Calculus as a name?

[Sin Stalker]

8 hours ago, Dash Lambda said:

Yeah, but inventing words (or changing them) becomes increasingly impractical and undesirable as a language develops.

Either way, Calculus isn't just a 'thing' name, it's near-unanimously known and has a very heavily reinforced meaning. If someone hears that name, they'll either be unable to separate it from its actual meaning or hear it similarly to "Spartacus."
That is, unless they interact with him enough, in which case the name itself becomes irrelevant (in the context of its impact).

 

Words that are less specific and/or common generally fit better as names, for instance Rho, Phi, or Aleph. They're more easily associated with a person, rather than a concept or object.

 

That isn't to say Calculus is a particularly awful name, it's not like you're talking about naming him Yuneec or anything like that... It's just a very, very strange pick.

 

EDIT:

I still wish I was Isaac.

1. New words are created all the time as language develops. Its how language develops. So it isn't just practical but necessary. If new words were developing, language would be stagnant.

 

2. All origin of names were near-unanimously known, given the small bands of humans that are suspected to exist around when verbal communication was first used. A tribe has a word for "great sky bird" and decide to name their kid after that, or a tribe has a well known name for ground/earth and someone's kid is named after that one day. Either they did so out of some drug induced link between them and their child (great sky god wants my child named in their honor) or they wanted to grant their child attributes of the thing they name them after (he will be strong like rock).

 

In each case, they didn't try to separate it from its meaning. Separation of meaning is a modern (and western) thing. In some cultures, they create new words (taken from several different words) to create their child's name. I don't remember which, as it was my wife telling me about it. I'll ask her tomorrow when she wakes. 

 

What's wrong with Spartacus? I loved that series.

 

All names are fundamentally irrelevant, as they are merely identifiers of individuals form the collective. "Seven of Nine"

 

Rho, Phi, and Aleph are all letters. That's like naming my kid Aye or Bee, but then again, there is Jay.

 

 

Your last comment is the sort of thing I'm looking it. I am strange, I like strange. Whatever we pick, it will be at least somewhat strange. But Calculus seems like it may just be over the thin line...

 

 

8 hours ago, Dash Lambda said:

Both my first and middle name are biblical, and I'm not even religious.

 

My brother was going to be named "Gunner," but that didn't go through.

True. There are obviously other factors at play. I doubt my child will be religious given other factors.

 

6 hours ago, KingKeith55 said:

You realize your kid might be the complete opposite of you. He might be an aspiring pro football player or bodybuilder for example, and not a nerdy kid. Stop thinking about yourselves, and think about your kid. Who the fuck would want to be named that anyways? Give him a normal name. Something that you can't go wrong with. If you name him something like calculus, he'll end up with a name change. Just because you would be happy with the name calculus, doesn't mean your kid would be. 

 

Everyone is different, and your kid might end up different than you. I think you're failing to understand this.

My kid is the size of a small action figure inside of my wife. I know nothing of his future personality.

 

I'd rather be named Calculus over John, Adam, James, and whatever regurgitated designators we could list. I mean, BOOOOOOORRING.

 

You can go very wrong with normal names.

 

And if he wants to change his name, that's his right. I've been considering changing my name for a long time now.

 

I'm not failing to understand anything here. He could be completely different than me. He could end up being the next Hilter and cause the world to have to rename the mathematical field of Calculus. But I have no evidence of one way over the other.

 

What you are saying is assume he will be like the majority and so name and treat him like the majority. However doing so will just increase the likelihood of him being like the majority. This is not how I wish to raise my children. I wish to inspire unique thinking and personality based on logic and reasoning.

 

5 hours ago, divito said:

Related to the sciences is nice and all, but people are known by their last name in most circumstances. Einstein, Feynman, Kepler, Hawking, Tesla, etc... First names are fairly ordinary in the vast majority of cases (and location specific).

I know you've ignored most of the advice that it'd be a poor choice for the child, but just add me to that list. If I had to pick something unique that could work as a name from mathematics, I'd probably go with Kahler.

I wish Feynman or Einstein was better sounding for a first name.

