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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Name Accident

56 replies

LisMcA · 07/09/2010 20:14

Hi, I accidently let slip to my mother our baby girl name. she pulled a face that would curdle milk and said forthrightly it "didn't go" with our surname.

DH & 1 both love it and were trying to keep it under our hats for this very reason. It's not even a silly name!

What to do??

OP posts:
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PaulineCampbellJones · 08/09/2010 11:54

My mam and dad were the only people I trusted with my baby names. They didn't like either name and were also dead against them as they thought the baby would be discriminated against as they were Irish names. (My DH is Irish and we have a Mc surname).
I didn't let them put me off, told them I thought they were being stupid. My mam even researched the girls name to try and prove connections elsewhere other than Ireland (she couldn't)
Now DD is 8 months old and not another word has been said. I cried buckets at the time but am glad I stuck to my guns.

Bumpsadaisie · 08/09/2010 11:20

Phoebe MacSomething is a fantastic name!

My DD is Phoebe Elizabeth and it is a brilliant name. Everyone loves it (or says they do anyway!)

  • It's feminine but not too girly and could suit a tomboy.
  • It's ageless - suits both a baby and a woman.
  • It's classless
  • It passes the "high court judge" test.
  • It's a classic name which is timeless without sounding like you are trying to be self-consciously Edwardian (c.f. Wilfred, Edith)
  • It's Greek and has a lovely meaning ("bright"
  • St Phoebe was a good role model who is one of the few women in the Bible to actually do anything important (St Paul entrusted her with taking the Gospel to the Romans and teaching them).

The only downsides are the Phoebe from Friends thing, and the fact that it doesn't shorten easily, except to Feebs. Mind you that doesn't stop us - my DD is known as Wibbly (via Phoebles, Phoeble-Weebles, Wibbly etc etc!)

Also spelling - HV put "Phobe" in DD's red book!

But its a great name!

mrsunreasonable · 08/09/2010 11:14

ee sounds go great with Mac surnames has she never watched Balamory Edie MacCredie (sp I know!)

zozzle · 08/09/2010 10:34

Love Phoebe!

diddl · 08/09/2010 08:10

I like Phoebe.

We didn´t tell anyone what names we were thinking of.

Presented them with a "done deal".

My mum said then that she didn´t like it.Hmm

And thought that we would change it because of thatConfused

IHeartKingThistle · 07/09/2010 23:52

We had Phoebe very high up on our list and only rejected because our surname starts with B. Not a problem in itself possibly but I'm very likely to stutter with combinations like that! I think with a Mac name it's great.

It's no-one else's business what you call your baby, I know it would be lovely for all the family to love the name but you'd probably resent your mum for a long time if you didn't choose the name you really wanted because of her.

Good luck!

Marjee · 07/09/2010 23:43

Phoebe is a lovely name! Ignore your mum its nothing to do with her anyway

trefusis · 07/09/2010 22:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

lemonysweet · 07/09/2010 22:01

Caro1302 Lydia is a GORGEOUS name. im compiling a name list for the Bump and may have to steal it! Blush

and Phoebe is lovely OP. she wont care when she's handed her grandchild for the first time!

MummyLovesSadie · 07/09/2010 21:43

There's nowt wrong with Phoebe. Honestly, I feel pissed off with your Mum on your behalf! Is she this overbearing all the time?

mistressploppy · 07/09/2010 21:33

Phoebe is lovely

SirBoobAlot · 07/09/2010 21:22

Can see nothing at all that could be offensive about Phoebe! It goes fine with Mac names too.

Skyrg · 07/09/2010 21:22

Phoebe isn't a name I'd choose, but it's certainly not a bad name! It's nice, and I don't see the problem with it in combination with a Mac name.

Ignore, ignore! :)

Eglu · 07/09/2010 21:18

Phoebe is lovely. And I don't see a problem putting it with a Mac surname either.

Tootlesmummy · 07/09/2010 21:17

I think it's a lovely name so I would go with it. Once your little one arrives and you call her that name it will only take a few hours and your mum won't be able to see her as anything other than Phoebe.

Original poster
LisMcA · 07/09/2010 21:15

The name is Phoebe (if anyone doesn't like it I don't want to know please :) )

Don't think I'll mention it again until the arrival. Never know, it could be a boy and all this will have been for nothing!!

Thanks for your advice! It's a big responsibility naming someone for life!

OP posts:
SirBoobAlot · 07/09/2010 21:00

Whilst I was pregnant my dad criticised our name choice so many times... The first time he came to see DS in the hospital, he said, "Hello Bryn, come to Pops for a cuddle" and he's never looked back since!

She'll come round, because she'll get used to it.

MummyLovesSadie · 07/09/2010 20:55

How rude of your Mother! Unless you are actually saying "what do you think of this name?", I can't understand people who think they can put their two penneth in & slate a name you have got your heart set on.

Stick to your guns.

Oh & one other thing...... what is the name??? Grin

bottyburpthebarbarian · 07/09/2010 20:53

My DD has an ee name and a McSurname

It sounds lovely

Grin
MumInBeds · 07/09/2010 20:50

My best friend growing up had an 'ee' name and a Mac surname and it was never an issue, it did (and does still) sound lovely. Take no notice.

CupcakesHay · 07/09/2010 20:50

tell her to bog off. My parents are ughing ours boy's name - and i told them, politely, to bog off!

runningrach · 07/09/2010 20:49

so intriguing, will you come back after she is born and tell us what the offensive name was?!

I've yet to come up with a name that my dh doesn't pull a face at :-)

Caro1302 · 07/09/2010 20:44

My mum's response to DD's name before she was born was "You can't call a child Lydia, it's a dreadful name". Well we did and she suits it and my mum has kept her trap shut ever since :)

bigstripeytiger · 07/09/2010 20:41

Its up to you what you call your child.

FWIW I dont see anything wrong with an ee ending name and then a Mc surname.

mazzystartled · 07/09/2010 20:39

she'll get over it
"let slip" a few more - horrors - and then she'll be delighted