The Curse of the Name Cycle

We wonder what Beyonce and Jay-Z's new baby Blue Ivy would think about Shadow_of_Belladonna's post; is she yet another victim of the name cycle?...—Sparkitors

It’s an endless spinning vortex of hatred for the name you are given. It’s passed down through generation after generation. It is… the dreaded name cycle.

I know I’m not the only one out there to despise my given name—otherwise, there'd be no reason for nicknames, or, even cooler, mythical beast names. Usually, you're given a name that will either help you fit in, or make you stand out. And who's to blame for the choice? Your parents. Here's a few reasons why you may have ended up with your moniker:

If one or both of your parents had a name that was totally out of left field (like "Chandelier" or "Dubstep"), and it made their life miserable as a kid, they were probably determined to protect you from a similar fate. So they chose a simple, popular name, granting you the awful security of  “fitting in."

Now, for some people, an ordinary name is a blessing; it suits them so well that it’s like they grew up, took a TARDIS back in time, and whispered the perfect name into their parents’ ears. But that’s not always the case. What if, like me,  you were made to stand out, rebel against society? Well, if your parents give you a normal name in the hopes of gifting you with a normal life, you'll despise it.  So you will vow to give your kids extremely unusual names, in order to help them stand out. Thus the name cycle continues.

My mother was given a boy's name (this was back before it was cool for a girl to be called something like "Rooney" or "Brett"),  so of course she chose to bestow me with the number 1 most popular girl's name the year I was born (some people like the name, so I won't insult them by putting it in this article.). But her good intentions backfired; because of the conformity of my name, I was destined to become a proud reject, and to rebel against the norms of society! I want to stand out, not blend in, which is why I hate my name, and have always looked for nicknames that were unusual enough to surprise people.

All I’m saying is, the cycle will always continue. I know this—because I've already decided to call my eldest son Zebulon.

Beware the cycle.

Do you hate your name? Love it? Think it fits you perfectly? What would you change your name to, if you could change it to anything?

Related post: What Should Beyonce Name Her Baby?