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Baby names

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

Original poster

Does it matter if initials spell out a word?

60 replies

iWILLdothis · 26/07/2011 13:05

Only have one first name that we both like. Want middle name to be from the family. Only one that sounds right leaves the 3 initials spelling out a word. Does that matter?

OP posts:
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Bunbaker · 26/07/2011 15:53

"How many times do you use all three initials?"

They used to be used as part of our email addresses where I work, until we changed to a new system.

"Yes it matters if the word it spells out can be used to pick on the child, and BRA for a boy is a no way for me. Initials turn up at school in the unlikeliest of places -
ask yourself would it cause a classroom or 8, 13 or 16 year olds to laugh and if it would don't do it"

Absolutely. I think it would be cruel to invite ridicule towards your child.

Moobee · 26/07/2011 15:41

I think BRA would be terrible. BJA would also be out for me. There were a few kids at school called by their initials, so he could easily end up with the nickname BJ if you went with that.

Research also shows that it's important to get this right:

From this page:
www.quirkology.com/UK/Experiment_name.shtml
An analysis of Californian death certificates has shown that people with positive initials (such as H.U.G. and J.O.Y.) live around four years longer than average, whereas those with negative initials (P.I.G. and D.I.E.) die about three years early.

irregularegular · 26/07/2011 14:32

My daughter's intials would have been SAD, so I popped 'Rose' in as a second middle name. Could you do something like that?

I agree that BRA is not good.

Original poster
iWILLdothis · 26/07/2011 14:28

SV no, DH is not BRA. His names are R and J...hence the options BR or BJ.
activate...that's a good idea to go through the alphabet like that. Lots ruled out this way.
musttidyup... I wanted to avoid 2 middle names, my bro has 2 and he gets slagged for being greedy and needing 2! Silly, really.
whipme that's interesting about the psychology study.

We really like the B name....so just gotta think of a more suitable middle name now if R and J are out :(

OP posts:
WhipMeIndiana · 26/07/2011 14:02

you could have BTA

thomas as a middle name

or BSA Sam/ Saul

WhipMeIndiana · 26/07/2011 14:01

thats British Retail jewellery assoc

musttidyupmusttidyup · 26/07/2011 14:00

BRJA?

WhipMeIndiana · 26/07/2011 14:00

BMA - another airline

BP - petrolly

WhipMeIndiana · 26/07/2011 13:59

BVA beaver Grin another baddun

WhipMeIndiana · 26/07/2011 13:58

OAK was oine of the 'strong' initial groupinngs on the psych study if I remember rightly

WhipMeIndiana · 26/07/2011 13:57

BS = bullshit
BT british telecom
BO - Oh My GOD

B is an awful initial letter

Kveta · 26/07/2011 13:57

DS has initials that spell OAK. this was deliberate! Family did suggest names that spelt FUK and KOK and SIK, but we managed to avoid them :o

BRA would not be good, but could you go for a second middle name so his initials were (for example) BRJA?

WhipMeIndiana · 26/07/2011 13:56

BB - BigBrother

CaptainNancy · 26/07/2011 13:56

BRA isn't acceptable really. What about about an extra middle name?

WhipMeIndiana · 26/07/2011 13:56

agree Activate, you have to think carefully about initials

WhipMeIndiana · 26/07/2011 13:55

do not call him the BRA name,
I beseech you!!

activate · 26/07/2011 13:54

in my head this is what the initials do
BMA = Bowel Movement (but kids wouldn't go there)
BBA
BCA
BDA
BEA
BFA = Big fuck All
BGA
BHA
BIA
BJA = Blow Job
BKA
BLA = Blah, Blah, Blah

well you see what I mean

Flippingebay · 26/07/2011 13:52

It would be a 'no no' for me.. He'd get ribbed something terrible..

WhipMeIndiana · 26/07/2011 13:52

there was a psychology study done on initials-names
they found that surprise surprise kids with the inititials A.C.E or W.I.N etc did much better in life than those with negative-connotation words eg. D.U.D and so on.

Pelagia · 26/07/2011 13:52

How about giving him two middle names? So he becomes BRTA or whatever?

activate · 26/07/2011 13:52

BJA also a no-no because of the blow job

activate · 26/07/2011 13:51

Yes it matters if the word it spells out can be used to pick on the child

and BRA for a boy is a no way for me

Initials turn up at school in the unlikeliest of places -

ask yourself would it cause a classroom or 8, 13 or 16 year olds to laugh and if it would don't do it

flaminglip · 26/07/2011 13:51

GML

SenoritaViva · 26/07/2011 13:51

So does that mean your DH's initials are BRA? I use my middle name as my named name for everything, except passport forms etc.

flaminglip · 26/07/2011 13:50

Does it really matter? When does anyone ever use their full initials anyway?

Unless you're having monogrammed handkerchieves!

My baba's full initials spell out a word, but he'll only use the first and last letters when marking things with his initials, surely.

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