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Help[Opinions] Bird
What do you think of Bird, and would you assume its bearer was a girl or a boy?
I can see it working on either sex. For a boy because of Charlie Parker, of course. And for a girl, because I associate it with a fabulous song called "The Littlest Birds," which is performed by a group of women called The Be Good Tanyas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Be_Good_Tanyas). Both associations are positive and venerable enough that I'd be willing to immortalize them in names. ;)
Other thoughts--is it too clipped-sounding? Too abrupt, too short? I've come to realize that short, abrupt names are what I do best, but Bird might be a bit too much for the rest of the world to take.
If I ever had a girl named Bird, I would most certainly call her Birdie--I've loved Birdie for years, though usually as a nickname for Roberta.
Are there any Bird combos that sound nice to y'all? A few that I've come up with (thoughts?):
Bird Lenore
Bird Honorah
Bird Evening
Bird Cornelia
Bird Lazarus
Bird Michael Ray
Bird Zacchaeus
Bird Jerome
Any thoughts would be very much appreciated--thanks! :)
Array (highly recommends The Be Good Tanyas, by the way)
"That was the thing about aliens that no one ever really expected. They're a bit dull."
A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having.
I can see it working on either sex. For a boy because of Charlie Parker, of course. And for a girl, because I associate it with a fabulous song called "The Littlest Birds," which is performed by a group of women called The Be Good Tanyas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Be_Good_Tanyas). Both associations are positive and venerable enough that I'd be willing to immortalize them in names. ;)
Other thoughts--is it too clipped-sounding? Too abrupt, too short? I've come to realize that short, abrupt names are what I do best, but Bird might be a bit too much for the rest of the world to take.
If I ever had a girl named Bird, I would most certainly call her Birdie--I've loved Birdie for years, though usually as a nickname for Roberta.
Are there any Bird combos that sound nice to y'all? A few that I've come up with (thoughts?):
Bird Lenore
Bird Honorah
Bird Evening
Bird Cornelia
Bird Lazarus
Bird Michael Ray
Bird Zacchaeus
Bird Jerome
Any thoughts would be very much appreciated--thanks! :)
Array (highly recommends The Be Good Tanyas, by the way)
"That was the thing about aliens that no one ever really expected. They're a bit dull."
A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having.
This message was edited 8/19/2006, 1:45 PM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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Replies
I like Byrd on a girl, but not Bird and not on a boy.
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I love it, but I've always thought of it for a boy, and can't see it on a girl at all. Bird Michael Ray is a great combo.
-- Sarah
-- Sarah
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Bird Lenore
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Have you ever seen "Before Women Had Wings"? It's a beautiful, sad film and the little girl's name is Bird. That's what I would think of. For me, the name is too "clipped" sounding. (My accent means vowels are extra short, and "bird" is a short word to start with of course.) But in the film, they had lovely southern drawls and that lengthened it a bit :-)
It's also a semi-degrading word for an attractive woman where I live, and in various parts of the UK. I think Ireland as well. "She's a cracking bird," for example. That'd be a problem here. A bit like being called Chick or Babe.
Bird Cornelia sounds pretty darn cool.
_____________________________________________________________________
♥Elinor♥
It's also a semi-degrading word for an attractive woman where I live, and in various parts of the UK. I think Ireland as well. "She's a cracking bird," for example. That'd be a problem here. A bit like being called Chick or Babe.
Bird Cornelia sounds pretty darn cool.
_____________________________________________________________________
♥Elinor♥
This message was edited 8/20/2006, 7:03 AM
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Isn't "bird" dismissive man-slang for a woman?
From http://english2american.com/dictionary/b.html
bird n. pron. "beud" (London); "burd" (Scotland). Woman. ... Bird is used when one is looking upon the fairer sex with a slightly more carnal eye. It's not quite at the stage of treating women as objects but the implication is certainly there. Likely to be used in the context "I shagged some random bird last night" (a popular usage) or "hey, Andy, I think those birds over there are looking at us". You'd never describe your grandmother as a bird. It's popular in Scotland to refer to one's girlfriend as "ma burd" but do it in front of her and you'll be choking teeth. About the only thing worse would be to call her "ma bint", which will warrant a foot in the testicles and a loose tongue concerning your sexual prowess. I am told the word itself is derived from the old norse word for "woman". The nearest equivalent to bird in US English is probably chick.
