What is in a name?
- Rei
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What is in a name?
So I was batting about names the other day and noticed what so many others see: that some names just really do not sound right when paired together. So, pweb, I ask you to help me with a theory I am trying to form of first and second name pairs. I'm going to list several pairs of two names, and would appreciate it if you would say which pair of each set sounds or feels more natural (please set aside any prejudices about specific names).
Heather Lynn
Lynn Heather
Rebekah Lynn
Lynn Rebekah
Stephanie Lynn
Lynn Stephanie
Heather Rebekah
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
Lynn Alexandra
David Andreas
Andreas David
Oliver James
James Oliver
David James
James David
Joshua James
James Joshua
James Alexander
Alexander James
Heather Lynn
Lynn Heather
Rebekah Lynn
Lynn Rebekah
Stephanie Lynn
Lynn Stephanie
Heather Rebekah
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
Lynn Alexandra
David Andreas
Andreas David
Oliver James
James Oliver
David James
James David
Joshua James
James Joshua
James Alexander
Alexander James
Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connait point.
~Blaise Pascal
私は。。。誰?
Dernhelm
~Blaise Pascal
私は。。。誰?
Dernhelm
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Re: What is in a name?
Bolded is my choice for most natural. I think in most situations I just went for the order that allowed for the name that sounded most like a surname to be second.Heather Lynn
Lynn Heather
Rebekah Lynn
Lynn Rebekah
Stephanie Lynn
Lynn Stephanie
Heather Rebekah
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
Lynn Alexandra
David Andreas
Andreas David
Oliver James
James Oliver
David James
James David
Joshua James
James Joshua
James Alexander
Alexander James
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Re: What is in a name?
Heather Lynn
Lynn Heather
Rebekah Lynn
Lynn Rebekah
Stephanie Lynn
Lynn Stephanie
Heather Rebekah
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
Lynn Alexandra
David Andreas
Andreas David
Oliver James
James Oliver
David James
James David
Joshua James
James Joshua
James Alexander
Alexander James
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Okay, let's see what I come up with. Trying to avoid other people's posts...
Heather Lynn
Rebekah Lynn
Stephanie Lynn
Heather Rebekah (not sure about this one, both feel awkward)
Alexandra Lynn
David Andreas
Andreas David (unsure about this one, too)
Oliver James
James Oliver (unsure)
James David
Joshua James
James Alexander
Alexander James (unsure)
So I hope this helps, because I didn't really understand the notations.
Heather Lynn
Rebekah Lynn
Stephanie Lynn
Heather Rebekah (not sure about this one, both feel awkward)
Alexandra Lynn
David Andreas
Andreas David (unsure about this one, too)
Oliver James
James Oliver (unsure)
James David
Joshua James
James Alexander
Alexander James (unsure)
So I hope this helps, because I didn't really understand the notations.
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Re: What is in a name?
Heather Lynn
Lynn Heather
Rebekah Lynn
Lynn Rebekah
Stephanie Lynn
Lynn Stephanie
Heather Rebekah
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
Lynn Alexandra
David Andreas
Andreas David
Oliver James
James Oliver
David James
James David
Joshua James
James Joshua
James Alexander
Alexander James
Please tell me your theory has to do with syllables/rhythm/meter.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant
- Rei
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Re: What is in a name?
I'll fill in the details of my theory when I've got a few more replies and I can see if it is substantiated or not. Probably I'll let you lot know tomorrow or the day following.Please tell me your theory has to do with syllables/rhythm/meter.
Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connait point.
~Blaise Pascal
私は。。。誰?
Dernhelm
~Blaise Pascal
私は。。。誰?
Dernhelm
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Without looking at other responses:
Heather Lynn
Rebekah Lynn
Heather Rebekah (this sounds less than fantastic together, too, I think but it's the more natural)
Alexandra Lynn
David Andreas
Oliver James, unless I think about it with a last name; then James Oliver sounds fine if you change the cadence to something more punctuated.
