Hypothetical question: if you name a baby "Happy" will he/she be consistent with the name and have a happy life?
December 15, 2010 3:32 PM Subscribe
Hypothetical question: if you name a baby "Happy" will he/she be consistent with the name and have a happy life? So in sad situations he/she will think... hey, my name is Happy, I'll just stop being miserable and be happy. Or will he/she be teased to depression by other kids?
I'm interested to hear your opinions... :-)
This post was deleted for the following reason: This is not practically answerable as asked. -- cortex
Freakonomics covered this issue. The results were to the contrary if I remember correctly.
posted by arveale at 3:34 PM on December 15, 2010
posted by arveale at 3:34 PM on December 15, 2010
No more so than a girl named "Rain" would expect it to always rain. In all seriousness, with the names I see becoming more and more bizarre, "Happy" sounds perfectly normal to me.
posted by Gerard Sorme at 3:36 PM on December 15, 2010
posted by Gerard Sorme at 3:36 PM on December 15, 2010
I'd worry more about the sort of expectational pressure you'd put on them after giving them the name, to be happy all the time. Poor kid might not be able to tell you when they aren't, if you have this thing where they. Are. HAPPY.
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 3:37 PM on December 15, 2010
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 3:37 PM on December 15, 2010
I knew a Vietnamese kid who, when his parents came to the States, somehow picked up the nickname "Happy."
Dude hated it.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:38 PM on December 15, 2010
Dude hated it.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:38 PM on December 15, 2010
I don't think that such simplistic correlations can be expected (though you should definitely read Sandman World's End).
But anecdotally, I can definitely attest that having a strange name does affect your life. I have a tremendously out-there first name thanks to hippie parents and, though it caused me a bit of heartache in elementary school, I felt that my only real options were to give it up and go by my middle name or grow into it. The first option never seemed palatable.
I'm not saying that my given name is entirely responsible for my personality, but I feel very comfortable saying that I'm a noticeably different person today than I would have been if I had been named "Mike."
I think naming a kid "Happy" would probably have a similar effect. I don't imagine they would ever think "Well, my name's Happy, so I'm happy," but I do believe that the way that having that particular name will cause others to react to them will definitely have a formative effect. For better or worse, who can tell?
posted by 256 at 3:39 PM on December 15, 2010
But anecdotally, I can definitely attest that having a strange name does affect your life. I have a tremendously out-there first name thanks to hippie parents and, though it caused me a bit of heartache in elementary school, I felt that my only real options were to give it up and go by my middle name or grow into it. The first option never seemed palatable.
I'm not saying that my given name is entirely responsible for my personality, but I feel very comfortable saying that I'm a noticeably different person today than I would have been if I had been named "Mike."
I think naming a kid "Happy" would probably have a similar effect. I don't imagine they would ever think "Well, my name's Happy, so I'm happy," but I do believe that the way that having that particular name will cause others to react to them will definitely have a formative effect. For better or worse, who can tell?
posted by 256 at 3:39 PM on December 15, 2010
In Farsi, "Shadi" is a girl's name which is the same as the word for happiness- and is otherwise completely unremarkable. The only reason the name "Happy" would have any significance in English is because it is unusual.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 3:42 PM on December 15, 2010
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 3:42 PM on December 15, 2010
My name means "content" in Arabic. I tend to be a very mellow, glass half full person, for what it's worth. At least most of the time! But I think it makes a difference if you have such a name from a different language or culture, vs. growing up with such a name that's already part of your daily lexicon. I would not like to be named "happy" growing up in an English speaking culture.
I once met an Iraqi lady who told me my name meant "a woman who is pleased" - I kind of love that meaning way more. I also met a Hungarian guy who told me my name meant "smackdown" in Hungarian. Still kind of slow trying to get my amateur wrestling career going though.
posted by raztaj at 3:43 PM on December 15, 2010
I once met an Iraqi lady who told me my name meant "a woman who is pleased" - I kind of love that meaning way more. I also met a Hungarian guy who told me my name meant "smackdown" in Hungarian. Still kind of slow trying to get my amateur wrestling career going though.
posted by raztaj at 3:43 PM on December 15, 2010
Hypothetical question: if you name a baby "Happy" will he/she be consistent with the name and have a happy life?
No, this is stupid.
To pick any number of examples from the history of mankind, would Elizabeth Fritzl have had a happy life had she been named Glücklich Fritzl? Words don't ward off the evil of the world.
posted by fire&wings at 3:43 PM on December 15, 2010
No, this is stupid.
