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HelpNames I've never understood the love for
I've been a name nerd for... a very long time. But there are some names that I've simply never understood the love for. These are names I started out disliking, and my tastes never warmed up to them.
Most of these names are familiar in Anglophone cultures. These also aren't new creations, but have been around for at least several decades (some for centuries):
Gertrude
Olga
Martha
Margaret
Sheila
Dinah
Beulah (actually don't know how "familiar" this is, but it might just be my least favorite name)
Evelyn
Madison
Susan
Grace
Lucy
Danielle
Samantha
Amanda
Ashley
Linda
&
Oliver
Benjamin
Samuel
Daniel
Asher
Dylan
Ian
Jerry
Jeremy
Cooper (really, any "occupational" surname ending in -er as a first name)
Anyway, I wanted to hear some opinions of my perpetually-disliked names. Are there any you like? Any you 100% agree with in terms of distaste?
Are there any other names that you, personally, just cannot get behind?
Edit: I forgot Kyle.
***
Please rate my personal name lists:
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/117507
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/109399
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/132018
"If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe." - Carl Sagan
Most of these names are familiar in Anglophone cultures. These also aren't new creations, but have been around for at least several decades (some for centuries):
Gertrude
Olga
Martha
Margaret
Sheila
Dinah
Beulah (actually don't know how "familiar" this is, but it might just be my least favorite name)
Evelyn
Madison
Susan
Grace
Lucy
Danielle
Samantha
Amanda
Ashley
Linda
&
Oliver
Benjamin
Samuel
Daniel
Asher
Dylan
Ian
Jerry
Jeremy
Cooper (really, any "occupational" surname ending in -er as a first name)
Anyway, I wanted to hear some opinions of my perpetually-disliked names. Are there any you like? Any you 100% agree with in terms of distaste?
Are there any other names that you, personally, just cannot get behind?
Edit: I forgot Kyle.
***
Please rate my personal name lists:
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/117507
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/109399
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/132018
"If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe." - Carl Sagan
This message was edited 3/24/2025, 5:43 PM
Replies
Gertrude - This is actually one of my guilty pleasure names! I love the nicknames Gertie and Trudie. I love the meaning "spear of strength".
Olga - I also find this name unpleasant. However, I do understand its relevance in Russian and Eastern European cultures.
Martha - I have always disliked the "mouth feel" of this name. I do love Marta though!
Margaret - Oh, I love this name. I like that it means 'pearl'. She is the saint of expectant mothers, so I do understand the name's popularity and longevity. Plus, many of the nicknames are so cute.
Sheila - Agreed on this one. It's another name where the "mouth feel" is unpleasant for me.
Dinah - To me, it depends on pronunciation. I like 'Die-nah' and dislike 'Dee-nah'. I don't really know why. It just has a cute, vintage feel to me. Very 'Alice in Wonderland' vibes for me (which is positive to me).
Beulah - It is an unpleasant sounding name. It isn't too popular though, so I think there are quite a few people who agree with you on that opinion.
Evelyn - While I do think think there are better Eve- names out there, Evelyn is ok. I like the nn Evie. It just sounds soft and pretty, even if I dislike '-lyn' endings.
Madison - Agreed with you on this one. I do not see the appeal at all. There are so many significantly better Mad- or Ad- names!
Susan - This one is hard for me to be objective on because I have a terrible association with this name. Prior to that association, however, I did like the names Susan and Susanna. I think the nn Suzie is cute and the meaning 'lily' is beautiful.
Olga - I also find this name unpleasant. However, I do understand its relevance in Russian and Eastern European cultures.
Martha - I have always disliked the "mouth feel" of this name. I do love Marta though!
Margaret - Oh, I love this name. I like that it means 'pearl'. She is the saint of expectant mothers, so I do understand the name's popularity and longevity. Plus, many of the nicknames are so cute.
Sheila - Agreed on this one. It's another name where the "mouth feel" is unpleasant for me.
Dinah - To me, it depends on pronunciation. I like 'Die-nah' and dislike 'Dee-nah'. I don't really know why. It just has a cute, vintage feel to me. Very 'Alice in Wonderland' vibes for me (which is positive to me).
Beulah - It is an unpleasant sounding name. It isn't too popular though, so I think there are quite a few people who agree with you on that opinion.
Evelyn - While I do think think there are better Eve- names out there, Evelyn is ok. I like the nn Evie. It just sounds soft and pretty, even if I dislike '-lyn' endings.
