What is the best system to name people?

[Teffland]

Hello.

I got an issue about good and bad names. And I asked myself: What is the best name system to name humans? Like "First Name - Surname"

At least the one in Germany has several problems:
1. Surnames get inherited through many generations. In best cases you get a profession in your mothertongue. Or a nice word like "snowman". In bad cases it is a swear word, or a word with negative associations in a language you know, or sth hard to pronounce, with spelling problems and things to mix up.
2. People assume you are a foreigner because of your surname.
3. Women change their surname after marriage, men don't. Not always. Identification problems, especially after several marriages and divorces.
4. Different degrees of rarity of surnames.
5. You are quite much bound to what you got.
6. Order of names, what is surname, what are the first names? Especially with people having several first names and surnames like e.g. "Mark Albrecht Ludwig-Schmitz."
7. Some first names can be used as surnames or the other way round (like Ludwig).
8. Married partners and mother/father/child do not necessarily share the same surname.

This is worldwide forum. How it is done in your county? Are there better alternatives?
Like e.g. in Iceland, where it is marked, whose son/daughter you are.

[Random Nation 2930]

Hello.

I got an issue about good and bad names. And I asked myself: What is the best name system to name humans? Like "First Name - Surname"

At least the one in Germany has several problems:
1. Surnames get inherited through many generations. In best cases you get a profession in your mothertongue. Or a nice word like "snowman". In bad cases it is a swear word, or a word with negative associations in a language you know, or sth hard to pronounce, with spelling problems and things to mix up.
2. People assume you are a foreigner because of your surname.
3. Women change their surname after marriage, men don't. Not always. Identification problems, especially after several marriages and divorces.
4. Different degrees of rarity of surnames.
5. You are quite much bound to what you got.
6. Order of names, what is surname, what are the first names? Especially with people having several first names and surnames like e.g. "Mark Albrecht Ludwig-Schmitz."
7. Some first names can be used as surnames or the other way round (like Ludwig).
8. Married partners and mother/father/child do not necessarily share the same surname.

This is worldwide forum. How it is done in your county? Are there better alternatives?
Like e.g. in Iceland, where it is marked, whose son/daughter you are.

Give somebody a first name, a middle name, their parent’s first name, and a surname. Don’t allow people to change their surnames, and in marriages require them to merge their two names (for example, with General and Forum, General-Forum or Generum.)

Because why not?

[Mercatus]

Hello.

I got an issue about good and bad names. And I asked myself: What is the best name system to name humans? Like "First Name - Surname"

At least the one in Germany has several problems:
1. Surnames get inherited through many generations. In best cases you get a profession in your mothertongue. Or a nice word like "snowman". In bad cases it is a swear word, or a word with negative associations in a language you know, or sth hard to pronounce, with spelling problems and things to mix up.
2. People assume you are a foreigner because of your surname.
3. Women change their surname after marriage, men don't. Not always. Identification problems, especially after several marriages and divorces.
4. Different degrees of rarity of surnames.
5. You are quite much bound to what you got.
6. Order of names, what is surname, what are the first names? Especially with people having several first names and surnames like e.g. "Mark Albrecht Ludwig-Schmitz."
7. Some first names can be used as surnames or the other way round (like Ludwig).
8. Married partners and mother/father/child do not necessarily share the same surname.

This is worldwide forum. How it is done in your county? Are there better alternatives?
Like e.g. in Iceland, where it is marked, whose son/daughter you are.

Give somebody a first name, a middle name, their parent’s first name, and a surname. Don’t allow people to change their surnames, and in marriages require them to merge their two names (for example, with General and Forum, General-Forum or Generum.)

Because why not?

Id rather not be forced to present my name in a certain fashion. That’s just stupid.

The best system for naming people is to just give a child a damn name in whichever way the parents choose so long as it presents some level of decency.

[Random Nation 2930]

Give somebody a first name, a middle name, their parent’s first name, and a surname. Don’t allow people to change their surnames, and in marriages require them to merge their two names (for example, with General and Forum, General-Forum or Generum.)

Because why not?

Id rather not be forced to present my name in a certain fashion. That’s just stupid.

The best system for naming people is to just give a child a damn name in whichever way the parents choose so long as it presents some level of decency.

And how would people be able to identify your family based on your name? What decent names will people choose? No, Yes, The Internet?

The best system for naming people is mine as it presents some level of decency.

[South Reinkalistan]

we should name everyone after various brands of instant noodle

[Mercatus]

Id rather not be forced to present my name in a certain fashion. That’s just stupid.

The best system for naming people is to just give a child a damn name in whichever way the parents choose so long as it presents some level of decency.

And how would people be able to identify your family based on your name? What decent names will people choose? No, Yes, The Internet?

The best system for naming people is mine as it presents some level of decency.

The bar for decency at least for me is basically not giving children vulgar names and the like. For instance, you shouldn’t name your kid “Name”. At least put effort into it.

