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Help[Opinions] Mactavish?
What do you think about using a version of my "maiden" name as a name for a son? I put "maiden" in quotes because I didn't change my name from Thompson, which comes from the Scottish name MacTavish - son of Tomas. We are planning on using both of our last names, though not hyphenated, for our children.
Example: Mactavish Eli Thompson M________.
So my question to you is: is it strange, redundant, or too self-promoting to use Mactavish, a version of my last name, as a fn for a son - with the nn Mac? And what do you think of the name Mactavish (nn Mac) in and of itself?
Thanks!
~ EM
Example: Mactavish Eli Thompson M________.
So my question to you is: is it strange, redundant, or too self-promoting to use Mactavish, a version of my last name, as a fn for a son - with the nn Mac? And what do you think of the name Mactavish (nn Mac) in and of itself?
Thanks!
~ EM
This message was edited 11/27/2006, 8:30 AM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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A surfboard.
McTavish is a surfbrand that make clothes and Surfboards here in australia: http://www.mctavish.com.au/
I think Mactavish is too much, I think Tavish is handsome and I know a few Tavish's but Mactavish is a bit too much.
~*~*~ BeX ~*~*~
DAMIEN LEITH FOR AUSTRALIAN IDOL 2006
Visit my space!
http://www.myspace.com/boo_bex
McTavish is a surfbrand that make clothes and Surfboards here in australia: http://www.mctavish.com.au/
I think Mactavish is too much, I think Tavish is handsome and I know a few Tavish's but Mactavish is a bit too much.
~*~*~ BeX ~*~*~
DAMIEN LEITH FOR AUSTRALIAN IDOL 2006
Visit my space!
http://www.myspace.com/boo_bex
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your subject line made me laugh... :)
~ EM
~ EM
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I would not say it is strange or "too self-promoting" to use Mactavish, but I would say it's redundant if you plan on using Thompson in as (a part) of his last name or as a second middle name. MacTavish does also seem like a bit of a stretch to honor Thompson, in my eyes. I think Thompson would make a great first name if you weren't using it as a last name.
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I'm not trying to "honor" anyone. But using a name that is part of my family history when my husband's family name automatically gets passed down through the last name seemed a cool idea to me.
See my reply to mirfak's post below.
~ EM
See my reply to mirfak's post below.
~ EM
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It's artificial as a 3-dollar bill, is what it is. You just like the name, and since it's related to your actual maiden name you think it's different from just picking a surname out of the phone book. Well, there's no need for the veneer. If you like the style of the name Mactavish for a boy, just LIKE it for style, and don't be ashamed. (And then cope with the dissonance you have about disapproving of other people's phone book naming ... how do I know? Because I do the same thing. ;-)
I personally find Mactavish to be too precious-seeming for a boy, regardless of who else's name it might be. It seems like a name you might find on a children's book character who is a talking cat. Sorry - but I'd find it annoying on a guy.
eta - Please don't get defensive. I'm just saying, nobody who wants to pass on a family name, uses a "form" of it. That doesn't pass on the family name. I get frustrated when people don't want to admit that they just like a surname as a first name because they like it, and they make up elaborate family connections for it, as if that changed anything. You're allowed to like what you like!
- mirfak
I personally find Mactavish to be too precious-seeming for a boy, regardless of who else's name it might be. It seems like a name you might find on a children's book character who is a talking cat. Sorry - but I'd find it annoying on a guy.
eta - Please don't get defensive. I'm just saying, nobody who wants to pass on a family name, uses a "form" of it. That doesn't pass on the family name. I get frustrated when people don't want to admit that they just like a surname as a first name because they like it, and they make up elaborate family connections for it, as if that changed anything. You're allowed to like what you like!
- mirfak
This message was edited 11/27/2006, 10:43 AM
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um... I never said I was trying to find a way to pass on my last name Thompson and that's why I was thinking about Mactavish. In fact my name will be passed on in a sense already, since all the children will have it as their third name (or double last name). That's why I asked if Mactavish was redundant.
There isn't another surname as a first name that I like other than Finnegan as a full name for Finn. I like the nickname Mack and was trying to think of full names it could be a nickname for because I like longer full names. Then it dawned on my DH and I that Thompson derives from the MacTavish clan, which we already knew because my aunt did some research a few years back and got everyone in the family a MacTavish clan plaque. So, we thought that since the children will be using his last name and not mine, using MacTavish as a fn with the nn Mack would be a good way to both give my last name some recognition (since it will basically be on the birth certificate and that's it) and be able to call him Mack. That is the full, true story. I'm not making up any elaborate connections. Please don't assume you know the reason behind something when all you have is a baseless assumption. That was rather rude, and totally unhelpful.