Kepler and Hawking are ones I was considering. Tesla was one I ruled out cause to me it sounds more like a girl's name (as in nickname tess).

 

People have first names as last names. So people can have last names as first names. 

 

I have ignored the "advise" of it being poor choice for the child, due to the reasoning being faulty, which leads me to believe that it is advise based on societal pre-judgments.

 

5 hours ago, straight_stewie said:

If you wanted to stick with the Calculus theme, you could name him Leibniz or Gottfried.

Science related names that I wouldn't mind naming my own male child would be (mostly because they meet my extra criteria of being fairly normal):

• Alan
• John Von
• Howard
• Napier (I've actually used Napier's Bones as a calculator during tests at Uni)
• Cantor
• Kirch (would be pronounced Kirk and be a homage to Kirchoff)
• Maxwell
• Wernher

For your pleasure, here's a list of scientists names, and links to what they've done: https://www.famousscientists.org/list/

 

Hm, I don't like John but I do like Von, just as a name on its own. Probably cause I was a fan of Escaflowne as a child. 

 

Thank you for the list. All the first names seem to be too common for my tastes. I'll see if any of the last names work tomorrow, when I sit down with my wife for another round of name talking.

 

 

[Sin Stalker]

10 hours ago, ARikozuM said:

@Sin Stalker Why not go with Euler or Euclid?

Oooh, I do kind of like Euclidean. I may put that on the list. 

[Seamonster420]

If you want a name that's math related why not just call him Isaac or Pythagoras or something?

[Sin Stalker]

8 minutes ago, Seamonster420 said:

If you want a name that's math related why not just call him Isaac or Pythagoras or something?

I am. Calculus (and other options I have) fit within the "or something".

 

Also, Isaac doesn't scream math and I just don't like how Pythagoras rolls off the tongue. 

[Seamonster420]

7 minutes ago, Sin Stalker said:

I am. Calculus (and other options I have) fit within the "or something".

 

Also, Isaac doesn't scream math and I just don't like how Pythagoras rolls off the tongue. 

ooh! How bout Newton? Then you can call him Newt, like that kid from Aliens!

[Sin Stalker]

Just now, Seamonster420 said:

ooh! How bout Newton? Then you can call him Newt, like that kid from Aliens!

I considered that one already. I really liked it until I turned on the news and was reminded of Newt Gingrich...

 

So no... but almost. lol

[Sin Stalker]

1 minute ago, Seamonster420 said:

ooh! How bout Newton? Then you can call him Newt, like that kid from Aliens!

Although the full on Newton would essentially be calling my kid Force. lol So when I think of that, it makes it very difficult to remove it from the list.

[Seamonster420]

2 minutes ago, Sin Stalker said:

I considered that one already. I really liked it until I turned on the news and was reminded of Newt Gingrich...

 

So no... but almost. lol

I hadn't considered that. hmm I will have to think on this.

[Sin Stalker]

Just now, Seamonster420 said:

I hadn't considered that. hmm I will have to think on this.

Appreciate it.

[Teddy07]

It would be funny if the kid sucks at math and rather want to be an artist. GG calculus

[LAwLz]

Your child's name is not a blank canvas you can fuck around on. Name him something normal so that you won't mess up his life.

 

Listen to David. 

 

[NumLock21]

Why not just write down all the names put into a raffle machine. The name that's on the paper is the name your child gets.

[LAwLz]

1 hour ago, NumLock21 said:

Why not just write down all the names put into a raffle machine. The name that's on the paper is the name your child gets.

Literally gambling with your child's future.

[ARikozuM]

2 hours ago, NumLock21 said:

Why not just write down all the names put into a raffle machine. The name that's on the paper is the name your child gets.

Nine times out ten the kid's name will be "A$$" with or without dollar signs.

[Viking Kong]

I think Calculus is too broad (Calc for short?). Maybe pick another mathematical vocabulary word from Calculus that's clever. You could get real geeky with that  On a side note, not related to naming a new born, but something I've come up with for a song name I'll use eventually is "The Transcendental Subtrahend!" I think it sounds pretty neat! 

