Baby names can be tricky, with parents often disagreeing, and sometimes immediately ruling certain ones out due to negative associations with people they have previously known. The task can be even tougher for teachers, who encounter an array of names every day.
In a recent Reddit thread, educators were asked which names they would avoid for their own children because of “past students” leaving a bad impression. The original poster shared their own experience: “Teachers – what names would you avoid naming a child due to past students?
“What names do you now work hard to not have a bias against? For me, Connor is at the top of my list after teaching several Connors. I now have to be aware when I have a Conner that I treat that student fairly.” [sic]
Other teachers have been quick to share the names they would never choose, as one said: “Any name spelled with an x that isn’t traditionally spelled with an x – eg Jaxon.” Another added: “Please avoid Kyle and Jacob. They were always a handful in my classroom”, reports the Liverpool Echo.
A third teacher made a bold statement, writing: “Pretty much all common boy’s names that start with J – Jack, Jake, Jacob, James, Josh, Jackson, Jonathon, John. There have been a few nice ones but for the most part they’re super challenging.”
And a fourth said: “It’s tough to find the perfect name for your children when you’re a teacher – I’ve been working with kids for over 10 years, so it’s hard to find a name you’ve never heard of. [I live in the] UK, if that makes a difference. Every student with these names I have bad associations with.
“Doesn’t mean all kids with these names are bad, just my personal experience – Callum, Charlie, Denim, Edward, Frankie, Henry, Jack, Joshua, Luca, Matthew, Reggie, Rhys, Ryan, Sebastian, Ella, Freya, Isabella/Bella, Jessica/Jessie/Jess, Madison/Maddie, Mckenzie, Millie, Ruby, Skye. On a positive note, these are names I’ve only had good associations with – Benedict/Benny, Benjamin/Benji/Ben, Elijah, Harry, Harvey, Jamie, Noah, Ruben, Alice, Amelia, Daisy, Elise, Ellie, Florence, Georgie, Grace, Ivy, Lillian, Lily, Matilda, Rose.”