Madison - Agreed with you on this one. I do not see the appeal at all. There are so many significantly better Mad- or Ad- names!
Susan - This one is hard for me to be objective on because I have a terrible association with this name. Prior to that association, however, I did like the names Susan and Susanna. I think the nn Suzie is cute and the meaning 'lily' is beautiful.
I can’t stand the names Gertrude and Beulah. I just don’t like the sound of Gertrude but at least it has a cute nickname—Trudy or Trudi.
Beulah just bothers me. I once read a book where the character named Beulah was a mean, overbearing, and brassy middle aged Southern woman.
Beulah just bothers me. I once read a book where the character named Beulah was a mean, overbearing, and brassy middle aged Southern woman.
My name is on your list. :(
Gertrude is a clunker for sure, but there are some names that are so fugly that they become striking and a vibe. Gertrude is a strong German woman, who wears a dirndl, can carry a man out of burning building and cracks walnuts with her teeth, and I sort of respect that.
Olga works on both a hag and a Russian femme fatale, so it is excellent for a character name. I don't find it attractive, but I would use the name for a side character whose 6 husbands died in mysterious circumstances, but nobody can prove anything.
Martha is a hardworking salt of the earth sort of name. Not my style, but nice enough.
Margaret is fine. I don't love it, but I don't hate it unless it comes with the nickname Peggy, Peg or Margie.
Dinah is a cute cat name.
Evelyn - Have you ever watched "The Mummy"? if not you need to go watch it, and then tell me if you like Evelyn. The name has a fun vintage/ steampunk flair to me.
Susan, Danielle and Amanda are dated, but they are wholesome enough.
Grace - I'm not a big fan of virtue name, but Grace is elegant and timeless.
Lucy - Cute! I loved Narnia as a child, so maybe that is part of my fondness.
Samantha - I like it on a cat. It reminds me of "Bewitched" and the rich Edwardian orphan who calls out child labor practices in the American Girl series.
Olga works on both a hag and a Russian femme fatale, so it is excellent for a character name. I don't find it attractive, but I would use the name for a side character whose 6 husbands died in mysterious circumstances, but nobody can prove anything.
Martha is a hardworking salt of the earth sort of name. Not my style, but nice enough.
Margaret is fine. I don't love it, but I don't hate it unless it comes with the nickname Peggy, Peg or Margie.
Dinah is a cute cat name.
Evelyn - Have you ever watched "The Mummy"? if not you need to go watch it, and then tell me if you like Evelyn. The name has a fun vintage/ steampunk flair to me.
Susan, Danielle and Amanda are dated, but they are wholesome enough.
Grace - I'm not a big fan of virtue name, but Grace is elegant and timeless.
Lucy - Cute! I loved Narnia as a child, so maybe that is part of my fondness.
Samantha - I like it on a cat. It reminds me of "Bewitched" and the rich Edwardian orphan who calls out child labor practices in the American Girl series.
I agree with your thoughts on Lucy (I prefer Lucia, which I plan to change my name to if I ever transition) and Cooper.
I don't understand Paul, Susan, Deborah, Margaret, Ashley, or Barbara. Not a big fan.
I like Madison but still don't really get it.
I can kind of understand John, Peter, Eve, Evelyn, Grace and Mary, although I don't sympathize.
I understand Alice, Maria, Olivia, Lucy, Dylan, Elijah, Johnathan, and Nathan probably because I like them.
I didn't take Ian, Kyle, or Jeremy as beloved names, but I could be out of touch. I actually thought that at least the first two names were going out of favor slowly but surely. Jeremiah is respected and used more than Jeremy, I thought.
I like Madison but still don't really get it.
I can kind of understand John, Peter, Eve, Evelyn, Grace and Mary, although I don't sympathize.
I understand Alice, Maria, Olivia, Lucy, Dylan, Elijah, Johnathan, and Nathan probably because I like them.
I didn't take Ian, Kyle, or Jeremy as beloved names, but I could be out of touch. I actually thought that at least the first two names were going out of favor slowly but surely. Jeremiah is respected and used more than Jeremy, I thought.
Gosh. I totally agree with some of your choices, so I'll just list the ones I like enough to consider using:
Margaret
Dinah
Lucy
Daniel
Ian
Margaret
Dinah
Lucy
Daniel
Ian
Love:
Gertrude
Olga
Evelyn (but prefer for a boy)
Like:
Cooper
Gertrude
Olga
Evelyn (but prefer for a boy)
Like:
Cooper
I like Gertrude - because of personal associations but also I think the sound is nice. It's just very Germanic? :)
I didn't like Olga until I was making combos here from someone else's list, and it seemed stately/elegant in some of them.
