What is your name and do you recommend it?

Same as Citroen vert. V v unusual in my 1970s council estate but then I was one of 3 in my private secondary school. I hated it growing up, thought it was boring and longed to be called Kimberley or similar, but now I like it.

Don't know any small children called Louise and would possibly use it if it wasn't my name!

Eleanor. Nell to family and friends. There was another Eleanor at my dance school so we tossed a coin to see who would be Ellie. At the time I was hacked off she won and got the 'cool' name, but now I'm so glad! I've never met another Nell

Nicola but I've always been Nikki. Born 10 years after its peak in the 70's so I haven't met that many. My only annoyance is that in parts of Europe it's a boys name, but in general I'd say it suits me.

Another Louise here. It was v. unusual when I was little and I was the only one at school with it. About 10 years later it became much more popular and I now know loads of Louises who are now in their mid thirties.

Xanthe. It's a royal pain in the arse!

My name's Caroline. I love it. I hear it's not stylish at all in the UK, but I'm from the US so that doesn't really matter to me, I guess. :)

Amy and hate it, was always loads of Amy's in my class at school (80s) and just sounds like a little girls name, it's very cutsie!

Alison. No I wouldn't recommend it, it's a very 'of its time' name so it'll probably be old lady chic in about 50 years time

Have added Leanda to our list for DC1!

Katherine - it's ok :)

I'm a Harriet! I like it but it's getting more popular now. I'm definitely more of a Harry than a Harriet. Americans can't say Harriet, it comes out as Herry-edd, which isn't great!

Anna. I love it. Lovely name, classic. Yes I'd recommend it, I'd call my dd that if it wasn't already my name!

My name is Oonagh and having seen the recent thread on MN about it I wouldn't recommend

Ruth. I love it, very very rarely meet another.

I could well out myself but I LOVE LOVE LOVE my name. Never met another and doubt I ever will.
I am called Hephzibah.

Charlotte, nn Charlie.

I feel very indifferent towards my name, and for some reason people regularly will either refuse to shorten it (I haven't been a Charlotte since I was a little girl, except on my CV), or insist on calling me Lottie because they prefer that nickname, despite me never having been a Lottie. Occasionally get baffled older people who are confused that I'm evidently female. I think there's a big downside to names with more than one well known shortening in that people often feel they can choose what to call someone, when in truth that person might only identify with one or two ways to say their name.

Heather. I hate it, it makes me think of fat, forty year old faded prom queens from Iowa.

Margaret. It could be worse. Never known by any of the (many) abbreviations. It's not a personal favourite but it's a family name so it has positive associations. Could have done without the negative vibes when Thatcher became PM, though!

Helen. Not that keen on it. Too many around when I was young and feels quite dated now. And I always look up in the office when someone answers the phone with "hello". Could be much worse though!

Adele- I love it, always have. Not made up, but not common enough to have ever met another one in real life. It made choosing our DC1s name difficult because we wanted something with a similar unheard of feel.

Lonnie and I have never liked it much. I am one of those who pipes up on unisex name treads to NOT do it. I am mid 40s and I LOATHE getting names addressed to MR. I once had someone tell me that their computer said it was a boys name so I had to be wrong. (I pointed out I had given birth naturally to 4 children and that I KNEW better than their computer)

Out of curiosity a year so ago I put it up here on the name forum to see what people's opinion was. It came down as a no dont go there name 11 replies last one said " not my style but not offensive either go for it if you like it"

I also get irritated when people say " what's it short for" NOTHING! AND BTW NO its NOT "Lon" either (EUGH makes me see red)

I have considered changing it but I doubt it would stick now.

Clare. I dont like it, but I probably would if it wasn't my name. I think I dislike because you can't do anything with it shorten it and I think shorter versions are much more friendlier.

Louise. But known as Lou, Loobes or Lullabelle thanks for that one, much younger sister

I know LOTS of people with Louise as a middle name but I don't think I've met another first name Louise - where are you all?!

Susan. I hate it, I'm about thirty years younger than you'd expect. I wouldn't mind Susie but nobody ever shortens it.

My name is Lisa and I hate it. It's never felt like 'me', and it makes me think of blonde 1980s strippers who need their roots doing for some reason. It's very 'of its time' as well. My mum swears blind that when she picked the name it was really unusual, but a quick look at the baby name stats for around the time I was born shows that it was one of the most popular names out there. I suppose it's like all the people these days who choose Eva for their baby girls, thinking that it's unusual because it was rarely used when they were a baby, unaware that it's now incredibly popular.