Finland has a "Naming oversight committee" that approves or rejects names for usage in Finland. And while I think it is quite silly that it is needed, it seems that it is needed. They have loosened the laws somewhat to allow for the changing demographics where there are more parents that are non-Finnish, which is good, but I would suspect that a lot on the reject list are coming from Finns.
This is the reject list:
Ahdin, Aicksar, Alfred's daughter, Amnell, Annatar, Appelsiinikki, Azazel, Buddha, Caladrius, Eklander, Ellé, Ephimachius, Felín, Filipecki, Haades, Jezebel, johannes, Juhoha, Julma-Hurtta, Kaaos, Kallen-Kallela, Klapi, Koivuniitty, Kukurtaja, Lord, Lucifer, Maï, Mielivalta, Nat8hquhs, Nex, Otawa, Paperi, Pelekkä, Punpuli, Puukko Armo, Raivomieli, Rikia, Rody's son, Rosmo, samsam, Saturnius, Sheikki, Sorína, Suudelmitar, Taawi, Tanyá, Tsygä, Tuoni, Uakke, Uhka, Ukonvaaja, Wiiru, Åriz
And since you don't speak Finnish, I will translate a couple.
Puukko Armo - Knife Mercy
Raivomieli - Furious Mind
Julma-Hurtta - Cruel-Hound
Paperi - Paper
Rikia - Brimstone
And those that were approved:
Aamuntähti, Aarnik, Anoo, Arsitar, Avreno, Bobandy, Ellandar, Feeni, Heito, Häkä, Juhania, Kide-Pilvi, Kimara, Konon, Korppi, Lapitar, Lourences, Messis, Mieli, Niittu, Petäjä, Piamon, Pihlajanmarjukka, Pihlamo, Poolo, Pöly, Sanervatar, Saturnus, Sjöbjörn, Taide, Torspo, Unikonsiemen, Wâânutamwee, Yennefer
Torspo - Idiot
Pihlajanmarjukka - Rowanberry
Unikonsiemen - Poppyseed
Häkä - Carbon Monoxide
Some parents.
You also might notice that some parents are more tenacious than others, as while Saturnius was rejected, they came to a compromise and slipped Saturnus through the filters and onto the approved list.
Lucky kid. Safe from bullying now.
But it is interesting to think how our names affect us, because we do tend to attach ourselves to them, making them less a spoken sound and more a part of who we are. And, they affect how others treat us too, for better or worse. A common name might be easy to say but gets confused with others, while an uncommon name might standout, but gets misremembered, misspelled and misspoken.
Which is better?
I don't know - I have the name I have - a weird name. One that people rarely remembered and pronounced correctly on even fewer occasions. It is memorable in the way that people would not want to say it and in class when there was a substitute, I always knew when my name was up on the rollcall list.
Has it affected me?
Yes, but I think overall, it has been more positive than negative, as while people don't remember my name, they remember that they don't remember and are generally uncomfortable and are forced to ask, or allow me to take the lead. There is more curious conversation, less assumption.
Has your name affected you?
I suppose everyone's has, right? Even the people who have changed their names, or use middle names instead. Is it that they didn't like the one given, or did it bring up some kind of memories that they wanted to avoid. A friend of mine legally changed her name to her nickname, which is something she had been called since she was a baby and identified with more than her given name, as it reminds her of her history, the youngest open heart surgery recipient at the time.
Names are funny things. We hear ours, we react as if by magic, our attention is pulled from whatever we are doing and we turn to see what dares interrupt or, what opportunities are on offer. It is a commanding sound that has power of us, but does not hold the same gravity for others, unless they share in our name, a community controlled by a single word.
In Finland, there isn't a large selection of names to choose from and they get used in trends, where for example, the last decade or so has seen a lot of "old" names being used, the kinds of names that grand and great-grand parents might have. Or those who choose names that are "international", because they expect their children to travel through a world of mixed nationalities, likely travelling for work in the future.
I have been called a lot of names in the last forty-plus years and the vast majority of them have been unpleasant, but I don't care much about what people call me, as I am not defined by the sound that comes out of someone's mouth. I find it ridiculous that people don't just get upset about being called the wrong name or an incorrect pronunciation, but they care about what pronouns someone else uses to reference them.
Small minds, without enough real problems with which to deal.
So many say they want to be treated like everyone else, but then demand they are treated with unique exception. They want to be accepted into every group, but exclude others from the groups that they identify with. Claim discrimination, yet are the most prejudiced.
What is in a name?
For some, it is just another sound.
For others, it seems to be all they are.
As they say, actions speak louder than words -
and a name is just another word.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
