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Baby names

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

Original poster

Do you have to love the name you give your baby or has anyone just thought in the end "its fine - it'll do"?

37 replies

BarbieLovesKen · 12/02/2011 21:23

Because it really looks like that is what is going to happen here..

Please forgive the following possibly hugely over the top, hormonal ramblings of a pregnant woman but Im really beginning to despair over a boy's name. Im only 24ish weeks but I've literally been searching for a name for months now (as many of you will remember from my numerous posts in baby names) and I have nothing. This is dc3 and we had so many names from very early on with our 2 dc.

I've considered loads - I've went outside of what would usually be our taste/ comfort zone. I've tried to match a name stylistically with other dc, then go for something completley different.

Anything that we've remotely thought "yes, that could be it" has been fine or ok or basically "it'll do" - nothing fabulous, nothing we love. Its not that we cant agree on a boys name - we just cant find anything that we feel anything more than a vague liking for.

A girl's name is easy - we know its Kate Anne Elizabeth. Even if we werent so sure on Kate, we would have a list as long as your arm of girls names we adore.

We already have an Oisín. I think this is actually the problem. I love this boy's name so, so much that I cant quite follow it - nothing seems to live up to it as equal for me and I feel this is unfair to a potential ds.

Oooh we've considered loads. Some I've posted about here and then PML an hour later at the how ridiculous it would have been. I've received a million helpful suggestions from mumsnetters but nothing jumps out.

I could actually cry tonight over this - Im aware that is ridiculous and completely overly dramatic but I dont know what to do - think this one we'll just call "boy"

Has this happened anyone?

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Newgolddream · 16/02/2011 21:23

Im biased because this is my eldest DS name, but what about Connor?

hilltop666 · 16/02/2011 20:59

I'm also in the same position- have a few girls names but am convinced this will be a boy- been looking for ages but can see nothing i 'love' just names that are nice. Im 22 wks and panicking as im usually so organised- its freaking me out a bit!

OP am i right in presuming u are irish?? well we are (living in ireland) and i refuse to name my child something just because its irish and different- seems to be the style atm to name babies (esp boys) with an irish name that is hard to spell with a zillion fadas just for the sake of it.

Although quite like Iarlaith- but have a nephew called Jarlaith - so too similar although they're pronounced different!

Wat about Aódh pron 'Aid' means fire in irish- think its lovely but my ex is called it so obv out, also love female version Aódha- but think i might have just made that up myself!! Confused

Lottiegal · 15/02/2011 13:09

I'm in the same boat as you, I'm expecting dc no.3 and it's boy. I haven't found any names that dh and I agree on, all the ones I love are taken by close friends or don't work with their siblings/surname. I sympathise with you as I know it's difficult. Dh and I have decided to let it lie for while and just hope something 'comes up' and sounds right! Let us know if you decide on something Confused

sunnydelight · 15/02/2011 11:08

I envy you your Oisin and know what you mean about not finding anything as perfect again. It ended up as an "extra" middle name for DS1 as DH flatly refused to consider it and I just couldn't abandon it.

What about Nuada? - I only ever knew one.

Original poster
BarbieLovesKen · 14/02/2011 23:07

freerange, what do you mean by unwieldy? (dumb emoction..)

OP posts:
freerangeeggs · 14/02/2011 22:24

Iarlaith is nice, but it will be incredibly unwieldy.

How about

Callan
Cavan
Enda
Fiachra?

shouldnotbehere · 14/02/2011 12:35

DH loves the name, we have chosen for a DD, to the extent that he will not consider any others. I am not so keen, but do not strongly dislike the name, so I think it will be a "will do". I love the name Faye, and we are having that as a second name.

Udderly · 14/02/2011 10:34

I like Fionn, Eimhin, Eanna, MacDara with Oisin. I think I would stick with Irish names. To me Oisin and Arthur are so at odds with each other as I see Oisin as a little boy and Arthur as an old man with a Frank Spencer mac and thick black glasses.

Tical · 14/02/2011 10:15

24 weeks is way too early to feel panicky about names! I didn't have shortlists at this stage, let alone any firm favourite

Iarlaith is beautiful and goes perfectly with Oisin, btw.

Original poster
BarbieLovesKen · 14/02/2011 10:09

Hi all, just flying by as am in work at the minute. Thank you so much for taking the time to post on this and its nice to hear others have experienced the same (in an odd sort of way).

Dont have the time just now but when Im home will trawl through some of the suggestions..

Really suprised Iarlaiths getting a good response (put it on here before and it wasnt great, that said, it really depends whos on, doesnt it?)

OP posts:
Prinpo · 13/02/2011 22:41

We're in a similar position, although I'm only 17 weeks so have a bit more time.

