Remember that free association thing?

[trinityvixen]

On my way to work, this otherwise dreary, almost gothic sort of morning was brightened considerably by "Friday I'm in Love" coming up on my iPod. I had to bite my lips to keep from singing aloud.

I'm out for the weekend, going to visit my sister in San Francisco and to attend the baby shower. She was a tad bummed that no one leapt to go to the one she originally planned, but when she rescheduled, we were suddenly all available (not to mention more inclined to spend the money and time to visit since she was sooooo adorably happy that we could make it).

Also? She needs all the help she can get right now. It's T-minus one month until baby, and they still haven't come up with a name. You all might recall this little test of free association I did. I got the predictable response from fully half of you: I asked what you thought of when you thought of the word "Raiden," and most of you immediately jumped to Mortal Kombat.

The reason I made that poll? IS BECAUSE THAT IS SERIOUSLY WHAT MY BROTHER-IN-LAW WANTS TO NAME MY NEPHEW-TO-BE. My sister likes "Braden," but she jokingly said that if it's stormy when she delivers, it could be "Raiden." I leapt to conduct my scientific research so I could prove what an astonishingly bad idea that was. This weekend, I predict that we will spend much of our time continuing to dissuade them from that.

Seriously. Raiden? Even if his peers don't associate that name with Mortal Kombat (hey, the game isn't that popular now, to say nothing of five-ten-fifteen years from now), when he gets old enough to work, all the people who would hire him will be my age or older, and they will associate his name with Mortal Kombat. MUST STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING.

See you all Monday!

Comments

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

My sister-in-law's niece's name is Calidora, which I still think sounds like a fictional country. To say nothing of Voltairine, the name one of my former co-worker's friends gave her baby. It's a feminized version of Voltaire. But it sounds like a sports drink that would electrocute you.

I am still of the opinion that prospective parents shouldn't even hint at the name until the kid has it, cause that way, no one can say anything.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Calidora is beautiful, but yes, I get where you are getting "high fantasy playland" from. Voltairine sounds like an equally imaginary precious gem. It's worse than Calidora.

As for suggesting names prior to baby arrival, well, clearly you wouldn't do unless you either a) needed help, or b) knew for sure. I'm guessing my sister was in category A.

[saikogrrl.livejournal.com]

Parents should really think carefully about how unfun it would be to have such a weird name bfore giving it to their kid.

[moonlightalice.livejournal.com]

This. My name has been nothing but a total pain my whole life.

[saikogrrl.livejournal.com]

What is your name?

I used to get "Kate Mcdonell had a farm" a lot in primary schoo, but it's nit like my parents could help the surname...

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

moonlightalice, like myself, has a fairly normal name with an unusual spelling. Personally, I find that sort of thinking almost more obnoxious than the "just go with the craziest name we can find" idea. This is how you get "Jennnifer" and shit like that.

[six-demon-bag.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Haha yeah, I wouldn't want my child to be associated with Mortal Kombat in quite that way either. : / This is rather funny, though and I love how the idea came to be in the first place. I laughed out loud.

Awe, "Friday I'm in Love" cheered you up, and it's kind of funny 'cause The Cure, for the most part, is a dark and gothy band to begin with. This brings to mind the T-shirt design I saw recently (click on the image to see the real design)...

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

It's one of my faves on Threadless. Whenever they next have a sale, I just know I won't be able to resist that one.

[kokoinai.livejournal.com]

I have a weird name and I love it. But I think I'm just weird.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Once you get broken into your name, it's fine. But it's like hell as a kid. Especially if you get your name misread in some awful and memorable way. I had an after-school activity person--who frickin was my Girl Scout Troop leader, so she knew damn well what my name was--misread my name off a sign-up sheet such that it read out like the name of my neighbor's dog. (Which she also knew.) She thought it was SO FUNNY, she called me by it from then on. I expect children to be awful--and they were, seeing as a popular cartoon character at the time also had my name--but adults? Fuck, man.