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Baby names

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

Original poster

Would it be wierd to have a work name? If not help me find one.

141 replies

Freakishlycommon · 21/07/2017 19:24

I have the most common name that ever existed. I'm sure you can guess. I've spent my whole life at school, university, work, school playground etc having to add a surname on as there are thousands of us.
Anyway I'm starting a new job next week in a small company. There are about 10 women. Currently 3 share my name. However there is another lady starting in the same day and my heart sank when I found out that yes she also has the name. So that's 5 out of 11. Potentially very confusing and I don't want to spent years being known as short x or old x or just a surname.
Anyway so I wondered whether to just say call me y to make things easier.
So I need suggestions assuming you don't think it's ridiculous. I want a nice normal name for a lady aged 46. But nothing too popular of course.

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Original poster
Freakishlycommon · 21/07/2017 20:07

I like the idea of being known for my kindness/ intellect/fabulousness.

OP posts:
BicBac · 21/07/2017 20:06

Sadie is brilliant, not too common and a nn for Sarah I believe?

Original poster
Freakishlycommon · 21/07/2017 20:05

Good point about the practicalities. It's a small enough company that I could tell the truth though so they know my real name.

OP posts:
dementedma · 21/07/2017 20:05

Initials? I know a PK, an AK and a CJ. All men mind you.

WhatKatyDidnt · 21/07/2017 20:05

Sounds like an enormous amount of faff to me. Keep your name, be yourself and be known for your kindness/intellect/fabulousness, rather than being known as That Woman That Isn't Really Called X.

Original poster
Freakishlycommon · 21/07/2017 20:04

I agree Pemba Sarah is in itself a pretty name. But it was overused for years. No doubt it will have a revival at some point.

OP posts:
Ineverpromisedyouarosegarden · 21/07/2017 20:03

What about an Irish/ Scottish/ Welsh version of your name. Or even French/ Latin?

Do think carefully about the practicalities of this:

Training courses - Certification in what name?

Post / emails etc eg. Your P60 finding its way to you.

References after you leave - requested in a name no-one knows you by.

etc

Pemba · 21/07/2017 20:02

That's a pity, I really like Sarah. It has been very popular over the decades (not so much now) of course, but hardly the 'most common name that ever existed'!

It does have nicknames. Sally of course, and I think Sadie is also short for Sarah.

In the bible, wasn't Abraham's wife called Sarai (not sure how you pronounce this) before she changed her name to Sarah?

You could also drop the 'h' and use the 'Sah-rah' proununciation (to rhyme with Zara).

Also how about Sarita - I think it's quite pretty and I believe it a Spanish name derived from Sarah. Coincidentally Sarita is also an Indian name with a different derivation.

MikeUniformMike · 21/07/2017 20:02

Sadie or Sal/Sally are obvious choices, assuming it's Sarah. You could use your surname if it's one that sounds reasonably OK.

Suranne Jones is a stage name, her birth name is Sarah Anne Jones.

Friends and family would phone a mobile not the employer's switchboard.

Original poster
Freakishlycommon · 21/07/2017 19:59

Yes I've been known by my surname a lot. Incidentally that's also very common and so it's not fool proof. I might then be sharing my name with the med too!

OP posts:
KeiraTwiceKnightley · 21/07/2017 19:57

I'm also a Sarah btw.

somewhereovertherain · 21/07/2017 19:56

It's standard practice in a lot of call centres.

Worked for two airlines both insured that every had a different reference.

Always loved when we used to get Tracey 5 from Lunn Poly on the phone.

KeiraTwiceKnightley · 21/07/2017 19:56

There's several of us at work. We go by surnames, like a 1950s boys school. It's great - so much so, that the people in my dept who don't share a first name are also known by surname!

noodlebum · 21/07/2017 19:55

I agree with other posters, go with a similar/nickname for Sarah, so Sara, Sally or Sadie, or hyphenated with middle name.

Original poster
Freakishlycommon · 21/07/2017 19:55

I'm
Liking Steph. Steph sounds like someone my age. It's down to earth and friendly.

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Original poster
Freakishlycommon · 21/07/2017 19:54

I think I'm too old and know too many people to fully change my name. I think as someone said I'd struggle to respond appropriately in public. I do wish in retrospect that I'd changed it after leaving home before university. Ironically though if I'd changed it then I'd have chosen Olivia or Emily. I thought they were so pretty and so unusual. How things change!

OP posts:
ChaChaChaCh4nges · 21/07/2017 19:53

Suzy?

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 21/07/2017 19:53

Ooh no I think it would take a lot of unnecessary energy to remember your new name. You'd find yourself ignoring people and might forget and respond when your real name crops up or accidentally introduce yourself using your real name.
It's sounds like a headache to me.
What if your Dh or a family member rings the office asking for you? He'll be told "eh? No sorry no one of that name here"
Grin

QueenMorpheacadoChamelepen · 21/07/2017 19:51

What about Sarah-Jane?

InvisableLobstee · 21/07/2017 19:49

If it's a complete change of name you could always change it by deed poll.

InvisableLobstee · 21/07/2017 19:48

I think you should pick a name or nickname you like and get everyone to call you it from now on.

Original poster
Freakishlycommon · 21/07/2017 19:47

Steph
Susie
Sally
Sadie
All good

OP posts:
Original poster
Freakishlycommon · 21/07/2017 19:46

Maybe the initials need to stay the same to help a bit as my signature is basically my initials and so thinking about it that could be tricky.

OP posts:
Rach5l · 21/07/2017 19:44

Liz
Anna
Catherine
Steph
Alex
Stevie
Susie

ClashCityRocker · 21/07/2017 19:44

Sadie is also a nickname for Sarah and I think a bit funkier than Sally.