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We talk a lot about Gen Z, these young people born between 1995 and 2010, but the next generation is ready to take over. And despite their young age, The Alphas are already known for their very strong opinions regarding… first names.
Amber Cimiotti, an American mother, experienced this. This American recently published a video on TikTok in which she recounts a conversation she had with her 5-year-old daughter, Scarlett. “L‘the other day my daughter told me that the names Ashley or Amanda – or my name Amber – are old people’s names.“, she says.
This judgment may seem, at first glance, a little hasty. But Amber Cimiotti’s daughter explains that most of the adult women she meets are named Amanda or Amber. “My teachers names are Miss Erica, Miss Samantha. There are also Amandas and Ashleys. And she said to me: ‘These are old people’s names‘”, says Ms. Cimiotti in its publication.
Amber Cimiotti’s video has gone viral since it was posted online on February 16. To date, it has been viewed more than 3.5 million times on TikTok, and has sparked strong reactions from Internet users. Some were surprised by the names that children consider out of date, while others were amused by the fact that members of the Alpha generation themselves are generally given rather old-fashioned names. “The 3-year-olds in my class all have the names of older people: Florence, Norah, Nellie, Lorelei,” explains one TikTok user.
Pay attention to the choice of first name
In the United States as in France, young parents are increasingly choosing to give surnames from the last century to their offspring. Schoolyards are thus filled with Adèle, Théophile, Louise or Gaspard. Some of these names, although quite dated, have always been quite timeless while others have more recently come back into fashion.
Because choosing a first name for your child is not always easy. Some parents decide to name their offspring after a member of their family, while others seek inspiration from films and series. But whatever its choice, the French administration reminds that certain rules must be respected. Thus, a child cannot have a first name that is contrary to his or her interests or that infringes the rights of another person. It is therefore impossible to call your toddler Dalí or Picasso, even if you admire the work of these two artists. Also be careful not to use alphabetic characters that are not used in the French language, such as the tilde.
To avoid making a mistake, parents call on baby name consultants. These experts establish a list of surnames likely to appeal to their customers, based on a multitude of criteria. But be prepared to put your hand in your wallet to offer you their services. Specialized companies charge around a hundred euros to find the perfect first name, while others, like the Swiss firm Erfolgswelle, charge several tens of thousands of euros, according to Bloomberg. As the saying goes, when you love, you don’t count.