Names, tattoos and "meaning"...

...was talking to an acquaintance recently whose friend had just called a child one of those awful "Kayden" type names and it was immediately followed by "it means strength". And I was thinking, what about the nice simple "it was my gran's name/we both liked the sound of it/it fits with the surname". No, because the parents want "meaning" some poor kid is gonna have to spend their life going around saying their dramatic name followed by a muttered "it means strength".

And was looking at some other thread this morning when some poster spoke of tattoos and their "meaning". Which is something I hear more and more, he got the exact same sleeve tattoo in that pacific island style that every 20 something likes because it means something deep. It's as deep as everyone buying Levi's 501s in the 80s, it's the opposite of deep, it's a fad.

Are 20 somethings searching for meaning in all the wrong places?

Fr_Dougal

Conor: lover of the hounds.

Fr_Dougal

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Conor: lover of the hounds.

I remember telling my mum that many years ago. She just looked at me like I had 2 heads and said "your Dad liked it".

As for hounds, they're grand...muzzled and leashed in public. Don't get me started on the dog fad of 20 somethings who like the image but then don't bother to look after them properly...

DirtyBollox

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Conor: lover of the hounds.

You sure you're not mistaking that for Ramsey or Bolton?

Alf Stewart.

We followed the Beckham's in naming one of our kids after the place he was conceived.

"Hungry Jacks toilet, Warringah mall" will be 11 in November this year.

gramar

Deleted User wrote: »

...was talking to an acquaintance recently whose friend had just called a child one of those awful "Kayden" type names and it was immediately followed by "it means strength". And I was thinking, what about the nice simple "it was my gran's name/we both liked the sound of it/it fits with the surname". No, because the parents want "meaning" some poor kid is gonna have to spend their life going around saying their dramatic name followed by a muttered "it means strength".

And was looking at some other thread this morning when some poster spoke of tattoos and their "meaning". Which is something I hear more and more, he got the exact same sleeve tattoo in that pacific island style that every 20 something likes because it means something deep. It's as deep as everyone buying Levi's 501s in the 80s, it's the opposite of deep, it's a fad.

Are 20 somethings searching for meaning in all the wrong places?

Young people looking to be different, stand out, express their individuality and they're all fcuking clones of each other...same haircuts, tattoos, clothes, phone, music. Everyone trying so hard to be different and they all end up looking the same.

Zaph

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Conor: lover of the hounds.

In fairness, he was acquitted due to lack of evidence...

Badly Drunk Boy

Deleted User wrote: »

Are 20 somethings searching for meaning in all the wrong places?

This is what happens when people turn away from The Church. :pac:

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Conor: lover of the hounds.

In fairness, it'd be worse if it was 'lover of sheep'.

Zaph

Zaph wrote: »

In fairness, he was acquitted due to lack of evidence...

Course Dougal means dark or black stranger.

Edgy!

gramar

Deleted User wrote: »

Course Dougal means dark or black stranger.

Edgy!

No wonder he's a priest.

Shenshen

Not sure I see anything wrong with parents picking a name while keeping the meaning in mind - and I think that's what they're doing, I can't imagine anyone opening a book of names going "Right, it'll be a boy, so which one of these means Big Dick and good at sports?" They'll still have a name they like (for the sound or whatever) first, but then also like the meaning.

As for tattoos - fair play if it has meaning to them, even though it might not be obvious to others. I'd much rather talk to someone who'll tell me about what their tattoo means to them than to one of those airheads who get stars tattooed on their ankles just for the looks of it.

Olishi4

An old friend of mine got a tattoo in another language which was meant to say "Mam and Dad RIP" but when he was out, someone was looking at it strangely and not sure if they were messing but translated it for him telling him that it said "Happy Holiday".

He was like "Ffs, not even happy birthday or happy christmas but ****in....happy holiday?"

gramar

Shenshen wrote: »

Not sure I see anything wrong with parents picking a name while keeping the meaning in mind - and I think that's what they're doing, I can't imagine anyone opening a book of names going "Right, it'll be a boy, so which one of these means Big Dick and good at sports?" They'll still have a name they like (for the sound or whatever) first, but then also like the meaning.

