Clara or Alma?

[moolive]

Ok, I know this is weird... but I am considering changing my baby dd's name (within the first year when you can still do it). She's called Clara. I really like the name Clara, obviously, but I worry it's a bit staid and becoming very popular. Recently I can't help thinking she's more of an Alma - it seems more distinctive and individual to me. She usually gets called by a nickname anyway (which would stay the same, regardless of actual name), so I don't think she'd notice the change. So what are your thoughts on Clara vs Alma? Or do you think it's just too weird to change a baby's name that family and friends have used got to?

[Longdistance]

Clara is a lovely name
However, Alma means Apple in Hungarian.

[minipie]

Clara is nice (and not staid or overly popular IMO)

Alma just makes me think of Corrie

so I'd leave it...

If you really disliked her current name my view would be different but I wouldn't change her name now just because you fancy something quirkier.

[DramaAlpaca]

I think Clara is much, much nicer than Alma.

[TheCraicDealer]

Clara's a great name, Alma makes me think of Coronation Street. And not in a good way.

[madboob]

Clara is lovely, alma not so much (for me anyway)

[HowsTheSerenity]

I prefer Clara for the sole reason that there was a character named Alma in a Enid Blyton book who was fat and pale and grumpy .

[hockeymama]

A baby starts to identify with carers from as early as 4-6 months - she might not appear to know her name but she probably does! I prefer Clara - Heidis friend from the old story! Alma sounds like she is about 80!

[ancientbuchanan]

Simples, do you prefer Schumann or Mahler?

[moolive]

Ha ha, Schumann actually.
So the vote here is to stick with Clara. Hmm. I don't think she knows her name, hockeymama, because as I said she never really gets called it - she has a nickname. I think the change would bother my other dc more, probably.
I don't watch Coronation Street - perhaps if I did I'd feel differently!
Hmm. Thanks for the opinions. But still not sure.

[Nereida]

I like both but I'd love to see Alma used since it's less popular.

[tilbatilba]

Don't do it - Clara is so pretty!

[Chottie]

I prefer Clara, probably because Alma makes me think of the Crimean war and the Battle of the Alma. It was a very popular name for girls around that time.

I think of it in the same group of names as Enid, Ena, Edna, Hilda, Ida, Ada.

[moolive]

Yes, it's definitely a 'granny' name, but I quite like that. I am feeling a bit disappointed that nearly everyone prefers Clara - perhaps that means I really do want Alma. But perhaps she herself would prefer to grow up with a more universally popular name. I'm dithering!

[Alisvolatpropiis]

Alma is awful, sorry.

[UriGeller]

Why can't you just continue to call her Alma and keep her formal name as Clara?

Our dd gets called Mimi quite a lot, which is nothing like her real name but suits her some days. I don't think we've ever really called her by her formal name, she's 17 months.

[MrsMarigold]

Not keen on Alma. I like Clara better, we do know a few but it's hardly in the top 10 is it?

[scarletforya]

I much prefer Clara. Alma sounds a bit fuddy-duddy.

[burgatroyd]

The fact that soooooo many peeps on here love Clara reflects the names popularity. Clara was on my list but we had to rule it out because of surname.

I haven't met a baby clara yet but so see it on most threads.

I would like to meet a baby Alma or Vera or Sylvia it Beryl. I don't know whether she'd like to be called Alma as a teen though.

How long have you preferred the name Alma?

I changes dd2 name after registering her. Her name was simple enough but peeps kept thinking she was called something very similar. Eg Emmeline can easily be mistaken for Emily.

U changed it and then kept wondering if I should have picked something else. I had name crushes on Vera, Faith, Hermione... But if I had a choice to change again I still would have stuck with the name she has now.

Confused?! My point is have you gone off the name Clara. If yes, change it! But make sure you pick the right name. Are you sure it's Alma. If not go back to the drawing board.

[BlueStarsAtNight]

I definitely prefer Clara - Alma makes me think of fat and miserable Alma Pudden in the Enid Blyton books as a pp said.

Clara is apparently getting fairly popular but I've never met one.

What does your OH think? How close to the end of the first year are you? I definitely wouldn't change the name unless you are 100% sure - if you are dithering then I would say wait (unless she's 1 next week!). Try calling her Alma for a few weeks. I'd also make a real effort to call her Clara for a while too, rather than her nickname - how are you supposed to know if it suits her if you never use it?! Or maybe you can tag on the nn to the end of the name, e.g. If you call her Bean then use Clara-bean or Alma-bean for a while and see how it feels.

[Tinywavesandripples]

Clara all the way, cute but not cutesy; traditional but not boring; feminine but not meek. How about Selma/Salma as opposed to Alma?

[regularbutpanickingabit]

If she is always known by a completely different nickname anyway, why do you want to change her name?
Neither name would be my choice but Clara is timeless, Alma just makes me think of alma mater and (weirdly) a song from the 80s.
It would be easier to add in another middle name so you could add Alma that way and give her the choice when she is older to pick the name she prefers.

[burgatroyd]

Moolive I really couldn't decide on names! In hindsight, if I ever have another and Im wobbly on names, I'd call her Elizabeth. Then you can have Ellie, beth, Betsy, Betty, Libby, lillibet, Queenie, Buffy, Bess, Liz, Lizzie, Eliza, Liza, Elspeth, Bettina.

Or you may fall in love with Clara again.

You could also add Alma in as a middle name.

[squoosh]

Alma is absolutely hideous.

[ViviPru]

Love Clara. Keep it please!

[Stokey]

I like Clara and only know two, one 2 and one 10.

I don't like Alma - how do you pronounce it? Al-MA? I've never watched Corrie but just find the sound of it a little harsh.

You could keep it for a second DD? I struggled with DD2 after giving DD1 3 names.. wished I'd kept one back!