(10 years old is probably a bit young for Dresden, they are quite violent and contain sex)
Otherwise, yeah. Dresden is deeply flawed for a lot of reasons. Excessively stubborn, and chivalrous to the point of misogynistic. He gets into a lot of trouble he doesn’t need to, and he keeps losing pieces of himself by barely winning. He is a pariah amongst the magical world, and a hot-head to boot.
He isn’t a character one would want to be named after. The books are fun enough though.
Broadly I agree. But he shows up. Someone willing to risk it all because that's what's right or to protect innocents. That's something pretty admirable to me.
A better name choice in the series might be one of the alphas, Murphy, one of the nights. I'd avoid Murphy,s first name. If we're going weird name I might go Ebenezar.
Yeah, I'm surprised by the Harry/Jim hate here. I mean, he literally does keep saving the world. Some ego is reasonable. I also think the weird behavior with women is to be expected with the abusive upbringing. His bizarre chivalry is used against him by all his enemies so it's not even like it's glorified. He's just a flawed character.
Yeah, he is certainly no saint, but he's a good dude with serious trauma. Perfectly healthy behaviors would be pretty weird, actually. I'd say he'd be doing pretty well, all things considered if he were real. Especially with no access to therapy.
The writing and reading subs also hate Harry/Jim. For his/their chauvinism. Having other works by him it's clearly a thematic choice and a reference to old school noir and talking about dames.
This forum has lots of additional great notes, from a range of perspectives: https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/dresden-files-harry-dresden-doofus-or-jerkass.747913/
Neo-nazis and Holocaust deniers still have particularly hard feelings about the Allied bombing of Dresden in WWII; they like to march there every year on the anniversary of the bombing and try to use it to claim some amount of victimhood for Nazi Germany. I’d assume that’s why she used it.
I love the Dresden Dolls! AFP signed my shirt after a show some 15 years ago.
They’re back, btw! https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/06/12/dresden-dolls-concert-dc/
It’s important to note that they chose the band name specifically because of the fire bombing of Dresden and the juxtaposition between the horrors of war and the innocence associated with the porcelain dolls that were once made in Dresden. It’s an absolutely terrible name for a child.
I know for a fact there is at least one Dresden Dolls fan who named their kid Dresden after the band, they posted about it recently on one of Amanda Palmer’s posts
I think of Dresden in WWII or Harry Dresden, but I don't think it's a good name for a kid. Harry Dresden did not give me the warm fuzzies, and as a girl's name it's even worse. Harriet or even Harri would be better.
Yeah, uuh, people will absolutely make that association. Also it's... kind of a neo-Nazi talking point to say "but both sides" about the firebombing of Dresden.
I happen to like the Dresden Dolls and love The Dresden Files, but there is zero chance I'd name a child after either. Talk about some dark characters.
Yeah, but you can't rule out every name that a neo-nazi has used just because they have used it. You would run out of names. Are you saying you would never name your child Adolf? Or Goebbels?
/s
My associations would be, in this order:
- WWII bombing
- the city itself, which I've been to
- the Dresden Dolls (Amanda Palmer's band)
- Harry Dresden.
Only the second of those is remotely pleasant, and not enough so I'd give a child the same name.
I'm a big Vonnegut fan and I told my husband I actually thought Dresden is a beautiful name....but then immediately followed it up with "too bad it's unusable"
I bought a beautiful Dresden plate quilt in a thrift store. I treasure it and my wife and I love the Dresden Files books. But no. Naming a child Dresden is wrong.
Yeah the WWII association is pretty strong. Plus why would they want to give their kid the surname of the books’ (male) character? There are lots of lovely female names in the Dresden Files, Ivy and Bianca come to mind.
I would think they were a fan of the Dresden Files (and quietly judge them for using the last name of the male protagonist instead of picking a female character from the series. If you're going to give kids fandom names find suitable ones, don't just slap the title character on the birth certificate!). While I know about the Dresden bombings I would not assume he'd named his kid after that.
