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Helpand after all...
in reply to a message by Billina
It is only a name. Why should it be hard to like or dislike a name?
It always makes me roll my eyes when I see a post that goes like "I want so much to like the name Victoria! But I just can't! Please help convince me!"
Why is it so important to like a name? Just because it's a classic/Biblical/uncommon? Why not just admit you don't like it and move on to the next? Why beg people over the internet to change your opinion?
It always makes me roll my eyes when I see a post that goes like "I want so much to like the name Victoria! But I just can't! Please help convince me!"
Why is it so important to like a name? Just because it's a classic/Biblical/uncommon? Why not just admit you don't like it and move on to the next? Why beg people over the internet to change your opinion?
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I might be repeating myself but ... explaining myself because I did this recently ...
When I did this for Alice it wasn't because I wanted to like it. I still don't like it. I just wanted to be able to understand what its appeal is, because for almost every other name that is popular, I "get" why people like it even when I don't like it. Not "getting it" makes me feel like I'm out of touch, with the Zeitgeist or something ... I don't need to feel cool anymore, but I like to understand what IS considered cool, just because I feel like I have a distorted perspective otherwise. Now, I sort of get how people who like Alice, see Alice.
When I did this for Alice it wasn't because I wanted to like it. I still don't like it. I just wanted to be able to understand what its appeal is, because for almost every other name that is popular, I "get" why people like it even when I don't like it. Not "getting it" makes me feel like I'm out of touch, with the Zeitgeist or something ... I don't need to feel cool anymore, but I like to understand what IS considered cool, just because I feel like I have a distorted perspective otherwise. Now, I sort of get how people who like Alice, see Alice.
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Well, for one thing, maybe someone wants to like a name for a reason you don't understand, which should be ok with you, but whatever. The Primrose thing is just that it's the same very easy argument. Let's take a survey of the various complaints.
"frilly and cutesy"
"frilly and prissy"
"Hunger games"
"horrible name to give to a little girl" negative little girl stereotypes: Quiet, Proper, Delicate, Weak, Feeble, Innocent, wisp of a person; Hunger games
"embodies the stereotype of what girls were expected to be"; stupid
"very twee"
"just sounds too prissy"
"prim rows" "twee and stuckup" "pursed-lippy" feeling; Hunger games; "makes a gross cliche even grosser" "not namey enough"
Primness not a good trait; a perpetuation of prissy and proper femininity; a 19th century feminine caricature, cursed to unending propriety
Primness not good; Primrose Shipman
"too delicate" "meek, helpless" "girl who never raises her voice and does anything interesting" "sickeningly sweet" "too old fashioned"
"sickly sweet" "hunger games" animal name or gross immature hunger games fangirl name; Primrose Shipman
Hunger Games "prim and proper" "stuck up and untarnished"
Like... this is very obvious. Simpletons can see that this name offers up a cliche image of weakness and politeness, that it's very corny. It was used in the hunger games, which most people know now. It is very simple to make the connection between the "prim" in the first half of the name and the word "prim." How long has it been since someone had a new complaint about this name? No wonder Lily keeps asking for opinions. She can see the prim stereotype; she's looking for someone who sees something else about this name.
Is there anything else about this name?? Does it have any qualities aside from its tweeness? I couldn't find any. Mirfak pointed out the pursed-lip thing, which was interesting, but no one else has said anything not immediately obvious about it. What's the deal, Lily? Why are you so into this name?
"frilly and cutesy"
"frilly and prissy"
"Hunger games"
"horrible name to give to a little girl" negative little girl stereotypes: Quiet, Proper, Delicate, Weak, Feeble, Innocent, wisp of a person; Hunger games
"embodies the stereotype of what girls were expected to be"; stupid
"very twee"
"just sounds too prissy"
"prim rows" "twee and stuckup" "pursed-lippy" feeling; Hunger games; "makes a gross cliche even grosser" "not namey enough"
Primness not a good trait; a perpetuation of prissy and proper femininity; a 19th century feminine caricature, cursed to unending propriety
Primness not good; Primrose Shipman
"too delicate" "meek, helpless" "girl who never raises her voice and does anything interesting" "sickeningly sweet" "too old fashioned"
"sickly sweet" "hunger games" animal name or gross immature hunger games fangirl name; Primrose Shipman
Hunger Games "prim and proper" "stuck up and untarnished"
Like... this is very obvious. Simpletons can see that this name offers up a cliche image of weakness and politeness, that it's very corny. It was used in the hunger games, which most people know now. It is very simple to make the connection between the "prim" in the first half of the name and the word "prim." How long has it been since someone had a new complaint about this name? No wonder Lily keeps asking for opinions. She can see the prim stereotype; she's looking for someone who sees something else about this name.
Is there anything else about this name?? Does it have any qualities aside from its tweeness? I couldn't find any. Mirfak pointed out the pursed-lip thing, which was interesting, but no one else has said anything not immediately obvious about it. What's the deal, Lily? Why are you so into this name?
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Taking the challenge myself...
Of course Primrose has qualities aside from tweeness. It sounds tough-pretty. The primrose is a hardy perennial. The bright and delicate flowers bloom, on a compact and tidy plant, before it has stopped being freezing out, while everything else is still under the ground. The petals should wilt in the freeze but they don't. And like I said, primness is small and thwarts things - everyday discipline and determination are small and thwarting things too, but they are also good bits of character. The Primrose in HG is not useless, she's selfless and excellent. (She's also so innocent and vulnerable that it's barf-worthy.)
It's just that the PRIM ROWS sound and image overwhelm it, they can't be overlooked. IMHO. Very, very few people are going to hear the name Primrose and think "ah, hardy perennial, color in the snow, how splendid!"
Of course Primrose has qualities aside from tweeness. It sounds tough-pretty. The primrose is a hardy perennial. The bright and delicate flowers bloom, on a compact and tidy plant, before it has stopped being freezing out, while everything else is still under the ground. The petals should wilt in the freeze but they don't. And like I said, primness is small and thwarts things - everyday discipline and determination are small and thwarting things too, but they are also good bits of character. The Primrose in HG is not useless, she's selfless and excellent. (She's also so innocent and vulnerable that it's barf-worthy.)
It's just that the PRIM ROWS sound and image overwhelm it, they can't be overlooked. IMHO. Very, very few people are going to hear the name Primrose and think "ah, hardy perennial, color in the snow, how splendid!"
This message was edited 11/18/2012, 11:07 AM
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I think it's just one of those names that makes you want to punch something. People get their frustrations out with it, I guess. It's a "target" name.
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