Can your name really make a difference in a first impression?
Unique Myers, 15, of Pottsville, said it all depends on the impression it makes.
"I didn't like my name when I was younger, a couple years ago. I thought it was a girl's name. Maybe it's because my godmother's name is Monique," Myers, a freshman at Pottsville Area High School, said Monday.
Drielle Bondura, 16, of Pottsville, said if your parents give you one that's out of the ordinary, it can make you stand out.
"I'd probably give my son or daughter a unique name just because then they're the only person with that name and there wouldn't be, like, any confusion as to who they were. They wouldn't be another Michael or Jennifer," Bondura, a Pottsville area junior, said.
However, Phaedra Sophy, 16, of Pottsville, said it helps if people can pronounce it correctly.
"Almost nobody gets my name right. I started having problems with that in elementary school. A lot of people would call me 'Phee-dra.' That's the biggest problem I have with it," Sophy, a Pottsville Area sophomore, said.
It's a Greek name which means "the bright one." In Greek mythology, Phaedra was the wife of Theseus, who slew the Cretan Minotaur, according to momswhothink.com.
The name someone is given at birth will be an impression maker, whether it's common or uncommon. While it may be fun for children and teenagers, it may not be so helpful when they become adults, Shannon Brennan, director of McCann School of Business, Pottsville, said Tuesday.
"Sometimes names that lack professionalism can hamper employment, not necessarily college entrance, but employment," Brennan said.
Locally, she's seen children with names like Chase, Anakin and Nevaeh, which is "Heaven" spelled backward.
"Names like this would definitely be a conversation point in a job interview. But I don't know if it would hurt the applicant as long as their skill set was good," Brennan said.
"What I have seen people do in cases like that is they will use their first initial and then go by their middle name. For example, someone's name might be 'Buddy' and that might be their given name. So they might use their first initial and go by their middle name, 'B. Thomas' for example, so all of their paperwork would look a little more professional," Brennan said.
David O'Connell, a psychologist based in Pottsville, said Monday he doubted a name would hurt a job applicant.
"I don't think it would be a deal-breaker. There are so many variables to consider. When you first see a name, you might have a reaction to it. But when you meet the person face-to-face, the importance of the name starts to recede," O'Connell said.
However, Bonnie Klingerman, a psychologist based in Ashland, said people with unusual names working in some occupations might make some people feel uneasy.
"If I were to have a choice of a nurse in the ER, one named Mary or one named Tequila, I think people would tend to trust the person who seems more typical," Klingerman said Tuesday.
The Pottsville Area students interviewed Monday didn't think having an uncommon name would hurt them in the job market.
"It's just the pronunciation," Sophy said.
"That's about it. I don't think it would make a difference," Myers said.
"I think it would make you stand out more. It would make you more memorable," Bondura said.
Name game
In May 2010, Bounty.com did a study of 3,000 British parents. It suggested one in five of those parents regretted the names they'd chosen for their children.
"While one in 10 thought their chosen name was cool and clever at the time, the novelty has worn off over time," according to Bounty.com.
That survey's results also included:
- 15 percent of parents say that much to their dismay, their child's first name has been the cause of amusement among friends and family.
- One-fifth wished they had chosen a name which was easier to spell.
- 8 percent get fed up with people being unable to pronounce the name properly.
- 47 percent were shocked to find that other people would judge their children by the names they had been given.
According to a January 2010 survey by LilSugar.com, a parenting website, 64 percent of parents surveyed said they Googled their baby's name before settling on it.
A U.S.-based website, yourbabydomainname.com, did a similar survey in October 2011. It found only 8 percent of the parents they asked admitted they regretted the names they picked for their children.
While Bondura, Myers and Sophy have uncommon first names, their parents have names which are much more ordinary.
Bondura is the daughter of Beverly and Michael Bondura, Pottsville. She has a sister, Lynn Adams, 28.
"My mom liked the name Brielle but she wanted something more original. Some of her friends had named their daughters Brielle so she came up with Drielle," Bondura said.
A Google search pulled up information on a few people with that first name, including Brazilian supermodel Drielle Valeretto.
Myers is the son of James Myers, Pottsville, and Tasha Wylie, West Chester. He has a brother, Shane Calloway, 18, and a sister, Perfect Myers, 5 months.
"Unique" can be either a name of a boy or a girl. An American name, it means "unlike others," according to the meaning-of-names.com.
"It's one of a kind. It is a unique name. I know one other person with that name, someone where my mom lives, in West Chester," Myers said.
"Every time my parents will tell somebody my name, I'm always asked to spell it. I guess it's amusing for both of us to see other people's reaction," Sophy said.
Sophy is the daughter of Robert Horning and Michelle Sophy, Pottsville. Her siblings include Jacob Horning, 13, and Caysin Horning, 12. She said she wasn't sure how her parents came up with it: "I don't know. A book?"
Advice
Brennan and O'Connell suggested parents choose names for their children which have sincere meaning.
"I'm not a parent, but as a psychologist my recommendation is parents should go with their own intuition, their gut, rather than try to force the issue to come up with a unique name that is not as gratifying or as desirable. Have it be a more innocent, natural process," O'Connell said.
"It should be something you can be proud of. I grew up Catholic so, of course, all of my children are named after saints. But that gives a child some structure and some pride," Brennan said.
The website momswhothink.com offers some advice to parents-to-be who are planning to give their children uncommon names.
"When searching for unique baby names for your baby, it is best to avoid names which are part of a trend. Certainly names that contain Aden within them such as Aiden, Caden, Jaden, Braden and Hayden seem to be the latest trend. Instead, if you chose a name such as Zayden or Rayden you will be using a unique baby name but one which will still be trendy. Use your imagination and get opinions from others," according to the site.
Bondura, Myers and Sophy said if they have children, they may consider giving them names that are out of the ordinary.
"If they get in trouble," Sophy said, "you know who it is."