Maybe some folks living in the UK can tell us if this is significant.
If it's not, I like the name. It seems a little surnamey to me rather than naturey, but in an okay way. Birdie is too quaint for my taste.
- mirfak
From http://english2american.com/dictionary/b.html
bird n. pron. "beud" (London); "burd" (Scotland). Woman. ... Bird is used when one is looking upon the fairer sex with a slightly more carnal eye. It's not quite at the stage of treating women as objects but the implication is certainly there. Likely to be used in the context "I shagged some random bird last night" (a popular usage) or "hey, Andy, I think those birds over there are looking at us". You'd never describe your grandmother as a bird. It's popular in Scotland to refer to one's girlfriend as "ma burd" but do it in front of her and you'll be choking teeth. About the only thing worse would be to call her "ma bint", which will warrant a foot in the testicles and a loose tongue concerning your sexual prowess. I am told the word itself is derived from the old norse word for "woman". The nearest equivalent to bird in US English is probably chick.
Maybe some folks living in the UK can tell us if this is significant.
If it's not, I like the name. It seems a little surnamey to me rather than naturey, but in an okay way. Birdie is too quaint for my taste.
- mirfak
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It's definately significant. I live in England and it would be cruel to name a girl here Bird. I hate when guys use that term to describe girls/women, there's nothing nice about it.
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That's what I was thinking. On a boy it might work, or as a mn, but for a girl's fn it would be to much.
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Well Array, I think you've gone too far for me this time =) I could possibly see it as a middle name, but no way as a first name, sorry.
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Bird is really nms. How about using a name that means 'bird' instead? There was someone in high school who had birdlike features, and his nickname was, you guessed it, Bird. Bird just seems like a 'teasing' name to me.
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Oh it's definitely all boy to me, because of Charlie Parker. I can't say I love it as a given fn, but I'm not nearly as daring and brave as you. :b It would be nice as a nn, though, maybe even for Charles. Birdie or Bird as a nn for Roberta (or Alberta, etc.) would be 'acceptable', too. But my first reaction is "boy".
~Heather~
"Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?" - Ernest Gaines
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will know peace" - Jimi Hendrix
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All I can think of is people yelling "Shut up, you stupid bird!" Not a very good thing for Bird to grow up hearing. =/
~~~
*squee*
~~~
~~~
*squee*
~~~
This message was edited 8/19/2006, 9:00 PM
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I think Bird's a pretty cute name that could work for either sex, but I would tend to think of it as a girl's name because it's the nickname of one of my best friends.
I prefer Birdie actually, as Bird does sound pretty clipped to my ears.
Oooh...I'm really liking Bird Lenore. Nice!
"He wanted the chair; the antique chair; the antique, wingback, Cusack chair!"
I prefer Birdie actually, as Bird does sound pretty clipped to my ears.
Oooh...I'm really liking Bird Lenore. Nice!
"He wanted the chair; the antique chair; the antique, wingback, Cusack chair!"
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Uh, no, actually I think Bird is almost guaranteed tease matieral. Thik of it: birdbrain, birdseed, bird-turd, birdshot/shit, Big Bird, flipping the bird... Not good.
I have known too old ladies named Birdie. One was named Birdie, as far as I know. The other had it asa nn for something, might be Bertha but I don't know for sure.
I don't think the song by the Be Good Tanyas is something that a lot of people would know about and associate it with the name.
Listen: Bird Lenore. Bird Manure.
Mr. Snuffleuppagus alwasy called Big Bird Bird too. As in "Oh Birrrrd."
I'd stick to using birdy type names like Jay or Robin. Or use it as a middle name and pretend it's a family name.
And if you like the Be Good Tanyas enough to want to commemorate them in a baby name, why not just use Tanya? That's a really cute name.
I have known too old ladies named Birdie. One was named Birdie, as far as I know. The other had it asa nn for something, might be Bertha but I don't know for sure.
I don't think the song by the Be Good Tanyas is something that a lot of people would know about and associate it with the name.
Listen: Bird Lenore. Bird Manure.
