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Baby names

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

Original poster

If you have the same surname as a famous person

57 replies

Soubriquet · 18/07/2021 06:22

Would you be happy to use the first name?

For example, if your last name was Smith, would you use Maggie or Will as a first name?

Or would you be conscious of people always saying “oh yeah, like Fresh Prince”

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BikeRunSki · 18/07/2021 07:04

I did this in reverse, I married in to a perfectly innocuous surname, which pairs with my first name to make the name of rock star. It’s why I didn’t change my name for 8 years after I go married! I only did because I was pregnant and wanted us all to have the same name.(dh didn’t want to adopt my Gaelic name). I still use “my” name at work, but it’s OK. The trick is to “own” it, and carry on regardless. People got used to it being my name pretty quickly.

I guess it depends what your surname is - if it’s very common like Smith, I’m sure that another Will/Maggie wouldn’t be remarkable. If it’s more distinctive, like Attenborough or Dimbleby, I might be more careful.

TheRebelle · 18/07/2021 07:04

I wouldn’t but one of my friends has given her kid a famous persons name, but it’s an unusual first name to choose because it hasn’t been popular for about forty years and I’m sure he’s going to spend his life as the butt of other people’s jokes.

cariadlet · 18/07/2021 06:39

I wouldn't. I was at primary school back in the 70s with a girl called Julie Andrews. Even at that age, I thought it was a strange thing for her parents to have done

RavenclawsRoar · 18/07/2021 06:37

Depends how famous. So if my surname was Jackson I'd definitely avoid Michael and if Presley I'd avoid Elvis (!) because those celebrities are iconic and even teens now know who they are. If just a popular actor/singer, I'd not worry. Your example of Will Smith - I've taught a good handful of Will Smiths over the years and honestly most teens today don't know the actor particularly well or care who he is. I am fully confident they'd have no idea who Maggie Smith is either, unless they have a parent who is an ardent fan! So I would use both of those.

CallMeRisley · 18/07/2021 06:32

The thing is, you can avoid currently famous people but by the time a baby born now is a teen/adult someone with the same name could have become famous!

Original poster
Soubriquet · 18/07/2021 06:31

We have a very common surname that also has a few famous people by it.

I love one of the first names, which you could get away with for a girl (if she changes her name once married) but it’s hard

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Dugi3 · 18/07/2021 06:29

We had exactly this problem, we have a very famous/notorious surname and unfortunately I adored the famous first name, which also had family meaning but I just could not bring myself to use it. I thought of all the jokey comments I already recieve from random strangers about my surname and couldnt possibly make it even more of a thing for my child by including the first name, I didnt even use it as a middle name either. So frustrating!