David James
Joshua James
James Alexander
Basically, the first of all your pairs.
Heather Lynn
Rebekah Lynn
Heather Rebekah (this sounds less than fantastic together, too, I think but it's the more natural)
Alexandra Lynn
David Andreas
Oliver James, unless I think about it with a last name; then James Oliver sounds fine if you change the cadence to something more punctuated.
David James
Joshua James
James Alexander
Basically, the first of all your pairs.
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Re: What is in a name?
Heather Lynn
Lynn Heather
Rebekah Lynn
Lynn Rebekah
Stephanie Lynn
Lynn Stephanie
Heather Rebekah
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
Lynn Alexandra
David Andreas
Andreas David
Oliver James
James Oliver (My brain automatically converts this to Jamie Oliver
David James
James David
Joshua James
James Joshua
James Alexander
Alexander James (I really had a tough time with this one)
Lynn Heather
Rebekah Lynn
Lynn Rebekah
Stephanie Lynn
Lynn Stephanie
Heather Rebekah
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
Lynn Alexandra
David Andreas
Andreas David
Oliver James
James Oliver (My brain automatically converts this to Jamie Oliver
David James
James David
Joshua James
James Joshua
James Alexander
Alexander James (I really had a tough time with this one)
The wonder that keeps the stars apart
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Re: What is in a name?
I bolded the more natural sounding ones. I think I prefer one-syllable middle names, in general.Heather Lynn
Lynn Heather
Rebekah Lynn
Lynn Rebekah
Stephanie Lynn
Lynn Stephanie
Heather Rebekah
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
Lynn Alexandra
David Andreas
Andreas David
Oliver James
James Oliver
David James
James David
Joshua James
James Joshua
James Alexander
Alexander James
I used to hate gravity because it would not let me fly. Now I realize it is gravity that lets me stand.
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
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Re: What is in a name?
Heather Lynn
Rebekah Lynn
Stephanie Lynn
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
David Andreas
James Oliver
James David
Joshua James
James Alexander
Rebekah Lynn
Stephanie Lynn
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
David Andreas
James Oliver
James David
Joshua James
James Alexander
Member since March 16th, 2004.
And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.
And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.
- Rei
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Thank-you all for your replies!
If you wouldn't mind, I would appreciate you humouring me once more on a new set of "names" (I am well aware that these are not, and should never be, considered names for any person). Again, if people would just go based on which of each pair feels more natural to say for naming purposes.
Galaxy May
May Galaxy
Hockey Pyjamas
Pyjamas Hockey
Hockey May
May Hockey
May Pyjamas
Pyjamas May
If you wouldn't mind, I would appreciate you humouring me once more on a new set of "names" (I am well aware that these are not, and should never be, considered names for any person). Again, if people would just go based on which of each pair feels more natural to say for naming purposes.
Galaxy May
May Galaxy
Hockey Pyjamas
Pyjamas Hockey
Hockey May
May Hockey
May Pyjamas
Pyjamas May
Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connait point.
~Blaise Pascal
私は。。。誰?
Dernhelm
~Blaise Pascal
私は。。。誰?
Dernhelm
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Re: What is in a name?
Heather Lynn
Rebekah Lynn
Btw, I like your spelling of Rebekah!
Stephanie Lynn
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
Lynn Alexandra
I think either of these works just as well.
David Andreas
Oliver James
James Oliver
I think either of these works just as well too
James David
Joshua James
James Joshua
Either of those.
James Alexander
Alexander James
And either of those, too!
Galaxy May
Pyjamas Hockey
Hockey May
May Pyjamas
Rebekah Lynn
Btw, I like your spelling of Rebekah!
Stephanie Lynn
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
Lynn Alexandra
I think either of these works just as well.
David Andreas
Oliver James
James Oliver
I think either of these works just as well too
James David
Joshua James
James Joshua
Either of those.
James Alexander
Alexander James
And either of those, too!
