Rumer Willis not wild about her unusual name
Categories: Celeb kids, Rumors, Playground bureau
Although it appears to be happening with greater frequency, celebrities giving their children unusual names is not new, just ask Frank Zappa's kids: Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet Emuukha Rodan, or Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen. What is rather unique is hearing what it was like growing up with such a unique moniker.
Rumer Willis, oldest daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis told the New York Post that around the age of 12 she realized she had been given a raw deal name-wise.
"My sisters, Scout and Talullah, had cute nicknames," said Rumer, who apparently had no such luck. "In school, kids would sing, 'Rumer, Rumer with a big hairy tumor.'"
Even aimless doodling on notebook paper didn't work out for the superstar celeb spawn. "When I was 12 and had crushes on guys, I'd put my first name with their last name, but it never sounded right. Rumer Depp? Nope."
Poor kid. She didn't even mention the complete absence of mass-produced personalized key rings available for Rumers at gift shops!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ame s 8-18-2008 @ 5:44PM
I like the name Rumor, but Tallullah is a bit out there for my taste. As far as the names Frank Zappa and some others have come up with are just ridiculous. I would be tempted to bitch-slap my parents today if they had saddled me with such a name.
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Uly 8-19-2008 @ 10:12PM
Tallulah has the benefit of actually having a real name.
Though that poor New Zealand girl, Tallulah Does the Hula From Hawaii... that poor girl.
Kirstie 8-18-2008 @ 8:05PM
I know where she's coming from on this one - to this day, I've never met another Kirstie or Kirstin. There's a celebrity or two, but I've yet to come across one in real life. (It might be different if I were in Norway or Sweden, but I'm in suburban New Jersey!) I grew up with people who didn't know me assuming that I was a typo and my name was actually Kristin. I hated it as a little kid - people were ALWAYS saying it wrong, I never, EVER had anything personalized except for a handmade toybox I received as a baby, and like Rumer said, it's pretty hard to match it up with other last names. I'm still fairly shocked it sounds okay with my greek last name - scandinavian and mediterranean names do not sound very much alike. As a little kid and a preteen, I seriously considered changing it when I was old enough to do so without parental permission.
However, at almost 20, I couldn't imagine being anyone else. I like my name, it makes me who I am. It also helps that ordering specialized personalizations has gotten much easier and that my boyfriend's very, very common last name sounds pretty good with basically ANY name, so I can easily fantasize and daydream to my heart's content.
Of course, Kirstie is a far cry from Moon Unit. That's a whole 'nother of awful
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Paul Cyopick 8-19-2008 @ 7:17AM
I know a Kirstie AND a Kirsten. You'll have to come to Toronto for a visit. :)
alirae_06 8-19-2008 @ 6:15PM
I completely agree although try finding another Alinda out there at least Rumer has famous parents to blame it on. But at 20 you are kinda set with the name you have been giving.
When I was little I used to pretend I was a Tiffany or some other name a little more common. After I hit 16 and now at 20 I am glad for the different name. It gives me the unique stamp that everyone else seems to strive so hard to achive.
Blondie 8-19-2008 @ 9:14PM
I know a Kirstie in NJ too. At first, I thought you might be her, but she's in her 30s.
Kirstie 8-20-2008 @ 2:07PM
Wow, all of these Kirstie's and Kirstin's .. I'm impressed. I've got to meet some! =]
Carrie 8-19-2008 @ 11:32AM
When she gets older, she'll probably appreciate her unusual name. Not that I would name my child something that unusual, but still... when she's around 25 or so she'll no doubt accept it as part of who she is.
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Terry 8-19-2008 @ 12:49PM
I am very much into uncommon names. I have five kids and gave them all what I believe to be uncommon names. My reasoning behind that is I wanted them to be unique indiviudals with unique names. Their names are Kane, Mackenzie, Willow, Jasper and Pilot.
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Sabrina 8-19-2008 @ 2:58PM
Yeah, my name is Sabrina. I have yet to meet anyone with this name, but I know they're out there. The worst part is that people assume I'm going to be african-american just because of my name! I've actually had people comment on it because I'm a very pale white chick. It tells me something about them if they assume my heritage based on my name. I've also been teased relentlessly about Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and that didn't go over too well with me. It got so bad that I stopped wearing my nametag at my high school fast food job, people could NOT leave it alone. I do feel her about having a "unique" name, even thoug hmine's actually not THAT unique. I named my kids Rosalie and Aaron. Everyone comments on how they love my kids' names, and I hope they will love them too. I seriously considered changing my name at the height of the teasing about it (from complete strangers as well as class-mates) but I didn't, and I'm glad I kept it. People remember it (unless they start calling me Samantha), and that's usually worth it.
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Devynn 8-19-2008 @ 8:53PM
my name may be pretty common THESE days, but during the 90s, i HATED it! i went by my middle name in middle school (public school + puberty + a "boys name" = NO FUN!) and i seriously considered changing it when i got older. but i learned to tolerate it, then like it. i LOVE the spelling. personalizing things has gotten easier over the years. and i do get a BIT of a superiority complex over correcting ppl over the spelling and pronunciation over the years. mom said i could! then again, she had an uncommon name, too. :p thing is, it helped me learn to 1) stand up for myself, 2) stand out graciously and 3) bask in my individuality with class. by the time i was 18, i figured out my niche, my "IT" factor. i know who i am and don't really have to waste much time in trying to stand out like most with "common" names. plus, my hubby will NEVER forget my name or confuse me with someone else. of course, being black helps a bit, too. :p btw, i know a sabrina. sure she was black, but i went to school with her and she was a total sweet heart! :) haven't met a kirstie, but i HAVE met a kirsten. and the rate things are going, the parents who named their kids "uncommon" names will have kids who will be just another [insert name here]. i've learned to accept that when i have my kids, no name that i actually like, won't get them made fun of and just flows off the tounge no matter who's last name you stick it with (as a woman, i know how we are! ;p) will be "uncommon." of course, i'm an army wife. we've only been married a year, but in about 5yrs, i'd have heard it all with baby names. the military is a perfect slice of american AND world life. want a "cool" name that no one YOU know will have? just check the baby announcements at hospitals in military towns. most are online these days. the names can be a doozy! so rumer will always have company! :p
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Baron 8-20-2008 @ 10:03AM
Rumer is better than a lot of the names people give their kids these days. I'm the only Baron I know and I like it that way.
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Courtney 8-20-2008 @ 2:38PM
I also like the name Rumer. Whenever I've seen it in articles I've always thought it was quite cool. I like it because of its uniqueness.
I also have an unusual name, at least it was during the time I was growing up. Now, it is much more common.
I hated my name as I was growing up because it was considered a "man's name"; but as I've gotten older I have fully embraced it. I was the only "Courtney" all during my school years and at all my places of employment. I also now know several "Courtney's".
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