Well, America was made from many different cultures, so I really do consider many different countries part of my cultural heritage, even though my ancestors are mostly from England and Denmark. I read books and see movies that are set in these countries, as well as my own, and I have visited many countries, and met people from all over the world. I wouldn't inflict an ugly or silly name on my child, and I agree that "virtue" names must be annoying to have. I know a lady named Joy who is the grumpiest thing ever, and I have to wonder if her name played some part in that. Joy is a very pretty name, but it's only associated with one emotion, and people are more complex.
But I think it's neat to have a name that's pretty unique, and has a story behind it, or a special person attached to it. They should have positive associations. I would never name my child Callie, because that's the name of a girl who picked on me in school, but I love my niece's Russian name, Ksenia, because her dad lived in Russia for a few years and met someone by that name. I agree that culture is important to someone's identity, but for me, culture is a fluid and inclusive thing. Just because I'm American doesn't mean I can't appreciate Scandinavian art or Hebrew music, and doesn't mean I have to give my children typical, boring American names like Mike or Josh or Jessica.
I prefer short names to long, because then they don't get shortened into something weird. Here are some other names I have come to love, but don't see everyday:
Hazel
Helena
Autumn
Viola
Beryl
Anise
Stuart
Leland
Miles
Luther
Lloyd
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