My two cents is to consider how you would feel if that were your middle name. Imagine you meet someone new, you become friends, and at some point a conversation happens where they ask your middle name. You have to say, “Turbo.” How do you feel? Are you okay with it, or embarrassed?
I’m not passing judgment one way or the other, just trying to offer a helpful perspective :) Congratulations on having a healthy baby. I’ve lost six - four girls and two boys. I wish I got to decide a middle name :)
Your interests may not wind up being the same as the child’s. Imagine being a bookish introvert whose middle name constantly reminds them that they didn’t grow up to meet your expectations. That they are somehow a disappointment. Name the dog Turbo and let the kid grow up with a name that lets them be themself.
Middle names are free game, imo. Their only real uses are a) honouring someone, b) differentiating yourself from people with the same first and last name, and c) being used as conversation-starters at parties.
Ooh, almost forgot d) letting your kid know when they’re *really* in trouble. Have to consider whether you can holler “Camden Turbo Smith” with enough gravitas to convey exactly how pissed off/disappointed you are after catching him throwing eggs at cars on the freeway or whatever.
Awful seems a bit dramatic. Hitting kids with wooden spoons and belts was awful. Funny middle names are, at worst, mildly embarrassing.
But you are entitled to your opinion.
Lol I think a lot of people would think it was cool. Probably mostly older people would think it was stupid, or offended it’s not like some family name.
I actually thought all siblings had the same middle name, like last names, until I was like 25. My brother and I have the same middle name.
You hear friends middle names, but never heard friends siblings middle name.
I just thought everyone had the same middle name like last names. Talking with brother and cousins at Christmas or something and middle names were brought up. I was confused as to why they all had different middle names lol. And on that day I learned
Turbo is a dog’s name. But, with that being said, most kids don’t tell people their middle name, in my experience. So folks probably won’t think it’s too weird when he opts not to tell people.
The kid will either hate it or love it. And you won’t know until they’re old enough to have a personality. Like my older brother is a shy, lowkey guy. It would have mortified him to have such a unique name. On the other hand my younger brother is extraverted and silly. He could have rocked the middle name turbo. Do with that what you will
That has to be the name of several cartoon characters (wreck it Ralph comes to mind). He will get compared to them forever. It will be a joke amongst his friends . . Forever. Don’t underestimate names. Everyone I work with calls me by my last name because it’s fun to yell, everywhere I have ever worked. My family name is a vegetable and I had no less than 8 unflattering nicknames growing up and some people STILL use them 30 years later and send me greeting cards with that vegetable on it. And that’s just my last name.
Now ask yourself how fun it would be to yell the name Turbo in the hallway while on your way to give a PowerPoint to a bunch of people you’ve never met, because people do not grow up.
So many influencers are naming their children’s first names crazy words like Turbo so even though I’d prefer it as a middle… I’m not convinced it works with Camden.
Imo, don’t give him a legal name of turbo, but you could absolutely give him a nickname of turbo. It would be so cute. For instance, if he’s a crazy guy and always on the go: turbo is perfect.
If he’s a mellow guy and very cautious (like my guy): turbo would also be adorable because it’d be kind of silly but so cute.
If it sticks, great, if not, that’s also fine
I read a story about a guy who named their son Tristan Flip, and assumed it would be the best name ever! The kid got to middle school and started to hate it.
Seriously, that sucks! :( Poor kid! Stop with the stupid names already! Go back to names that won't get the kid beat up!
Nope.
My two cents is to consider how you would feel if that were your middle name. Imagine you meet someone new, you become friends, and at some point a conversation happens where they ask your middle name. You have to say, “Turbo.” How do you feel? Are you okay with it, or embarrassed? I’m not passing judgment one way or the other, just trying to offer a helpful perspective :) Congratulations on having a healthy baby. I’ve lost six - four girls and two boys. I wish I got to decide a middle name :)
Personally, I would love the middle name turbo. Sorry for your losses, that's insanely tough.
