School restarted last Monday. And I was working. All that week. Long story, and I'm not going to bore you with it. Suffice it to say that the new subbing stories start now in earnest.
I have a rule against using actual student names, but I'm breaking it today. Not to talk about a specific student, though. To talk about a naming trend.
Dear new parents of 2002, why did you all name your girls Sydney? Was it the Olympics? Was it Alias? What?
Because, seriously, I have two Sydneys in two different classes. And another Sydney or two sprinkled in the others. And they're not all spelled "Sydney". There's Sidney, Sydni, and a couple other spellings I forget. But since they sound the same... I even have two Sydneys with the same last initial in one period. (Who I stupidly sat next to each other...)
As times change, so do names. That name used to be Brittany. A couple years back I was shocked to find three Abigails in one class. (Although, I think those are the only three Abigails at that school.)
Of course, the big girl's name is Jasmine. I encounter at least one a day still. That name has staying power. I've seen it spelled a myriad of ways. Jasmine. Jazmin. Jasmyn. Etc.
Ah well. At least now I have a good general name for an 8th grade girl that won't single anyone out. Since there appear to be a lot of them.
Well, as my dad often says, "You gotta call it/them something. It might as well be [insert name here]."
ReplyDeleteName trends are funny things, and it surprises me how often they're based on pop culture. Crazy. You'd think parents would name their kids something more meaningful, eh?
ReplyDeleteI remember when Sarah and Jennifer were popular girl names. I like when people keep names simple and spelled traditionally. Son's name is a very popular name; would call it at the park and at least 5 heads would pop up, LOL :)
ReplyDeleteI can't believe school is back in session already! Summer flew!
betty
I knew like five Jennifers when I was in school...
DeleteMy name was popular back in the day. There was always at least another one in my class. My mother decided to spell it a little different. It’s a pain to always have to explain that it’s Lynda with a Y. I picked the names for my children based on what I liked. Simple as that.
ReplyDeleteMy 6th grade teacher had to deal with 5 Davids. She didn't call on us much. :)
ReplyDeleteYikes. I also stupidly sat the two Jacobs together (although, one goes by Jay). And today I had at least two Anthonys in every period (in one period I had three).
DeleteI have gone though my life without knowing too many Paulas. Both of my sons names have been popular at one time or another. But neither of them are heard much now in new babies names. I think the weirder the name is the more people like it! Who in the world would ever name a baby North???
ReplyDeleteCelebrities aren't normal. We can't pay attention to what they think is a good idea.
DeleteI was almost named Paula...
Every few years there's a new name that seems to peak in popularity. I bet in a few years there will be some new names that will have ten different spellings and twenty different kids attached.
ReplyDeleteBrittany. Before that, Madison. Before that...oh gosh, in the 1980's there were a couple of names everyone used for their baby girls. In my generation, it was probably Susan or some variation of Kathy. Maybe I should be happy I have an unusual name. But when I was young I hated it. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteIn the '80s, the big teen girl name was Jennifer. (It was a popular name for babies in the '70s.)
DeleteThings like that must be very confusing for a teacher. I don't remember that sort of thing happening much when I was a kid. But I do know John was a popular boy's name back then. I don't know how many boyfriends I had that were named John when I was in school.
ReplyDeleteSunni
sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com
It's really not confusing for me. I guess I'm just used to having repeat names in classes, because it happens at least once a day.
DeleteA couple of years ago I had 6 Jayden's in the same class! When there are 8 year 8 classes in the Year Group how did that happen?!?!?!
ReplyDeleteProbably because I am from Sydney, the thousands of Sydney's in Year 8 thing hasn't happened here in Australia - at my last place of employment the common name variation was Tamika/Tanika/Tanisha/Keisha, where as where I am now doesn't seem to be full of the "trendy" names
There always seems to be something that's popular. It's kind of interesting to watch the trends via roll lists.
DeleteWho would have thought there would be an overabundance of Abigails? I like the name, but I wouldn't have thought of it as being a common one. Same thing with Jasmine. As for Sydney, I had forgotten that was the character on Alias. Good show.
ReplyDeleteI know. I was so shocked by that. And it seems that those might be the only three Abigails at that school, for that's the only time I've ever seen that name at school.
DeleteI keep waiting for "Yvonne" to get trendy....
ReplyDeleteIt could happen. We just need a popular movie or book with Yvonne as the main character.
DeleteI get a lot of boys with names ending in 'den'. Like Hayden and Jayden and Brayden. Drives me nuts.
ReplyDeleteI've seen those names, but not to a large extent.
DeleteOh my...I do see names pop up everywhere. I wish people would actually name their kids something different instead of spelling the name differently which is silly..I think:) At least my name is unique for North America:)
ReplyDelete