[Viking Kong]

3 hours ago, LAwLz said:

Your child's name is not a blank canvas you can fuck around on. Name him something normal so that you won't mess up his life.

 

Listen to David. 

 

You haven't heard Frank Zappa's kids names have ya?

[Dash Lambda]

14 hours ago, Sin Stalker said:

1. New words are created all the time as language develops. Its how language develops. So it isn't just practical but necessary. If new words were developing, language would be stagnant.

 

2. All origin of names were near-unanimously known, given the small bands of humans that are suspected to exist around when verbal communication was first used. A tribe has a word for "great sky bird" and decide to name their kid after that, or a tribe has a well known name for ground/earth and someone's kid is named after that one day. Either they did so out of some drug induced link between them and their child (great sky god wants my child named in their honor) or they wanted to grant their child attributes of the thing they name them after (he will be strong like rock).

We don't name people things like "Great Sky Bird," though. It's just not part of our culture.
Most modern names are descriptors (which have been heavily divorced from their original meaning). "Calculus" isn't a description, it's a noun. It's like the difference between the words "programmer" and "programming."
At least that's how I interpret it, and I assume most people think the same way.

 

14 hours ago, Sin Stalker said:

All names are fundamentally irrelevant, as they are merely identifiers of individuals form the collective. "Seven of Nine"

Well, we haven't replaced our names with IP addresses yet, so there's still a cultural element to contend with.
In the end, the only real significance of odd names is to first impressions. Calculus is an odd name, and while it definitely wouldn't be the safest choice, the worst reaction it would probably ever get is "How strange."

 

14 hours ago, Sin Stalker said:

Oooh, I do kind of like Euclidean. I may put that on the list. 

Now Euclid is a name I can get behind.
Probably sounds a bit more ominous, but I friggin' love that name.

[LAwLz]

On 2017-04-09 at 0:41 AM, Sin Stalker said:

I considered Pascal at one point but I'm not a big fan of the SI units.

 

For instance, an example of another one I am considering is Kelvin, because that's the only unit we should be using to measure temperature. F and C are just so inferior and illogical to use when we have K.

Oh you got to be kidding me...

Celsius is inferior and "illogical" to use when we have Kelvin? Seriously?

 

Kelvin and Celsius are the same, except Kelvin starts at absolute zero and Celsius starts at the triple point of water. A 1 degree increase in Kelvin is the same as a 1 degree increase in Celsius. You probably know this already but I am saying it to everyone else in this thread.

 

What you might not have realized though, is why it is a good idea to use Celsius instead of Kelvin. It's because it is a lot more practical to say:

Quote

yeah it's really cold outside today. It's minus 5.

instead of saying

Quote

yeah it's really cold outside today. It's 268.

 

or another example:

Quote

Water boils at 100 Celsius.

instead of saying

Quote

Water boils at 373 Kelvin.

 

Celsius is vastly superior to Kelvin for everyday use because it is easier to say everyday temperatures in Celsius. Not only is it a lot easier to say, but it also means people will be more accurate. The more numbers you need to say, the more likely it is that you start rounding up/down. So if it was 4 minus outside (269 Kelvin) then people would probably round it up to 270 Kelvin, and thus people are less accurate.

 

Using Kelvin instead of Celsius for everyday things is dumb, not smart.

 

 

 

 

Edit: Another video that brings up why naming your child something unique is a bad idea.

 

This quote in particular but I suggest you look at the entire video:

Quote

Out of all the people you know, how many Ians do you know? I'd venture a guess I am one of them, and then there might be one in one of your classes, you maybe knew one when you were in pre-school but it's not as if there is a run on Ians.

 

"I gotta name my son something unique that no one else will have"

 

That just makes it weirder. A teacher has never seen the name and they are going to say "Ball-a-rena? Who is Ballarena Montese?"

 

 

Edit 2:

Or do what Linus' parents did and name him after a Nobel prize winner. Just make sure that it's a normal name.

For example, William (Bradford), John (Bardeen) or Walter (Houser). The inventors of the transistor.

