[Opinions] Alexa
As someone born in the 2000s, I’ve grown up around many people called Alexis, Alexandra, Alexandria, Alixandrea, Alexander, Alexei, and of course, Alex. When I was 8, I remember meeting this girl called Alexa in school; I thought, “What a pretty name for a girl! It’s unique, and not common like Alexis (funnily enough, nowadays, I absolutely love the name Alexis for a girl or boy)!”. Then…Amazon came out with the Amazon Alexa, a virtual assistant; the name kind of became dulled for me. I noticed Alexa (at school) began to get teased for her name; another Alexa I met in high school was also teased. I thought, “Dang, now this beautiful name has too high of an associate!”. Now, I realize that only immature people will tease, and that I’d consider Alexa for a daughter. How do you feel about Alexa, and do you think the Amazon associations are too high?
Replies
I like Alexa; good associations, and it's a whole lot better than Sandra. I knew an Alexa Kirsten once; a very successful combination. I don't think about the talking phone at all. And I don't find Alexis pleasing for either m or f.
my bestfriend is called alexa, i do lovw the name, it does have lots of conection with amazon, but when i hear the name ithink of her first. i feelthe name is kinda badass name, nice and short.
It's a nice, beautiful name, but it's a shame that it's pretty much unusable now because of the electronic device. Alexa was already decreasing in popularity and rank, but now because of Amazon Alexa, the name is essentially being shoved down a hill. I guarantee in less than 5 years time it's going to completely disappear from the charts, which again, is a shame.
Wish they would have went with Alexis instead, or another completely different name.
Wish they would have went with Alexis instead, or another completely different name.
I do think that Alexa is pretty but unfortunately Amazon has ruined it for me.
I would prefer Alexia, Lexia, Alessia and Alex. I think Lexie is a cute nickname. Longer forms I like are Alexina, Lexine, Alexandra, Alexandrie, Alexandrina and Alexandrine.
I would prefer Alexia, Lexia, Alessia and Alex. I think Lexie is a cute nickname. Longer forms I like are Alexina, Lexine, Alexandra, Alexandrie, Alexandrina and Alexandrine.
Well, they picked Alexa as the voice assistant name for good reason. It's likeable - I think so, anyway. Pretty and smart. Not robotic.
I agree with you that people will tease names in high school and Alexa is not worse than a lot of others.
I think the usage of Alexa for babies plummeted because the voice assistant, and the associations added to the name by marketing the voice assistant are all negative. Some people still are joking and meming sometimes by saying, "Alexa, show me ___ ..." and if people were actually using the voice assistant with the name Alexa, it really would be a bother, because the thing would respond when the person was addressed.
However, I think it'll all blow over. The Amazon system has well and truly flopped, and righteously so because it is awful. They can't make any money off it. (It's already pretty unfashionable to have one, don't you think? Like having CRTs in the 10s) So in 10-20 years it'll just be a dated joke ... one that kids are born not knowing, and are less and less likely to get taught.
But Alexa will still be a good name for people.
I agree with you that people will tease names in high school and Alexa is not worse than a lot of others.
I think the usage of Alexa for babies plummeted because the voice assistant, and the associations added to the name by marketing the voice assistant are all negative. Some people still are joking and meming sometimes by saying, "Alexa, show me ___ ..." and if people were actually using the voice assistant with the name Alexa, it really would be a bother, because the thing would respond when the person was addressed.
However, I think it'll all blow over. The Amazon system has well and truly flopped, and righteously so because it is awful. They can't make any money off it. (It's already pretty unfashionable to have one, don't you think? Like having CRTs in the 10s) So in 10-20 years it'll just be a dated joke ... one that kids are born not knowing, and are less and less likely to get taught.
But Alexa will still be a good name for people.
This message was edited 7/23/2023, 11:03 AM
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I know a lot of people, including myself, that use Alexa. It's useful, especially for someone with ADHD. In fact not having Alexa in DC was incredibly frustrating.
But then we had a CRT TV up until COVID. We tend to be Luddites overall
I know a lot of people, including myself, that use Alexa. It's useful, especially for someone with ADHD. In fact not having Alexa in DC was incredibly frustrating.
But then we had a CRT TV up until COVID. We tend to be Luddites overall
This message was edited 7/23/2023, 8:40 PM
Oh, I'm not exactly on the cutting edge myself. I will never speak to a machine at all, unless I'm forced to. When some automated system on a phone call asks me to "enter or say" a number, I pull up the keypad and key that sucker in.
Just saying, the echo thing isn't a very successful product overall, it's not expanding - and so I think the human Alexas of the world will see their problems decline in the future.