I used to be indifferent to Margaret, but I've been liking it lately. It's understated but substantial and has a unique sound nowadays.
I have the impression Sheila is stereotyped as new agey, but I'm not sure why. It mostly sounds soft and retro to me, a similar age to Rhonda.
Amanda I like because I had a dream about it related to the meaning. But before then, I didn't like it either.
Ashley was so trendy for millennials, but...it's fine. It's easy to say and a nature name, so that's nice...
I dislike Samantha, always have. It's the "antha" sound. And Sam is ok, but I don't like Sammy.
I went through a period of really disliking Grace because it seemed so overused - it seemed like all the annoying kids I met were called Grace or Jack. But I think I'm getting over that recently. I didn't always hate it.
Linda used to just sound boring to me, but as soon as I met a young one, it seemed magical and lovely.
"Dinah blow your horn" - putting that aside though (I could if I met one and had to use it), it doesn't seem terrible...although I still don't like it that much. I don't like the meaning or the bible story, and I prefer the sound of dee-nuh or die-anna.
Beulah I think is stereotyped as one of the ultimate "ugly old lady names" from the early 20th century (same group as Bertha).
I didn't like Olga until I was making combos here from someone else's list, and it seemed stately/elegant in some of them.
I used to be indifferent to Margaret, but I've been liking it lately. It's understated but substantial and has a unique sound nowadays.
I have the impression Sheila is stereotyped as new agey, but I'm not sure why. It mostly sounds soft and retro to me, a similar age to Rhonda.
Amanda I like because I had a dream about it related to the meaning. But before then, I didn't like it either.
Ashley was so trendy for millennials, but...it's fine. It's easy to say and a nature name, so that's nice...
I dislike Samantha, always have. It's the "antha" sound. And Sam is ok, but I don't like Sammy.
I went through a period of really disliking Grace because it seemed so overused - it seemed like all the annoying kids I met were called Grace or Jack. But I think I'm getting over that recently. I didn't always hate it.
Linda used to just sound boring to me, but as soon as I met a young one, it seemed magical and lovely.
"Dinah blow your horn" - putting that aside though (I could if I met one and had to use it), it doesn't seem terrible...although I still don't like it that much. I don't like the meaning or the bible story, and I prefer the sound of dee-nuh or die-anna.
Beulah I think is stereotyped as one of the ultimate "ugly old lady names" from the early 20th century (same group as Bertha).
This message was edited 3/24/2025, 5:38 PM
Possibly you have the impression Sheila is stereotyped as new agey, because it is pronounced the same as Shila and Sheela, which are Sanskrit names, and which turn up in "New Age" contexts because of the big influence Hindu ideas (or "Western" misinterpretations of Hindu ideas) have on many "New Age" groups.
Sheila and Sheela are very good examples of names pronounced the same which have origins in completely different cultures.
Sheila and Sheela are very good examples of names pronounced the same which have origins in completely different cultures.
That might be part of it. I was thinking it was to do with it appearing in relation to minor characters from old TV shows that might have been portrayed that way, but I can't remember the context. I think the sound also reminds me of "sidhe" so I associate myths and magic (in a 70s context because of the age?).
This message was edited 3/25/2025, 10:11 PM
I might have a different opinion of Olga if I'd grown up in a Slavic family, because I've heard it described as elegant in Eastern Europe. I live around a significant Polish population, and growing up I knew a boy whose mom was named Olga--she was born in the states, at least she sounded like it, though I think her parents (the kid's grandparents) were from Poland. Maybe Olga just seemed odd among the "mom names" I knew like Nancy, Angie, Terri, Donna, Diane...
Ashley & Asher I dislike solely because of the "ash" thing. I know in Ashley it's because of ash trees, but with either name I just think of cigarettes in ash trays. :-(
Regarding Samantha & Samuel, it's precisely Sam & Sammy that I don't like! :-P Never did care for the sound.
I've always found Grace to be cold as ice. Not even Gracie warms it to my ears. That's why I'm perplexed at its rise as the new go-to middle name for girls--it's like all their names are followed immediately with a bucket of ice water to the face.
