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Congratulations, Paul & Jessica; Welcome to the world, George

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Re: Congratulations, Paul & Jessica; Welcome to the world, George

#21
post #13

Well, it's too late now, but if there are any other parents out there, for God's sake give your kid a globally unique name. It's all one big namespace now. There are other Eliezer Yudkowskys out there, the poor bastards, and they'll spend the rest of their lives under my ugly Google shadow.

That's very funny but as someone with an unusual name it's less funny.

More seriously your should use a middle name to provide uniqueness. People are basically unable to recognise words they haven't heard before. Complexity in the part of the name used normally is a hassle.

Re: Congratulations, Paul & Jessica; Welcome to the world, George

#22
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LOL I just said the same thing -- probably GG, it's more BA

I was going to simply reply with "GG NO RE" but I didn't think anybody would get it :P

I play dota so i totally get it ... ;-)

Re: Congratulations, Paul & Jessica; Welcome to the world, George

#23
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LOL I just said the same thing -- probably GG, it's more BA

I was going to simply reply with "GG NO RE" but I didn't think anybody would get it :P

I don't get it.

Re: Congratulations, Paul & Jessica; Welcome to the world, George

#24
post #10

Congrats! I'm also a new father - PG (and everyone else) could you share any general parenting advice, or give pointers to sources from which you seek advice on parenting? One I've found invaluable is Alfie Kohn - his ideas gave me insight into general psychology as well as child raising that I'd feel completely lost without.

There've been a few of articles on here about it so I'm sure you've caught it already, but I'll just say: praise what the child does, not who they are. Praise a child for doing a good job or trying again after failure, not for being smart or gifted.

Re: Congratulations, Paul & Jessica; Welcome to the world, George

#26
post #21
post #13

Well, it's too late now, but if there are any other parents out there, for God's sake give your kid a globally unique name. It's all one big namespace now. There are other Eliezer Yudkowskys out there, the poor bastards, and they'll spend the rest of their lives under my ugly Google shadow.

That's very funny but as someone with an unusual name it's less funny. More seriously your should use a middle name to provide uniqueness. People are basically unable to recognise words they haven't heard before. Complexity in the part of the name used normally is a hassle.

I have a unique name Tarrant, after my ancestors from England. Sure there are times when I get annoyed that people can't say my name. I'm at the point where when asked for my name for an order at a restaurant I'll give something like Dobbs, Bob or Joe to make life slightly easier. I will say that I greatly prefer having a unique name over having a common name. I've always loved my name and wouldn't trade it, even with the hassles it can bring.

Re: Congratulations, Paul & Jessica; Welcome to the world, George

#27
post #21
post #13

Well, it's too late now, but if there are any other parents out there, for God's sake give your kid a globally unique name. It's all one big namespace now. There are other Eliezer Yudkowskys out there, the poor bastards, and they'll spend the rest of their lives under my ugly Google shadow.

That's very funny but as someone with an unusual name it's less funny. More seriously your should use a middle name to provide uniqueness. People are basically unable to recognise words they haven't heard before. Complexity in the part of the name used normally is a hassle.

I'd say the middle name is the place for common-ness. My first name is unusual (Lon), but my middle name is as common as dirt (David). The first name is a hassle sometimes, but I can always go by my middle name if I want. It also gives me the option to use the elitist "L. David" if I like.

I really like having a unique name, and I don't think I'd be happier being a "John Smith". Ultimately, your name is what you make of it. If you're comfortable with it, then other people will be too. It can even be an advantage for getting remembered by people.

Just look at Barack Hussein Obama, who seems to be getting along just fine with his "funny name".

Re: Congratulations, Paul & Jessica; Welcome to the world, George

#28
post #21
post #13

Well, it's too late now, but if there are any other parents out there, for God's sake give your kid a globally unique name. It's all one big namespace now. There are other Eliezer Yudkowskys out there, the poor bastards, and they'll spend the rest of their lives under my ugly Google shadow.

That's very funny but as someone with an unusual name it's less funny. More seriously your should use a middle name to provide uniqueness. People are basically unable to recognise words they haven't heard before. Complexity in the part of the name used normally is a hassle.

I could wish my name was easier to pronounce, but I would still want first+last to be unique. The thought of people meeting me, typing my name into Google, and getting back a soccer player, frankly does not fill me with joy. Middle name isn't good enough, most people won't type that.

Oh, well. I'm sure George Graham will want to change his name anyway at age 21 in order to outrun all the hideously embarrassing Internet posts he made at age 12, should the present world last so long.

Maybe you want to give your kid a highly anonymous first+last name, and a unique second+last name, so they can switch to using second+last once they grow up.

PS: I know a poor guy who happens to be named David Duke. (I suggested he go by Dave Duke.)

Re: Congratulations, Paul & Jessica; Welcome to the world, George

#30
post #20
post #13

Well, it's too late now, but if there are any other parents out there, for God's sake give your kid a globally unique name. It's all one big namespace now. There are other Eliezer Yudkowskys out there, the poor bastards, and they'll spend the rest of their lives under my ugly Google shadow.

YC startups can point to whichever website PG + JL register. That kind of google karma will easily put George as the #1 George on any of the search engines. Now, if the YC companies are really creative, George will be the 1st result returned even if someone types in "Eliezer Yudkowsky" ;-)

Good solution, I suppose. At least the first part.

To be fair, I'll be first in line to congratulate PGJL on having not named their kid Jeeebo Graham just because the domain name was available.

But I do advise prospective parents to think hard about what the child might think of the name when grown up. Sure, in one sense it would have been awesome, but I'm glad my mother didn't let my father actually name me Luke Skywalker Yudkowsky, Hari Seldon Yudkowsky, or Roderick Frederick Ronald Arnold William MacArthur McBan Yudkowsky.

Or similarly: I was once at a science fiction convention, and I saw a young kid - maybe 8 or so - wearing a nametag that said "Vanyel". I walked up to him and said, "Excuse me, is Vanyel your real name?" He said, "Yes." I said, "Are you named after Vanyel Ashkevron?" He said, "Yes." And I said, "Awesome."

Which, in a sense, it was - it definitely had a high coolness factor. But what I wanted to ask was, "Did your parents think at all about what sort of problems they might be volunteering their child for, by naming him after one of the most famous gay characters in all of fantasy fiction?" But I didn't ask, because I didn't know if they had explained that part to him yet.

Names matter.

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