Three normal names that won't be any hindrance in your child's life and you can still get whatever "nerd cred" you so desire.

 

Side note: Why do boy names suck so much? I can think of so many good names for girls, but no good ones for boys.

[Dash Lambda]

7 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

-snip-

Personally, I'm glad we don't use Kelvins commonly because it would be a tad painful to hear everyone say "degrees Kelvin."

[Sin Stalker]

2 hours ago, Dash Lambda said:

We don't name people things like "Great Sky Bird," though. It's just not part of our culture.
Most modern names are descriptors (which have been heavily divorced from their original meaning). "Calculus" isn't a description, it's a noun. It's like the difference between the words "programmer" and "programming."
At least that's how I interpret it, and I assume most people think the same way.

 

Well, we haven't replaced our names with IP addresses yet, so there's still a cultural element to contend with.
In the end, the only real significance of odd names is to first impressions. Calculus is an odd name, and while it definitely wouldn't be the safest choice, the worst reaction it would probably ever get is "How strange."

 

Now Euclid is a name I can get behind.
Probably sounds a bit more ominous, but I friggin' love that name.

Yes, we have named people the equivelant of "great sky bird", but it was so long ago, the meanings and other factors shifted. The point is, this is how names are created.

 

Who says my culture is your culture? The way culture is, is not a logically fallacy Appeal to the People. 

 

So nouns can't be names? That's just a loaded claim. Holds no water.

 

Or maybe the word Data, which has been used as a name.

 

IP address replacing our names has nothing to do with culture. It is illogical to use in an efficient manner, given verbal communication. 

 

 

So you can get behind a name that's easy to rhyme with a part of the female body? Talk about teasing.

 

1 hour ago, LAwLz said:

Oh you got to be kidding me...

Celsius is inferior and "illogical" to use when we have Kelvin? Seriously?

 

Kelvin and Celsius are the same, except Kelvin starts at absolute zero and Celsius starts at the triple point of water. A 1 degree increase in Kelvin is the same as a 1 degree increase in Celsius. You probably know this already but I am saying it to everyone else in this thread.

 

Exactly, and the factor of using the theorized absolute zero to absolute temperature makes it more logical than Celsius. It is the temperature spectrum. The choice of Celsius is arbitrary and based only on a bias perception of reality.

 

We don't need multiple temperature scales. Both F and C are redundant and less efficient when we have K.

 

The only argument for keeping them is due to habit and nothing more. Any arguments for keeping F and C also apply to the slew of abandoned temperature scales. Or should we also add in W again?

 

The negatives of having F and C around greatly outweigh the benefits, as unneeded conversion of units has cost the human race hundreds of millions. And those are values we can directly attribute, where as we could only estimate at the wasted education time and energy of having to learn inferior redundancies. 

 

1 hour ago, LAwLz said:

What you might not have realized though, is why it is a good idea to use Celsius instead of Kelvin. It's because it is a lot more practical to say:

instead of saying

 

or another example:

instead of saying

 

Celsius is vastly superior to Kelvin for everyday use because it is easier to say everyday temperatures in Celsius. Not only is it a lot easier to say, but it also means people will be more accurate. The more numbers you need to say, the more likely it is that you start rounding up/down. So if it was 4 minus outside (269 Kelvin) then people would probably round it up to 270 Kelvin, and thus people are less accurate.

 

Using Kelvin instead of Celsius for everyday things is dumb, not smart.

No, Celsius has no superiority to Kevin. It brings in unneeded conversion and negative values.

 

What's dumb is that you think Celsius is more logical, when its just a matter of habit, rather than efficiency and logic.

 

But hey, this is why the human race isn't advancing as quickly as it could be.

 

1 hour ago, LAwLz said:

 

Edit: Another video that brings up why naming your child something unique is a bad idea.

 

Weird is a manner of perspective. I find it weird not to use something other than the established. Course weird is a matter of subjective opinion that, to be conveyed to another, needs to be supported by observation and logic. Simply saying "don't, cause its weird". It holds back any sort of advancement, because everything is seen as "weird" at some point. "Its weird that those two brothers are building a machine to try and fly", "its weird that those people are sailing across the ocean", "its weird that he made a device to channel electrical current".