As for tattoos - fair play if it has meaning to them, even though it might not be obvious to others. I'd much rather talk to someone who'll tell me about what their tattoo means to them than to one of those airheads who get stars tattooed on their ankles just for the looks of it.

When every kid has an 'unique' name and a word tattoed in a foreign language then it's not different anymore. You're just another person with a strange name and squiggly tattoo.

Olishi4

gramar wrote: »

When every kid has an 'unique' name and a word tattoed in a foreign language then it's not different anymore. You're just another person with a strange name and squiggly tattoo.

I think every name has a meaning behind it though even John apparently means gracious.

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

traprunner

Olishi4 wrote: »

I think every name has a meaning behind it though even John apparently means gracious.

I wonder if John Wayne Gacy was gracious.

Shenshen

gramar wrote: »

When every kid has an 'unique' name and a word tattoed in a foreign language then it's not different anymore. You're just another person with a strange name and squiggly tattoo.

Why would you assume that people name their children or get tattoos in order to be different?

Surely if you wanted to be different you just wouldn't give your kid a name at all?

My mother hated my brother's name before he was born. She only knew one other person with that name and hated them - apparently he was a bully. My brother came along and thought, "he seems OK". Anyway.

I have a tattoo that has a meaning to me. It's a simple tattoo and many other people have similar ones. But my one has a meaning to me.

Olishi4

traprunner wrote: »

I wonder if John Wayne Gacy was gracious.

The name has the meaning through language evolution, it doesn't mean the person will grow up to fit the name the parents chose.

traprunner

Olishi4 wrote: »

The name has the meaning through language evolution, it doesn't mean the person will grow up to fit the name the parents chose.

More or less my point. It's stupid naming someone because of a supposed meaning.

Once met a kid who's middle name was actually Danger. Caleb Danger. He was a pretty cool kid. Sounds like he'd be a bloody X-Men villain.

Olishi4

traprunner wrote: »

More or less my point. It's stupid naming someone because of a supposed meaning.

But all names have meaning unless you completely make one up which is usually met with its own criticism.

If someone choses the name Lillie for their child and chose it because they associate it with their favourite flower, they are just naming their child something that they like and like what the word is associated with.

What do you suggest the parents of John Wayne Gacy should have thought about
before calling him John? They'd have hardly known ahead to give him a more appropriate name like Bonzo the clown.

Dolbert

Kids these days, this generation amirite, rabble rabble

dearg lady

Shenshen wrote: »

As for tattoos - fair play if it has meaning to them, even though it might not be obvious to others. I'd much rather talk to someone who'll tell me about what their tattoo means to them than to one of those airheads who get stars tattooed on their ankles just for the looks of it.

Of course it's altogether possible that someone intelligent could get a tattoo just because they like the look of it. The two things are not mutually exclusive.

Shenshen

dearg lady wrote: »

Of course it's altogether possible that someone intelligent could get a tattoo just because they like the look of it. The two things are not mutually exclusive.

I'm sure it isn't, but getting a tattoo just for the looks always strikes me as a bit shallow and insipid. That's just my personal opinion, though, nothing else.

Badly Drunk Boy

FizzleSticks wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Why shouldn't a person get a tattoo for aesthetic reasons? I'm sure you don't go to the hairdresser and ask for a style that looked like your hair the way it was when you finally arrived at Machu Picchu, glistening in the mists of the Andes, almost consolidated into a defiant humid block of keratin. :pac:

Personally, I dislike tattoos and have never even considered getting one. I don't mind them on others if they are subtle and not too big, but I really don't like full arm/body tattoos.

dearg lady

Shenshen wrote: »

I'm sure it isn't, but getting a tattoo just for the looks always strikes me as a bit shallow and insipid. That's just my personal opinion, though, nothing else.

Seems odd to think art is shallow if it 'just for the looks', but yeah, different strokes n all that!

Lady is a tramp

Just realised I never even looked up the meaning of my son's name when choosing it! Just Googled it, and apparently William means "strong-willed warrior." I like that! We only chose it because it was a family name on both sides that we both liked, and that went well with my surname.

Shenshen

dearg lady wrote: »

Seems odd to think art is shallow if it 'just for the looks', but yeah, different strokes n all that!

Never been much into Impressionists, sorry.

YFlyer

A Brazilian child was named after a ship. Usnavy.