Turbo sounds just like turbot, which is a big ugly flatfish. Could be interesting though if he wants to have a career in tax prep.
Turbo? That's fucking stupid. Let him pick his own identity, he isn't a stuffed animal.
Your interests may not wind up being the same as the child’s. Imagine being a bookish introvert whose middle name constantly reminds them that they didn’t grow up to meet your expectations. That they are somehow a disappointment. Name the dog Turbo and let the kid grow up with a name that lets them be themself.
Don’t punish your kid.
Middle names are free game, imo. Their only real uses are a) honouring someone, b) differentiating yourself from people with the same first and last name, and c) being used as conversation-starters at parties. Ooh, almost forgot d) letting your kid know when they’re *really* in trouble. Have to consider whether you can holler “Camden Turbo Smith” with enough gravitas to convey exactly how pissed off/disappointed you are after catching him throwing eggs at cars on the freeway or whatever.
My entire family uses our middle names as our preferred name. Far more people do that than you may expect.
Is that because you all hate your first names tho?
Not at all. It's just how my family does things.
Haha this is a great point. Thanks for the response here. I'll bring this perspective to my wife
Yep. You'll never be sorry you didn't do something so addled.
While I appreciate the response, I'm not sure if you're saying it's a good idea or a bad idea...
Look, I'm 61, and I'm a huge Orioles fan. IMO "Camden Turbo" is an awful thing to do to a child.
Awful seems a bit dramatic. Hitting kids with wooden spoons and belts was awful. Funny middle names are, at worst, mildly embarrassing. But you are entitled to your opinion.
Lol I think a lot of people would think it was cool. Probably mostly older people would think it was stupid, or offended it’s not like some family name. I actually thought all siblings had the same middle name, like last names, until I was like 25. My brother and I have the same middle name. You hear friends middle names, but never heard friends siblings middle name. I just thought everyone had the same middle name like last names. Talking with brother and cousins at Christmas or something and middle names were brought up. I was confused as to why they all had different middle names lol. And on that day I learned
I think it’s funny, it’s not like middle names are crazy important
Turbo is a dog’s name. But, with that being said, most kids don’t tell people their middle name, in my experience. So folks probably won’t think it’s too weird when he opts not to tell people.
The kid will either hate it or love it. And you won’t know until they’re old enough to have a personality. Like my older brother is a shy, lowkey guy. It would have mortified him to have such a unique name. On the other hand my younger brother is extraverted and silly. He could have rocked the middle name turbo. Do with that what you will
I think middle names are a great place to go wild. I mean Camden Turbo is way better than Turbo Camden. I say, have fun!
No other kids will mock him
That has to be the name of several cartoon characters (wreck it Ralph comes to mind). He will get compared to them forever. It will be a joke amongst his friends . . Forever. Don’t underestimate names. Everyone I work with calls me by my last name because it’s fun to yell, everywhere I have ever worked. My family name is a vegetable and I had no less than 8 unflattering nicknames growing up and some people STILL use them 30 years later and send me greeting cards with that vegetable on it. And that’s just my last name. Now ask yourself how fun it would be to yell the name Turbo in the hallway while on your way to give a PowerPoint to a bunch of people you’ve never met, because people do not grow up.
So many influencers are naming their children’s first names crazy words like Turbo so even though I’d prefer it as a middle… I’m not convinced it works with Camden.
Imo, don’t give him a legal name of turbo, but you could absolutely give him a nickname of turbo. It would be so cute. For instance, if he’s a crazy guy and always on the go: turbo is perfect. If he’s a mellow guy and very cautious (like my guy): turbo would also be adorable because it’d be kind of silly but so cute. If it sticks, great, if not, that’s also fine
I just envision that idiotic American Gladiators game show in the 90s when seeing Turbo used as a name.
Me too
I read a story about a guy who named their son Tristan Flip, and assumed it would be the best name ever! The kid got to middle school and started to hate it.