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HelpCompromise: A new kind of congrats: Sign-Ups
As namenerds, our artistic palate is very limited. We only have the opportunity to really express ourselves however many times we have children. The vast majority of the time, we draft and rework and dream and plot and organize and craft by ourselves, only our favorite names, with only the ideas important to us - but the actual art of naming is a joint process, and involves coöperation and compromise.
I have been working to devise a way to stimulate this process of compromise, since our ordinary modus operandi is so contrary to the actual way naming works. In this game, you and your SO, a random other namenerd with random taste, will name a baby together over 5 or 6 rounds. So this will require actual participation from both ends, or else you ruin the game and it's no fun. I'll leave the rounds up for a while before posting new ones though. It's a very inexact simulation, but it's a very early attempt at it, and I think it is valuable.
The really important thing to remember is that in this game, you're married or dedicated to the other person. Seriously. Pretend you're talking to your SO when you talk to the other person. If you don't have one, pretend it's your crush or a movie star or some nonexistent ideal who happens to have inexplicable taste. Someone you care a lot about. David or Sarah can go quickly from being "some sort of boring name" to being "dear one's favorite name" and thus have a very different effect on your psyche. If you actually play this psychological trick on yourself, it will really affect your willingness to compromise, which will make the game much more fulfilling.
Signups
This game works in pairs. So, the first person to sign up will sign up under me; the next person will sign up under them. That's one couple. The third person will begin a second couple, and the fourth person will complete it. Is this clear? It should look more like
http://www.behindthename.com/bb/view.php?id=3684929&board=baby
than like
http://www.behindthename.com/bb/view.php?id=3684889&board=baby
. Get it? :)
I'll accept up to ten pairs.
-The first person of each pair to sign up will state a surname. In the default western tradition, this is the one the baby would take, but you and your partner can discuss it some and come up with a compromise. (If you are the second partner, you can come up with your own surname as well, if it is something you want to bring up.) It can be a really awesome surname if you want. Anyway, whatever you come up with, be sure to make it clear.
-Speak briefly about your naming philosophy, where you draw your inspiration, your style, etc.
-When I post the rounds I will post as replies the results of the previous round, with the surnames of the subject line - under that post is where discussion should take place.
-Assignment for next round: think about the names you would really actually like to give a child.
I have been working to devise a way to stimulate this process of compromise, since our ordinary modus operandi is so contrary to the actual way naming works. In this game, you and your SO, a random other namenerd with random taste, will name a baby together over 5 or 6 rounds. So this will require actual participation from both ends, or else you ruin the game and it's no fun. I'll leave the rounds up for a while before posting new ones though. It's a very inexact simulation, but it's a very early attempt at it, and I think it is valuable.
The really important thing to remember is that in this game, you're married or dedicated to the other person. Seriously. Pretend you're talking to your SO when you talk to the other person. If you don't have one, pretend it's your crush or a movie star or some nonexistent ideal who happens to have inexplicable taste. Someone you care a lot about. David or Sarah can go quickly from being "some sort of boring name" to being "dear one's favorite name" and thus have a very different effect on your psyche. If you actually play this psychological trick on yourself, it will really affect your willingness to compromise, which will make the game much more fulfilling.
Signups
This game works in pairs. So, the first person to sign up will sign up under me; the next person will sign up under them. That's one couple. The third person will begin a second couple, and the fourth person will complete it. Is this clear? It should look more like
http://www.behindthename.com/bb/view.php?id=3684929&board=baby
than like
http://www.behindthename.com/bb/view.php?id=3684889&board=baby
. Get it? :)
I'll accept up to ten pairs.
-The first person of each pair to sign up will state a surname. In the default western tradition, this is the one the baby would take, but you and your partner can discuss it some and come up with a compromise. (If you are the second partner, you can come up with your own surname as well, if it is something you want to bring up.) It can be a really awesome surname if you want. Anyway, whatever you come up with, be sure to make it clear.
-Speak briefly about your naming philosophy, where you draw your inspiration, your style, etc.
-When I post the rounds I will post as replies the results of the previous round, with the surnames of the subject line - under that post is where discussion should take place.
-Assignment for next round: think about the names you would really actually like to give a child.
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