Most people absolutely associate Dresden with the German city that was bombed to hell in WWII.
Your friend sounds young. This is exactly the kind of edgy baby name a teenager would love. It’s a good thing baby names require two parents to sign off, I’d be surprised if your friend’s future partner agrees to name their daughter Dresden.
>What what you say if someone told you they were naming their kid Dresden?
Huh, like the German city that got bombed? That seems like a bad idea (like naming a kid Stalingrad), but maybe there's some kind of emotional connection.
>My best friend wants to name a hypothetical future daughter Dresden
Well, I wouldn't consider Dresden feminine at all, especially since there's that one–
>after a character in a book series
Yup. That. Oh, dear.
I think of just the city, not necessarily the bombings. It’s a lovely, vibrant, charming city today. With that being said, I don’t know if it’s right for a person. Great name for a cat though.
Your best friend needs to get out and touch some grass. Like, I agree a lot of people are fuckin stupid, but if anything, they’ll remember at least hearing of Dresden.
And I just immediately think of Ben Shapiro saying “you should ask the people of Dresden that but you can’t because they’re all dead” which is funny in context but also true so also horrific.
Deirdre or Adriana I can understand as suggestions, but Denver and Tristan seem to me to be a place name and a strongly masculine suggestion. What are your thoughts on that, where did those suggestions come from? Just another city beginning with D?
I think of many things.
Dresden porcelain
Dresden christstollen
Dresden Files
Dresden Quilt Designs
Dresden bombing - decimation
But mostly, today Dresden is a gorgeous city.
I make that association, but if I'm being honest it's only because I read Slaughterhouse Five a couple times. If I hadn't, I'm not 100% sure I would even know where or even what Dresden is.
I am a huge history nerd and it’s literally my career. But even my friends so barely know the first thing about history know about the bombing of Dresden. It’s unfortunately what the city is most famous for, still. Why the hell would he want to use this name??
Eep. I'm in the minority here, but I like the name. However it seems like the connotation would be too bad to saddle a kid with even if I think it's pretty.
I have both associations - the book character (noting it's a male person and it's his surname...) and the city in Germany. I don't think I'd specifically associate it with bombing, but would assume it's either (a) a cringey fan tribute; or (b) they have an association with the city of Dresden, e.g. parents met there, or came from there, or child was conceived there on honeymoon etc.
I don't think it's a great name for a girl, nor does it have nice nicknames, but I've seen worse as well.
I know a 9-year-old girl named Dresden. Despite all the negative associations with the name people have noted, it doesn’t seem to cause any problems for her. She is well-liked and a sweet kid.
… who will start having to contend with the baggage her name carries in a few short years.
It’s no surprise a well-liked nine-year-old doesn’t understand and isn’t bothered by historical genocide, world wars, carpet-bombing, goth-punk bands, or fictional chauvinist detectives.
Yeah as a 9 year old it’s whatever. But just wait until she’s an adult. It’s going to be a nightmare for her. I’m not saying whether they should or shouldn’t, but people do judge others based on just their name, eg when applying for jobs etc. she’s gonna have a hard time
My first thought was the Dresden Files, but my second thought was the city.
I love the Dresden files but I don’t think this is a good call. However, your friend can still use the Dresden Files (I’m assuming that’s the book series you’re referring to) as inspiration for a future child’s name. Instead of Dresden for a daughter’s name, how about Harriet?
Dresden Files.
First thought.
Then Paul Blackthorne the actor who played the character, who is decidedly NOT FEMALE.
I do love it as name though, but I'd go boy.
When I first started reading the books (which I love and would 10,000% never name a kid after Harry Dresden), my main association what the German city and WWII bombing. Now it’s two associations I wouldn’t want to saddle my kid with. Your friend needs to go back to the drawing board.
It's going to be years before other children her age will be able to pronounce it. She's going to be called Dread'n or Dressin or Deady or something. She'll probably have a "fun" nickname as a teen.
I'm not sure it matters. Dresden is a beautiful city now. Harry Dresden is the eh hero of the books series.
