WASP-iest Names

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are some of the WASP-iest names you've ever heard?

Wellington

WASP here with a BIL who has this middle name. I remember my WASP mom saying it looked so good on their wedding invitations lol. The other Wellington I know is Black AF.

[Anonymous]

Ryland, Grace, Wells

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WASPs keep using the same few names over and over and within the same generation, so in order to eliminate confusion, a distinctive nickname is bestowed upon the child at birth or soon thereafter that likely will have very little relation to birth name.

So, Catherine Mary Hopkins will be forever known as Ticky, because this is what her younger brother called her when trying to say "sister" as a three year old.

John Warren Calhoun III will be called Warren or "War" because granddad was Jack and Dad's JW.

Spot on.

Mary is a Catholic name. Not waspy.

I've known some WASPs with Mary somewhere in their name, though agree it's not common. Interestingly, I know some rich Catholic families in New England and the Mid-Atlantic who have avoided Mary specifically because it reads as Catholic and they want to try and fit in WASPs. They use names like Margaret, Louise, and Charlotte, which are also used by Catholics, but also get used by Protestants. One of my closest friends from grad school is from a family like this and it's always been interesting to me how sensitive her family is to little signifiers like this. Apparently even now you'll get little comments in these circles about "oh my, that's a lot of kids" or turning up noses at wedding invitation to a Catholic church. It's fascinating to me because we're talking about people with generational wealthy and fairly deep ties with private schools, financial institutions, and public service organizations. But there are *still* people who think having a relative who was on the Mayflower or whatever is an important class signifier. It's so bizarre to me as your bog standard middle class midwesterner, from an Irish catholic immigrant family.

Which is kind of funny, considering that it was mostly poors who came over from England in the first place. The WASP names emulate what was done by the higher class Brits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WASPs keep using the same few names over and over and within the same generation, so in order to eliminate confusion, a distinctive nickname is bestowed upon the child at birth or soon thereafter that likely will have very little relation to birth name.

So, Catherine Mary Hopkins will be forever known as Ticky, because this is what her younger brother called her when trying to say "sister" as a three year old.

John Warren Calhoun III will be called Warren or "War" because granddad was Jack and Dad's JW.

Spot on.

Mary is a Catholic name. Not waspy.

I've known some WASPs with Mary somewhere in their name, though agree it's not common. Interestingly, I know some rich Catholic families in New England and the Mid-Atlantic who have avoided Mary specifically because it reads as Catholic and they want to try and fit in WASPs. They use names like Margaret, Louise, and Charlotte, which are also used by Catholics, but also get used by Protestants. One of my closest friends from grad school is from a family like this and it's always been interesting to me how sensitive her family is to little signifiers like this. Apparently even now you'll get little comments in these circles about "oh my, that's a lot of kids" or turning up noses at wedding invitation to a Catholic church. It's fascinating to me because we're talking about people with generational wealthy and fairly deep ties with private schools, financial institutions, and public service organizations. But there are *still* people who think having a relative who was on the Mayflower or whatever is an important class signifier. It's so bizarre to me as your bog standard middle class midwesterner, from an Irish catholic immigrant family.

My ancestors immigrated in the early 20th century and think people should take pride in having a Mayflower ancestor. They founded and created our country. Having pride and attaching importance to something unique and special in history does not necessarily mean that they see themselves as higher class.

[Anonymous]

I am a WASP. My father, brother, son, nephew all share one name. My brother, nephew, grandfather and great grandfather all share another. My son, husband, father in law, and husband’s grandfather all have the same first name. My first name was a last name 2 generations back and is also my late Aunt’s name (but she was called Bunny) and my grandmother’s name. My daughter, my mother and my great aunt all have the same first name. Isn’t this how everyone does it!

[Anonymous]

Waspy names come in two flavors

1) Timeless classics a la Elizabeth and Charles,

2) Names that could be white trash or could be waspy depending entirely on context "Buffy, Cricket, Trey, Trip, Chad"

All in category 2 are likely weird nicknames for category 1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ryland, Grace, Wells

Grace yes. The other two, absolutely not.

[Anonymous]

Russell

[Anonymous]

It’s not just the specific names. The people who said it is reusing names over and over and then using nicknames to distinguish. Maiden names become first names. So a girl might be Parker but only because it was her mother’s maiden name. Not just because Parker is cute or trendy. Classic names are common but used over and over. Four names is also more common but can be a pain. I posted earlier about all my family have the same names. No joke my first name is named for my grandmother and aunt but my middle name is the same as all female cousins on one side. My brother and father have the same name but neither use it so not confusing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a WASP. My father, brother, son, nephew all share one name. My brother, nephew, grandfather and great grandfather all share another. My son, husband, father in law, and husband’s grandfather all have the same first name. My first name was a last name 2 generations back and is also my late Aunt’s name (but she was called Bunny) and my grandmother’s name. My daughter, my mother and my great aunt all have the same first name. Isn’t this how everyone does it!

No. In my family of my generation would be named Ethel, Edna and Bertha and Gertrude if we were using names from two generations back. I am grateful every day that I was not named one of those names.

[Anonymous]

Classic name that does not evoke Catholic Saint. Followed by family surname as middle name. Must also have nickname that only close friends know (eg. Bitsy). This is really so you can tell who actually knows you over the posers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hadlee might be trashy but the former is a surname and fits the WASP-y trend of non-gender specific names that go well with Anglo-Saxon last names

Trailer name

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:James
Edward
Henry
William
George
Elizabeth
Anne
Margaret

This is the answer. Adding John and Martha. Especially Martha. Everyone keeps suggesting white trash aspiration names instead ?

[Anonymous]

The Fourthly

[Anonymous]

Buzz
Stinger
Muddy
Dauber