Naming your children comes with many considerations. For some parents, it can be an opportunity to come up with something new and creative, while for others it is the chance to stick with tradition and give a nod to late loved ones.
For others again, heritage plays a huge role. People who emigrate and move far from their country may take solace in calling their offspring names that hark back to the motherland.
This is the case for a couple who are “very Scottish” and would like names for their kids that match their ancestry. The woman explained on Reddit recently that she has a few monikers in mind, but is struggling with girls’ names.
She tentatively put a Scottish girl’s name to the group in the hope of receiving some advice. The name? Lassie.
‘Lassie’ is Scots for girl or young women, something users flocked to the comment section to tell the poster. And there was a general consensus among the internet as to whether Lassie was a winner.
One questioned: “Do you live in Scotland? If not, it may be better to choose a name that’s Scottish in origin but still easily spelled and pronounced by English speakers… Lassie is a dog’s name to me.” A second pleaded: “Please do not name your child Lassie.”
A third typed, somewhat jeeringly: What do you mean when you say ‘very Scottish?’ I’m presuming that would require having spent at least some time in Scotland? How many human beings named Lassie did you meet there?”
Another Reddit thread also broached the topic of Lassie as a girl’s name. This time, the poster wondered whether it was a dog’s name, like the iconic 1940s book, Lassie Come Home, which has spawned several movies.
“Does it just make you think of the dog?” the poster fretted. “I initially wanted Lad as a name for a boy but we found out we’re having a girl and now I’m wondering if this will work for her instead!”
Someone wrote back: “I think as long as you know of someone vaguely famous that goes by Lassie, even if it’s not their full name, then it’s fine!” Another said: “Makes me think of the TV collie! It’s a good name for a dog, but not for a human.”
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