Could you ever use a name when you didn't like someone with that name?

[CruCru]

I went to school with lots of girls with beautiful names. Quite a few I couldn't stand.

It's been 18 years since I was in school and am starting to think I can distance myself. Or can I?

What do you think?

[OpheliasWeepingWillow]

IME you have to meet someone who erases the old connotation

[Frikadellen]

If that long then yes I think you candistance yourself. If someone you still have dealings with then I suspect I would struggle.

Having said that I still can not bear Anja after the spoilt bratty over indulged sister of an x.. (and its been25 years)

[SantaIAmSoFuckingRock]

if you really love the name and it's been 18 years then yes i woudl use it and give it a new association i.e; your lovely new baby!

[SantaIAmSoFuckingRock]

and fwiw i share my name with 2 women who were absoloutely vile to me. one looked after me as a child and one is EXp's mum. very unpleasant experiences and when i hear the name said i shudder, i dont even like saying it but it's also my name so sometimes i have to.

[Meglet]

No. I couldn't use any of the names of girls who bullied me.

[forgetmenots]

Depends how much you disliked them! There are certain names that for me are off limits.

[KelleStarOfWonder]

nope, I've vetoed lots of names DH likes because of yucky people, no matter how long ago.

I was glad that his brother named his dogs DH's most favorite girls names, which saved me the worry when DD arrived.

Same goes for him though, he rejects quite a few names too.

[OkayHazel]

Will not be using the names of any ex boyfriends (or any of partners exes!)

[MolotovCocktail]

Girls who bullied me were called: Jodie, Nicola, Samantha, Helen and Katie.

These names are forever sullied to me! I couldn't do it.

[AlexanderS]

I think it depends on your relationship to the person. For years, for example, I thought I would never use Bethany even though I really like it because it was the name of a school friend's irritating sister. But recently I've decided I've just been being silly because I actually didn't really know this girl or have much to do with her. But Catherine, another name I really like, will always be off the table because it was the name of one of my housemates at uni who made my life absolutely miserable for the six months I lived with her. It's just too strong an association.

[CruCru]

Thanks all for your responses. I don't have an impending decision to make (fertility treatment for number 2) so just getting a few ideas. The main name is Helena (pronounced Helayna).

I could use Helen-a but it doesn't work so well with our surname. However, it isn't an urgent decision - and we might get another lovely boy.

[forgetmenots]

That's one of the names that are off limits for me, for the same reasons!