To pick any number of examples from the history of mankind, would Elizabeth Fritzl have had a happy life had she been named Glücklich Fritzl? Words don't ward off the evil of the world.
posted by fire&wings at 3:43 PM on December 15, 2010
The anecdote from Freakonomics that arveale refers to can be found here. It's about two brothers called 'winner' and 'loser'.
posted by Busy Old Fool at 3:45 PM on December 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Busy Old Fool at 3:45 PM on December 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
I think if your name was "Happy", just about everyone you ever met in your life would say something along the lines of "Hey Happy, are you really Happy?" and after the 100th time it would make you very, very sad.
I was recently in the presence of a friend named Holly (with a Y) and someone (not me, thankfully) asked her if she was going to have a "Holly Jolly Christmas." She looked at him sternly and said "Huh. I never heard that before." And then proceeded to tell him how much she hated when people said that because they said it every. single. day.
So yeah, I think being named Happy would eventually turn me into an axe murderer.
posted by bondcliff at 3:47 PM on December 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
I was recently in the presence of a friend named Holly (with a Y) and someone (not me, thankfully) asked her if she was going to have a "Holly Jolly Christmas." She looked at him sternly and said "Huh. I never heard that before." And then proceeded to tell him how much she hated when people said that because they said it every. single. day.
So yeah, I think being named Happy would eventually turn me into an axe murderer.
posted by bondcliff at 3:47 PM on December 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
Also, I never, ever think "hey, my name is Content, I'll just stop being miserable and be Content." Ever. I think my natural temperament just bends towards being more positive and optimistic--just the way my cards were dealt. But everyone has their bad moments at times too.
posted by raztaj at 3:47 PM on December 15, 2010
posted by raztaj at 3:47 PM on December 15, 2010
Here's the conclusion from Freakonomics:
"What the California names suggest is that an overwhelming number of parents use a name to signal their own expectations of how successful their children will be. The isn't likely to make a shard of difference. But the parents can at least feel better knowing that, from the very outset, they tried their best." p204
Personally, I agree with Buddha... that it's just likely to become a source of annoyance for the kid with the weird name. The jokes are just too obvious and idiotic. Plus if she tries to have a serious career, it would be a hindrance--in Iowa, there's a news anchor named Sunny Lane that I suspect will never make the big times.
posted by parkerjackson at 3:50 PM on December 15, 2010
"What the California names suggest is that an overwhelming number of parents use a name to signal their own expectations of how successful their children will be. The isn't likely to make a shard of difference. But the parents can at least feel better knowing that, from the very outset, they tried their best." p204
Personally, I agree with Buddha... that it's just likely to become a source of annoyance for the kid with the weird name. The jokes are just too obvious and idiotic. Plus if she tries to have a serious career, it would be a hindrance--in Iowa, there's a news anchor named Sunny Lane that I suspect will never make the big times.
posted by parkerjackson at 3:50 PM on December 15, 2010
Hypothetical question: if you name a baby "Happy" will he/she be consistent with the name and have a happy life?
No, because they will be teased mercilessly by other kids. ANYTIME they're unhappy, they'll be made fun of and mocked.
posted by nomadicink at 3:52 PM on December 15, 2010
No, because they will be teased mercilessly by other kids. ANYTIME they're unhappy, they'll be made fun of and mocked.
posted by nomadicink at 3:52 PM on December 15, 2010
Growing up, I had a friend named Chastity. She was often very happy but not at all chaste.
posted by defreckled at 3:53 PM on December 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by defreckled at 3:53 PM on December 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
Classic question of how much influence the environment has on the forming of an individual; with the additional problem, that the blanks for "environment" are not filled in. Truly unanswerable question.
[That said, we do have the Baroque violinist Maggie Faultless, who is a pretty awesome musician, so...]
posted by Namlit at 3:55 PM on December 15, 2010
[That said, we do have the Baroque violinist Maggie Faultless, who is a pretty awesome musician, so...]
posted by Namlit at 3:55 PM on December 15, 2010
my last name is small and i'm 5'3 and 90 lbs., so in my experience, YES!
posted by shrimpsmalls at 4:01 PM on December 15, 2010
posted by shrimpsmalls at 4:01 PM on December 15, 2010
A point of data. My name is Laura, which is from "laurel" which was the Roman symbol for victory. I learned that when I was little. I loved it. I win all the time. It might be a subconscious thing. Who knows!
posted by millipede at 4:01 PM on December 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by millipede at 4:01 PM on December 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
A child named Happy is destined to work a low-level job and never be taken seriously by others; least of all by employers.
