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HelpRe: Men and outmoded names
in reply to a message by Dianatiger
I've noticed that pattern in my own experience too. Not in a huge majority, but it's observable.
That people who see themselves as masculine characters (many men I've known) often prefer names that they perceive as names of real people - the names of real people they've known or heard of; and people who see themselves as feminine characters (many women I've known) often prefer names that are *not* the names of anyone they've known, or sometimes even heard of.
I think it's analogous to the different qualities of "fashion" or clothing choice, as stereotyped masculine/feminine.
Stereotypically, a feminine character dreads wearing anything exactly like others, or wearing what people wore yesterday, and for her to be superficially stylish and creative is extroversion, seems prosocial, not a risk of seeming weird ... a masculine character dreads looking like a shallow clown because he's wearing something attention-grabbing that nobody else would ever wear, and for him to be superficially conventional is extroversion and seems prosocial, not a risk of seeming dull.
I don't think there is any value difference at all. Both attitudes are based on potentially *good* things. They're only different from each other, they set one another off. The opposite of 'outmoded' could be 'nutty,' the opposite of 'classic' could be 'interesting.' Depends on your perspective. "Masculine" and "feminine" is axiomatic, because gender is a stereotype OF sex/gender differences that ARE observed among many - but, that's not about whether there's any actual sex difference, or reason to expect anything of any individual. I've also known people whose tastes are against the stereotype of their gender, and that's a likelihood too.
I myself am in-between, on the naming taste thing... I like Isla and Julia, Silvan and Eric... I feel like I can relate to either kind of taste.
- mirfak
That people who see themselves as masculine characters (many men I've known) often prefer names that they perceive as names of real people - the names of real people they've known or heard of; and people who see themselves as feminine characters (many women I've known) often prefer names that are *not* the names of anyone they've known, or sometimes even heard of.
I think it's analogous to the different qualities of "fashion" or clothing choice, as stereotyped masculine/feminine.
Stereotypically, a feminine character dreads wearing anything exactly like others, or wearing what people wore yesterday, and for her to be superficially stylish and creative is extroversion, seems prosocial, not a risk of seeming weird ... a masculine character dreads looking like a shallow clown because he's wearing something attention-grabbing that nobody else would ever wear, and for him to be superficially conventional is extroversion and seems prosocial, not a risk of seeming dull.
I don't think there is any value difference at all. Both attitudes are based on potentially *good* things. They're only different from each other, they set one another off. The opposite of 'outmoded' could be 'nutty,' the opposite of 'classic' could be 'interesting.' Depends on your perspective. "Masculine" and "feminine" is axiomatic, because gender is a stereotype OF sex/gender differences that ARE observed among many - but, that's not about whether there's any actual sex difference, or reason to expect anything of any individual. I've also known people whose tastes are against the stereotype of their gender, and that's a likelihood too.
I myself am in-between, on the naming taste thing... I like Isla and Julia, Silvan and Eric... I feel like I can relate to either kind of taste.
- mirfak
This message was edited 9/11/2021, 12:57 PM
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