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Help[Opinions] Harper
I enjoy learning about names on this site, and i especially enjoy reading comments on names. obviously, there will always be good and bad comments, more of one or the other depending on the name. Normally, I can understand and often agree with the general comments left on a name.
Recently I have had the name Harper on my mind...the comments on this site regarding Harper...they are shocking! the hatred the people of this site seem to feel towards Harper was something i was not expecting, nor can i understand. To me, Harper is a beautiful name that i appreciate, for either gender too. the harp is such a lovely instrument, it is so difficult to master but once one does it sounds BEAUTIFUL. and Harper Lee, who i believe is the reason Harper became popular, wrote a book that is important and i think everyone should read at least once. a lot of the complaints i see is that harper is a boy name, not a girl name, but i would have to disagree. it was barely ever used for boys ever, and it seems only in the u.s. too. it wasn't until recently that it shot up for both genders in popularity. all of the Harpers i have ever met are under 20. also, many are saying that harper sounds harsh- but i would have to politely disagree! i think it sounds beautiful, and it brings to mind lovely harp melodies.
i was just wondering if anyone here could explain to me why Harper is so disliked? Thanks!
Recently I have had the name Harper on my mind...the comments on this site regarding Harper...they are shocking! the hatred the people of this site seem to feel towards Harper was something i was not expecting, nor can i understand. To me, Harper is a beautiful name that i appreciate, for either gender too. the harp is such a lovely instrument, it is so difficult to master but once one does it sounds BEAUTIFUL. and Harper Lee, who i believe is the reason Harper became popular, wrote a book that is important and i think everyone should read at least once. a lot of the complaints i see is that harper is a boy name, not a girl name, but i would have to disagree. it was barely ever used for boys ever, and it seems only in the u.s. too. it wasn't until recently that it shot up for both genders in popularity. all of the Harpers i have ever met are under 20. also, many are saying that harper sounds harsh- but i would have to politely disagree! i think it sounds beautiful, and it brings to mind lovely harp melodies.
i was just wondering if anyone here could explain to me why Harper is so disliked? Thanks!
Replies
I'm neutral to the name Harper, though that could be because it's my sister's new last name and therefore off the table. haha
I'm not a fan of Harper.
I very much dislike the name Harper. I just find it so unappealing and harsh sounding. I'm not fond of the it's initial sound or ending one (that har & per) and to be blunt, sounds too similar to heartburn for my comfort.
It also makes me think on the term harping on.
I'm usually all for -er suffix names and ok with most surname-turned given names, but Harper is just not one of them.
It also makes me think on the term harping on.
I'm usually all for -er suffix names and ok with most surname-turned given names, but Harper is just not one of them.
This message was edited 3/16/2025, 7:40 AM
Short answer: because it's an Internet comments section.
Harper's only one of the most popular names in the US right now, so you gotta figure, someone has to be lying, right? And people showing off on the Internet is more likely than the Social Security Administration's stats people making it all up.
I think Harper is ugly. The ar-er combination is always harsh to me, why I don't like Parker or Arthur either.
Yes, the harp is a lovely instrument, but so's the guitar and the piano and the flute, but who thinks to name their kid Guitarist or Pianist or Flautist? That's just kind of a weak argument to me.
Harper Lee didn't even go by Harper in her personal life. She went by her first name which was Nell. I don't remember if I knew why, but it might have been so she could sound like a male and be taken more seriously as a writer? Which is understandable but not especially positive and doesn't make the name Harper feel like an actual unisex or feminine name.
Also, to harp means to complain on and on about something. And at the risk of harping on the subject, I don't see anything attractive about Harper that would warrant its popularity right now.
Harper's only one of the most popular names in the US right now, so you gotta figure, someone has to be lying, right? And people showing off on the Internet is more likely than the Social Security Administration's stats people making it all up.
I think Harper is ugly. The ar-er combination is always harsh to me, why I don't like Parker or Arthur either.
Yes, the harp is a lovely instrument, but so's the guitar and the piano and the flute, but who thinks to name their kid Guitarist or Pianist or Flautist? That's just kind of a weak argument to me.
Harper Lee didn't even go by Harper in her personal life. She went by her first name which was Nell. I don't remember if I knew why, but it might have been so she could sound like a male and be taken more seriously as a writer? Which is understandable but not especially positive and doesn't make the name Harper feel like an actual unisex or feminine name.
Also, to harp means to complain on and on about something. And at the risk of harping on the subject, I don't see anything attractive about Harper that would warrant its popularity right now.
To me personally the name reminds me of harpies which one of the reasons why I dislike it
I tend not to like last names as first names, or modern names. However, while I don’t like the name, I know many Harpers, all of which are amazing people(or dogs).
I think people on this site generally dislike first names derived from last names, especially on girls. I don't think Harper sounds harsh, but it doesn't sound overly soft either – which I like.
I personally like Harper. It used to be my favorite US Top 10 name because...
1) It reminds me of harps as well, and I like Celtic music which uses it often.
2) It goes against the trend of overly feminine, soft, vowel-heavy names like Olivia, Amelia, Lilia etc.
3) Yes, it's trendy, but only in English speaking countries. In my country, Harper is not used as a baby name – which makes me less worried about its popularity. On the other hand, there are thousands of Emma's and Sofie's. I'm more inclined to like names that I don't meet often, and I've never met a Harper.