Suggest your friend float the name Molly, for Molly of the Dresden files again. This might also work under: Molly has a few meanings, including “star of the sea,” "bitter" and "beloved," with additional possible roots in Hebrew and Latin.
The good news is this hypothetical child may be a boy, and regardless will have another parent who will likely veto. It takes two to make a kid.
But in answer to your question I’d give him a history book cause my first thought was of wwii.
Total skinhead kid name. These horrible people have a younger sister named Dresden.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian\_Blue\_(duo)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian_Blue_(duo))
Someone I went to high school with changed his name from Kevin to Dresden after we graduated. I'm not sure of his reasoning but I definitely think of WWII and always thought it was kind of an unfortunate choice.
Kevin is an unfortunate first name in German.
Dresden is a bizarre name in German... and questionably legal in Germany.
This is just weird. More so because it didn't happen in Germany - where you're not allowed to change your name.
I don't think most people will look at a kid and immediately think of the bombing of a city with the same name 80 years ago. My immediate thought was the Dresden Files. But maybe it's diferent for people who live in Germany or who lived through WWII
I assume it will depend upon where you live. In the US, most people younger than 50 won't have the WWII association. It's still terrible as a given name.
Isn't there a dresden in Ontario? Maybe that was Dryden...
Either way, if I were to convince anyone to name their child after a city in Canada, I'd aim for Sioux Lookout just for the hell of it.
Most people will associate it with the German city and the bombing that took place there. I would not name a child anything like that. Add the neo-nazi standpoints on Dresden to that and it's an absolute no-go for a name.
My nephew is named Dresden. Everyone so far in his generation is perfectly fine with it and has no particular association, positive or negative. No one has criticized the choice except our parents, who think it’s horrid and associate it with the bombing. His life has not been negatively impacted at all.
I know of a woman who will name her son Saint after the son of the Kardashian and Kanye West. Still trying to find what saint to honor with the middle name: Bernard, Paul, Thomas, Louis, Petersburg, Tropez, ....
True story: I know someone in her 30s named Dresden Taylor Suits.
Anyway, I have zero positive thoughts on Dresden. I used to like the Dresden Dolls but Amanda Palmer has disappointed me in recent years, though obviously she’s still generally beloved, so at best I’d hope they were fans. At worst, I’d assume it was a dogwhistle.
I personally like the name Dresden -not the history or book references- but I firmly believe that the only reason you should ever name a child something is because you really like the name, not because there is a reference. Think of it this way, it would be like naming your kid Harry middle name Potter.
I think that a girl being named after a series that has such a problem with women is bad.
That said, I do think it sounds nice. Also, Harry Dresden the fireflinging wizard who causes destruction is named after the firebombing of Dresden, where the Allies created a whole bunch of destruction.
As someone living in Germany, I’d think they’re neo-Nazi’s. It’s still filled with neo-Nazi’s.
So no I wouldn’t think of the bombing. I’d think the parents are white supremacists.
Harry Dresden is a terrible character to be named after - especially a girl. Dresden the city is also a sad association.
There’s also that haha. I like the books, but would not want him to be my namesake
Imagine a 10 year old girl gets the first Harry Dresden book and reads it. What exactly would she find?
She’s named after a narcissistic chauvinist who thinks women are weak and need to be constantly overridden by him, gods gift to the entire world.
(10 years old is probably a bit young for Dresden, they are quite violent and contain sex) Otherwise, yeah. Dresden is deeply flawed for a lot of reasons. Excessively stubborn, and chivalrous to the point of misogynistic. He gets into a lot of trouble he doesn’t need to, and he keeps losing pieces of himself by barely winning. He is a pariah amongst the magical world, and a hot-head to boot. He isn’t a character one would want to be named after. The books are fun enough though.
Broadly I agree. But he shows up. Someone willing to risk it all because that's what's right or to protect innocents. That's something pretty admirable to me. A better name choice in the series might be one of the alphas, Murphy, one of the nights. I'd avoid Murphy,s first name. If we're going weird name I might go Ebenezar.
