Rate Your Own Name

Rate Your Own Name

How much do you like your own name?

Quantitatively, we mean.  On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest of the low (in my book, Ethelbert) and 10 being the most wonderful gorgeous amazing name in the universe, what number do you give your own name?

As baby namers and name afficionados, it’s intrinsically interesting to analyze our own names. Rating your own name can also help you think about what qualities you want in a name for your child.  And reading how other people feel about their names over time can help you make a better informed choice of a name for your baby.

I’d rate my own name, Pamela, maybe a 6, but Pam only a 4.5.  Pamela is pretty and has literary credibility, I think, though I’ve always found it a bit prissy and precious for use in everyday life. Pam is definitely friendlier, but also plain vanilla and time-stamped to the middle of the last century, when Pamela and its down-to-earth nickname were in the Top 20 for girls’ names.

Your turn!

On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you rate your own name?

About the Author

Pamela Redmond

Pamela Redmond

Pamela Redmond is the cocreator and CEO of Nameberry and Baby Name DNA. The coauthor of ten groundbreaking books on names, Redmond is an internationally-recognized baby name expert, quoted and published widely in such media outlets as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, The Today Show, CNN, and the BBC. She has written about baby names for The Daily Beast, The Huffington Post, and People.

Redmond is also a New York Times bestselling novelist whose books include Younger, the basis for the hit television show, and its sequel, Older. She has three new books in the works.