4) It makes me think of the character in Wizards of Waverly Place which is where I first encountered Harper as a first name. She was a bit ditzy but very fun and quirky, and she made me like the name.
I personally like Harper. It used to be my favorite US Top 10 name because...
1) It reminds me of harps as well, and I like Celtic music which uses it often.
2) It goes against the trend of overly feminine, soft, vowel-heavy names like Olivia, Amelia, Lilia etc.
3) Yes, it's trendy, but only in English speaking countries. In my country, Harper is not used as a baby name – which makes me less worried about its popularity. On the other hand, there are thousands of Emma's and Sofie's. I'm more inclined to like names that I don't meet often, and I've never met a Harper.
4) It makes me think of the character in Wizards of Waverly Place which is where I first encountered Harper as a first name. She was a bit ditzy but very fun and quirky, and she made me like the name.
Personally, I do like the name Harper a lot- I’ve been warming up to it a lot recently and I think it sounds very pretty and soft!
I’d have to agree with janan that a lot of people in the naming community seem to dislike surnames as first names and popular (‘trendy’) names, so that may be why it has so many negative comment comments beneath it. That being said, I try not to pay any mind to the comments beneath specific names, most are very old and from people who seem to think their subjective opinions of certain names are objective. I think lots of people with no interest in names come across this website and just comment under the names of people they don’t like, as pretty much any name on here with enough comments will have some absurd opinions (even the most popular, and most widely liked among namenerds).
Anyway, I like Harper!
I’d have to agree with janan that a lot of people in the naming community seem to dislike surnames as first names and popular (‘trendy’) names, so that may be why it has so many negative comment comments beneath it. That being said, I try not to pay any mind to the comments beneath specific names, most are very old and from people who seem to think their subjective opinions of certain names are objective. I think lots of people with no interest in names come across this website and just comment under the names of people they don’t like, as pretty much any name on here with enough comments will have some absurd opinions (even the most popular, and most widely liked among namenerds).
Anyway, I like Harper!
Speaking for myself, Harper has strong and dreadful associations. My country had a repulsive Prime Minister Harper who was in power for far too long. For that reason it's about as appealing a name as Nixon or Thatcher. Harper screams "conservative values" and I don't support those.
I love harps, but I can't love Harper.
I love harps, but I can't love Harper.
I, too, feel like the minority on this site for liking the name Harper. People tend to harp on (pun intended) some names for reasons I just can't see. Like how people also seem to really dislike Scarlett, in much the same way as Harper. I think people think it sounds too harsh, or too trendy, or it's just too popular, or any other variety of reasons. Name nerds tend to be way more picky, I think. Nobody would blink twice at a Harper in the real world or comment negatively about their name. This site just exacerbates the feelings of a very specific group of people that tend to have the same tastes.
To put it simply I think it sucks and I hate it. The sound is ugly. And it makes people sound uneducated as in, 'I was forced to read a book in high school once'
But nobody owes you an explanation of why they hate it.
But nobody owes you an explanation of why they hate it.
I think people on this website tend to be "name nerds" and this often results in:
Disliking surnames as first names, especially on girls.
Disliking overly popular names
Liking names that have a long history as a name
Liking names with "good meanings"
Lots of people in English speaking countries have latched onto the name Harper, so it is liked broadly by many parents.
I, personally, dislike it for a few reasons. It sounds like "harping" as in someone is harping on too much. I think it has a whiny sound. There is no cute nickname available, which I like. But what I dislike most about it isn't that it is a surname used on girls, but it's pretentiousness. It screams "I'm a white saviour who read a book about racism written by a white woman". It's a book many of us were required to read in school, which isn't a bad thing, but there are is more reading to be done.
Her legal name was Nelle for a start, but no one is queuing up to use that. Harper fits in with Taylor, Morgan, Piper and so feels more fashionable and "trendy" which, is again, something people on the boards tend not to like. I myself don't mind a trendy name if I like the sounds or aesthetics of the name, for example I like Hayley and Tiffany which are quite dated now and certainly not classics in the way website favourites like Alice and Caroline are.
If you like the name then you won't be alone, but I'm not surprised by the comments. I'm sure there are worse under similar names.
Disliking surnames as first names, especially on girls.
Disliking overly popular names
Liking names that have a long history as a name
Liking names with "good meanings"
Lots of people in English speaking countries have latched onto the name Harper, so it is liked broadly by many parents.
I, personally, dislike it for a few reasons. It sounds like "harping" as in someone is harping on too much. I think it has a whiny sound. There is no cute nickname available, which I like. But what I dislike most about it isn't that it is a surname used on girls, but it's pretentiousness. It screams "I'm a white saviour who read a book about racism written by a white woman". It's a book many of us were required to read in school, which isn't a bad thing, but there are is more reading to be done.
Her legal name was Nelle for a start, but no one is queuing up to use that. Harper fits in with Taylor, Morgan, Piper and so feels more fashionable and "trendy" which, is again, something people on the boards tend not to like. I myself don't mind a trendy name if I like the sounds or aesthetics of the name, for example I like Hayley and Tiffany which are quite dated now and certainly not classics in the way website favourites like Alice and Caroline are.
If you like the name then you won't be alone, but I'm not surprised by the comments. I'm sure there are worse under similar names.