Hell, it doesn't even have to be all that exotic. My name's Jose. I always got picked on and people told me that even though I was the smartest kid in the class I'd still only grow up to be a gardener.

I have a few issues with this. I sublimate them through stabbing inanimate objects repeatedly with a knife.

Whenever I thought I did something that made me look like The Man with No Name, people would act like I was just Tuco and I did something funny. Just because of a name. It doesn't matter what you do, people tend to not let you escape your name. For longer than I can say, I've wanted to change my name to just Joseph. But I decided that [censored] it, I'm sticking with Jose. I'm not a pansy. Let people think what they will of me, and let my actions speak for themselves.

...On another note. Seriously. Anatolia. It's a better Turkish name than Meltem, at least in my opinion.

EDIT: I just noticed that we've pretty much just made Deutschland's life better. FEEL COOL, BGSF. FEEL COOL.

Someone with a black name is three times less likely to be called for an interview than someone with a white name.*

*Freakonomics. Cool documentary.

Yeah, her nickname will be Mel... to me it is about the feeling of the name. With all due respect if you do name her that... it sounds a bit like a Medieval era mage.

Or a witch...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTdDN_MRe64 - because she's made of wood?

Didn't you already suggest that? I personally don't like it one bit. If you're going to name your kid after a geographical area, at least pick one that isn't so well know. It's like calling your child Iberia or something. It stands out like a sore thumb to me and doesn't sound very feminine at all either.

I have a Greek friend called Melpomeni. We always shorten it to Mel or Melpo, sounds very nice I think.

If you want her to be tortured in school go with that name.

Is her name truly something to be left to our discretion?
Names are static and unchanging. Everything we are, as conscious, living creatures is subject to change.
Perhaps the choice would be best left to the person that must bear the name, though, that will likely have to wait until a later date.
Whatever name you choose as a placeholder in the meantime should suffice.
It is, after all, of relatively little importance beyond the possibility of any 'teasing' the child may endure.

OH it's probably already been said, but if coming to America (perhaps most English language nations), the name will definitly stand out. Up to you if you want that. Kind of like naming a boy http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/johnnycash/aboynamedsue.html. Personally, I don't realy care for the name Meltem; like you said, too much like Melt 'em. Sorry mate.

As for kids warping names, it'll happen with most every name.

A short name for Meltem might be Mel, which might be a nickname?

I've thought about it for a couple of days, and...... I like it. If you say it like MELT 'em, it sounds bad, but any other way of pronouncing it is quite nice.

Oh, and don't worry about kids making fun of it. The only way to avoid that sort of teasing is to have a name so bland that people get bored at the thought of it.

Also, Meltem is much better as a unique name than all of the alternate spellings that are popping up. Meagen? Just name your damn kid Meghan! :swear:

Even that's too much of an alternate spelling. Your freaking kid's name is Megan. It is pronounced as it is spelled and there's no need to make it flowery. The worst I saw was Migon.

The problem with people thinking about it for a few days and posting here saying they like it is that they're thinking about it for a few days longer than everyone who actually meets Meltem will think about it. The issue is about the reaction of people upon hearing it for the first time. Nobody in the real world is going to think about the name for days, by that time they'll have already judged Meltem by other factors than her name, decided on their opinion of her, and moved on.

It's MEGAN!

Meghan is about as common as Megan, in my experience; I have known quite a few people that spelled it that way. I think the variance there might be an English/Gaelic kinda thing. Migon I would never have even thought of as an alternate spelling. Good lord.

Also, I know the change was a long time ago, but I still hate this new forum layout. It took me two minutes to respond to this post, because the page jumped every time I tried to click on reply, and I ended up clicking on something else.

Any name could be twisted into insulting nakenames. Just make sure it's not apparently sounded wrong. What's her Chinese name?

Steady on, she's not even born yet.

What on earth is a 'black name'? :confused:

Sheena. Latifa. Shaniqua.

Exactly. :laugh: There are other names too. Freakonomics is a book though not a documentary?

That's a rather uncommon name. She'd probably get bullied at school & work.

:thumbsup:

That reminds me of all the times that people used to and still do mispronounce my last name.

Do not like it sadly. But thats my opinion.