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Baby names

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

Original poster

Genuinely problematic names

137 replies

AuntDympna · 14/11/2021 11:50

Starting this thread for names which are genuinely problematic.
The purpose is, a quick reference for people to check is the name they are thinking of on the list, and also as a reference for justifiable reasons to advise against using a name.
To be included, there needs to already be a thread on the name, where the case against it was made clearly.

OP posts:
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tabulahrasa · 15/11/2021 07:52

“Pretending that Wayne Kerr, or Joby sound rude is silly, you have to change the vowel. It's like reversing the letters. It's bullying to do that.”

Nope joby is pronounced the exact same way as it would be in a central belt accent - you don’t need to do anything to it.

CatonMat · 15/11/2021 07:38

How about Wendy House?

HeronLanyon · 15/11/2021 07:37

Re Myra - I know a Myra born late 50s ish. After a brief thought about how rarely it’s used and why I have absolutely no thoughts about Myra Hindley now. Knowing a Myra has rehabilitated the name for me.

TaVeryMuchLove · 15/11/2021 07:26

Diseases like Addison's are literally named after people, not the other way around

Yes, I know. Still creates an association with the name itself though, so I wouldn’t use it.

Original poster
AuntDympna · 15/11/2021 07:03

The name Amelia doesn't mean limbless. It's a name that happens to be spelt the same as another word. Amelia sounds like friend "ami", honey "miel".

Diseases like Addison's are literally named after people, not the other way around. (Some people say diseases shouldn't be named after people anyway.)

Pretending that Wayne Kerr, or Joby sound rude is silly, you have to change the vowel. It's like reversing the letters. It's bullying to do that.

A name which is associated with a terrible event, which younger parents might not know about, could be upsetting. The Enola thread had a lengthy discussion about people not even knowing what happened at Hiroshima.

Separating out the seriously awkward names is absolutely the point of this thread, because people say you can't call your child Aloysius" or "Seven" or "Mildred" bc those are pretentious or tryhard or old ladyish, all of which pale into insignificance next to Enola. This thread is about figuring out what is a real problem, and what is just personal taste.

OP posts:
Merrilee · 15/11/2021 06:59

To be included, there needs to already be a thread on the name, where the case against it was made clearly

Grin Bad news for you op. You don't get to set the rules on a public forum.
Willowowisp · 15/11/2021 06:12

I agree with this. It is often the combination which is problematic in reference to famous and very unpleasant people.

MsPorridge · 15/11/2021 06:10

@TheLightSideOfTheMoon Amelia is in the top 10 most popular names in the UK in recent years. That means lots of people don't seem to know/care.

CatonMat · 15/11/2021 06:02

Mike Hunt.

Anotherhill · 15/11/2021 05:58

I loved the Slithery thread. Such a fantastic twist!

blessedbethechocolate · 15/11/2021 05:50

I think a lot of parents don't think about how names fit with their surnames. For example I went to school with a Wayne Kerr poor boys life was hell.

CatonMat · 15/11/2021 05:34

I never knew that.

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 15/11/2021 05:32

Amelia.

Also a disease.

ronfa · 15/11/2021 05:28

Amelia, meaning without arms or legs. Another medical term to avoid.

and yet how popular is this name?

ronfa · 15/11/2021 05:25

I saw a little girl on a documentary called Electra and I was shocked since it is the name for the process where little girls want to sleep with their fathers according to Freud.

You were shocked? 😆

ronfa · 15/11/2021 05:23

I find a lot of the "horror" at baby names often very outdated & small minded.

Lots of younger people won't get references from decades ago or care.

Having a "foreign" name or one that is hard to pronounce is really not a big deal.

garlictwist · 15/11/2021 05:16

[quote AuntDympna]Myra

This spelling and the pronunciation like the English word "my" is widely considered unusable in the UK. It was not a particularly common name and most people associate with Myra Hindley, a notorious serial killer.
The similar names Moira, Meera, Meira, Mara, and Maura are all fine to use.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/baby_names/4356822-Myra[/quote]
I don't agree with this.

I think Myra is a nice name and I wouldn't necessarily not use it because of one woman years ago.

BrunoJenkins · 15/11/2021 05:07

I still don't see the point of this thread. If someone is thinking of naming their baby Myra (or anything else) then when they search for threads mentioning that name they'll find the previous ones where people have been warned against it. This thread is superfluous.

CatonMat · 15/11/2021 04:05

I do like Dick being referred to as a stand alone name. Grin

GeorgiaGirl52 · 15/11/2021 04:02

Peony
(school kids Pee-on-me)

Gingerkittykat · 15/11/2021 03:08

Electra.

I saw a little girl on a documentary called Electra and I was shocked since it is the name for the process where little girls want to sleep with their fathers according to Freud.

Dontcallmejacqui · 15/11/2021 02:09

Two names I won't be using:

Abigail, meaning lady's maid. They say it's archaic but it's used in Jane Eyre

Amelia, meaning without arms or legs. Another medical term to avoid.

Marcipex · 15/11/2021 01:15

Boris

tabulahrasa · 15/11/2021 01:00

Joby

I don’t think it’s hugely common, but I’ve seen it on here before.

It’s basically Scots for poo, and not in an obscure old word that people won’t know way.

Newnews · 14/11/2021 23:26

We really loved the name Pippa but then found out it means slang for blowjob and other similar things in various European languages.