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Baby names

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

Names ruined by others?

113 replies

MsHopey · 18/09/2018 19:07

I've always loved the name Ophelia (pans labyrinth).
While discussing it with DH he said the first thing he imagined was a 14 year old boy "I'll feel ya. . . round the back of the bike sheds." Absolutely ruined it for me.
Anybody else?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Cattenberg · 19/09/2018 22:23

@Cosmoa, Raya is lovely too! Continuing that theme, one reason I liked Sunniva is that I thought Sunni would make a lovely nickname. But it turns out it's not pronounced that way.

LittleKitty1985 · 19/09/2018 22:19

I was also almost a Britney, glad I dodged that one

LittleKitty1985 · 19/09/2018 22:18

My mum wanted to call me Lydia but (for some unknown reason) my dad thought kids would say "Lydia dustbin" (lid of ya dustbin?) Hmm

TheFluffyHippo · 19/09/2018 21:29

My mum thinks Hermione sounds like “I’m ironing”

cranberryx · 19/09/2018 18:13

I love the name Willow.

MIL's response: "That's a goblin name." (Said in the style of Gollum from LOTR, non-ironically.)

I was thinking about the beautiful Willow tree. (As well as Willow the witch from Buffy. Love her!)

Mil then spent twenty minutes showing me pictures of goblins on Google.

DS came out with a penis, so that wasn't an issue. Currently 39 weeks pg. I love the name, but don't know if I could bring myself to use it now tbh.

Cosmoa · 19/09/2018 18:00

@Cattenberg

I had the same issue with Soraya! I also prefer to pronounce it So-ray-ah so we decided to use it as her middle name as it has lots of special meaning to us! I call her my Raya Sunshine 😊

Changenameday · 19/09/2018 17:38

all this is why we haven’t told anyone our name choices (39+5) I think people are better at holding their tongue when it’s already a done deal!

Bcbcbcbcb · 19/09/2018 17:25

Clayton when you've already got a Grayson?

They sound too samey to me...

(Misses point of thread)

blitzen · 19/09/2018 16:03

Pretty much any name beginning with R. I have ruined them for myself as my R sometimes come out funny. Not as bad as Jonathan Ross mind! I have totally ruined Rory!

Mummymummums · 19/09/2018 16:00

I really like Nathan but as I can't say my "th's" very well, Nayfan doesn't sound good.

SadieContrary · 19/09/2018 16:00

Our DD was almost Elsie until my DM broke her heart crying over it saying that everyone would think Elsie Tanner. Hmmm I disagreed that everyone would be Coronation St fans of a certain age but as she's DD's only GP we went with the other on our list as we were 50/50 split anyway Grin

MsHopey · 19/09/2018 15:52

I liked Clay from a few different tv shows but I liked it when I heard it on 13 reasons why.
DH said he preferred Clayton from Tarzan (the bad guy) I said we'd agree as a compromise as we'd probably always call them Clay anyways.

OP posts:
Firsttimemum892 · 19/09/2018 15:51

I really loved the name Lyra for my little girl until someone said it’s too much like Lycra .. the next name I thought of I didn’t tell anyone until she was born and it was decided for sure. its funny once you say that’s their name you don’t get many comments people just accept it

motortroll · 19/09/2018 15:47

Also my friend has a Lucy and she calls her goose. (Lucy goosie) which I think
Is really cute!!

motortroll · 19/09/2018 15:46

I am called lucy and I've never been called juicy Lucy as a tease (other than by fil and I told him to F off and stop being pervy) and I do have big boobs!!

Leland · 19/09/2018 15:46

Abigail, when someone commented it meant “old maid”

It doesn't mean 'old maid', though, Good. It's Biblical Abigail was one of King David's wives. It is a name often given to lady's maids in novels, though (because the Biblical Abigail described herself as David's handmaiden) maybe your informant got confused.

wizzywig · 19/09/2018 15:42

Clayton, like Clayton Carlow from Dallas?

GrumpySausage · 19/09/2018 15:35

I loved Heath and it was forerunner for DS1 until 38 weeks when I said it to my mum. She replied with 'what. Like Hampstead?' Ruined.

GoodHeavensNoImAChicken · 19/09/2018 15:22

Abigail, when someone commented it meant “old maid”

I have friends who are convinced Lucy would be called juicy Lucy if she had big boobs. I’m still not convinced and I love the name

balalalala · 19/09/2018 12:51

Yes to isobel for the same reasons as above!

MsHopey · 19/09/2018 12:02

@Leland
I like them being quite matchey.
I was kind of hoping if I called one they'd both come.
I didn't really think about it the other way round. 🤣
Still sticking with it though.
I can't help it, I love it!

OP posts:
Metalhead · 19/09/2018 11:50

Lana, for the reason a pp said...

Leland · 19/09/2018 11:38

I'm always a bit baffled by these threads -- are there actual adults out there in the world whose immediate response to someone telling them they're thinking of calling their baby something entirely ordinary like Lana, Benedict, Flora or Audrey is to wittily reply: 'Lana is 'anal' spelt backwards!' 'Benedict sounds like 'bendy dick', Flora will 'spread easily' and 'Audrey sounds like 'orgy''????

I mean, are those honestly the associations their minds automatically make (in which case these conversations say a lot more about them than the names in question), or are they consciously trying to think like dimwit playground bullies, and genuinely believe they are protecting poor little Baby Lydia from being nicknamed 'Chlamydia' in fifteen years time...?

I would say, though, OP, that, given you already have a Grayson, that having a Clayton as well does sound quite similar -- same two vowel sounds in the same order, same emphasis, similar-sounding initial consonant...?

Our neighbours have a Jude and a Luke, and the mother is always complaining that neither comes when called, as only the 'oo' sound travels at a distance, and each assumes its the other who is wanted.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 19/09/2018 11:30

I dont get this Lydia issue. Well i do get it but I don't understand why iyswim.
My dd is Molly. As as I'm.aware no one has ever teased her saying Molly's of her trolley.
She is like but we won't go into thatGrin
There are plenty of Ellies around but don't get called Smelly. I could go on. Why is Lydia singled out.

RedDwarves · 19/09/2018 11:24

Lydia chlamydia for me too.