 

So as I've said before, unless its supported by logic, it isn't a valid reason.

 

1 hour ago, LAwLz said:

Edit: Another video that brings up why naming your child something unique is a bad idea.

For example, William (Bradford), John (Bardeen) or Walter (Houser). The inventors of the transistor.

Three normal names that won't be any hindrance in your child's life and you can still get whatever "nerd cred" you so desire.

 

Side note: Why do boy names suck so much? I can think of so many good names for girls, but no good ones for boys.

Perhaps we would have more inventors and advancers of human society, if we stop holding back names and pre-judging humans based on those identifiers.

 

Perhaps Bradford, Bardeen, Houser, Newton, Einstein and anyone else you could name, were able to do what they did IN SPITE of their names. We know it isn't BECAUSE of their names, as others with their names do nothing.  Now a unique name may not breed greatness, but we do know names can influence. Therefore logic would dictate to go with a more unique name over a regurgitated one, as a regurged one definitely won't breed anything special, while the unique still has the potential, should it be the right kin of unique.

 

 

Because of how human society has evolved, boys name tended to be more limiting than females. Women were almost always property, while men were made to be owners and breed to mirror and follow their fathers in tribal societies. Ever notice the lack of Junior for girls. Its very rare and only happens in cases of power (Elizabeth the Third, for example). This is purely speculative, but my view on the subject given my anthro classes way back when, and further reads with Chomsky and the like. 

 

51 minutes ago, Dash Lambda said:

Personally, I'm glad we don't use Kelvins commonly because it would be a tad painful to hear everyone say "degrees Kelvin."

Kelvin flows much quicker, is shorter and easier to spell than C and F. So your personal opinion is void of logic. But hey, you're used to it so why change to something more efficient when you can deal with conversions that create additional points of error to cost the human raise valuable resources.

 

Example of resources lost when adding addition, inferior units. More points of failure for no reason, when a more logical and efficient unit exists.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Climate_Orbiter 

[kelvinhall05]

My name is Kelvin, after William Thompson. Idea?

[yathis]

Please please please pick a main stream name.

I beg you

[divito]

17 hours ago, Sin Stalker said:

I wish Feynman or Einstein was better sounding for a first name.

Kepler and Hawking are ones I was considering. Tesla was one I ruled out cause to me it sounds more like a girl's name (as in nickname tess).

 

People have first names as last names. So people can have last names as first names. 

 

I have ignored the "advise" of it being poor choice for the child, due to the reasoning being faulty, which leads me to believe that it is advise based on societal pre-judgments.

Not wanting to subject your child to ridicule and bullying is "faulty" reasoning? My EQ/EI is incredibly low, and I'm generally considered a cold, logical, and un-empathetic person, and even I consider that pretty a ridiculous assessment of what has gone on in this thread.

I abhor societal trends and SJWs as much as anyone, but being logical also includes being able to evaluate and assimilate information that is readily available, and even though bias, bullying, and <insert societal complaint here> are not logical, you can't make it go away just because you want it to. You cannot plug your ears to actual empirical evidence of trends, bias, and the actions of others just because you think it's based on faulty reasoning; hint: the majority of beliefs and actions in the world are.

I regularly advocate that good and bad aren't real, they're just subjective societal concepts based on perspective; however, it doesn't mean I can just ignore millennia of learned behavior and habit in which to specify events and relate to the regular population. 

[LAwLz]

6 hours ago, Sin Stalker said:

Exactly, and the factor of using the theorized absolute zero to absolute temperature makes it more logical than Celsius. It is the temperature spectrum. The choice of Celsius is arbitrary and based only on a bias perception of reality.

Except it isn't more logical to use than Celsius.

And holy shit are you for real? Celsius is "based only on a bias perception of reality"? You have no idea what you're talking about. Celsius is based on the triple point of water, and the boiling point of water at 1 atmospheric pressure.

