Genuine admiration for new baby's name

My dD orla gets lots of nice comments about her name.

Aren't we putting too much emphasis on names? I mean, they are just collection of letters coming in and out of fashion, used to identify a person.

Don't most names grow on us and 'become' the person with that name? I've met people with very weird names during my life (including a female Ban and a male Willy) but I now just think of the person, not the name when I hear their name mentioned.

Depends where you live. We're in Spain and have a Nicolás and an Isabel and always get appreciative comments as they're traditional but not totally over used. Spaniards usually say what they think and to hell with tact, so I think people genuinely like them, but I gather Isabel is v common now in the UK?

Oh and middle child's middle name is Montgomery and that always gets lots of comments - think most are positive

I think most people react in a nice way to whatever you call your baby - well apart from in this section.

My 3 have the type of names that Rosemaryandthyme hates but I like them and my children like them.

There are many names I'm not so keen on but I would never say so.

The main things in my opinion are to choose names that:

• you love
• will fit whatever your child ends up doing as an adult

And then pray that the latest z list celeb doesn't call their child the same name

With DS1 we used to get comments a lot about how nice it was to be bringing a classic name back into use. He is Tobias and now you can't move for Tobys where I live!
I think a good indication of whether the name you've chosen in liked is on mumsnet tbh. DS4's name got completely slated on here but gets nice comments in rl - he is Pasha. I do think most of the nice comments are just people being polite but I love his name and don't really care :)

TheSecondComing I've had a similar experience since having DS2 - everyone either knows or has a Frank in the family they want to tell me about.

I too dislike the names people are suggesting here OP - I'm also one who would be very polite and give the impression I liked a baby name in RL.

For what it's worth :

Dilly - horrid just plain cruel, same for Tilly, Kitty - all just pet animal names.

Any girls name that has been stretched and an 'a' added - Annabella, Joscinta, etc - all give the impression of wanting to be middle-class.

Royal names - deadly dull, so dull even the royal family try to liven them up a bit, (Edward, Charles, Elizabeth, Victoria) - but still far better than the "modern royals" (Beatrice, Louise) - all imply parents simply gave-up trying to find a suitable name and settled for something very forgettable.

All names on the top ten list for the last five years (they seldom change) planet is stuffed wit Olivia's, Sophies, Olivers, Jacks - run for the hills.

P.S. I agree people are pretty polite whatever your baby's name is, but I still shudder when I think of the day I asked a new colleague at work what her kids wer called and she said they had made-up names...I can't actually remember the names now but they were of the Princess Tiamii variety. I definitely had a fixed smile on my face and am sure she knew I thought she was nuts!

I have an Ebony-Rose. Gets positive comments mostly but have definitely outed myself by revealing it on here!

My advice: consider some of the more unusual Biblical names. They're classic coz they've been around for ever but you're not tripping over them left, right and centre.

My DDs are Emilia and Rosanna. Emilia is very popular and often misspelled. Have had positive comments on both names (though possibly they are just being polite) but more comments on Rosanna (in the GP's surgery too!). I don't think it is that popular.

I have an Angie- we love the name, but it's mostly met with 'appreciation' because a lot of people hate it and try to cover up their disdain

Anyway, she's the only one I know and I like the combination of being a 'normal' yet unusual name.

You can't move for Evelyns and Agathas around here.

I get positive comments when I say DD's name. I'm not outing myself though. I do a good job of it at the best of times

sorry, I missed out the 'like' in my second sentence.

And, without wanting to be rude, I dislike quite a few of the names listed on this thread. But that doesn't mean I don't the person with the name .

"Genuine admiration - do you get this every time you say your baby's/DC's name? And if yes, what's your child called? Trying to get a feel for unique but not too out there names."

Any name that is less commonly used (outside of the top 100 or so) will by definition not be admired or loved by lots of people. But why should a name be loved by everyone?! How dull would life be if we all loved the same things and named our children the same names....?

My DD2 Mirabelle is always complimented on her name in the way you describe.

DD1 is Alexandra, and I've repeatedly had people call her name posh I think it's because she goes by her full name rather than a nickname.

My DSes get the generic 'that's nice' from everyone but family.

I think it depends a lot on where you live etc- DS is Frederick, and in RL I often get comments along the lines of "oh, that's....er.... nice", but on mumsnet it seems to be at the top of everyone's lists. I actually mostly introduce him to people as Freddie, because that seems to get much more positive comments.

We call him Ted/Teddy (he is 1 btw)

My DS is Edward Arthur. Never had a bad comment in RL or on here!

my dd was nearly meredith spottyscarf but dp wasnt sure, she is Merryn and we get lots of positive comments, and asked where its from, why we chose it etc, not had a negative yet! :)

DD is Meredith- we always get comments on her name. Sometimes very genuine-sounding 'wow what a beautiful name, how unusual' but often just a kind of 'ooh you don't hear that every day' reaction which I guess could be taken either way. We love it though.

What names do you like firefox? Then we could perhaps give you some similar names that you might like?

I know that you've said "unique but not too out there" but I'm not entirely sure what these names would be.

Ok - names that I love but my DH vetoed are:
Aurelia
Delilah
Gabriella

They are quite frilly and princessy though, which is not to everyone's taste.

I also like:
Jessica
Amy
Elizabeth
Isabel (DD1)
Charlotte (DD2)
Sophia
Anna
Which are a bit more run of the mill but possibly unlikely to be met with a face when introduced.

For boys I like:
James
Francis
William
Joseph
Benjamin
Theodore
George
Harrison