Just a short post tonight on names that still scream “old man” to me. When I hear these names, I just think of a red-nosed grumpy old guy wearing an ugly jacket and mumbling about those damn kids. Not to say I don’t like some of these, but they’re elderly to me for sure.
- Frank: Even after knowing one in elementary school.
- Francis: Even after knowing one in high school.
- Gus: Also screams “annoying television groundhog”
- Roger
- Carl
- Roy
- Norman
- Warren
- Harold
- Walter
- Lloyd
- Elmer
- Wallace
- Sidney
- Horace
- Elbert
Just a short sampling of the grumpy old guys. Some of them are charming (Wallace, Frank), some just old (Elmer, Horace) and some… special (Elbert). OF course there are also the “cool old guy” names like Clifton, Frederick and Otis, but that is another post for another day. It is 10:30 here and I’m too tired to write much of anything. Talk to you tomorrow!
Moniker Madness! 
Monday, December 15th, 2008 at 3:47 am
Have you noticed that Nameberry suggests reviving some of these “geezer names” as they call them by using them on daughters? I’m not kidding! On their list of “Geezer Names for Girls” they suggest that names like Milton, Howard, Roy, Sheldon, and Wallace will sound (I quote) “nothing less than charming” on a little girl.
Here’s the link, if I’m allowed to post one:
http://nameberry.com/list/247/Geezer-Names-for-Girls
I think they are way off base on this one. While some of these names seem inappropriate to use on a baby boy, they’re certainly still less appropriate on a baby girl. I’d much rather meet a little boy named Wallace than a little girl.
What are your thoughts?
Monday, December 15th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Emmy Jo: I’ve seen that! I didn’t think to discuss it last night, but that is an awful list of fail and wrong. I usually have to respectfully disagree with Redmond and Satran, our style is not the same at all, I fear, but this is one of the worst suggestions I’ve ever seen. The only names from that list I could see on a baby girl are the nicknamey ones for longer feminine names. Like Reggie for Regina, Jules for Julie, etc. Rudy I can almost see thanks to the Cosby Show, but I think it’s better on a boy by miles. I can see some tryndys using Sinclair, spelling it Sinclaire and calling her Claire. Ugh. Redmond and Satran really need to think that list over again.
…They really have to make the “reply to comment” option better.
Monday, December 15th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Harold makes me think of John Cho, who plays Harold to Kal Penn’s Kumar. Harold appeals to me for his nickname, Hal. I dig Hal, like the psychotic computer in 2010, a Space Oddessy. there’s also Roldy, which is what Harold of Harold & Kumar use. Makes him feels funky, not stuffy. Francis,nn Frank, Gus (as a nickname for August), Warren & Sidney are all turning cool again, I think. Even though Sidney seems to be going girly. 😦 Makes me wanna cry. Josie’s got a thing for Lloyd & his related Floyd, She seems to like the sound. She has four stuffed cretures named Floyd, Lloyd, Floyd/Lloyd or Lloyd/Floyd. Really. It’s kind of disconcerting to deal with.
Elmer’s all glue to me, and I think Horace & Elbert have a ways to go before their sounds appeal again. Everything else on your list is just neutral to me. I don’t hate them but I don’t love them either. Wouldn’t mind any of these coming back, though; they surely beat Peyton, Braden & Logan!
Monday, December 15th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Lola: Harold and Kumar is a further damnation of the name for me, sorry to say. Not my kind of humor at all. I think Frank and Gus are getting cool again. Gus is very namenerd chic at the moment and Frank been used on at least one celeb baby. I wouldn’t mind seeing more Franks. Reminds me of hotdogs but I prefer it to Gus. I’d love to see more Warrens, as long as their last name isn’t Peace! It’s too sunamey for me but pleasant enough. And anything on this list is indeed better than that lot.
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 at 12:00 am
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