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

Would you use the name everyone hates?

167 replies

NavyBerry · 10/01/2021 22:39

So me and DH chose a name for our DD. It is English, classic, old, probably posh. I don't know anyone with the name and neither does my husband. We like the meaning, the sound of it and the diminutives. It goes well with the surname and our names. I don't want to say it but it is smth like Verity or Lavinia. Quite rare.
His family was very rough critisizing it, mine is being even worse. Anyone who we mention it to says how awful it is. Hmm I'm not getting it. There is no valid reason for such rude reaction apart from people not having heard of it much. I don't know what to do. We have already got used to it but are we ruining our baby's life? Have you been in a similar situation? I'm under the impression that you can meet a child with any name nowadays and our choice will hardly be a shock

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Mumoftwoinprimary · 10/01/2021 23:51

You could write it like this:-

Exlxixzxaxbxextxh.

(That’s Elizabeth btw.)

In general I think - your baby, your choice. However, there are some kids in my kids classes where I have wondered why someone didn’t say “why the fuck would your saddle the poor kid with such a ridiculous name?” to them.

JerichosPenisInADeadChickHat · 10/01/2021 23:50

Gertrude?

borntohula · 10/01/2021 23:47

Is it Viv

Tinty · 10/01/2021 23:44

Virginia?

boydoggies · 10/01/2021 23:42

Ah Mary ?! You get to choose your baby's name. People will either love, hate or be indifferent to it.

MondeoFan · 10/01/2021 23:41

Prudence?

bowieslovechild · 10/01/2021 23:41

The name you decide on for your child is up to you, absolutely screw what other people think. I'm sure it's a fab name.

LightDrizzle · 10/01/2021 23:41

Big mistake in sharing before the baby is here as people feel more free to stick their oar in.
If you both love it and it is a real name, not a made-up name, then go for it.
Is it a class thing do you think? People can be very defensive. My DH’s parents got very offended when he didn’t put his name down for a council house. If you depart from family norms, insecure people see it as judgement and rejection.
They will get used to it in time.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 10/01/2021 23:40

Yes, It's hard to advise without knowing the name. Do you think your family are against the name because they worry about teasing eg. Lavinia "Lav" , Letitia "Tit" etc? ; or they think it is much too old fashioned sounding eg. Mavis, Ethel etc? Maybe they don't realise that there are all sorts of names more commonly used now and that name teasing isn't as likely as it was years ago?

Having said all that, you do have to try and bear your childs feelings in mind too and if the name is incredibly unusual, it could be for good reason, sorry.

Mammaaof · 10/01/2021 23:40

@NavyBerry everyone hates my DD name! Well not in real life (at least they haven't said it to my face) Grin but when I posted it on here so many made fun of it and even made a thread on here making fun of it! But we absolutely love it and would definitely use it again if I had my time over x

FamilyOfAliens · 10/01/2021 23:39

Other people’s views on baby names are completely irrelevant.

My DD is a Rosemary - always loved the name, have known several lovely Rosemarys and even though a couple of people thought it was old-fashioned, we love it and DD, now in her 20s, loves it too (and has never shortened it).

At the time she was born, all baby girls seemed to be called Chloe, Sophie, Alice and Hannah so it was lovely to have a name that no-one else had.

BronzeSilverGold13 · 10/01/2021 23:39

It's horrible when people judge the names you like... I'm due a DS in 11 weeks and whilst I've given hints and tried to judge people's reactions to names (and how other people would say his name, we live in a town with a broad spectrum of northern accents) I haven't been specific with a name and won't until I've registered him, I think it's unlikely people will say mean things once it's their actual name! Or I at least hope they wouldn't!

MyNameForToday1980 · 10/01/2021 23:39

I don't want to write it down in case they Google and this comes up. But I'm presuming it's the name which is pronounced Verr-onn-ika.

Either way, it's be easier to give the child a different name, just so you don't have to deal with their bullshit.

But it's really none of their business, and I recommend not mentioning any other names to the the bunch of plonkers, until DD is fully registered and then it'll be too late, and they'll be distracted by a lovely baby.

Tinty · 10/01/2021 23:38

Come on OP tell us the name, it’s it Porsche or Mercedes?

Tinty · 10/01/2021 23:38

Gertrude

littleloopylou · 10/01/2021 23:34

It's funny people keep mentioning Cressida. I love it and almost regret not insisting upon it for my daughter (who has a more standard, but still relatively unusual name)

Original poster
NavyBerry · 10/01/2021 23:33

Non of those so far (relieved).
Actually I know both Agneses and Agathas. Not English though.

OP posts:
jendifer · 10/01/2021 23:33

Prudence? I’m also thinking Cressida but then there are a couple of famous ones. Hyacinth? Maud?

CrochetOrBust · 10/01/2021 23:31

Ermintrude? Winifred?

littleloopylou · 10/01/2021 23:30

Unless it means something rude in another language, it's difficult to imagine it is actually that bad.

Enidblyton1 · 10/01/2021 23:28

Dorothy - Dotty, Dolly?

BaronessBomburst · 10/01/2021 23:28

Use it.
But in the meantime tell everyone that you've changed your mind and you're going to call her Victoria instead. Just to shut them up.

Enidblyton1 · 10/01/2021 23:27

Ooh I love Lettice! OP, if it’s Lettice, don’t listen to your family. Great name - and Letty is a good shortening.

ParisJeTAime · 10/01/2021 23:26

That is a guess by the way. If any weird coincidence I am right, I definitely don't know anyone who is about to name their dd Dolcie. Or Agnes, Agatha or Letitia either.

BluebellsGreenbells · 10/01/2021 23:25

You can also type D&bb!e and people will get the idea

Swipe left for the next trending thread