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Baby names

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

Wondering why this name isn't more popular?!

63 replies

Atonement1 · 19/08/2019 21:18

Maxine.

Given the popularity of Max names for boys, and boys names for girls. Maxine nn Max seems unbearably cool; does nobody else agree?!

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Oysterbabe · 24/08/2019 05:31

I think it's an ugly name.

Atonement1 · 23/08/2019 22:09

It's a shame that most people seem to dislike it because I think it sounds really fresh and unexpected in a good way!

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Daffodil2018 · 22/08/2019 13:42

I think it sounds rough.

Alarae · 22/08/2019 13:38

For me I just feel like it would be a typical name screamed out on Eastenders.

"MAX-EEEEEEENNN!!!"

FrangipaniBlue · 22/08/2019 12:36

I like it btw!

FrangipaniBlue · 22/08/2019 12:36

I suspect it may make a comeback due to Stranger Things and the fact that most people under 25 may not immediately know who Maxine Carr is

AudacityOfHope · 22/08/2019 11:40

Sounds like a bully from my grim 80s primary school days.

CheckingOutTheQuantocks · 22/08/2019 11:11

I thought of Maxine Peake, who is awesome. I'd more or less forgotten about Maxine Carr, and wouldn't expect anyone born within the last 20 years to make that association either.

Re names associated with murderers, I think it's more to do with how common the name was in the first place rather than the sex of that person. Ian, Peter, Harold, Steve etc - all very common male names which are associated with many famous men other than the murderers. Similarly, nobody seems to have been put off Mary, Beverley, or Rose because of their associations with some quite notorious killers. But I can't think of a single famous Myra apart from Hindley because even back in the 50s and 60s it was an unusual name and obviously few people wanted to use it after that.

ABitOTT · 21/08/2019 23:57

Knew too many growing up & never knew one who was particularly nice

Lamentations · 21/08/2019 10:43

Yes Maxine Carr but I like it anyway. Maxine Carr will mean nothing to a baby Maxine's contemporaries.

Cbeebiesrehab · 21/08/2019 10:32

LadyGAgain Eek. Both lovely names but when said together I bet 99% of people will think ‘West.’ Hope they don’t google their names together.

TheYeaSayer · 21/08/2019 10:21

So whilst I would never call my child Maxine (or Ian or Myra), I think there's a next generation who literally don't associate

Sorry, slightly off topic, but there was a girl in the year above me at school called Myra. She’d have been born in 1967, shortly after the Moors murders were huge and horrifying news. Most people would have listened/watched the news with horror, but there were her parents thinking “Myra... that’s a pretty name”. Or something. Smile

KatherineJaneway · 21/08/2019 07:31

Maxine Carr.

ClashCityRocker · 21/08/2019 07:30

It sounds like someone delboy would date in only fools and horses.

LadyGAgain · 21/08/2019 07:04

I know of someone who just had twins and called them Fred and Rose. And when someone asked the parents whether they were aware they said "no, I had no idea. How funny". Still called Fred and Rose. So whilst I would never call my child Maxine (or Ian or Myra), I think there's a next generation who literally don't associate.

LiveInAHidingPlace · 21/08/2019 06:44

"I've always thought it's very telling how in society a female name that is associated with a murderer"

Because loads of men have similar names, even Ian Brady and Ian Huntley have the same name, but women's names are more diverse.

MollyButton · 21/08/2019 06:35

But Myra wasn't a common name, whereas Ian is the Scottish for John - a very common name.

isabellerossignol · 21/08/2019 05:57

I've always thought it's very telling how in society a female name that is associated with a murderer (I know Maxine Carr wasn't a murderer but her name is associated with a murder) becomes identified with that person whereas a male name doesn't.

The name Myra has been out of favour for 50 years, whereas the use of the name Ian continued unabated.

Kinsters · 21/08/2019 05:37

I don't know who Maxine Carr is and I don't particularly like the name anyway.

I absolutely adore the name Myra though, such a pretty name. I wonder if it will ever come back into popular use. I expect not!

Huh, just looked and there were 104 baby Myras in 2017 making it the 424th most common name. Big rise in popularity compared to 1996 when there were only 7 and 2010 when there were 17. Only 10 Maxine's in 2017 but it wasn't popular even before the 2002 murder of Holly and Jessica (just looked her up) with only 27 Maxines born in 2001.

Sophronia · 21/08/2019 00:17

Maxima or Maxina could be alternatives

helpconfused · 20/08/2019 23:50

We have a new baby in the family called Max, Polish spelling for the full name

TheYeaSayer · 20/08/2019 23:44

I like it!

PinkFlamingo888 · 20/08/2019 21:54

I do really like Max for a girl but used to work with a Maxine who was the most awful woman in the entire world. Don’t particularly like Maxine as a name anyway and wouldn’t like to just call a daughter Max.

TatianaLarina · 20/08/2019 21:47

It’s very 80s that’s why.

Skyejuly · 20/08/2019 21:02

Horrid name

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