Mr. Snuffleuppagus alwasy called Big Bird Bird too. As in "Oh Birrrrd."
I'd stick to using birdy type names like Jay or Robin. Or use it as a middle name and pretend it's a family name.
And if you like the Be Good Tanyas enough to want to commemorate them in a baby name, why not just use Tanya? That's a really cute name.
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Well...thing is, it's the song I love, and the sentiment--namely that "the littlest birds sing the prettiest songs." The Be Good Tanyas are fabulous, but in the end, I wouldn't be using the name for them, y'know?
Plus, the name Tanya sounds a bit painfully 80s to me. Not only were there several in my grade growing up, they were all the not so nice girls. Bad associations with that name--otherwise, I'd probably like it. :(
Array
"That was the thing about aliens that no one ever really expected. They're a bit dull."
A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having.
Plus, the name Tanya sounds a bit painfully 80s to me. Not only were there several in my grade growing up, they were all the not so nice girls. Bad associations with that name--otherwise, I'd probably like it. :(
Array
"That was the thing about aliens that no one ever really expected. They're a bit dull."
A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having.
1
I'm not a fan of the name Bird; it sounds uncreative. I do like the nn Birdie though. If I heard either, I would think it's a girl. I can understand using it in honor of jazz musicians (if I had b/g twins I'd name them Ella and Louis), but I think if it was Parker's nn not name, then it should be a nn for your child too or a mn.
*laurel*
*laurel*
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Out of curiosity, could you elaborate a bit on the "it sounds uncreative" bit? Do you mean that it sounds like a name that an uncreative person might have? Or do you mean that it sounds like the child's parents were trying too hard to find something really out there and cool? Or have I missed what you mean? :)
Array
"That was the thing about aliens that no one ever really expected. They're a bit dull."
A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having.
Array
"That was the thing about aliens that no one ever really expected. They're a bit dull."
A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having.
1
I mean it sounds like the parent wouldn't have been too creative. It's like naming your kid Child.
*laurel*
*laurel*
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I see it being very feminine. That said, I've always liked the nn Birdie. (Or Birdee, as in Hope Floats- I highly recommend this movie, as it's the reason I like the name so much!)
Bird Honorah and Bird Cornelia are nice, how about...
Bird Eleanora
Bird Sabine
Bird Amaryllis (pleaaasee? :) )
Bird Rosemary
Bird Winifred
Bird Juniper Rae
Any you like?
Bird Honorah and Bird Cornelia are nice, how about...
Bird Eleanora
Bird Sabine
Bird Amaryllis (pleaaasee? :) )
Bird Rosemary
Bird Winifred
Bird Juniper Rae
Any you like?
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I love that movie too. (I got a big smile when I read your post.)
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both, but more on a girl. It's kinda cute
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Current Faves:
Girl: Ligeia
Boy: Roderick
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Current Faves:
Girl: Ligeia
Boy: Roderick
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Well, I like the nn Birdy for a girl (for Bridget / Brigid), so Bird just seems like a girl's name to me. I've never thought of Birdy as a nn for Roberta -- that's a good one. I'll have to steal that one some time in another thread.
Bird Lenore is my favorite of your combinations. Although the three consonants "rd L" together could use some breaking up. Bird Eleanor(a) is easier for me to say out loud.
Bird Elaine
Bird Igraine
Bird Evelyn
Bird Evaine
Bird Elva
Bird Alouette (just kidding)
Bird Aloysia
Bird Eloise
Bird Olivia
Bird Amelie
Bird Ottilie
Bird Ottoline
Bird Eilis
Bird Eileen
Bird Aisling
Bird Astrid
Bird Ianthe / Iolanthe
Bird Lenore is my favorite of your combinations. Although the three consonants "rd L" together could use some breaking up. Bird Eleanor(a) is easier for me to say out loud.
Bird Elaine
Bird Igraine
Bird Evelyn
Bird Evaine
Bird Elva
Bird Alouette (just kidding)
Bird Aloysia
Bird Eloise
Bird Olivia
Bird Amelie
Bird Ottilie
Bird Ottoline
Bird Eilis
Bird Eileen
Bird Aisling
Bird Astrid
Bird Ianthe / Iolanthe
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