That is my opinion.
posted by BostonTerrier at 4:02 PM on December 15, 2010
That is my opinion.
posted by BostonTerrier at 4:02 PM on December 15, 2010
I knew a Happy in college and she always seemed very well adjusted. Never asked her, though.
posted by Knowyournuts at 4:03 PM on December 15, 2010
posted by Knowyournuts at 4:03 PM on December 15, 2010
My son was adopted into my family, and his name is the name that was given to him at birth by his first family. His name means joy or happiness and is given to a child whose birth brings great happiness to the family.
But then he lost his family and ended up losing his country and culture and language and moving across the world to a new family. This is pretty much major life trauma for any kid, and it was incredibly traumatic for my son. So, I wouldn't say his named served him well necessarily.
Now, he can sometimes be very happy, and sometimes very sad, and sometimes very angry. But I don't see any correlation to his name.
posted by bluedaisy at 4:05 PM on December 15, 2010
But then he lost his family and ended up losing his country and culture and language and moving across the world to a new family. This is pretty much major life trauma for any kid, and it was incredibly traumatic for my son. So, I wouldn't say his named served him well necessarily.
Now, he can sometimes be very happy, and sometimes very sad, and sometimes very angry. But I don't see any correlation to his name.
posted by bluedaisy at 4:05 PM on December 15, 2010
You're thinking of this question as a hypothetical question because "Happy" is not a very common name in English right now, and neither are many other mood-related words that I can think of. However, there are a variety of virtue-related names that used to be common in English. (Prudence, Felicity, Charity, Grace, Faith, Chastity, Hope, Verity, Joy, etc.) A few of those are still common. Living up to those names (or not) should present a similar challenge, right?
My first name is actually a virtue, but it's not a virtue that - were it my not my name - one would associate with me at all. Seriously: has every Faith you've known been religious? Has every Grace been graceful or existed in a state of grace? Every Joy been joyful? Or have they all been driven to be the opposite? Neither's been the case for anyone else I know personally who's saddled with a virtue-related name. I've never in response to something in my life thought of my name, and been inspired to try to live up to it more; conversely, while I got some teasing for it as a kid, I didn't get all that much, and I wouldn't say it drove me to actively try to be unlike my name either. It's just a name, and while I laugh about how it's not particularly appropriate for me sometimes, I don't think it's had much of an effect on who I am.
posted by ubersturm at 4:08 PM on December 15, 2010
My first name is actually a virtue, but it's not a virtue that - were it my not my name - one would associate with me at all. Seriously: has every Faith you've known been religious? Has every Grace been graceful or existed in a state of grace? Every Joy been joyful? Or have they all been driven to be the opposite? Neither's been the case for anyone else I know personally who's saddled with a virtue-related name. I've never in response to something in my life thought of my name, and been inspired to try to live up to it more; conversely, while I got some teasing for it as a kid, I didn't get all that much, and I wouldn't say it drove me to actively try to be unlike my name either. It's just a name, and while I laugh about how it's not particularly appropriate for me sometimes, I don't think it's had much of an effect on who I am.
posted by ubersturm at 4:08 PM on December 15, 2010
I agree with BostonTerrier. Happy is not a terrible name at all, though it'll have dire effects on the child named Happy. They will probably be happy, but their name will hold them back because unfortunately, people judge on names and not the personality and merits of the individual. (Also, this is an opinion).
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 4:08 PM on December 15, 2010
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 4:08 PM on December 15, 2010
All kids get made fun of, regardless of their names. I doubt there's any predictable effect in either direction.
posted by J. Wilson at 4:08 PM on December 15, 2010
posted by J. Wilson at 4:08 PM on December 15, 2010
My opinion is that there is always a better alternative to saddling a child with the name of a dwarf.
posted by trip and a half at 4:09 PM on December 15, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by trip and a half at 4:09 PM on December 15, 2010 [3 favorites]
My opinion is that there is always a better alternative to saddling a child with the name of a dwarf.
Well, a little old cartoon dwarf, anyway.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 4:17 PM on December 15, 2010
Well, a little old cartoon dwarf, anyway.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 4:17 PM on December 15, 2010
My name is Doug, and i have no affinity for shovels.
posted by 4ster at 4:17 PM on December 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by 4ster at 4:17 PM on December 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
I'll resist the urge to go down the "Stripper named Chasity" route...(but it's oh so tempting).
I don't think any studies have born out the name influence to have much truth in it.
posted by ninjakins at 4:19 PM on December 15, 2010
I don't think any studies have born out the name influence to have much truth in it.
posted by ninjakins at 4:19 PM on December 15, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by francesca too at 3:34 PM on December 15, 2010