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Baby names

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

Which names do you IRRATIONALLY dislike?

415 replies

verelab · 25/10/2014 19:23

This is not certainly not meant to be a "bitchy names thread". The emphasis is on the word IRRATIONAL. i.e. there are some names that are perfectly innocuous, lots of other people like them, I've known some lovely people with those names (so no obvious bad associations) BUT for some reason I've always disliked them. Would be interested in hearing anyone else's bugbear names!

ANNA - just too symmetrical, and (to my ears) smug and boring

LUCINDA - I like Lucy, but for some reason the "inda" really turns me off this name

Anything with "BELLE"on the end.Annabelle, Isabelle etc Pretty on paper, but I just don't like the sound for some reason

BEATRICE again irrational, but the combination of sounds just doesn't do it for me, it does the opposite of "trip off the tongue"

This is not meant to be in any way offensive. My 3 children have really "Marmite" names, and I don't mind at all that some people don't like them.
I just think everyone finds that certain sounds "jar" with them. Do others find this?

On a different note, the Baby Names topic is brilliant and I have been a long time lurker!

OP posts:
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fredfredsausagehead1 · 26/10/2014 15:20

Toby

Louis

UghHmm

Wailywailywaaaiillly · 26/10/2014 13:55

I've just been thinking about this and realised that all of my family's names that have been mentioned here are what I call Jilly Cooper type names, I wonder if there is something in that? My own name gets used by Jilly also but for a very obscure character so it hasn't ever made it out of obscurity.

moxon · 26/10/2014 13:54

Oh, and Arlo. Blegh.

Alisvolatpropiis · 26/10/2014 13:45

Martha.

My name got mentioned ages ago, but only the once so far which is surprising.

TeaAndCake · 26/10/2014 13:31

Kai
Wayne
Isaac
Jayden
Vincent
Jesse
Lee
Mason
Seth
Dwayne
Jessica
Gudrun
Leanne
Elsie

Wailywailywaaaiillly · 26/10/2014 13:16

Half the names of my family are mentioned here, all good solid names just people have different tastes. I'm surprised my name isn't here though as it really is a marmite name.

Names like Raphiella irritate me for no apparent reason.

Muskey · 26/10/2014 12:56

I really hate the name Patricia it was my mil name (shudder)

Cullercoats88 · 26/10/2014 12:55

Kirsty
Leanne
Laura
Sean, in all its varieties
Colin
Jodie
Derek

It's to do with the sound of the names I think. I feel there are lots of names I also love irrationally, like Pheonix. I think that's an incredible name

maitaimojito · 26/10/2014 12:36

Judith
Anne-Marie
Helen

Barry
Nigel
Wayne

Theas18 · 26/10/2014 12:20

Just seen the importance of being earnest !

Pretty much a whole play based on the irrational adoration of the name earnest !

divingoffthebalcony · 26/10/2014 12:13

I have issues with the mega popular boy names that never change year on year:

Jack
Oliver
Charlie
Harry
Thomas
James

All perfectly nice, classic names. I certainly object to ugly made up names as well. But there's something so nondescript about these names because their popularity never wanes. I hear those names and just think "blah".

LynetteScavo · 26/10/2014 11:49

Oh, and I forgot Shelley. It makes me think of eating egg shells.

Even though one of the nicest people I've ever met is called Shelley.

JazzAnnNonMouse · 26/10/2014 11:49

I don't like anything that starts with a 'k'
Have never found a 'k' name that I like

almapudden · 26/10/2014 11:44

Molly. Awful name.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 26/10/2014 11:40

Nora
Sarah
Kirsty/Kirsten/Kristen

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 26/10/2014 11:27

I agree with Caleb.

Makes me think of someone from the Bible belt who will be involved in planning a high school massacre.

KoalaDownUnder · 26/10/2014 11:20

Megan
Sarah
Caitlin
Bridget

(Borrrrrrring. They make me yawn.)

Penelope
Genevieve

(Sound so frumpy and middle-aged, can't figure out how they came back in vogue.)

Ethan - v popular here in Australia, loathe it
Caleb
Kai
Jai
Harrison, Carter, Cooper, Jackson, and all the other 'surname' boys' names.

Bowlersarm · 26/10/2014 11:09

Gemsy one of my DSes names is here a couple of times as well, for some reason. I have posted about names I dislike although I don't normally as it seems a mean thing to do.

This is such a long thread though, most names are probably mentioned so it isn't singling out which makes it acceptable (slightly)

Bowlersarm · 26/10/2014 11:05

I'm another who really dislikes Alice.

And Mike, Dave, Alfie, Shirley, Beryl, George.

Most names I can see are ok though, even if their arent to my taste.

Castlemilk · 26/10/2014 10:49

Alice.

There are lots which I dislike for specific reasons - don't like the shape of it, whiny/harsh sounding etc. - reminds me of someone horrid - but the one name which I HATE for no reason at all is Alice.

Interesting that other people feel the same!

To me it seems prissy and unpleasant, even though I've not known an Alice with those characteristics.

Is it too short? Is it simply a buildup of irritation when I regularly hear people recommending it as the perfect name when I find it so unpleasant? I have no idea.

oaktober12 · 26/10/2014 10:17

Gavin
Kevin
Ethan
IvanIvan
Alec

Paige
Jade
Scarlett
Amy
Emily
Alicia
Ria
Sara

RVPisnomore · 26/10/2014 10:06

Eve/Evie/Eva

Annette!

Anything with Mae at the end

MrsCosmopilite · 26/10/2014 09:59

I'm going to sound really old gimmerish but I really don't like 'short' versions of names as given names: Billy, Molly, Bertie, Alfie, Millie, etc. These are absolutely fine as names to use as pet names/nicknames but I think that the parents should provide a 'proper' name; William, Mary/Margaret, Bertram, Alfred, Millicent/Amelia. That way as the child grows up they can select what they feel is appropriate.
(Many of my friends have gone with the 'short names' as given names. I know of a Bobby who is nicknamed 'Bobs')

I also loathe the name Seth. It just sounds horrible.

cleanasawhistle · 26/10/2014 09:55

James
Jamie
Robert
Peter
Wayne
Craig

Stephanie
Ruth
Jessica
Alice
Penny
Rita

monostar · 26/10/2014 09:39

Gemzybelle don't worry much about it. MD name came up few times too...I am not bothered, I think it is the best name in the world Grin
Tho' some accents can massacre it big time...I always correct people...It is not StellUR Angry...of course that sounds harsh hahaha
I think it's same with Chloe...the way some people pronounce it...grrrr...