Heather's Page of Unusual Names FAQ

This site has been around since 1999. (Wow, 5 years online now!) In the past 5 years I've gotten a lot of emails, and many of the questions asked get asked by a lot of people. So, I've decided to set up this FAQ to help. If the question you would like to ask isn't listed here feel free to email me with your question and I will do my best to reply to you.

Q - I've emailed you a name to add to a list, but I don't see it listed. Why didn't you post the name I emailed you?

A - There are three possibilities why I haven't listed your name. The first is that it really isn't that unusual, so I chose not to list the name. For more on that subject, please visit the page Not That Unusual After All. The second is that I may not have anywhere for the name to be listed. Many people email me names that are unusual foreign names, Biblical names, names from literature or movies, and more. Since I do not yet have lists for those names I don't have anywhere to post them. Until I do have lists for those great unusual names please feel free to email them to be added to the Viewer's Favorites list. I pretty much add any name to that list, even ones that are *gasp* not unusual. :o) The third possibility is that I am just late in getting the name posted. I don't have a lot of time to devote to this website, although I do try to keep it up. It may just take a while for me to get my lists updated.

Q - Why is the name I emailed to be added to the Viewer's Favorites list not listed? You said you would add any name, but you didn't add mine.

A - While it is true that I will list any name submitted for the Viewer's Favorites, you must do two things in order for the name to be listed. The subject line must be Viewer's Favorites or Viewer's Favorites Names, just emailing a name is not going to get it on the favorites list. Also, you must add a little bit about why you like the name. Simply emailing "Ronda - Like Rhonda without the H" or "Rhea - My daughter's name" or "Giovanni - Italian form of John." will not make it likely that your name will be posted. A better submission would be "Ronda - I like the sound of Rhonda, it's strong and powerful. I think it looks better without the H, though." or "Giovanni - I would like to name my son after my father, John, but I like the Italian version better because it is more unusual and it just sounds better than plain, generic John." If you email WHY you chose a certain name for your daughter or son, instead of just emailing that you did then I will be more likely to post it. Yes I know that there are posts on the page that are like what I first described, they were emailed early on in the page's creation and so I let them slide. But I do now choose to omit some submissions because they don't go into why they like the name, and I think entries that do have more to say other than "My favorite name that I am going to name my first son." are more interesting.

Q - I emailed you a name for the favorites list but I guess I did it wrong because it isn't listed. Can I send it again now that I know what to do?

A - Yes, you can. Please give it a couple months first, though, I may be intending to post it, but just haven't got around to it yet.

Q - Why do you have the name *Whatever* listed as a made up name? Don't you know that it's really a common name in *Wherever*? I know many people named this name and I don't know why you list it as made up.

A - Many people email me names to be added to the made up names list. I don't research names submitted, it would take me more time than I am able to give to this site. At times people do make up a name that is already a name. They string sounds together and think of it as their creation, not knowing it's the 10th most popular name in Poland. Sometimes people hear an unusual name and assume it was made up, so they email it to me to be added. Most often this happens with names that may be common in other countries, but very rare in the US. Orest is one example. Actually a common Ukrainian name, it was emailed to me as a made up name. When you find a name that is listed as made up, and you know for a fact that it is a "real" name somewhere, by all means let me know and I will remove it from the made up names list. Please do not be offended that the name was mistakenly added to the Made Up Names list, and please don't be rude about it.