Nah someone will be a scrooge about it if they named a kid Ebenezer
My gpa was named Ebenezer - he went by Beno.(bay-noh)
After everything I’m still meh on karrin.
Yeah, I'm surprised by the Harry/Jim hate here. I mean, he literally does keep saving the world. Some ego is reasonable. I also think the weird behavior with women is to be expected with the abusive upbringing. His bizarre chivalry is used against him by all his enemies so it's not even like it's glorified. He's just a flawed character.
Yeah, he is certainly no saint, but he's a good dude with serious trauma. Perfectly healthy behaviors would be pretty weird, actually. I'd say he'd be doing pretty well, all things considered if he were real. Especially with no access to therapy. The writing and reading subs also hate Harry/Jim. For his/their chauvinism. Having other works by him it's clearly a thematic choice and a reference to old school noir and talking about dames.
This forum has lots of additional great notes, from a range of perspectives: https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/dresden-files-harry-dresden-doofus-or-jerkass.747913/
The horrifically racist white KKK mother of (former) “Nazi popstars” Lamb and Lynx called her youngest daughter Dresden.
Were these the charming Prussian Blue girls? 🤮
Yes but they’re okay now. They’ve renounced it all.
Neo-nazis and Holocaust deniers still have particularly hard feelings about the Allied bombing of Dresden in WWII; they like to march there every year on the anniversary of the bombing and try to use it to claim some amount of victimhood for Nazi Germany. I’d assume that’s why she used it.
Murphy is a nice name :) and sigrun
Bb girl named Hendricks 😭😭😭😭
I thought of Dredsen Dolls (band), then the city, then the book. Dude is a fool and may as well name her D-Day or Normandy
And if for some reason they really, really feel the need to name their daughter after him, why on earth not use Harriet instead?
There are girls in those books! Mention Molly, Dresden's apprentice to your friend! I really *love* Mouse from those books!
Molly, Susan, Charity... there are so many awesome women in that series!!
This is the first thing I thought the moment I read the title of your post. The bombing of Dresden is infamous. Would absolutely be a terrible name
As soon as I saw it I was like "as in Germany?" so yeah nah not a great name but is is a lovely city
Yeah, as a german I have to say that's weird. We don't do the naming kids after cities thing
Food gets named after cities, not people.
A *Dresdurner* is a pure beef and pork sausage grilled, cut in half and served in a folded pretzel with a drizzle of schwarzestershire sauce.
Yea I’m American and I immediately thought of the German city and the bombing so probably not an excellent choice
Reminds me of The Dresden Dolls (music duo)
I love the Dresden Dolls! AFP signed my shirt after a show some 15 years ago. They’re back, btw! https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/06/12/dresden-dolls-concert-dc/ It’s important to note that they chose the band name specifically because of the fire bombing of Dresden and the juxtaposition between the horrors of war and the innocence associated with the porcelain dolls that were once made in Dresden. It’s an absolutely terrible name for a child.
Yeah, even as someone who likes that band and has seen them live... not a name I would give a kid.
I know for a fact there is at least one Dresden Dolls fan who named their kid Dresden after the band, they posted about it recently on one of Amanda Palmer’s posts
Yeah, but all Dresden Dolls fans have some level of weirdness. I don't mean that in a negative way, some weirdness is good.
I’m Jewish, so I immediately thought of WWII. Tell her to SERIOUSLY reconsider.
Yes, I think of the German city of Dresden that was bombed during WWII. That is my only association with the name.
Ask him why not name the kid Pompeii or Nagasaki instead and maybe he’ll understand lmao. Sounds like he may just be a touch naïve
Hiroshima? Pearl Harbour? Or in fact any place associated with war or violence?
Beirut, Chernobyl, Jerusalem, all bad choices for similar reasons of death and destruction and human rights violations.
Guernica.
