When it comes to gaining insight into the mind and inner workings of a child , nobody has the inside lane quite like a teacher. Over the course of their careers, teachers come into contact with hundreds of kids. Most of them good, and others — not so much.
Believe it or not, some teachers say that they can actually tell whether or not a child will be a problem in the classroom simply by looking at the name on an attendance sheet. So parents, if you don’t want your child’s teacher to prejudge them, you’d better listen up .
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What’s in a name?
Shakespeare once so eloquently wrote that “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet .” While that may be true, you’ve got to admit that “Rose” has a much nicer ring to it than “Stink blossom.”
You may try to argue otherwise, but at the end of the day — names matter. It’s as simple as that.
Our names are the first gift given to us by our parents. They are the symbolic title we use to greet the world and we carry them with us all our lives. Therefore, a name shouldn’t be given in haste and should always be carefully considered before bestowing it upon someone.
Recently, a mommy vlogger named SJ Strum decided to consult the experts about the impact and significance of a child’s name.
Who better to talk to about children and their respective names than the people who spend the most time with them, day in and day out — their teachers! Be forewarned, parents. What SJ learned you may find troubling.
The first thing that SJ discovered is that teachers aren’t a fan of overly-used names.
Keep in mind that SJ hails from England and as a result, some of these names are specific to the region. That being said, she reports that teachers always seem to have a Charlie, Alfie, Ella, or a Lile in their classroom.
SJ also informed viewers that one year, a single teacher had ten Sophias and four Laylas!
“They also said that double barrelling a common name is common but the majority of children only go by their first name of the double-barrel,” SJ said . For example, names like “Elsa-Rose” or “Laura-May.”
Another thing that teachers find incredibly annoying is when a common name has a unique spelling.
You might think you’re helping your child stand out from the crowd, but in reality, you’re really just making things that much harder. For example, if you’re considering the name “Emily” with the spelling of “Emma-Leigh” — you’d better think otherwise.
Weird names are another thing that tends to get under teachers’ skin, according to SJ.
“The funniest, weirdest names teachers said were twins called Denim and Suede,” SJ explained . She also spoke to one teacher who had a kid in their class named Jack Daniels and another called DKNY.
That’s good to know, but if I ever end up having daughters, I still plan on naming them Time and Tide.
Why the names Time and Tide, you ask? It’s simple — because Time and Tide wait for no man. I know it’s cheesy but I also know that you probably chuckled, even just a little bit.
Finally, SJ says that there are some names that parents should avoid at all costs.
Despite what you may want to believe, the majority of teachers SJ spoke with all agreed that certain names are definite red flags. “There were some that stuck out and came up again and again,” she said .
For boys, SJ says that parents should avoid names that end in “den.”
For example, boys’ names like Hayden, Jayden, and Aden all point to a potential troublemaker. For girls, Isla and Jessica tend to be chatty names — while Alexandras tend to be bullies.
“So there are names that people judge. It is very common. We’ve all got associations with names that make us think of them in a certain way,” SJ concluded.
By all means, if you are in love with a name or if it has special significance to you and your partner, then go right ahead. All that SJ is saying is you might want to consider and weigh the pros and cons, if only for a moment.