Thank you for reminding me of Bertha in your writeup of Beulah, I'd forgotten that one! Not too fond of the Bert nickname, either (so that's also a no to Roberta for me). I wasn't even thinking of "mammy stereotypes" when I posted Beulah, I just dislike the name: BYOO-luh... I also don't care for most Eu- names.
For Martha, it's the hard-R (in my accent) plus the Th diphthong that makes me dislike it. I think Marta sounds much nicer.
Like with Sam/Sammy, I've never liked the sound of Dan/Danny/Dani, which is the main reason I don't like Daniel & Danielle (and Danielle also sounds to me like "Dan Yell").
Ashley & Asher I dislike solely because of the "ash" thing. I know in Ashley it's because of ash trees, but with either name I just think of cigarettes in ash trays. :-(
Regarding Samantha & Samuel, it's precisely Sam & Sammy that I don't like! :-P Never did care for the sound.
I've always found Grace to be cold as ice. Not even Gracie warms it to my ears. That's why I'm perplexed at its rise as the new go-to middle name for girls--it's like all their names are followed immediately with a bucket of ice water to the face.
Thank you for reminding me of Bertha in your writeup of Beulah, I'd forgotten that one! Not too fond of the Bert nickname, either (so that's also a no to Roberta for me). I wasn't even thinking of "mammy stereotypes" when I posted Beulah, I just dislike the name: BYOO-luh... I also don't care for most Eu- names.
For Martha, it's the hard-R (in my accent) plus the Th diphthong that makes me dislike it. I think Marta sounds much nicer.
Like with Sam/Sammy, I've never liked the sound of Dan/Danny/Dani, which is the main reason I don't like Daniel & Danielle (and Danielle also sounds to me like "Dan Yell").
Okay, disliking Sam/Sammy I can get behind. I always insist people call me Samantha. The nicknames just sound so nasally. And I want a feminine name.
Maybe if you saw a grove of Ash trees you would feel differently about the names? I like Ash trees, but unfortunately the Emerald Ash borer has taken a big hit out of their population.
I've heard the A in Asher pronounced like ah before (that was in the US Midwest). I don't expect that pronunciation (I think it is Hebrew?), but it doesn't necessarily have to sound like ash.
This message was edited 3/24/2025, 6:40 PM
From the ones you've singled out:
Lucy reminds me of "loose" too much ("loosey-goosey"). Dinah is like I'm dining. Also, a bit like dying. (Diana runs into the latter sometimes, but that bothers me less. Not as keen on Diane, though.)
Gertrude, Margaret, and Olga all have G sounds that are very harsh to my ears. I really don't like Gertrude's "Gert" or Margaret's "grit." And Martha... just... that "marth" syllable, said in an American Midwest accent that really hits that R, is wholly unattractive to me. It genuinely reminds me of John Candy in Spaceballs telling people, "My name's Barf. I'm a Mog."
Lucy reminds me of "loose" too much ("loosey-goosey"). Dinah is like I'm dining. Also, a bit like dying. (Diana runs into the latter sometimes, but that bothers me less. Not as keen on Diane, though.)
Gertrude, Margaret, and Olga all have G sounds that are very harsh to my ears. I really don't like Gertrude's "Gert" or Margaret's "grit." And Martha... just... that "marth" syllable, said in an American Midwest accent that really hits that R, is wholly unattractive to me. It genuinely reminds me of John Candy in Spaceballs telling people, "My name's Barf. I'm a Mog."
Also do not like: Gertrude, Sheila (but I do like Šejla), Evelyn, Madison, Susan, Grace, Lucy, Samantha, Amanda, Ashley, Samuel, Asher, Dylan, Ian, Cooper
I like different variant: Olga (Olha, Volha), Margaret (Gretchen), Danielle (Daniela), Daniel (Danyil, Danylo)
Okay: Beulah (I have no idea how to say it), Benjamin, Jerry (I like Jerry Heil), Jeremy
Like: Martha, Oliver
Love: none :)
Dinah it depend I like Dina more, I say both as dee-nah. I do not like die-nah.
I like different variant: Olga (Olha, Volha), Margaret (Gretchen), Danielle (Daniela), Daniel (Danyil, Danylo)
Okay: Beulah (I have no idea how to say it), Benjamin, Jerry (I like Jerry Heil), Jeremy
Like: Martha, Oliver
Love: none :)
Dinah it depend I like Dina more, I say both as dee-nah. I do not like die-nah.