What is your name and do you recommend it?

Kayleigh

Not sure if I like it or not. I think it looks prettier written down than said out loud. Hate it being shortened to Kay which happens all the time. I also got dumped with Louise as a middle name

I have heard of little Kayleigh's though and it's odd

Danielle. Like it a lot. Popular in the 80s - I know a few other Danielle's in their 30s now.

Good choice of NN.

Another Julia here. Don't really like it - wasn't that keen when I was growing up. Always got called Julie! Mainly go by Jules these days.

@Cupcake123 I know a Louise but it is her middle name - she hated real first name so dropped it and uses Louise as her given name. No idea what her original name is, she won't say!

Louise is definitely the classic middle name of the 80s though, especially combined with Sarah. I've probably met more Sarah Louises than any other name ever!

Alison. It's very dull. Whenever it gets mentioned on baby name lists on here the reaction is 'so boring' or 'so 70s'. Grr. 'Allison' still seems pretty popular and not as dated in the US, though.

My mums other name choices for me were Edith and Elinor. I think my dad vetoed those. I also have a much nicer middle name which is v popular these days but giving that too might out me...

Martina,i like it now but wouldnt call my kids it.There was only 1 girl wiht the same name as me in my class.Was supposed to be called Clair,im glad i wasnt as Gilbert O Sullivan as a lot to answer for.There was loads of Claires in my class.

Robyn.
See it recommended a fair bit on the names board, it's come into fashion (ish)
I'm 40.
Prefer it on a boy, Robin, obvs.

Verity. Love it. Unusual but not weird. Hard to shorten. Easy to remember. Not too many about.

N/C so as not to out myself.
Antonia.
I love it. But sometimes people call me AntoniO. Not cool.

Zoe

I've grown to love it. As a child I desperately wanted to be called something glam and girly, like Crystal or Stephanie (too many '80s soaps, I think!) but I'm happy with it now. It seems to have aged better than most of my friends' names (Karen, Lyndsey, Nicola etc.) - as a teacher I still regularly come across little Zoes, so it seems fairly timeless.

My only reservations are that it's so short that it sometimes feels a bit 'plain' and no-nonsense (not too many nickname options, although that might be a good thing!), and that it doesn't travel all that well - whenever I visit Spain I always get 'Thoair', and in German-speaking countries I seem to be 'Zooey'!

Im also a Charlotte/ Charlie and always hated my name. Ive always been Charlie since birth so when someone refers to me as Charlotte it doesn't feel like my name. I don't like Charlotte because its so popular and Ive met loads over the years and was once in a small class with 3 other Charlottes! Also dislike Charlie as its so boyish and also really popular amongst boys. Growing up I always wished I had a more unusual feminine name.
I also have the default middle name in the 80s of Louise yawn!

Another Louise here, born mid 80s. Had another Louise is my class in primary school who also shared my birthday! I don't hate it, but don't love it either. Apparently I was nearly Jacqueline.

Christina. I love it because I've only ever met another one.

I always get compliments on it. Family all call me Chris.

I do also get called Emily and Gemma on occasions, which I don't quite understand .

Emma.

I hate my name. It's just boring, clumpy and very very meh. I'm amazed how often it is recommended as a 'classic' on baby name threads on here. Don't saddle your child with a lifetime of a boring, mediocre name people!

My MN is Louise, just the same as every other woman born in the mid to late 70s, so I don't even have a more unusual MN to fall back on. I was almost called Rachael or Rebecca - I would have vastly preferred either TBH.

Julia

I really do like it, always have. Everyone can spell it and everyone can say it but it isn't/wasn't too popular. There are a few people out there that call me Jules (my parents and a few old friends) but it doesn't get shortened often. The only thing that annoys me is when people call me Julie!

I am Louisa. I don't personally know anyone with the same name. I love it but I do get called Louise alot!!!! Grrrrr

Eleanor nn Ellie. I love Eleanor and Ellie but wish that Ellie wasn't so popular (and dare I say chavtastic) these days- it was a v unusual and cool nn when I was growing up and the popularity has ruined the nn for me.

I'm another Louise. Late 40s. There were 3 of us in one class at school, with similar surnames. I know several now. Nearly all the mums at my children's school are called Becky or Emma.

plain, practical, unfashionable

Gosh! That's not what the name Hazel suggests to me at all. I think it's a lovely name. I knew one who would now be 53 and she was a very nice-looking, slender child back then, with (appropriately) lovely hazel eyes. She also had a very nice personality. She's probably the reason for my very positive view of the name! Mangoes, I bet you're not at all plain.

I'm Yasmin. Probably obvious due to my name! Everyone calls me Yazz though, which I much prefer. I don't mind Yasmin but I'm not sure if I quite suit it. It seems too posh/girly/grown up sounding for me!

I'm not sure how to explain this. But if I say Yasmin out loud, or someone calls me Yasmin it doesn't sound right to me. I don't know if that's because its my own name. (You don't normally say your name out loud ). Or because I'm so used to Yazz. If that makes any sense.

DD (aged 7) has a Hazel in her class, Mangoes

Hazel. My mum chose it because she was one of five girls in her class at school with the same name, and she hated it so wanted something a bit different for me. Naturally, when I got to primary school there was only one Jennifer, Michelle, Sarah etc. but two Hazels.

I've never liked it but I can't say I hate it either. There are the inevitable hazelnut jokes, but that can be quite useful in that complete bellends out themselves within seconds of meeting you with their "witty" and "original" comments.

As a Rastafarian taxi driver once told me, "Dat an old granny's name, man." It feels quite weird that it's becoming a moderately popular baby name again.

It definitely suits me: plain, practical, unfashionable but I do wonder if I would've turned out more into make up/ fashion/ princesses etc. if I'd had a prettier name; as it was I was a total tomboy and still am to some extent.

In terms of recommendations, I'd give the name Hazel 6/10.

Just seen your post Wildrunner - glad you like it! Funny how it's different for everyone.

Catriona (Cat-ree-uhna). Hate it! Can't pronounce it or spell it and nor can anyone else. Feels like a collection of cold, hard letters, not a nice name. Would have preferred Katherine.