'I've never met another person with my weird name. I love it'

"I’m a blank slate, unlike all those Josh’s or Jennifer’s out there."

Quimby Masters

3 min read

June 18, 2025 - 8:55AM

Parenting

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My name is Quimby. Yes, that’s my real name. Yes, it’s the name on my birth certificate. Yes, it’s weird.

And I love it.

There are so many arguments people make against giving your children unusual names: People will bully them! It’s cruel! It will make their lives harder!

In fact, my name has only made my life harder in one way: as a kid, I could never get away with writing it in wet cement.

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When people hate my name, it says nothing about me.

In every other way, it’s wonderful. I was always the only Quimby in my classroom.

My husband, with his common-as-mud name, was never the only Peter in his classroom. Having an unusual name is an instant ice breaker.

New acquaintances always ask about the origins of my name. And nobody ever has preconceived notions about a Quimby. I’m a blank slate, unlike all those Josh’s or Jennifer’s out there.

To be sure, not everyone likes my name.

Reactions range from, “Oh, what a lovely name,” to “Were your parents hippies?” to “Ugh, I’m so sorry!” The thing is, I can’t get offended.

My name was not my choice.

When people compliment my name, they are really complimenting my parents.

When people hate my name, it says nothing about me.

It’s the same with bullying. I can only remember being teased once or twice for my unusual name. But I didn’t choose it, so how could I take it personally?

Bullies are going to bully.

If they are so desperate as to go after you because of your name, well, it probably means you’re doing okay in every other part of your life.

And oh, the benefits!

If people only see the name, but do not meet me in person, they generally assume I’m a male.

This has led to some wonderful mistakes, such as the time 16-year-old me was placed in a house full of male exchange students during a Rotary conference in Portland, Oregon.

Now, that was a good weekend.

I got to flirt to my heart’s content with some very cute boys from around the world, including one from New South Wales. (Paul, if you’re reading this, thanks again for giving up your room for me!)

Image: Supplied

“I gave you a unique name because you are a unique person.”

My name also means that people can’t make assumptions about my race or ethnicity.

In the US, where I’m originally from, people often associate weird names with the Black community.

Few names are as weird as Quimby, and I’m as white as bread. I like being able to disrupt their expectations. It’s good for them.

It helps that my parents gave me a choice. My middle name is Rebecca.

They gave me a normal middle name so that I wouldn’t hate them if I hated my first name. Rebecca gives me options - Becky, Bec, Becca . . . But apart from a brief flirtation with Rebecca when I was four, I’ve always been happy to be a Quimby.

While I like my weird name, my husband Peter was never very fond of having a common name.

When we started our family, we both agreed that we would give them unusual first names and common middle names.

My mother (a Lois) always said, “I gave you a unique name because you are a unique person.”

Peter liked that. He wanted our children to feel like they were one of a kind.

Now, at 16 and 18, our children like their weird names, too.

They’ve never once been bullied for them. Instead, their names set them apart.

So here’s to the weird names. Embrace them. Celebrate them. Use them.

Your kids will thank you for it.