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Comment by joegibbs | Hacker News Reader

    "As she says this, her five-month-old daughter Titan Invictus – the couple 
    refuse to give girls feminine names, citing research suggesting they will be 
    taken less seriously"

I'm glad that they're giving their kids serious names, rather than something ridiculous like Susan or Jane.

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They’re virtue signaling about gender disparities but really that name signals elitism more than any gender.

Maybe you're revealing more about yourself then they are?

Names aren't always heavily segregated by gender. And what is lost with neutral/inverted names? You can't bucket someone so easily?

Exactly. I bucket Titan Invictus together with my very great friends in Rome named Sillius Soddus and Biggus Dickus.

They happen to be respectable and fierce ladies actually. I also know a boy named Sue. Great guy, lots of character. Some minor issues with the parental unit.

That kid is being called Tit Anne or just 'Anne' by the third grade. But she'll know they are thinking the first part.

By the time that kid reaches 3rd grade, kids won't be mocking others with nicknames, for fear of being cancelled. /s (I hope?)

If self censorship starts that early then damn.

Why is it so ridiculous? Common names are boring and become useless when your the third 'Paul' in the Super-K photo department or English class.

Names should be unique and fun. And if the children decide they don't like them, well, let them pick their own.

It's ridiculous because names are mostly for the benefit of other people, and unfortunately society isn't so tolerant that everyone will accept it. If you call your daughter Titan Invictus you're going to have her go through life with people trying to stifle a laugh when they hear her name, or asking "Sorry?" or coming back home and telling their spouse about the kid with the absurd name in the class they're teaching.

People are also unlikely to change their name, firstly since it's their name that they've had for years before being old enough to realise that people think it sounds stupid, and secondly because they worry about hurting their parents' feelings.

As the world becomes more interconnected people will need to accept that names will vary widely.

BTW my SO was a teacher in an area that had very creative and diverse names. She thought it was great. And certainly easier than a classroom with four 'Brian's.

Interconnected? This is not a case where somebody turns up from Bihar or Ukraine and brings a long and unfamiliar name to the class full of Annes and Johns. "Titan" goes back to Greek mythology, "Invictus" to Latin. The best thing I can say about the names is that a girl's classmates are less likely to think "'invictus' = unconquered? Let's test that hypothesis out back."

Sure, but if you are going to give someone a "unique and fun" name specifically saying you are against feminine names because research says they are taken less seriously, but aren't really putting much consideration into whether "unique and fun" names are taken less seriously than classic boring names, something is clearly wrong with your logic.

Cultures can and will change. What names are common or 'acceptable' will change too. Older folks often have 'strange' old names long out of fashion. Are they to be taken less seriously? It all strikes me as grade-school gate keeping.

If folks only take certain names seriously then they are the ones with a problem.

Look: it seems like you just don't understand what people are talking about. The original article said that feminine names aren't taken seriously, and then gave a "unique and fun" name to their kid. that is inconsistent. Pointing out that it is inconsistent isn't claiming anything about how people should or how people might eventually treat such names: the logic is bad and your opinion about the future is just noise... as if you are being triggered by this topic and simply can't prevent yourself from arguing about it, even though it is off topic, as that's the argument you wish people were having :(. (Awkwardly, is I try to parse your contributions to this thread in "charitable" light I actually end up in a worse place, where you would have to actively believe that in the future people will clearly accept unique and fun names and yet they will never accept feminine names. But not only does that feel like a shitty thought process, as far as I have seen you haven't tried to make that argument and if you were paying attention you would have said it, right?)

I have a somewhat rare name in my country, and the times I've had to repeat my name when introducing myself, or just had people outright asking "what kind of name is that" makes me sick of it. I sincerely don't like my name.

I agree. I have a unique name as does my daughter. That said, you have to be careful with them…and it’s not the place to make a political stance.

Getting a name akin to a ship from WH40k is not serious. You are not a space ship, Titard.

i have a unique name. good luck when you have to order a sandwich or coffee, or answer the phone. the only benefit is getting the whatevermyfirstnameis@ email address at work. if i ever have kids, they will be getting boring-ass names.

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