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AIBU?

everyone does the cats bum face when I say Barbara...

370 replies

ikeepchachachanging · 29/04/2015 16:28

Name changed for this as will definitely out myself. Announced baby's name as Barbara to honour relative but have got lots of Confused. One person says dd will get bullied.

AIBU to call her this? I think it sounds lovely!

OP posts:
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ShatnersBassoon · 29/04/2015 16:32

I know a young Barbara (compared to all the other Barbaras). She was teased a lot at school, called herself Babs and got teased even more.

I'm ambivalent about it. It is very old-fashioned, but names fall in and out of favour over the years. It might be the next favourite.

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ollieplimsoles · 29/04/2015 16:33

I'm going to jump in right away and say call your baby what you like! Its a perfectly acceptable name and to honor a relative sounds like a nice idea.

may I ask who she is named after, will this cause problems in the family in any way do you think?

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thehumanjam · 29/04/2015 16:34

I would try not to do a cats bum face. It's very unusual to hear that name on an under 50 and it's not quite old enough to be back in fashion like Nora or Betty.

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sunbathe · 29/04/2015 16:35

If you like it, use it. Names come and go.

I remember one of our baby group using Ruby back in 1994. It seemed terribly old-fashioned to me, as it was my great-aunt's name.

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BabCNesbitt · 29/04/2015 16:38

Name trends seem to spread like weeds. You're probably blazing a trail!

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chiruri · 29/04/2015 16:39

I'm 29 and there was a Barbara in my year at high school. She went by Babs and she was extremely popular. For that reason I don't think of it as an old fashioned or 'bullyable' name. It's unusual but not weird.

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CrispyFern · 29/04/2015 16:41

It's slightly out of synch with the naming trends but I think it will be seen as terribly cool by the time she is a teenager.

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Pyjamaramadrama · 29/04/2015 16:42

My honest opinion is that it's too old fashioned and unusual for a baby.

There's nothing wrong with the name, I think it's very sweet and in theory we shouldn't make choices based on what other people might think.

But in reality people can be cruel and it's the child who has to live with the name not you.

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MrsGrimes · 29/04/2015 16:42

To be honest, and I assume you want honesty otherwise you wouldn't have posted, if a friend told me this I would assume they were joking. But obviously I'd nod and express how lovely it was because I'm not a cow just two-faced. Purely because it's a very old name and I've never met anyone young with that name. It's not a name that's stood the test of time and a name that it's still regularly used. Which is why I associate it as an old ladies name, because I've only ever known Barbara as an old ladies name IYSWIM.

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whippetwoman · 29/04/2015 16:44

I love it. It's a great name. It's just out of fashion now which is why people are dubious but it's completely cool! I say go for it. Also, it will come back into fashion at some point, along with names like Patricia, Elaine, Janet etc. all cool names.

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Grumpyoldblonde · 29/04/2015 16:45

Sorry, I really don't like it at all, your baby of course but I would assume a friend was kidding if they told me this, unless it was to be a middle name.

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Eustasiavye · 29/04/2015 16:46

I don't like it but would keep my face straight whatever name someone told me , it's very rude to pass an opinion without being asked.

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SaucyJack · 29/04/2015 16:46

Oh crikey. It's a nice enough name in itself, but not one that I can imagine a new baby being called.

Bit like Sandra or Deirdre I s'pose.

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DingleberryFinn · 29/04/2015 16:47

I think you have to take into account pronunciation.

Some will say "Bar-ba-rah".

Most, I think, will say "Bar-bra".

I think Barbie dolls ruined the name, for me.

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Cornettoninja · 29/04/2015 16:51

I think you're just a bit ahead of the trend, I know a of few young grans called Barbara. It's still a bit of a mum name iykwim.

It's lovely though, people will associate it with your dd soon enough though don't worry.

I really like Sylvia but am not really sure I'm confident enough to blaze a trail with that one yet!

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mariposa10 · 29/04/2015 16:51

Yeah she'll get horrendously bullied. I'm assuming this is actually a joke, I can't believe anyone would call a baby girl that name.

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19lottie82 · 29/04/2015 16:54

I'm going to be totally honest here. My opinion is, it's horrendous. Sorry.

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Clawdy · 29/04/2015 16:55

Find it old-fashioned, like Susan and Christine and Joyce, and all the names I went to school with! But can't see for a minute why she would be bullied because of that name. Kids are used to all sorts of names now.

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SunnySomer · 29/04/2015 16:55

I know two youngish Barbara's and one who is 50 - all European rather than British. On the Continent it seems a totally normal and acceptable name. I like it and think you're just ahead of trend in the UK!

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FriedSprout · 29/04/2015 16:56

I know two Barbaras, (older ladies), and neither of them ever get called by their full name. People seem to find it a bit of a mouthful. Too many similar sounding syllables possibly?
They get called Babs, Barbie and Bar-bra and one I know heartily dislikes her name and the various shortenings.

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Songlark · 29/04/2015 16:57

I'd like to like it but unfortunately I knew a few Barbara's who I didn't particularly like, I suppose if I'd known a nice Barbara I'd feel different. But at least it's a proper name, unlike some that we hear about today.

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DarkHeart · 29/04/2015 16:59

Sorry but I think its awful

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Coyoacan · 29/04/2015 16:59

I'm of the generation where there were lots of Barbaras, all very nice girls, but I never liked the name.

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DamsonInDistress · 29/04/2015 16:59

I'm not surprised at the reactions you're getting tbh, it's old fashioned but not old fashioned enough to be granny chic yet. But I'm sorry people are so rude as to let their reaction show.

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Totality22 · 29/04/2015 17:00

I don't personally like it but I'd certainly not let on that I don't. That is incredibly rude!

OP, name changing is one thing but if Barbara is the baby's name I'm afraid it makes you incredibly identifiable.

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