Is it derogatory to give my child the initials J.A.P.?
104623
This doesn't sound derogatory to me. The intention for the initials were not meant to be offensive, and that's all that matters. If your child later in life had found it insulting, he could have gone by his first name, or first and last initials (like most of us do anyway).
794678
It's OK to do for any purpose. Why should the woman have to give up her family name? This is no longer 1940. If the husband is going to be offended, then she should hyphenate.
1153861
One of my best friends did this, the child is 6 now, and is the joy of her life.  I t makes her smile to say her name and see her as a living, healthy, happy child.  Not the sickly childhood friend she remembers from years ago.  I think it is a beautiful sentiment.
1037149
Great name, I think it's different & thats the thing to look for always.In the same token it isn't some stupid name that will have your son embarrassed of it when he goes to school. Great choice.....:o)
767967
No it's not stupid at all. I mean you are the parent, it's your child, and you can name your child anything you want, you came your child after a fruit if you want, and if no one likes it oh well,. when I have kids for a girl Nevaeh (which is Heaven spelled backwards) and For a boy Zion. Don't let anyone tell you anything other wise.
712557
No that is Slander and Defemation of character. That could be a big lawsuit. And if he has only been charged and not convicted than he is still considered innocent. The school has been notified because of it and they obviously don't see it as a threat. Why would you want to ruin a kids life? \n\n\n\nAnd for your add-note. If he isn't registered as one if he has been good Then it is DEFINETLY Slander and Defemation of Character and you would have a BIG problem on YOUR hands.
527674
Try an anogram of your name or use your initials. Write down your own name and play with the letters you have. Mine would be DJ VJ.
1131573
a name is only special to the person giving it to you. The only way people really care what their names are is whether or not people give them crap about it! My mom and a million other mom's at that time thought Jennifer was a great name. There were 26 people in my graduating class, eight of us were Jennifer, 7 with the same middle name. ORIGINAL
909576
It can't hurt to refer to them as mr. or mrs. Almost no one gets offended by being addressed more formally (truly offended, not the fake my-mother-is-mrs.-jones offended), but many do get offended by being addressed in a way inconsistant with their opinion of respect.\n\nI typically go by either what they say (as in, if the superior himself refers to himself as "Jim" then that's probably what he wants to go by) or what others call him (and your peers - not people higher up than you - call him by his first name, I'd go ahead and do it).\n\nIn emails, I usually try to keep work emails pretty formal and devoid of personal comments.  If I don't KNOW I should use first names, I almost always address them "Mr" or "Ms" (which is the most acceptable abbreviation for women, since it includes married, respectably unmarried, divorced, or widowed).  Of course, when it's a coworker I'm friends with and we goof around in the office, I use a first name.
260558
Hey, my initials are "BL", does that count?
384825
I think they're just being polite and want to know what your name is. I've got a naughty name, my family use my first middle and last names altogether if they think I'm being naughty! I would have thought they'd have stopped doing it now though, I'm 31 for goodness sake!!!
113651
Not at all.\n\nIt makes me think that you are familiar and pleased of your history and your parentage, and that you wish to cultivate it and teach it to your children.\n\nIf you say it in the context of exclusivity, then maybe someone would think you were being hateful. But being proud of your heritage is nothing to be ashamed of.
844917
Doctor, she worked hard for that title and would appreciate it if people used it.  You could also ask you boyfriend how his mother prefers to be addressed and go with that.  Better to use Dr. and have her correct you than use Mrs. and have her be offended.
1063967
So, just a perspective from the other side...My mother has always been very liberal, and insistent that she is an independent person from my father...To the point that my wedding invitations couldn't say "Mr. & Mrs. invite you", they had to say "Jim & Carrie invite you".  \n\nI remember, as a kid, my friends trying to call her "Mrs. Smith", and she almost yelled at them to call her by her first name.  I think she likes to be identified by her first name, because that's how she has idenitified herself for her whole life.\n\nI was raised to address all people by their first names.  When I didn't know what this was, I asked my friends what their moms wanted to be called...For the most part, these were first names, although there was the occasional Mrs. Someone.  I think that it may be somewhat regional...Are you from the South by any chance?  And perhaps moved away from there?  From what I read in Dear Abby (the obvious all-knowing resource) and such, addressing adults using their last names (or with a title in front of their first name) is a tradition that has been very popular in the South (although I certainly apologize if this generalization doesn't fit your reality).\n\nHonesly, I don't care what people call me, as long as there are no swear words involved.  I have a first name, and it's how I identify myself to everyone.  I also have a last name, but as a woman, it's not the same one I grew up with, so I'm not quite as connected to it as my first.\n\nI think that the only way you can stop it is in your own home, and within your own family.  When your houseguests instructed their children to address you by your first name, it would have been entirely appropriate to say, "Actually, in this house, children address adults more properly.  Please call me Miss Elizabeth" (or Mrs. Jones, depending on what's most appropriate for the manners you were taught).  Also, raise your kids with this expectation, and encourage them to do so with their kids.\n\nGood luck - and thanks for having manners...It's a rare thing these days!
154952
No. It's your responsibilty as a parent.\nKeep up the good work!
552919
not necessarily derogatory, depends on the context. It is a shortcut for Christian as the cross represent Christ so the X represents the cross. Kinda like saying u r instead of you are.
752084
Not a good idea. I had a friend who is now deceased, his first name was Dicky. He was constantly ask what his real name was, so he finally decided to change it to Richard. His parents never found out, because he was still called Dicky by his friends, but when someone would asked about his real name he could answer Richard.\nLife is difficult enough, so give your child the chance of a happy and healthy life, and give her a normal first name.