
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Me too
I agree 100%, except I would use the nn Bix.
I agree 100%, except I would use the nn Bix.
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agree on all points
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...Arnold.
I doubt kids these days would make that connection, though.
I doubt kids these days would make that connection, though.
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Depends if he's taught about in their history lessons or not. I didn't really know about him until I discovered the internet and considering CN is in Sweden I doubt Arnold association would be the first thing on their minds.
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