Galaxy May
Pyjamas Hockey
Hockey May
May Pyjamas
Member since: Sept 11 2002, 07:31
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Heather Lynn
Rebekah Lynn
Stephanie Lynn
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
David Andreas
Oliver James
James Oliver
either of these
David James
James David
either of these
Joshua James
James Joshua
either of these
James Alexander
Alexander James
and either of these
Apparently, I am less picky about how boy names go together.
Rebekah Lynn
Stephanie Lynn
Rebekah Heather
Alexandra Lynn
David Andreas
Oliver James
James Oliver
either of these
David James
James David
either of these
Joshua James
James Joshua
either of these
James Alexander
Alexander James
and either of these
Apparently, I am less picky about how boy names go together.
-Kim
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*If "Pyjamas" was singular, I would choose the latter option, "Pyjama May."Galaxy May
May Galaxy
Hockey Pyjamas
Pyjamas Hockey
Hockey May
May Hockey
May Pyjamas*
Pyjamas May
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant
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Re: What is in a name?
Overall, I like the same number of syllables as the first name or less for the middle name. There are a few exceptions. With the Rebekah/Heather combo, I couldn't do uh sound and the heh sound next to each other. I sounded like Rebekah Eather (like a bad cockney accent). The r sound at the end of Heather carries over easier into the r of Rebekah. I agree with Kelly that the plural of pyjamas didn't work as a first name.
Heather Lynn
Rebekah Lynn
Stephanie Lynn
Heather Rebekah
Alexandra Lynn
David Andreas
James Oliver
David James
Joshua James
Alexander James
Galaxy May
Hockey Pyjamas
Hockey May
May Pyjamas
"When I look back on my ordinary, ordinary life,
I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time." - Jamie Cullum
I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time." - Jamie Cullum
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This thread makes me want to scan the names SO MUCH. I LOVE SCANSION. I seriously never thought I'd say this, but I miss my advanced poetry classes in college. *sigh*
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant
- Rei
- Commander
- Posts: 3068
- Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 6:31 pm
- Title: Fides quaerens intellectum
- First Joined: 24 Nov 2003
- Location: Between the lines
Okay, first I want to say thank-you for your replies! I'm not convinced that my theory works, but it has been an interesting experiment.
Kelly, you guessed right that I was looking at stress patterns. (Also, scansion is a lot of fun!) What I was suspecting is that English may prefer multiple unstressed syllables between the last stressed syllable of the first name and the first stressed syllable of the second name. In cases with just three syllables, the unstressed is preferred in the middle. In the end, while the data does generally support this, it is not the only explanation for why the data looks the way it does. It may just be that we prefer more syllables in the first name than the second name, or it may come down to morae. Regardless of uncertain results, *I* had fun with it.
For those of you who may have any interest, here is my final data. The - means stressed syllable and the o means unstressed. The / indicates the word break and the number indicates how many were chosen for a given option.
Thanks again, everybody!
Kelly, you guessed right that I was looking at stress patterns. (Also, scansion is a lot of fun!) What I was suspecting is that English may prefer multiple unstressed syllables between the last stressed syllable of the first name and the first stressed syllable of the second name. In cases with just three syllables, the unstressed is preferred in the middle. In the end, while the data does generally support this, it is not the only explanation for why the data looks the way it does. It may just be that we prefer more syllables in the first name than the second name, or it may come down to morae. Regardless of uncertain results, *I* had fun with it.
For those of you who may have any interest, here is my final data. The - means stressed syllable and the o means unstressed. The / indicates the word break and the number indicates how many were chosen for a given option.
Code: Select all
-o/- 29
-/-o 4
-oo/- 32
-/-oo 1
oo-o/- 12
-/oo-o 9
o-o/- 12
-/o-o 7
Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connait point.
~Blaise Pascal
私は。。。誰?
Dernhelm
~Blaise Pascal
私は。。。誰?
Dernhelm
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