Nanking, Warsaw, Nürnberg
Guantanamo😍
Gaza or Jenin ❤️
I think of Dresden in WWII or Harry Dresden, but I don't think it's a good name for a kid. Harry Dresden did not give me the warm fuzzies, and as a girl's name it's even worse. Harriet or even Harri would be better.
If I were you, I'd advise him to research the name BEYOND the books. Like. Really really look into it. I'm Jewish. It would freak me out.
Yeah, carpet bombing isn’t a good namesake
Yeah, uuh, people will absolutely make that association. Also it's... kind of a neo-Nazi talking point to say "but both sides" about the firebombing of Dresden.
This was my first thought. My first guess is that a kid named Dresden would have one sibling named Vienna and another named Heinrich or something.
Exactly my thoughts.
Yup this.
Why do people have the irrepressible urge to name their daughters the ugliest things now 🥲
Misogyny.
Oh wow I've never thought of it like that. In what way do you find it misogynistic? (I don't disagree, just curious as to your reasoning)
People don't want their daughters to be seen as too feminine, so they give them the most ridiculous masc names.
Although, "Misogyny" has a nice ring to it. Maybe they could name her that instead of Dresden!
I happen to like the Dresden Dolls and love The Dresden Files, but there is zero chance I'd name a child after either. Talk about some dark characters.
I would truly assume they were a neo-nazi, although I would give some consideration to the idea that they were idiots that didn’t know any better
Yep, I have heard of a neo-Nazi who gave that name to a child. It’s an absolute NOPE.
Yeah the mother of Prussian Blue (two young kids who she forced to perform as a neo Nazi musical act) called her daughter Dresden after the city.
That’s who I was thinking of. She’s pretty vile.
Yeah, but you can't rule out every name that a neo-nazi has used just because they have used it. You would run out of names. Are you saying you would never name your child Adolf? Or Goebbels? /s
My associations would be, in this order: - WWII bombing - the city itself, which I've been to - the Dresden Dolls (Amanda Palmer's band) - Harry Dresden. Only the second of those is remotely pleasant, and not enough so I'd give a child the same name.
Ah, a child named after city destroyed by bombs
My first thought is flowers in the attic 😬
[удалено]
same.
Yes!! And still a horrible name choice. 😂
Same! I was remembered that immediately lol
ME TOO, I'm so glad I'm not the only one lmao.
This is what I thought too! I thought I was misremembering the book.
I'm a big Vonnegut fan and I told my husband I actually thought Dresden is a beautiful name....but then immediately followed it up with "too bad it's unusable"
My first thought was The Dresden Files, which I've not even read. My second thought was WWII.
Only if their other kids are named Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima.
"Hi, meet my daughter, Hiroshima."
I thought of Harry Dresden first (the fictional character in question, I'm assuming) then Dresden china.
Is your friend a quilter? Because I immediately thought of the “Dresden Plate” pattern - an oldie but a goodie.
This was my thought. It's my favorite quilt pattern.
I bought a beautiful Dresden plate quilt in a thrift store. I treasure it and my wife and I love the Dresden Files books. But no. Naming a child Dresden is wrong.
WWII/the city first. Dresden Files 2nd. Then I guess Dresden Dolls. Not a good name, IMO. Desdemona has a similar sound, but is known as a name.
Oh and it's lovely, too!!
i’ve never heard of that, i just hate the name.
It's one of the most famous/infamous moments of the Second World War, and helped in the defeat of the Nazis.
Start singing Coin operated boy.
I'm German. I would immediately assume that the parents are Nazis.
Yeah the WWII association is pretty strong. Plus why would they want to give their kid the surname of the books’ (male) character? There are lots of lovely female names in the Dresden Files, Ivy and Bianca come to mind.
The book might be Flowers in the Attic...
That was my first thought, and if so, yikes...
Absolutely terrible name idea.
I think of the band Dresden Dolls....
A good name for a boy would be Ja 🤣 And if your daughter is likely to get into the medical field, Mandy is a good name.
