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Baby names

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

Original poster

Would you let the meaning of the name put you off the name itself?

43 replies

dollydaydream84 · 10/06/2016 21:56

We quite like the name Mallory. I looked up the meaning and found it meant "unfortunate and luckless".

DH thinks I'm mad for letting the meaning put me off but it has definitely planted a seed of doubt (though I still like the name!) - I feel like I'm cursing the child to be unfortunate and luckless before it's even born.

So the question is, would you or have you let the meaning of a name put you off the name itself?

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Gentleness · 10/06/2016 22:37

Yes I would. Not for any superstitious reason. I just wouldn't be able to forget the meaning and it would keep popping into my mind. Especially at those inevitable moments when the child is really irritating... Not good.

FuckingFattyBitch · 10/06/2016 22:34

I don't think many people really think about the meaning. But saying that, names do hold associations. Whether it's the actual meaning, or as a PP mentioned a character in a book or a person IRL.

1horatio · 10/06/2016 22:33

I love the names Cecilia, Andrea and Blaise... But the meaning put me off :(

Maybe I'm being superstitious here... But I just can't get over the meaning.

tiffyfanny · 10/06/2016 22:30

I was going to name my daughter Ophelia. Two months before birth, out of curiosity decided to check for the meaning. The male version means serpent and the female version and the character in the book and how she ended her life put me off. I didn't know about the book before hand. I was already planing on shortening it to just O.

FuckingFattyBitch · 10/06/2016 22:29

Just looked up my DCs names.
DS1 means defender/protector
DD means brave bear
DS2 means gift from God.

Grin It's about right too. DS1 is very protective of his younger siblings, and of me.
DD is tiny but fierce and nothing scares her
DS2 was a pill failure...(he's only 10 months and his personality do far seems to be clown like. Everything is funny, especially bashing mummy on the head)

NapQueen · 10/06/2016 22:23

Just Google my kids first and middle names meanings....

Dd - Pearl Nobility Surname
DS - Crossing Lion Surname

Or what I shall now use as their Native American Tomahawk names Grin

NapQueen · 10/06/2016 22:15

I genuinely didn't look at name meanings when I chose mine. Nor is it ever a consideration when I think of any names. Unless the name actually is the word (I. E Willow, Rose, Hope etc) then it just doesn't come to mind.

I'd pick a name because I like it.

TyrionLannistersShadow · 10/06/2016 22:12

It wouldn't put me off at all if I liked the name.

DramaAlpaca · 10/06/2016 22:11

Yes, it would put me off.

hamabeads · 10/06/2016 22:11

It would definitely put me off if I didn't like the meaning of the name.

Millyonthefloss · 10/06/2016 22:09

I wouldn't do it. It would worry me. It's like Tess of the Durbevilles calling her child Sorrow. And that didn't go well.

Xmasbaby11 · 10/06/2016 22:08

It would put me off too.

Millyonthefloss · 10/06/2016 22:07

It would put me off yes. It's like Tess of the Durbevilles calling her child Sorrow. And that didn't go well.

SmallBee · 10/06/2016 22:03

If it meant something really awful or unappealing then yes it would put me off. A person's name is a big deal so I want it to be really perfect.

Having said that one of the meanings of my first name is 'craggy rock ' and my surname means 'swamp' so maybe the meaning isn't everything?

MrsSpecter · 10/06/2016 22:03

It would put me off, yes. It amazes me some of the names people use and I wonder if they dont bother to look at the meanings or origins of the names. Like Portia for example.

Winterdaisy · 10/06/2016 22:02

I didn't use the name Persephone because it is associated with death. All my children have positive name meanings !

iisme · 10/06/2016 22:00

Aggh! It meant 'sorrow', not 'sorry'!

iisme · 10/06/2016 21:59

I told my friend, who was thinking of naming her baby Tristan, that is meant sorry - and because of that she didn't use it. I felt bad about that but also glad that she'd found out beforehand. To me it would matter. I think it's a personal thing. He's NBU to think it doesn't matter but YANBU to think it does. You both have to be on board with the decision.