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Help[Opinions] Re: Emily
in reply to a message by Billina
Emily is... a strange one. On the one hand, there are no harsh sounds, yet the M does prevent the name from being too "liquid" (you still need to really move your mouth to say it). So its sound appeals to a lot of people. Couple this with the fact that it's visually appealing, and you have a recipe for massive popularity. Despite the fact that I have known way, way, way too many Emilys (Emilies?) in my life, I can't bring myself to hate the name.
On the other hand, Emily is Exhibit A in confronting the hypocrisy of people who claim to dislike "made up" names or names "without meaning" on principle, when in most cases it's veiled racism. (Exhibit B is Imogen.) I say this because Emily originates from a Latin name meaning "rival." This means parents chose to name their daughter "rival," either out of ignorance or after looking up the meaning and deciding it didn't matter because Emily sounded nice. Yet in my experience, so many of these parents negatively judge the parents of Genesis, Destinee, Laniece, Tyshawn, Deonte... you get the idea.
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Please rate my personal name lists:
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/109399
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/91835
http://greens-end.myminicity.com/
On the other hand, Emily is Exhibit A in confronting the hypocrisy of people who claim to dislike "made up" names or names "without meaning" on principle, when in most cases it's veiled racism. (Exhibit B is Imogen.) I say this because Emily originates from a Latin name meaning "rival." This means parents chose to name their daughter "rival," either out of ignorance or after looking up the meaning and deciding it didn't matter because Emily sounded nice. Yet in my experience, so many of these parents negatively judge the parents of Genesis, Destinee, Laniece, Tyshawn, Deonte... you get the idea.
***
Please rate my personal name lists:
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/109399
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/91835
http://greens-end.myminicity.com/
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Replies
I have to disagree that "in most cases" a dislike of made-up names is veiled racism. There are all kinds of made-up names that I don't think are associated with any one race, like Cheryl or Kaelynn. And actually, I wouldn't expect a Genesis or a Destinee to be any particular race, either.
Also, I acknowledge that all names were made up at some point...but there's a big difference between a name like Emily, with centuries of history enriching it, and something that just got invented in the past 10 years.
Also, I acknowledge that all names were made up at some point...but there's a big difference between a name like Emily, with centuries of history enriching it, and something that just got invented in the past 10 years.
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