And before you think you're clever for knowing that different types of water boil at different temperatures, look up VSMOW.

 

Celsius and Kelving are exactly equally "arbitrary" and "based on bias perception of reality" (which is a phrase I don't think you understand what it means).

Celsius is defined by the triple point of water, and Kelvin is defined by Celsius but offset by 273.16 degrees so that absolute zero becomes 0.

 

Again, since you seem to be a logical person (but in this thread has proven to be anything but), what do you think sounds like the easiest and most logical thing to say in everyday life:

Quote

Drive carefully today darling! It's below zero so there might be ice on the road!

or:

Quote

Drive carefully today darling! It's below 273.15 so there might be ice on the road!

 

 

6 hours ago, Sin Stalker said:

What's dumb is that you think Celsius is more logical, when its just a matter of habit, rather than efficiency and logic.

I like how you completely ignored my rational for why Celsius is more logical to use IN EVERYDAY SITUATIONS. But hey, keep living in your little bubble.

Since you seem to like bringing up logical fallacies, you might want to look up "confirmation bias". It's something you all through the thread has shown.

You didn't come here to get advice about your baby name. You can here after being shot down on reddit, in the hopes that you would just hear your own opinion repeated by other people.

It's a good thing your wife isn't as close minded as you are.

 

6 hours ago, Sin Stalker said:

Weird is a manner of perspective. I find it weird not to use something other than the established. Course weird is a matter of subjective opinion that, to be conveyed to another, needs to be supported by observation and logic. Simply saying "don't, cause its weird". It holds back any sort of advancement, because everything is seen as "weird" at some point. "Its weird that those two brothers are building a machine to try and fly", "its weird that those people are sailing across the ocean", "its weird that he made a device to channel electrical current".

 

So as I've said before, unless its supported by logic, it isn't a valid reason.

Wanna know what teachers, employers and basically any other people will think when they hear a unique name for the first couple of times? They won't think "oh what an interesting person". They will think "oh great. Another special snowflake that will be a pain in the ass to deal with".

Since you like to see yourself as such a superior intellectual being who only operates by logic, you should probably take things such as first impressions and how other people will have prejudge against a unique name into consideration.

You seem more worried about how much nerd cred you will get online than how your child will be treated for the rest of his life. And yes, a name does most certainly play a role in that.

 

You are clearly not here to have your views challenged. You already had that on reddit and you ran away from there hoping that this would be an echo camber you should show your wife (I wouldn't be surprised if you don't show this to her). The only reason why I keep on posting is because I hope that you deep down has some ounce of common sense and won't make the terrible mistake you are thinking of committing.

If it was your own name then I wouldn't care. But I honestly feel bad for your future child.

[ChuckMaurice]

8 hours ago, Sin Stalker said:

Exactly, and the factor of using the theorized absolute zero to absolute temperature makes it more logical than Celsius. It is the temperature spectrum. The choice of Celsius is arbitrary and based only on a bias perception of reality.

 

Come on !

 

 

 

You've been talking about how much you'd like your kid to have a really unique name. Yes, maybe he will be the only kid in America to be called "Calculus", but have you considered how much he will like being named after such a common word? Consider it like if you were named "work", "algebra" or "computing". Would you like it? 

 

23 hours ago, Sin Stalker said:

Your last comment is the sort of thing I'm looking it. I am strange, I like strange. Whatever we pick, it will be at least somewhat strange. But Calculus seems like it may just be over the thin line...

 

The problem is that Calculus is not just strange. It's also a common noun for something completely unrelated to a person's name. In France/Europe we have a lot of strange first names because of people from different regions with strong cultural backgrounds (Brittany, Alsace, I even know people with uncommon American names...) but they are commonly accepted because they are not common nouns.

Stop thinking about how much you like unique names and start thinking about how he will like it. You won't have to live with it. He will.

 

But maybe a compromise: give him that as a second name. This way he will have a more common first name, won't be teased and you can still call him Cal if you feel the need for it.

 

For what it's worth I really like Ian (from whoever suggested it). But maybe I'm just a hopeless Jurassic Park fan.