Mumsnet Talk

Searching with names and found 'Lucinda' which I fell in love with, looked around on the internet ended up on netmums and some other site I had found and I found out most think Lucinda and my first name (Chloe) is chavvy!

On mumsnet I regually see names normal for my area branded as chavvy too, mainly Kayleigh, which is normal working class, lower middle class name where I live but not chavvy.

My question is do you judge based on name and should a line be set on what you can and what you can't name a child?

Yes I think people do judge names. Whether or not people admit it or not is another thing. I think names the are deemed chav can vary depending on where you live. Here in the SE, Lucinda is posh, Chloe and Kayleigh normal.

I'd like Kayleigh if it were spelled "Ceilidh."

One problem with aspirational names is that the lower classes will mimic the uppers and bring them "down."

It's a stupid thing to be judgy about, but I'm sure many people are.

I sometimes do 'judge' a name I suppose, but that's down to personal taste rather than anything to do with classes. I'd never judge a person by their name though, that's ridiculous surely?

its never crossed my mind to judge someone on there class by there name, i'm nearly 28 and my names still in the top 10 for girls always seems to be there and my 3dds all have rather unusual names. I wonder how others judge us? not sure what "class" our name choice would fit into.

chloe is not a chav name imo is such a pretty name

Kayleigh spelled as ceilidh? . Would get much hilarity here in Scotland, where, incidentally, Lucinda would be considered very posh.

I don't think I negatively judge as such, but I think that I do make some assumptions.

There is always an exception to the rule of course, but for example around here this is what I'd assume based solely on a name.

Chantel, Maddison, Kayleigh, Chelsea, Kourtney - I would expect them to be from the local council estate, I hate the term 'chav' but if I had to use that term these are the names I would

Indigo, Rain, Rainbow, Dharma - I'd expect them to be from a particular area nearby known for being a bit hippy, lotus born, placenta eatng, home schooling types

Emily, Holly, Alice, Megan, Olivia, Grace - I'd expect a fairly middle of the road, mainstream family. Lower middle class and working class done good, middle income earners.

Octavia, Cressida, Portia, Ottilie - Posh, either money families or aspiring upper middle class.

Of course, you can't always be right and occasionally I love to be proved totally wrong. I'm not telling you my DC names either!

The Marchioness of Worcester is called Tracy

No, I don't judge, other than what I like. On here ds1's name has been declared chavy and Ds2's middle class. Never mind.

We were going to have a Lucinda, but he turned out to be another boy.

The Marchioness of Worcester is called Tracy

Tells you all you need to know about Worcester then doesn't it

I was joking about Ceilid for Kayleigh. My phone refuses to let me spell that correctly.

She wasn't born a marchioness though was she?

(I'd agree with the labels placed on all the names mentioned on the thread with the exception of Kayleigh, which is just dated 80s rather than "chavvy" I reckon)

Lucinda would be upper middle here (also SE)

Kayleigh definitely not

Interesting thread. It's a shame that a name can generate assumptions but I am also guilty of making them. I think Mimikov was spot on with her post. I don't negatively judge but I do get an impression of a parent and its usually right.

What negative or positive attachment you give to your assumption is down to the individual

Agree with all above, especially mimikospanda

My name is dull & middle of the road. Dd's is too really, it wasn't in the top 20 until she was 2.

I think that impressions are often formed by hearing a name alone. It's of nice, but it's human nature. I have plenty of teacher friends who are otherwise perfectly sensible, who say things like 'oh yes, he's very mucus Liam' , thing is the others just nod. I'm Irish, everyone is very much a bloody Liam! But, in the region we now live in (inEngland) Liam is a down at the heel kind of name. All market track suit & ' f@ck yo
u miss', at 6.

Kourtney is the one I really dislike.

Agh!?

Very MUCH a Liam!!!

The Marchioness of Worcester is called Tracy. She might not have been born a marchioness, but she still comes from a fairly aristocratic family!

I once met a vair posh woman called Tracy, who I wouldn't have been in the least surprised if she ended up marrying an aristocrat - I admit I was surprised when she was introduced as Tracy.

Lucinda is posh in my world also, taking Lady Lucinda Lambton as an example.

Sadly I agree that it's human nature to make assumptions based on some names. Portia vs Chardonnay for example. The vast majority, however, I think don't trigger a judgement or assumption. We're still toying with names for DC1 (unknown gender) due July. Options are Joshua or Reuben for a boy and Abigail, Emily or Hannah for a girl. What does that tell you about me and DH class background?

I judge according to whether I like a name or not. When I met one of my now closest friends she introduced her DD and I totally judged her by the name <ashamed>. It turns out the spelling is different to the traditional 'chav' spelling and is actually derived from a Hindu meaning that she and her DH thought very carefully about.

remembering average, standard family with a definite slant towards the Hebrew...

Yes, would assume a Jewish heritage maybe?

I'll hold my hands up and admit to judging people by their choice of name. I have a sister, just the one who is a paradox. She has eight children, three have what I'd say were chavtastic names, five don't.
My DD has the name of a stripper, or so I've read.

Apparently my DS2's name is chavvy, my DS3's name is Jewish it is, he is named after his great granddad, My DD's name is MC and my DS1's name is posh.

I must give people judging me on my name choices a face like this --->