Baylor?

Moxon's on to something with her warning about it being a huge deal for someone to change their name if their parents saddle them with something that is almost universally disliked and ridiculed.

I was seven when I discovered my name wasn't actually the one I was called by. Came as a massive shock. My Mother says she's sure they'd mentioned that my real name was X and Y was a nickname at some point, but aged 7 I had no idea and was horrified. You are so literal at that age, I honestly thought my parents had been deliberately lying to me all those years.

Moved house not long after so changed my name to the one on my birth certificate and refused to answer to the old one. Took me years to stop feeling very angry about it. Some elderly relatives never got their head round the switch, and these days I regret being so vehement because there's no-one left who calls me by the pet name (except dh when he's being very affectionate).

Gave ds a name with only four letters that has no obvious nick-name although that's no guarantee his friends won't come up with one, of course. But at least he knows what his real name is!

Sorry OP - I really did try to follow the gist of the thread, but I clearly missed some essential updates.

Have you told your DH how universally mocked the name has been? Even if I adored a name, if it got a response even 10% as bad as this thread I would seriously be worried about giving that name to my child. Does he not care? Have you shown him this thread?

I really admire your strength and grace in the face of such overwhelming disapproval of this name - most people couldn't cope so well - your daughter might not be able to cope so well.

Baylor is Taylor said with a cold.

Laurel is better. But still not really a name, although plants for girl's names are pretty common (Ivy, Rose, Holly, etc). You and DH might like it but you're giving it to somebody. When you give a gift you try to think whether the recipient will like it as it will be theirs. Will your child like being called a non-name word?

Has anyone suggested "Hay" as a second name yet?

What about Lorelei?

I don't understand how you can be put off one name because a tiny proportion of people didn't like it, but not put off another name despite unanimous dislike of it!?

If I was writing a children's book Baylor would be a good name for a warlock or nasty goblin.

I for one feel a great fondness towards the OP.

It's true by the way, witty, what I said: you've been a tremendous sport and a gracious thread host. MNHQ should probably Classic this as an example to others of how to deal with near universal and baying (see what I did there?!) nays! MNHQ?

This name has brought so much fun to so many already, that part of me thinks you should go for it.

temporary it's a decent sentiment. I for one feel a great fondness towards the OP.

But I do feel sorry for the child, because even if she can change it if she wants, like the OP has suggested, changing your name is an enormous psychological event. It removes part of your identity, forces you to accept a new one, causes anguish and joy, but still makes for a huge decision that, in a Jungian scenario, probably detrimentally affects your trust and belief in your parents, and your sense of allegiance to them as guides. Even if just subconsciously (and it won't be 'just'), you have to then negotiate feelings of disappointment and rebellion, desire, and independence and, let's face it, disseminate the myth of your childhood, identity, and past/future purpose. Why foist so much more on someone when we already have so much shit to work through before we die?

DD4 called the two Quinns 'Twin'. Made sense to her as there were two of them.

It's the oddest list I have ever seen even for an American preschool. The only name that jumped out of DD4's pk4 class was Ryleena. The rest were Gwneth, Bridget, Gianna, Trinity, Alexa (only one x), Isabella, Lorena, Cecelia pronounced Chechelia (Italian), Maribel (Puerto Rican name), Weronika (Polish), and two girls named Quinn.

This thread has really made me laugh. This name has brought so much fun to so many already, that part of me thinks you should go for it.

Kenya, Cassadeey, Jessabell, Indiya, Allexxxis, Bryton, Panzy, Ratta

I am so glad you clarified this didn't happen in the UK! Apologies to anyone in the USA - love you all - but that list is pathetic. In all senses of the word.

Baylor just isn't nice to most people it seems, in looks or sound or associations. So while it could be worse, why do it? You and your DH aren't just picking a name you like, you're picking a name that you think will be a good one for your daughter in the world at large. Baylor is playing fast and loose with that responsibility. I admit that even as the thread has gone on I've got a bit used to it, but you could do so much better.

Two threads? It'll be like trying to split the atom! :)

I just replied to your middle name thread having thought it was a bit of a strange choice for a poor boy who could always ditch it and go with another given name.
For a girl it's preposterous, sorry if that sounds offensive, but it's how the name makes me feel. I haven't RTFT but the name does sound totally made up and ugly

Poor OP!

Laurel is really beautiful. I'm not bothered by the masculinity, origins or other things that share the name Baylor, but I just don't think it sounds very nice I'm afraid. Just Bay is lovely.

How do they sound different?

Is it just me, or is Rhotic starting to sound like an excellent alternative to Baylor...?

Bay-luh could not possibly be a typed version of Bay-lurr.

Witty, I have noticed that a lot of people with non-rhotic accents can't actually hear the difference.
The pronunciation in the video could not be represented by the sounds 'bay-luh'.

Do 'law' and 'lore' sound the same when you say them? If they do, you have a non-rhotic accent.

Bay-luh is not the pronunciation in the video you posted, or Mokun's video either. In both the videos the pronunciation is like the urr sound in slurry. This is the rhotic pronunciation -- you can clearly hear the R sound.

If you pronounce Baylor 'Bay-luh' then your accent is non rhotic. You do not pronounce the R in Baylor.

If you have a rhotic accent ( e.g. Scottish) you pronounce your "r"s quite clearly - so I would pronounce Baylor with an r ending. If you have a non-rhotic accent, you pronounce the final "r" more like an "a"

With my rhotic accent I'd pronounce the final "lor" of Baylor, the way someone with a non-rhotic accent would pronounce "lord" without the "d"