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Original poster

AIBU to feel unsettled after guessing a child's name exactly?

93 replies

Sam155320 · 24/04/2026 22:30

Just finished work and was making my way home when I saw 2 young girls with their parents selling few things for charity. Gave them money and one of the older girls said to me guess my name with a clue I give you something for free. Before she said clue I guessed her name like I was drawn towards her. They were all amazed. But it made me feel unsettled.

OP posts:
AntiqueBabyLoanSmurf · 25/04/2026 13:44

3within3 · 25/04/2026 08:00

1 in 10,000 chance, no wonder he was shocked!

Show quote history

It is impressive, of course; but a lot of it hinges on whether it was the PIN as assigned at random by the bank's computer, or if he'd changed it to something more memorable himself. If the latter, many people choose significant years - and unless they're a history buff, it's probably one in their own life; so the proportion of PINs that begin with 19 or 20 must be far higher than any other two numbers.

Not quite the same thing, but a little bit like with the lottery, where people very frequently choose birthdays; so far more people will pick numbers up to 31 than the higher ones.

Also with things like 'favourite' numbers, if people asked you to guess theirs. Theoretically, there are infinite possibilities, but the chances of their favourite number being 48653215675198 are pretty slim! Almost all of them will be between 1 and 10 - with probably 80% of them being number 7.

Winter2020 · 25/04/2026 13:43

I imagine it going like this
"Guess my name and you can have something for free"
"Lilly-allen"
"Wow how have you done that - you must be psychic - you can have this cat ornament"
"No - I couldn't possibly"
"OK then that will be £76 please - we take cards"
OP walks off with cat ornament.

FTMaz · 25/04/2026 13:31

You have too much time on your hands

AntiqueBabyLoanSmurf · 25/04/2026 13:31

MyThreeWords · 25/04/2026 08:42

With the clue "I give you something for free" I would guess one of the following (in order of probability):

Grace
Charity
Santa (with or without Claus)
Gonorrhea

Was it any of those, OP? If so, no need to feel unsettled.

They were all much better than the only one I got from that clue: Donna (sounds a bit like donor; and people commonly use both pronunciations to refer to a kebab)!

Whatthefork1 · 25/04/2026 12:05

How do you know that they didn’t just agree to whatever name you said? 😅 I’m assuming you didn’t see her birth certificate.

Alittlefrustrated · 25/04/2026 11:09

Winter2020 · 24/04/2026 23:38

Are you sure they didn't just pretend you got it right?

Yup, they wanted rid of the stuff, as it was getting on.

Butchyrestingface · 25/04/2026 11:07

Maybe OP is concerned because she thinks this may actually be her daughter and she's forgotten giving birth to her and raising her for 10 years before accidentally losing her in the tinned food aisle at Sainsbos.

PillsBox · 25/04/2026 11:04

SummerFate · 25/04/2026 10:59

OMG OP that is incredible!! You must have the gift of the Shamen!!!

Alternatively, you’re making a massive deal about a coincidence and should get a hobby.

Or she's fallen for a street scam 👀

I'd have loved to be able to hang around and see how many people guessed her various name 'right'.

AgentPidge · 25/04/2026 11:03

PrincessOfPreschool · 25/04/2026 10:39

I do definitely think you can pick up thoughts, don't think it's woo, probably more to do with electric currents. I used to always beat my sister at Guess Who. Used to try and guess if I could see she was winning and nearly always got it right.

I agree. I think you can sometimes pick up on a person's thoughts if you tune in. Doubtlesd this was what the OP was doing.

SummerFate · 25/04/2026 10:59

OMG OP that is incredible!! You must have the gift of the Shamen!!!

Alternatively, you’re making a massive deal about a coincidence and should get a hobby.

MovedlikeHarlowinMonteCarlo · 25/04/2026 10:55

You were drawn towards her? That sounds iffy.

Idrathertalktomycat · 25/04/2026 10:52

Maybe she looked like a certain name. Isla for example.

PillsBox · 25/04/2026 10:50

Are you sure you've told us what happened in the right order OP?

It's normally "Hi, do you want to buy anything?" "No? Ok then, if you can guess my name I'll give you something for free".

Then you obviously get the 'name' right.

Now you're not just engaged, but you're also feeling good and therefore far more likely to buy from them.

Oldest trick in the book.

PrincessOfPreschool · 25/04/2026 10:39

I do definitely think you can pick up thoughts, don't think it's woo, probably more to do with electric currents. I used to always beat my sister at Guess Who. Used to try and guess if I could see she was winning and nearly always got it right.

Twooclockrock · 25/04/2026 10:31

I think quite often people who are similar have similar names.
I think names like Oliver, Sam, Seb, Lilly, scarlet... when you meet people and they say they have these names its almost always that they fit a certain mould, look etc.

hobbledyhoy · 25/04/2026 10:20

MsMarple · 24/04/2026 23:12

Was it Rumplestiltskin?!

😂😂

Berlinlover · 25/04/2026 09:34

I knew my partner to see from around town before we got to know each other, I guessed his name correctly.

Notmyreality · 25/04/2026 09:06

MyThreeWords · 25/04/2026 08:42

With the clue "I give you something for free" I would guess one of the following (in order of probability):

Grace
Charity
Santa (with or without Claus)
Gonorrhea

Was it any of those, OP? If so, no need to feel unsettled.

😂😂

Notmyreality · 25/04/2026 09:05

Wow OP that’s amazeballs!

MyThreeWords · 25/04/2026 09:04

Ah, ok! So not Gonorrhea then!Grin

Doh!!

savoycabbage · 25/04/2026 08:47

MyThreeWords · 25/04/2026 08:42

With the clue "I give you something for free" I would guess one of the following (in order of probability):

Grace
Charity
Santa (with or without Claus)
Gonorrhea

Was it any of those, OP? If so, no need to feel unsettled.

I don’t think that was the clue! I think she means that the girl said if she guessed her name she could have something from her stall for free. Then she have her a clue.

Like..it’s a flower or it starts with E or it’s an island.

MyThreeWords · 25/04/2026 08:42

With the clue "I give you something for free" I would guess one of the following (in order of probability):

Grace
Charity
Santa (with or without Claus)
Gonorrhea

Was it any of those, OP? If so, no need to feel unsettled.

Delici · 25/04/2026 08:28

Lilly-Mae. Obviously.

Bones101 · 25/04/2026 08:25

I worked in paeds a few years ago it was either Noah or Lily for every 3rd kid lol

Riapia · 25/04/2026 08:17

Do you believe in coincidences OP?
Yes?
So do I!
Wow what’s the chance of that.