Carmen

[TheGrumpySquirrel]

I love it. DH thinks it's chavvy. Who's right?
It's an opera FFS

[shartsi]

I love it. I have a Carmen.

[reuset]

You are right, OP. Though that has come up about Carmen in the past, Carmel too, similarly.

[Bobowhite]

I have a Carmen! IMO it's a gorgeous strong name and it certainly suits my daughter

[hefzi]

"Iy-iy-iy-iy-i love you very much" - sorry, but the connotations for me are always Carmen Miranda (better than Bizet's Carmen though, I suppose) and nuns. There always seems to be an Irish Sr Carmen no matter where in the world a nunnery is. If it doesn't make you think of fruit-infested hats or bracing jollity, though, I say overrule your DH.

[TheGrumpySquirrel]

Thanks! There is also Carmen San Diego, the 90s cartoon? She was awesome

[Longdistance]

Carmen rollers?

[HopelesslydevotedtoGu]

Carmen San Diego was bloody awesome, I loved that cartoon.

Not at all chavvy, I think Carmen is a great name.

[sycamore54321]

Love the opera, dislike the name. The character isn't too much of a role model in my mind.

The omnipresent Irish nun is much more likely to be a Sister Carmel.

[Sugarpiehoneyeye]

❤️ Carmen.

[Sophronia]

I like it!

[Jooni]

Carmen is wonderful!

[CatsCruncher]

Not keen. Just can't separate it from being 'Car'-'Men' in my head. Very masculine. But go for it if you like it.

[Nospringflower]

I like it too.

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

My middle names is Carmen. My mum is Spanish and it was her little sister's name.

My first name is also spelt the Spanish way. Are you planning a middle name?

[TheGrumpySquirrel]

Thanks . Yes will have a middle name too not sure what though

[Rockaby]

I know a very cool, definitely not chavvy Carmen. She is in her thirties. I wouldn't have made the 'chav' connection at all if I heard it.

[hefzi]

sycamore oops, you're right! I even used to live on the Carmel, so even more shameful an error

[moonlightmile]

Carmen is a lovely name! Not at all chavvy imo.

[BasicBetty]

It's beautiful! Not chavvy in the slightest.

[Branleuse]

I absolutely love the name

[Gummibears]

I like it but the post above points out that it is Car Men, men in cars and I can't get that out of my head now!

[crapfatbanana]

It's grown on me. I used to know a horrid girl at school called Carmen so always thought of her when I heard the name but that's faded.

I also think Bizet and Carmen Miranda. Exotic, passionate...

[AbernathysFringe]

Carmen mummy here. Would never have dreamt of it if I thought it had chav vibes. Mind you, chav is relative to country. My name is quite posh here but in Holland I'm Britney level.
My Carmen is white blond, blue eyed. No Spanish relatives.
Chose it as thought it was grown up, womanly, strong, femme fatale. As opposed to little girly. After all, they'll be an adult much longer than a toddler. Opera and Carmen Electra were my famous associations. Plus is means garden and song which were both spot on for my life/family.
It's unusual without presenting difficulty with spelling. I'm sure she'll get the Car-men joke once or twice at school but everyone gets something and it's not riotously funny. :D

[TheGrumpySquirrel]

Thanks! I love it just need to convince DH .. not sure where he got the chavvy idea from? The sopranos Carmela?

[Nonameyet1]

Love it!