We have 2DDs and if DC3 turns out to be another girl then we're sorted as I have a list as long as your arm. However, we've decided not to find out so we're having to think of boys' names too (well, I am. DH refuses to talk about names until later on Angry). I just can't find anything that I love. There are plenty of compromise names but, so far, I'm resisting those as I want to find something that really clicks.

I wonder whether you've got to the stage where you can't see the wood for the trees. Can you give yourself a month off? Write down all the names you have so far, add to the list over the next month anything that you like the sound of (but without giving it too much thought) and come back to it with a fresh mind. I don't know whether that will help but it's worth a go. Go cold turkey from the name boards for a while too Grin.

For your list, I love Arthur - think it's a good, solid name and not overused at all. May I also suggest Iago (pronounced Eeargo). It's an ancient version of James and a Shakesperean name (I think he's a baddie in Othello). I know one and it works incredibly well on him.

I hope you find something you love. If you do end up with a compromise then I'm sure your DS will grow into it and give the name a character all of its own.

apples123 · 13/02/2011 22:41

I also really like Arthur-think it goes very well with Oisin.Also like Eoin,Gearoid,Donnacha,Fionn,Fergus...

Completely understand re the overthinking-we didnt name our twins until 5 weeks after they were born,cancelled 2 appointments when we were supposed to register their names,and spent their first few weeks sleep-deprived and scanning baby name books. Id thought that once we met them,it would be so much easier-not so !Should have known as it took us 3 weeks to name our daughter(after she was born)!In the end I was so fed- up with it all we just went with 2 names we vaguely agreed on,...and now we both love their names!So- advice -you dont always have to absolutely love the name-you will grow to love it as it is your babys name iykwim..

CheerfulYank · 13/02/2011 22:27

I really like Eammon...or Eamonn..can't remember the spelling right now Blush

clam · 13/02/2011 21:22

I settled. Was expecting a boy, a girl turned up and we didn't really know what to choose. After 2 days dithering I gave DH the casting vote. It's OK, but I regret not having found a name for her that I love as much as I do DS's.

Janoschi · 13/02/2011 21:11

My Dad's name is Kendrick... Not sure if that floats any boats for you? Feel for you, I'm in the same situation!

xx

TuttoRhino · 13/02/2011 21:01

My daughter's name was a compromise. We had a terrible battle over names and in the end it was one we could agree on. It suits her, though she is known by a nickname at the moment.

At times I regret that she doesn't have a name that I totally love but then the thought fades and my mind moves on to other things.

I really like Arthur.

BeatriceLaBranche · 13/02/2011 21:00

I posted on one of your other threads (I think).

Do you think part of the problem is that now you know Oisin, it won't be able to compare to a different name?

I know with us we knew we loved DS's name and when he was born it was just perfect and we knew we had made the right choice.

With DD2, we knew what we would call a boy, but it just wasn't as great as DS1's name. DH said whatever we chose wouldn't be as good, as we knew DS and he had filled out his name with his personality. She was DD2, so that was fine, but even so I love her name even more since she was born.

This is a load of rambling, but I hope you can see what I am trying to convey!

I love Iarlaith, it's just beautiful.

TransatlanticCityGirl · 13/02/2011 20:07

If it's any consolation, I'm in a similar boat. The name that I always always wanted to name my daughter has soared in popularity in the last couple of years, and I cannot bear to give her that name when she arrives this summer anymore. To add to my reasons, I've met several women with that name recently who were rude or very ugly. And I posted the name here on mn and while 99 percent were in favour of the name, the childish and rude responses I got re: the 2nd name option led me to hate my preferred name even more!

But husband loves the name and we cannot agree on anything else just yet so I'm inclined to think it will just have to do.

christabell · 13/02/2011 17:25

I think Iarlaith is lovely and goes with Oisin well - don't think it is any more girly than Darragh, and there are other boys' names which end in 'a' (Ezra, Asa, Elijah) so is not unprecedented. I'd go for that, much nicer than all the others you suggested.

EBDteacher · 13/02/2011 17:19

If you love Kate what about Nate (Nathaniel) or Caleb depending on which bit of the sound of Kate is doing it for you?

tebbles · 13/02/2011 12:08

I'm the same. We love our boy name but cant agree on a girl name that we both love.

We have found a few girl names that 'will do'.

Just pick the one from your list that goes best with your surname and with your DCs. Hope this helps.

CheerfulYank · 13/02/2011 08:40

I think Arthur is great and goes with the other names well :)

FreudianSlippery · 13/02/2011 08:20

I have an Isaac - didn't even know it meant laughter until we'd settled on it.

Another surname type name is Rafferty, I met a toddler called that and it really suited him.

blueberrymoon · 13/02/2011 00:29

I was going to suggest River, but maybe not if you have a Shannon - which is lovely btw!!

What about Isaac? I love the meaning 'laughter' ?

TheSecondComing · 13/02/2011 00:22

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