On the whole marriage surname thing... just no. The state shouldn’t be in charge of anything to do with marriage, and maybe I don’t want to tack on another person’s surname to mine. Plus, it is tradition in many areas for the man’s surname to be used in marriage, and the state has no right to interfere in cultural norms.

[Tinhampton]

Give somebody a first name, a middle name, their parent’s first name, and a surname. Don’t allow people to change their surnames, and in marriages require them to merge their two names (for example, with General and Forum, General-Forum or Generum.)

Because why not?

...The best system for naming people is mine as it presents some level of decency.

I can't tell if your preferred naming system prioritises "yeah whatever" or presentability at this rate

And how would people be able to identify your family based on your name? What decent names will people choose? No, Yes, The Internet?

All of those could count as "a first name, a middle name... [or] a surname" under your proposal.

[Ethel mermania]

I think the best way to name people is after Broadway stars. Like me, Ethel mermania

[Random Nation 2930]

we should name everyone after various brands of instant noodle

The only problem with this idea is what will happen once instant noodles become unpopular. What do we name them after now, S&P 500 and other large corporations?

I think the best way to name people is after Broadway stars. Like me, Ethel mermania

no

no, no, no

Give somebody a first name, a middle name, their parent’s first name, and a surname. Don’t allow people to change their surnames, and in marriages require them to merge their two names (for example, with General and Forum, General-Forum or Generum.)

Because why not?

...The best system for naming people is mine as it presents some level of decency.

I can't tell if your preferred naming system prioritises "yeah whatever" or presentability at this rate

Well, I guess kinda both. I am still not sure if it is actually the best system in existence, but it doesn’t seem that bad.

And how would people be able to identify your family based on your name? What decent names will people choose? No, Yes, The Internet?

All of those could count as "a first name, a middle name... [or] a surname" under your proposal.

Sadly, that’s very true. How about not allowing indecent names such as No, Yes, The Internet, or Name?

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Go the Korea route. Go to a witch to get a name or buy it.

I don’t know, really. Asia tends to go for surname and then name, like Ikari Shinji in Japan. Ikari is the last name but goes on first. In Spain we use our first name, middle name (when applicable), father’s last name and mother’s last name.

[Tinhampton]

el snip

Define "decent."

[Anabay]

I had a girlfriend who was named after the model daughter of Ernest Hemingway.

[Random Nation 2930]

el snip

Define "decent."

Names that are acceptable (no insults and such) in almost every culture in the world.

[Bombadil]

Change the name of months so they all start with different letters, then if you're born in that month your name starts with the same letter as that month.

That way I don't forget birthdays all the time..

Or you could go the Internet route of naming yourself the last thing you ate and the colour of whatever you're wearing.

You may call me Tunapasta Green.

[Ethel mermania]

Change the name of months so they all start with different letters, then if you're born in that month your name starts with the same letter as that month.

That way I don't forget birthdays all the time..

Or you could go the Internet route of naming yourself the last thing you ate and the colour of whatever you're wearing.

You may call me Tunapasta Green.

Club blue. I like it.

[John Waters]

I think the best way to name people is after Broadway stars. Like me, Ethel mermania

Radical.

[Countesia]

We let a council of toddlers name every single newborn. Names range from "sparkle bum" to "Dave"

[Valentine Z]

As Burmese, all given names for me. My name alone can't be traced back to my family members, and it was simply given on the ground of culture, tradition, and a sprinkle of superstition to make it more auspicious.

Works, I guess. My first name means resilience, but I just think I'm too stubborn.

[Luziyca]

Name your kid whatever the hell you like and if the kid doesn't like it, they can change their name once they're old enough to do so.

I have considered changing my surname since it is not easy for others to pronounce it, but I'd probably adopt my middle name or my father's surname if I did so than keep my current surname (my mother's surname: as to why, it's complicated but TL;DR they only got married 4 years after I was born because they didn't want people to think they were marrying just for the my sake). But given my first name is basically unique, I might just go mononymous if I legally could, since I'm almost definitely the only person my age who has my first name in the province.

[Ethel mermania]

I think the best way to name people is after Broadway stars. Like me, Ethel mermania

Radical.

Divine, would be a devine name indeed.

[Resilient Acceleration]

Let people to name their kids, or themselves, whatever they want. We've been doing it without much problem, and technology and modern bureaucracy has pretty much taken care of identity problems.

Personally for example, it is quite popular here for parents to give a completely made up "surname" for their kids strictly for aesthetic purposes, usually based of their ship name. Without surnames, people can also invent cool nicknames to call themselves if they're too lazy to administratively change their name or just want to stand out—half of my country's presidents do that.

[Rusozak]

Numbers. Can't run out of them so everyone can have their own.

[Resilient Acceleration]

Numbers. Can't run out of them so everyone can have their own.

I mean, most modern governments already do this with ID numbers and all. Ever more reason to liberate people to take control of their name.

[Bombadil]

Numbers. Can't run out of them so everyone can have their own.

I am not a number..!

[Resilient Acceleration]

Numbers. Can't run out of them so everyone can have their own.

I am not a number..!

Or are you?

(cue Vsauce music)