Beware of 'unusual' names...

spidookily while we're on the subect, any connotations with the name Angus that you (or anyone else is aware of?) :)

'Are people really concerned that they can't buy tacky mugs/pens with their name on them, honestly?

You can always get items personalised yourself.'

No not any more, but I was when I was about 8 and you couldn't get things personalised then (in the 80s) not like you can now.

My name's not so unusual - but not all that common when I was growing up (and probably still not all that commonly used), - it's Louisa. I used to get fed up that everything had 'Louise' on it.

Based on my experiences, though, I've preferred to pick less commonly used names for my DCs (apart from DS who is Joseph - named after DH's father).

I read this in the paper today. I dont think Merrily is that unusual tbh. I like it.

When my friend called her daughter Trixy every one was up in arms about it. The child has never complained or been singled out for it except when her name is never on any cup in a gift shop!! we all love it now but it took abit of getting used to.

I dont think any of the journalists childrens names are outlandish at all.

The child said it herself: it's naming a person after an adverb that is bizarre.

'Hello, I am Merry'- fine

'Hello, I am Joy'- also fine

'Hello, I am Merrily'-

I walk Merrily, I behave Merrily, I Merrily flush my name down the toilet- yes

but not, I am Merrily

Why didn't she bother with the umlaut on the 'e' in Bronte? (I can't do it on MN but I'd make sure I ruddy did at the registrar's if I was going to force it on a poor unsuspecting newborn.)

Admitting that it's not after the novelists makes her look quite dim.

Once met a couple who had called their son Otis. I said 'oh, after Otis Redding?' and they admitted 'no, after the Otis Elevator company - we were in a lift...'

What horrible names. And they don't even seem to have any sort of theme. Just random and poorly thought out. To really appreciate Bronte you have to hear it bellowed in any sort of American accent -- it will always make me think of Bronx raspberry. And Merrily is a dreadfully middle aged American cat lady name, imo.

But Bridie is right up there with Attracta and Assumpta on my mental list of names that are the equivalent of fingernails on a blackboard. I love Brigid/Bridget/Brigitte though, and I really love Biddy as a nn.

I agree with the 'look at me' comments.

Spidoodly
I know Bridie as a pie too (Forfar Bridie) but have heard of Bridie as a name in Ireland. I don't think it is the Scots being awkward as such. Just we have strange names for things.

I know that Toby makes me snigger cause it is a slang word for penis in the area of Scotland that I am from.

Hmmmm give me another example of that Spidookly?

:o

I love how in Scotland they give human names to inanimate objects.

Any name you care to mention a Scot will appear and say "oh James is another word for toilet brush in Scotland"

or: "Catherine is how elderly Scottish women refer to their piles"

Agree about Bridie being unspeakable. Merrily is naff and Bronte not much better, but I'd have either of them ahead of Bridie.

Also agree with avoiding very common names. All the people I know who love their names were the only one they knew. This includes DH who wants his children to have unusual names too.

Obviously you can't guarantee that another Canaletto-Crispina won't end up in your class, but you can make sure your child doesn't have to go through life always needing to use their full name.

In Scotland, a bridie is a flat meat pie, a bit like a cornish pasty. Sounds really strange as a girls name!

DH says having a name he was teased about was character building and helped him develop verbal dexterity that has served him well in life.

His names aren't unusual, but together they contain a very rude word.

Which is why I gave my son a name which has virtually endless nickname potential. He can pretty much choose what he wants!

But the whole point is that unusual is fine - it's bonkers you shouldn't do!

My ds is Patrick - and in all his 9 years he has never met another.

I am always suspicions of people who call their children Silver or Nutmeg "because we want them to be the only one in their school" The same result could be achieved by calling the child Edith or, probably these days, Michael. But that wouldn't make the parents feel like free spirited rebels. It's all a bit "look at me" for my taste.

My name is fairly unusual, not a word tho, and I've only met one or two others. As a child I wanted to be called Clare (my middle name) as I wanted to fit in with all the Sarah and Emmas etc in the class.

As an adult I love my name, I rarely have to use my surname...

I have an unusual name. But in saying that, it isn't as unusual now. I'm in my thirties.

I remember absolutely wailing at my mum that I would change my name to Bronwyn when I was older (neighbours obsession). I also liked Robyn or Bethany. She said that's fine, change it. I didn't.

Fast forward and I love my name. Yes I didn't like being 'different' when I was young, but from 17/18 I have revelled in it.

Do what you thnk suits the child.

I do wonder sometimes though, what came first? the outgoing personality and confidence or my unusual name? I don't know the answer. I do know that I love my name, it is totally me, and I'll look for names for my own children that are not in the hit list of popular names. That's just me. Maybe that's what my parents wanted?

She's 12, she wants to fit in and be like everyone else. She'll like it when she's older, and she'd like it a lot more than if she was called something boring.

Agree that Bridie is terrible. And isn't it short for Bridget anyway?

I agree - kids don't care whether their friends have a common or uncommon name, but they may tease a 'silly' name e.g. William/Willy, Jo King etc.

I'd much rather my name was not on all the cheap tacky mugs/pens because by definition these are the top 20 or so most popular names.

VS \link{http://www.personalisedgiftsshop.co.uk/catalogue/christmas-baubles.html\look} you can get them (there's more places that do them I just happened to have this page open as I was looking at the other stuff on the website)

My dc2 and dc3 have traditional classic biblical names.

However, we fail the mug test; there is no space for their names after that Haydens and the Jaydens and Jack and Jason and the Evies and the Mayas.

We just buy wooden letters and spell our own name.s

Meh.

Yes there are hundreds of thousands of stout-and-devout Bridies in Ireland. It looks like Biddie for a reason.

I'm not keen on any of their children's names. If I had to pick one, it would be Bronte, but I seriously dislike Merrily and Bridie. Some people really don't think. Too much like Birdie, which the actress Busy Phillips chose for her daughter.

Quite like Merrily, actually. And Bridie (it's no different to the Maud/Violet/Ivy fad in the UK at the moment)

I know a Bronte. Surnames as first names - NO.