Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Mercedes yay or nay?

71 replies

escorpion · 09/07/2015 19:02

We live abroad, my husband is South American and here there would be no problem with this name. It´s on our shortlist for a girl. I just worry if we come back to the UK to live about how this name is seen. i.e. chav. Thoughts?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Olddear · 12/07/2015 19:18

FWIW, and I know nowt about Spanish names, one I do like is Pilar.

qumquat · 12/07/2015 13:24

I teach a Mercedes, nn Mercy. She has never to my knowledge been bullied or judged for her name. She is not 'chavvy'. However I would caution that people in th uk will pronounce it Mer -say- dees, not Mer- said-es, if that is likely to bother you.

BothEndsBurning · 12/07/2015 10:44

IF you came to live in the UK, she could just use one of the short forms (eg Mercy, Sadie) if you really think it's a problem.

Seems a shame to drop the idea on the basis that a few unspecified people, in a country she may never live in, might think the name chavvy.

Marcipex · 12/07/2015 10:35

I love it.

Heck5897 · 12/07/2015 10:30

I like it

Marzipanspice · 12/07/2015 10:29

Hi OP, I'm a Spanish lady myself, but wouldn't dream of naming my daughter Mercedes, even though it is a lovely name.

My reasoning for this is that although it isn't actually chavy, it'll be considered to be here as English people tend to frown about those types of names.
This probably stems from the fact that it fits in with the 'Chanèl, Armarni' group of names, and people would view it as such, although it's not the case.

qumquat · 12/07/2015 09:42

I really like it. Especially if you have Spanish speaking connections people wouldn't think twice about it. I teach a Mercedes, nn Mercy, which I also love.

NoahVale · 12/07/2015 09:23

Portia has posh connotations, Mercedes not so

NinjaLeprechaun · 12/07/2015 09:07

"I think Mercedes is a beautiful name, and when said in a Spanish accent, it is perfect."
Although, as pointed out, Spanish speakers in the Americas don't affect a lisp in their accent. It would be pronounced just like the car.
I like it, but I'm not in the UK so I'm not sure my opinion is valid for the purpose of this thread.

I used to know a boy whose last name was Benz and he always said that he intended to name his daughter Mercedes. He didn't, because he grew up. That would have been an uncalled for use of the name.

albertcampionscat · 12/07/2015 08:59

aaaargh. Nn not mm

albertcampionscat · 12/07/2015 08:58

Complicated. Mercedes Jones might be tricky to pull off, but Mercedes (insert Spanish surname) would come across much better. Mercy is a great mm.

jaykay34 · 12/07/2015 08:48

I think Mercedes is a beautiful name, and when said in a Spanish accent, it is perfect.

However, I know of two Mercedes - and all are from chavvy families. One even chose the name from the Hollyoaks character too Confused .
I don't know if I would particularly deem it to be chavvy, if I didn't associate it with these people though. There was a similar thread a while back concerning the name "Nevaeh". I know three Nevaehs from very different backgrounds - one has a chav mum, one has a posh mum and one has a spiritual mum - so I don't really put it in a bracket.

SakuraSakura · 10/07/2015 20:30

Love the name. Go for it

BothEndsBurning · 10/07/2015 20:16
Grin
Original poster
escorpion · 10/07/2015 20:06

Thanks for the link NewStatesman

OP posts:
FraggleHair · 10/07/2015 19:33

Dolores?! Bloody hell.

TheNewStatesman · 10/07/2015 19:00

www.babynamespedia.com/end/f/es

Or one of these?

MamaLazarou · 10/07/2015 18:59

I love Mercedes.

TheNewStatesman · 10/07/2015 18:59

I don't think the "chav" comments here are mean--they are realistic. I'm aware that Mercedes is a traditional Spanish name, and "in and of itself" I think it's beautiful. But in the UK, unfortunately, a lot of people will put it in the same category as naming your child Chardonnay. It's a real shame, but I would avoid this name for that reason. How about Dolores?

BothEndsBurning · 10/07/2015 12:49

*Sunshine" No one said what? The comment I made was self-explanatory, surely.

Original poster
escorpion · 10/07/2015 12:43

Thank you for all your comments especially Sunshine and Mintyy although you have different views they are both valid and definitely given me food for thought. It would be pronounces mer-said-es as we don´t pronounce the c as a th in South America. I think it is a beautiful name too, but just worried at the potential teasing. Thanks to all for replying.

OP posts:
Mintyy · 10/07/2015 12:35

I disagree that a majority of people in the UK would associate the name Mercedes purely with the car. I think most people would indeed be aware of it as a name in the same way that they'd know Pablo or Henrik or Manuela are commonly used Christian names, just not often for British people born in Britain.

Therefore, as bothendsburning said, op should not worry about pandering to the lowest common denominator.

SunshineAndShadows · 10/07/2015 12:28

No one said that Burning I'm not really sure what your posts are for unless you're being deliberately argumentative?

The OP asked I just worry if we come back to the UK to live about how this name is seen. i.e. chav. Thoughts? A number of posters have suggested that whilst a lovely name the primary association is likely to be the car/brand rather than an awareness of traditional Spanish names and so it may be seen as an aspirational sort of name.

Several posters have commented that this makes people 'ignorant' or 'uneducated' which is pretty unpleasant, especially as children are likely to be 'ignorant' of this connection. Mercedes cars are vastly more common in the UK than girls of Spanish origin called Mercedes, that's a reality, and whilst any name may have teasing potential, that's not what the OP asked.

Lilicat1013 · 10/07/2015 12:26

It is really beautiful and in your position I would go for it personally. She might get some comments here but nothing too terrible.

BothEndsBurning · 10/07/2015 12:16

No name is without teasing potential.