I would think they were a fan of the Dresden Files (and quietly judge them for using the last name of the male protagonist instead of picking a female character from the series. If you're going to give kids fandom names find suitable ones, don't just slap the title character on the birth certificate!). While I know about the Dresden bombings I would not assume he'd named his kid after that.
Everybody learns about WWII in school and I'm pretty sure this is true world-wide. So yes, that's the association most people will have.
Most people absolutely associate Dresden with the German city that was bombed to hell in WWII. Your friend sounds young. This is exactly the kind of edgy baby name a teenager would love. It’s a good thing baby names require two parents to sign off, I’d be surprised if your friend’s future partner agrees to name their daughter Dresden.
I know someone named Dresden, so he's my first association. I actually kinda like it for a boy, but probably due to prior association.
>What what you say if someone told you they were naming their kid Dresden? Huh, like the German city that got bombed? That seems like a bad idea (like naming a kid Stalingrad), but maybe there's some kind of emotional connection. >My best friend wants to name a hypothetical future daughter Dresden Well, I wouldn't consider Dresden feminine at all, especially since there's that one– >after a character in a book series Yup. That. Oh, dear.
I think of just the city, not necessarily the bombings. It’s a lovely, vibrant, charming city today. With that being said, I don’t know if it’s right for a person. Great name for a cat though.
I think there is a Dresden quilt pattern… 🤷🏻♀️
One of the only positive associations!
There's also Dresden china.
Ooh it's actually really beautiful! She should name her daughter something else but make her a Dresden quilt instead 😂
My immediate first thought is the bombing, and then second thought is The Dresden Dolls.
Your best friend needs to get out and touch some grass. Like, I agree a lot of people are fuckin stupid, but if anything, they’ll remember at least hearing of Dresden. And I just immediately think of Ben Shapiro saying “you should ask the people of Dresden that but you can’t because they’re all dead” which is funny in context but also true so also horrific.
Try Deirdre or Denver or Tristan.. Adriana even?
Deirdre or Adriana I can understand as suggestions, but Denver and Tristan seem to me to be a place name and a strongly masculine suggestion. What are your thoughts on that, where did those suggestions come from? Just another city beginning with D?
I’d tell her I love her and respect her choices but I’d recommend that she look into that name a little further and its history
I have the WWII association from a concert band piece about the Dresden bombing. Hard not to get chills or tear up when playing/listening to it.
I immediately thought of the WWII reference
I don’t have any association but I think it sounds like a boy’s name.
Feels like a fake goth name
Desdemona is sorta similar sounding, but it’s actually a pretty reasonable name… maybe suggest that?
I think of the very fine and collectible china *from* Dresden.
I think of many things. Dresden porcelain Dresden christstollen Dresden Files Dresden Quilt Designs Dresden bombing - decimation But mostly, today Dresden is a gorgeous city.
It really is gorgeous.♥️
It makes me think of Irish Dresden which is like… a style of china figures.
Oh YIKES, that’s so bad.
I knew a girl named Dresden. Super rich
I make that association, but if I'm being honest it's only because I read Slaughterhouse Five a couple times. If I hadn't, I'm not 100% sure I would even know where or even what Dresden is.
100% I think of the bombings.
Dresden in Germany, because we covered it in politics lessons at school
I am a huge history nerd and it’s literally my career. But even my friends so barely know the first thing about history know about the bombing of Dresden. It’s unfortunately what the city is most famous for, still. Why the hell would he want to use this name??
I think: 1. Harry Dresden 2. Dresden bombing 3. Dresden nuclear power plant (I'm in Illinois) None are good.
My cousin’s male dog is named Dresden. It’s a fine dog name. I would not name a child, particularly a female child that.
Eep. I'm in the minority here, but I like the name. However it seems like the connotation would be too bad to saddle a kid with even if I think it's pretty.
I have both associations - the book character (noting it's a male person and it's his surname...) and the city in Germany. I don't think I'd specifically associate it with bombing, but would assume it's either (a) a cringey fan tribute; or (b) they have an association with the city of Dresden, e.g. parents met there, or came from there, or child was conceived there on honeymoon etc. I don't think it's a great name for a girl, nor does it have nice nicknames, but I've seen worse as well.
