Wilder as a girls name

[sweetpotatofries]

I am due any day now and been pretty set on a name most of my pregnancy but earlier today I heard a parent calling out to their daughter 'Wilder' in the park and I just fell in love with the name.

I couldn't see any threads on here about the name and it seems pretty unusual for a girl. What are your opinions?

[MissBattleaxe]

No.

[GummyBunting]

I immediately think 'Gene' or 'Van'.

I think I like it... ish... but it would be unfortunate if she turned out to be meek and sensible. Plus she'd get dirty men going 'I bet you are' whenever she introduced herself.

[VinceNoirLovesHowardMoon]

God no
Think about the meaning

[Hariasa]

Em, I wouldn't personally.

Are you sure it wasn't Tilda or Skylar you heard?

[wizzywig]

As in joan/gene

[Eveninties]

No. Just no.

[RortyCrankle]

Horrible.

[TennesseeDays]

I think of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Which is a good association, I think, but I still wouldn't do it, personally.

It's the sort of name that is fine if it evolves as a nickname or pet name, but is a bit too much future pressure on a brand new baby whose personality you can't possibly know

[sonlypuppyfat]

Have a word with yourself

[satsumasunrise]

Possibly worst name I've ever seen on here and that's saying something.

[sweetpotatofries]

It is amazing how people can react so strongly against a name. I still really like it.

If I go for it I guess I won't have the problem of 5 in the same class judging from this response!

[OrangesandLemonsNow]

Absolutely not.

[Laquila]

What about Willow or Willa?

[LadyAntonella]

Not my cup of tea.

[Tactfulcactus]

Poor, poor child...

[LadyMonicaBaddingham]

Yeesh. No, just no...

[ArmfulOfRoses]

I quite like it.

[ThinkPinkStink]

Ha, and this is why I wouldn't post my name choices on NM...

I quite like Wilder, it's got a bit of the American Mid West about it.

If it's any reassurance, in my experience even if a name sounds a bit odd the first time you hear it, the moment it's associated with a person, it just becomes their name (says the woman considering 'Fox' for a little boy).

If you love it, use it.

[BertrandRussell]

Every time she gives her name for her whole life, the response will be "I'm so sorry, I didn't catch that- could you spell it for me?" Followed at least 50% of the time with "That's interesting- I've never met a Wilder before"

Just think, for a moment, how tedious that would be for 80 years......

[GoldPlatedBacon]

The director Sam Taylor-Johnson's dd is Wylda

[OliviaStabler]

My first thought would be Gene.

I wouldn't. Imagine the name shortening, 'Hi Willie'.

[Fridgedooropen]

No. What about using it as a middle name?

[squoosh]

Would she have a sister called Wet?

It seems a bit potentially porny to me. Sorry!

[mrsschu]

Dreadful name for a girl (or a boy for that matter). Reminds me of Laura Ingalls Wilder (who I love) but that was her surname. Well her husband's surname actually.