Singapore Redditor asks parents if they regret giving their children unique names
A discussion on Reddit has sparked lively debate among Singaporeans after a user questioned whether parents regret giving their children highly unconventional or creatively spelt names.
OP questions rise of ‘yunique’ names among students
The post, shared on r/askSingapore on 26 Jan, asked if parents regretted giving their children unique names.
“Just realised so many students have younique (sic) names, i.e. unique ways of spelling common names, completely uncommon names,” said the original poster (OP).
The OP added that some names they had come across were so extreme that they felt they “straight up belong on r/tragedeigh”, a subreddit known for mocking over-the-top baby names.
Parents who gave your kids younique names, have you ever regretted it at any point?
byu/cheesaholic23 inaskSingapore
“Saw some names that really made me wonder what the parents were thinking,” they wrote.
They then ended the post by asking if any parents regretted giving their kids unique names and why.
“Yes I spelled younique deliberately, wanted to emphasise on the kind of names I’ve been seeing,” the OP clarified.
Netizens share their experiences with unique names
The post drew a range of reactions from Reddit users, with some sharing the unusual names that they have come across.
One netizen shared that they knew a person named “Claudwie,” which was pronounced simply as “Chloe”.
Source: Reddit
A commenter joked that “if your name is not Batman Bin Suparman, you ain’t living”.
Source: Reddit
Another netizen shared that they have a friend named “Charbor”, which is supposed to be pronounced as “Chervon”.
However, they pointed out that there was only going to be “one way we pronounce it” here in Singapore.
Source: Reddit
OP says question came after reviewing thousands of student names
Speaking to MS News, the OP said the question arose after they had reviewed the names of thousands of students from primary school to junior college over several days.
“I noticed a lot of these unique names,” the OP, who wished to remain anonymous, explained.
Source: pixelshot on Canva, for illustration purposes only
“Most of the students actually had this anticipatory look of dread on their faces when any of us were about to try saying their names.”
While some parents appeared proud and quick to explain the pronunciation, others looked “a little sheepish”, prompting the OP to wonder if name regret had set in.
Standing out may come with unintended consequences
The OP said they understood why parents might want their children to stand out, but questioned whether they had considered the long-term impact.
“I’m just not sure if they realise or care that they might also be setting up their kid for a lot of name-related uncomfortable situations,” the OP said.
Source: Gagliardi Photography on Canva, for illustration purposes only
They added that names are often an easy target for teasing or bullying, especially during school years.
“Some of the names I saw that day really made me feel quite sorry for the kids.”
Ironically, the OP noted that with so many parents opting for unconventional names, being “unique” may no longer be unique at all.
“I could throw a stone into the crowd of students and likely hit someone with a ‘unique’ name,” they joked, suggesting that such names may now be the norm.
Meaning over novelty
Despite having a relatively common name themselves, the OP shared that they were still teased growing up due to associations with fictional characters.
When asked whether they would give their own child a unique name, the Redditor said they would prioritise meaning over novelty, but draw the line at deliberate misspellings.
One memorable example they encountered involved a conventional name split and repeated unnecessarily, such as “Roxanne” becoming “Roxx Xanne Tan”.
Also read: Indonesian Boy’s Name Is ABCDEF GHIJK Zuzu, He Goes By Adef
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Featured image adapted from Aflo Images on Canva for illustration purposes only.