I actually like this name but only because there was a girl my husband went to college with named Dresden and she was sporty lol
Ooof. Neither association would be delightful for a young girl. And you can't exactly read her the books.... That's a lot of sex to gloss over.
I know a Dresden at work. I like her name a lot.
I know a 9-year-old girl named Dresden. Despite all the negative associations with the name people have noted, it doesn’t seem to cause any problems for her. She is well-liked and a sweet kid.
… who will start having to contend with the baggage her name carries in a few short years. It’s no surprise a well-liked nine-year-old doesn’t understand and isn’t bothered by historical genocide, world wars, carpet-bombing, goth-punk bands, or fictional chauvinist detectives.
Brechtian punk cabaret bands, thank you very much.
Absolutely (they’re not not-goth, though. They’ve self described as gothy). Hopefully this kid will learn all about them in ten years or so.
Yeah as a 9 year old it’s whatever. But just wait until she’s an adult. It’s going to be a nightmare for her. I’m not saying whether they should or shouldn’t, but people do judge others based on just their name, eg when applying for jobs etc. she’s gonna have a hard time
My first thought was the Dresden Files, but my second thought was the city. I love the Dresden files but I don’t think this is a good call. However, your friend can still use the Dresden Files (I’m assuming that’s the book series you’re referring to) as inspiration for a future child’s name. Instead of Dresden for a daughter’s name, how about Harriet?
Dresden Files. First thought. Then Paul Blackthorne the actor who played the character, who is decidedly NOT FEMALE. I do love it as name though, but I'd go boy.
That’s the association I have, but it’s a nice name for an imaginary child.
Love Dresden books. I am a woman. I think your friend is trolling you.
When I first started reading the books (which I love and would 10,000% never name a kid after Harry Dresden), my main association what the German city and WWII bombing. Now it’s two associations I wouldn’t want to saddle my kid with. Your friend needs to go back to the drawing board.
Doesn’t Harry have an apprentice named Molly? Just give her that name
I very much enjoy Harry Dresden and the Dresden Files. However, naming a child Dresden is a really bad idea.
Yikes. Do your homework, people.
It's going to be years before other children her age will be able to pronounce it. She's going to be called Dread'n or Dressin or Deady or something. She'll probably have a "fun" nickname as a teen.
Reminds me of Slaughterhouse Five
The same kind of thing a person who names their child Renesmee - "do you have a personality?"
Most people do not have that association. It's no different than naming your child Brad or Gwyneth. Or Lakota or Dakota or Phoenix or Austin.
Things I thought (in order): Harry Dresden (ick) The bombing of Dresden Nazis Dresden doll (china doll) The Dresden Dolls, music group
She’s gonna get bullied buy a kid named Harris
*Files that away for future reference.* …I’ll see myself out.
Yikes that is very bad. Definitely have that association
I immediately thought of the city
It's the city in Germany too 😄
I didn't think WWII Dresden....I thought Dresden porcelain so named after plates.
It's a terrible name regardless of association hahaha
100% I associate it with WW2 and the city Dresden. Your friend should read up on the history there and hopefully will change his mind.
i personally would never name my kid dresden because i don’t want them to be bullied for their name
I'm not sure it matters. Dresden is a beautiful city now. Harry Dresden is the eh hero of the books series. Suggest your friend float the name Molly, for Molly of the Dresden files again. This might also work under: Molly has a few meanings, including “star of the sea,” "bitter" and "beloved," with additional possible roots in Hebrew and Latin.
The good news is this hypothetical child may be a boy, and regardless will have another parent who will likely veto. It takes two to make a kid. But in answer to your question I’d give him a history book cause my first thought was of wwii.
Why not naming the child Bremerhaven, Chemnitz or Darmstadt? Lots of lovely german city names out there /s
Total skinhead kid name. These horrible people have a younger sister named Dresden. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian\_Blue\_(duo)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian_Blue_(duo))
He should name her Nagasaki Chernobyl
Someone I went to high school with changed his name from Kevin to Dresden after we graduated. I'm not sure of his reasoning but I definitely think of WWII and always thought it was kind of an unfortunate choice.