~ EM
There isn't another surname as a first name that I like other than Finnegan as a full name for Finn. I like the nickname Mack and was trying to think of full names it could be a nickname for because I like longer full names. Then it dawned on my DH and I that Thompson derives from the MacTavish clan, which we already knew because my aunt did some research a few years back and got everyone in the family a MacTavish clan plaque. So, we thought that since the children will be using his last name and not mine, using MacTavish as a fn with the nn Mack would be a good way to both give my last name some recognition (since it will basically be on the birth certificate and that's it) and be able to call him Mack. That is the full, true story. I'm not making up any elaborate connections. Please don't assume you know the reason behind something when all you have is a baseless assumption. That was rather rude, and totally unhelpful.
~ EM
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Ah, I'm very sorry! I saw you said Thompson "comes from MacTavish" and I jumped to conclusions.
I didn't mean to be rude - I meant to express frustration at the idea that you didn't feel it was okay to use whatever surname suited you regardless of where you got it. But I apparently read that into what you were saying, all by myself. As you may have guessed, I have my own issues about guilt and surnames-as-first-names!
No, I don't think it's redundant. I do, however, still think it's a tad artificial. Then again, if you want to call him Mack, it's the best choice for a Mac- full name.
- mirfak
I didn't mean to be rude - I meant to express frustration at the idea that you didn't feel it was okay to use whatever surname suited you regardless of where you got it. But I apparently read that into what you were saying, all by myself. As you may have guessed, I have my own issues about guilt and surnames-as-first-names!
No, I don't think it's redundant. I do, however, still think it's a tad artificial. Then again, if you want to call him Mack, it's the best choice for a Mac- full name.
- mirfak
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It's okay. Thanks for taking the time to read my response and respond accordingly yourself. I hope it makes more sense now; I could have explained things better in my first post, too. I do appreciate candor, which I'm sure now was all you were trying to be.
~ EM
~ EM
This message was edited 11/27/2006, 12:03 PM
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I think it would be better as a middle name, simply because I find Mac- surnames a bit irritating, no matter the reason behind them. MacTavish strikes me as slightly less annoying than MacKenzie, but I'd go with Eli MacTavish Thompson M. Sounds really classy to me--and if he's already going to have two surnames, he really deserves a first name that sounds like a fn, IMO.
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Now I love Scottish names, I adore Tavish and the nn Mac so Mactavish to me would be a lovely name. Strong, masculine, yet cute. It's also a great way to honor your side of the family all at once.
I wouldn't use Mactavish and Thompson in the same combo because to me it's the same name, they both have the same meaning so it's sort of redundant in the same combo 'son of Thomas' and 'Thomas's son'.
Mactavish Eli would be really cute or you could name him Mac Tavish. Thompson is also nice with like the nn Tommy or Toppy. Eli Mactavish would also be nice. And I'm almost liking MacTavish (this spelling) as aposed to it being all run together Mactavish.
I hope this helps a little, it's a great idea I love it! :)
I wouldn't use Mactavish and Thompson in the same combo because to me it's the same name, they both have the same meaning so it's sort of redundant in the same combo 'son of Thomas' and 'Thomas's son'.
Mactavish Eli would be really cute or you could name him Mac Tavish. Thompson is also nice with like the nn Tommy or Toppy. Eli Mactavish would also be nice. And I'm almost liking MacTavish (this spelling) as aposed to it being all run together Mactavish.
I hope this helps a little, it's a great idea I love it! :)
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Thanks for the input! Yeah, I worry that it would be a bit weird with both "son of Thomas" names... but since he would never really use Thompson (none of them will, really, but I feel my name should at least be included), I thought it might work. Something to think aobut though... Thanks, again!
~ EM
~ EM
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Because Mactavish and Thompson are related (via Thomas) I would find it weird. I knew this because there's a Scottish form of Thomas, Tavish, but I suppose most people wouldn't.
I don't think it's strange, redundant or self-promoting - I just don't think that Mac- names make good first names. It is extremely common where I live for the firstborn son (nowadays, normally the first child of either sex) to be given the mother's maiden name as a middle name, and I'd prefer that. Most don't work as first names.
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♥Elinor♥
I don't think it's strange, redundant or self-promoting - I just don't think that Mac- names make good first names. It is extremely common where I live for the firstborn son (nowadays, normally the first child of either sex) to be given the mother's maiden name as a middle name, and I'd prefer that. Most don't work as first names.
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♥Elinor♥
This message was edited 11/27/2006, 8:25 AM
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Thanks for the input! I want my children to have their own individual first and middle names, partially because I've gone by my mn my entire life, so they are important to me. And we've decided to use both my last name and my husband's for all of our children. I don't want only one of my children to have my name, since I will always use it - I want their names to always have a connection to my last name, too. So, all will have Thompson M______, as their last name, though to some it would just seem like a double middle name with Thompson always being the second mn. Anyway... just want to explain. But thanks for the constructive suggestion!!
~ EM
~ EM
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