Do you say "Alexa" or do you use a different wake-word? Personally I'd change it but if you didn't think of that before, it's probably too late to change the habit.
Question for anyone - if you HAD to use a voice assistant, and address it with something other than "computer," or the name of a company associated with it, or any corporate-assigned name like Alexa, Siri, or Cortana - what would you use as the "name" or wake-word?
Just saying, the echo thing isn't a very successful product overall, it's not expanding - and so I think the human Alexas of the world will see their problems decline in the future.
Do you say "Alexa" or do you use a different wake-word? Personally I'd change it but if you didn't think of that before, it's probably too late to change the habit.
Question for anyone - if you HAD to use a voice assistant, and address it with something other than "computer," or the name of a company associated with it, or any corporate-assigned name like Alexa, Siri, or Cortana - what would you use as the "name" or wake-word?
We use Alexa for mine (living room), computer for Xander's (office), aha Echo for M (her room, used only for music.,)
I was really against Alexa up to a few years ago. M really wanted one and her grandparents asked if there could get her one. I said yes reluctantly - and the damn thing has helped.
It's got our calendar, reminders, and routines. If allows me to keep up with things, and the morning reminders get us out of the house. And it lets M contact us if she needs to - she doesn't have a phone yet and if old enough to be left alone.
Alexa is all I do, no other smart home tech. Too much could go wrong, and Alexa invades my privacy enough.
I was really against Alexa up to a few years ago. M really wanted one and her grandparents asked if there could get her one. I said yes reluctantly - and the damn thing has helped.
It's got our calendar, reminders, and routines. If allows me to keep up with things, and the morning reminders get us out of the house. And it lets M contact us if she needs to - she doesn't have a phone yet and if old enough to be left alone.
Alexa is all I do, no other smart home tech. Too much could go wrong, and Alexa invades my privacy enough.
I think it's ok and prefer it to the the other Alex names
I don't think that Alexa is a bad name yet I don't find anything special about Alexa
I dislike "Alex" names but I do prefer Alexandra over Alexa
It's too short in my opinion
I dislike "Alex" names but I do prefer Alexandra over Alexa
It's too short in my opinion
I used to know someone named Alexa (work), and it’s an alright name (though I am a bit more inclined towards Alexis, if I’m being entirely honest) She was a pretty cool person, and the name is fine itself. I hate it when something popular ruins an otherwise good name, to be honest. The Amazon-Alexa connection is definitely there, but I’d say go for it. Not everyone has an Amazon-Alexa, either (I don’t even know anyone who does). The name, again, is a nice name, ignoring Amazon-Alexa. I bet there’s some people in Sweden named Siri right now, and if they can go about daily life with that name, who’s to say someone couldn’t have the name Alexa?
In my opinion, the worst names with potential brand connections are the flat-out car brand names, where someone just names their kids after car brands. I would hate to live my life as a walking advert for a car brand.
Alexa isn’t the same as a car brand name, or anything like that. It’s been a name long before Amazon, so I don’t think it should be off-limits because some company used the name. Unless someone turns Alexa into the next Adolf, I’d say if you want to use this name, do it!
In my opinion, the worst names with potential brand connections are the flat-out car brand names, where someone just names their kids after car brands. I would hate to live my life as a walking advert for a car brand.
Alexa isn’t the same as a car brand name, or anything like that. It’s been a name long before Amazon, so I don’t think it should be off-limits because some company used the name. Unless someone turns Alexa into the next Adolf, I’d say if you want to use this name, do it!
I always preferred Alexis to Alexa. Nothing really wrong with Alexa, it just doesn't seem as nice as Alexis.
The teasing-kids angle wouldn't be nearly as powerful a deterrent as the fact that when you said her name anywhere near someone with the Alexa feature enabled, you'd set it off. At least hardly anybody in the US names their kids Siri.
The teasing-kids angle wouldn't be nearly as powerful a deterrent as the fact that when you said her name anywhere near someone with the Alexa feature enabled, you'd set it off. At least hardly anybody in the US names their kids Siri.
Fun fact:
A friend named his daughter Siri right before the system came out. It's fairly common for people to use Scandinavian names around here and they went with the theme to honor their heritage. Annika, Siri, and Maren. I find it interesting they went with two of more common choices - Maren and Annika are fairly common - but then went with Siri.
A friend named his daughter Siri right before the system came out. It's fairly common for people to use Scandinavian names around here and they went with the theme to honor their heritage. Annika, Siri, and Maren. I find it interesting they went with two of more common choices - Maren and Annika are fairly common - but then went with Siri.
it's good but I prefer Alexia or Alexandra