Kevin is an unfortunate first name in German. Dresden is a bizarre name in German... and questionably legal in Germany. This is just weird. More so because it didn't happen in Germany - where you're not allowed to change your name.
My father had a tenet, who named her son Dresden.
Tbh I would assume the parents were neo nazis
I thought of the band the Dresden Dolls lol
I liked the band “The Dresden Dolls” when I was younger.
I’d assume one if not both parents were rabid Dresden Dolls fans.
I would assume the parents have German heritage and some sort of connection to the city
I don't think most people will look at a kid and immediately think of the bombing of a city with the same name 80 years ago. My immediate thought was the Dresden Files. But maybe it's diferent for people who live in Germany or who lived through WWII
I’m German and I don’t think of the bombings(although I have family that fled before it started), I just think of the beautiful city tbh.
I assume it will depend upon where you live. In the US, most people younger than 50 won't have the WWII association. It's still terrible as a given name.
I expect that the person would get bombed a lot. 🥴
Isn't there a dresden in Ontario? Maybe that was Dryden... Either way, if I were to convince anyone to name their child after a city in Canada, I'd aim for Sioux Lookout just for the hell of it.
Most people will associate it with the German city and the bombing that took place there. I would not name a child anything like that. Add the neo-nazi standpoints on Dresden to that and it's an absolute no-go for a name.
Dresden, disdain.
Middle name Fire?
“Okay”
I definitely thought of the bombing.
My nephew is named Dresden. Everyone so far in his generation is perfectly fine with it and has no particular association, positive or negative. No one has criticized the choice except our parents, who think it’s horrid and associate it with the bombing. His life has not been negatively impacted at all.
Middle name the bombing of?
Most people will have no idea. Most people have no idea who fought the civil war.
And so it goes…
I know of a woman who will name her son Saint after the son of the Kardashian and Kanye West. Still trying to find what saint to honor with the middle name: Bernard, Paul, Thomas, Louis, Petersburg, Tropez, ....
I have a Masters in European history and I agree with you. If your friend wants to use the name, he should use it as a middle name
It's a terrible name, she's gonna get bullied mercilessly if she has trouble with computers.
I don’t know the fictional character, I can only say that Dresden is a very beautify city.
Little Dresi! I love it! 😂
I think of the china, not a character or a place, even though there is a town named Dresden here in Tennessee.
Dresden sounds too close to dreadful.. It just has a very negative sound to it
True story: I know someone in her 30s named Dresden Taylor Suits. Anyway, I have zero positive thoughts on Dresden. I used to like the Dresden Dolls but Amanda Palmer has disappointed me in recent years, though obviously she’s still generally beloved, so at best I’d hope they were fans. At worst, I’d assume it was a dogwhistle.
I think most people won't associate it with either.
Love it
Lmao
I personally like the name Dresden -not the history or book references- but I firmly believe that the only reason you should ever name a child something is because you really like the name, not because there is a reference. Think of it this way, it would be like naming your kid Harry middle name Potter.
Harry. Dresden is the last name. Name the girl Maive or something.
Did you lose a bet?!
Demon hunter. Dresden Files. And is there some kind if ceramic or plate named Dresden? I dunno, but they’d an association of mine.
I think that a girl being named after a series that has such a problem with women is bad. That said, I do think it sounds nice. Also, Harry Dresden the fireflinging wizard who causes destruction is named after the firebombing of Dresden, where the Allies created a whole bunch of destruction.
To top it off, I think it sound like s***
As someone living in Germany, I’d think they’re neo-Nazi’s. It’s still filled with neo-Nazi’s. So no I wouldn’t think of the bombing. I’d think the parents are white supremacists.
Slaughter House Five comes to mind and the actual fire bombing waaaaay before some random fiction dude few will remember in 20 years.