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Baby names

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

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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:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

MacavityTheDentistsCat · 14/11/2021 21:39

One name which seemed to be very much disliked on a thread some time ago was Lavinia. This was in part because of toilet jokes connected to "lavatory" and in part because of the horrific fate of Lavinia in Titus Andronicus.

Original poster

AuntDympna · 14/11/2021 21:17

Myra is very popular in India currently. Some of the girls named Myra probably do have Indian heritage, and maybe have aunties or grannies or other strong role models which cancel out the Hindley association. Similarly, Lolita is very popular in Spanish speaking countries (usually as a nn for Dolores, which is a reference to Our Lady of the Sorrows, which is a Catholic thing).

I don't know if Percy should be included. It's a euphemism for boys' private parts, not an obscenity. Willie and John Thomas are very common names, and Percy used to be very common. The only reason for including them in this thread is if people feel that parents need to know about that use before they name their child.

I think there's a need for this thread because some names get reactions like "OMG! You can't call your baby that!" either because it's regarded as pretentious, or unsophisticated, or "try hard" (whatever that means) or "made up". This thread is meant to be for the names that you'd say "seriously, you probably want to know this before you name your baby", and in some ways, to contrast with the thoughtless way people dismiss perfectly reasonable names.

OP posts:

toastofthetown · 14/11/2021 20:12

I just checked the stats on Myra and it's more common than I'd realised. It's in regular use with around 75-100 babies born a year. While personally the Hindley association would put me (and many other people) off using it clearly it's not unusable or too problematic for others. For reference in 2020 it was more popular than Katherine and Celeste.
names.darkgreener.com/#myra

GrumpySausage · 14/11/2021 20:06

@SingleHandSue

Michael, if your surname is Hunt.

Also Isaac

Gwenhwyfar · 14/11/2021 20:01

John if your surname is Thomas, but under 40s don't get the joke apparently.

SummaLuvin · 14/11/2021 19:58

I just don't see how a name that over a hundred babies a year a given can be called "genuinely problematic"

I think you’ll find the OP (you know - judge, jury, and executioner of these things) decided Percy might warrant inclusion, so check your facts!!!!

Gwenhwyfar · 14/11/2021 19:57

[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 disagree. I don't automatically think of Myra Hindley as it's a reasonably common name and as time goes on we'll think less and less about Hindley.

toastofthetown · 14/11/2021 19:56

@LanaDelBoy

She is saying it sounds like "penis".

Oh, I really didn't get that. William has Willy there for the taking and it's still popular, so I don't think that's a huge strike against Peony.

toastofthetown · 14/11/2021 19:53

[quote MissMarplesGoddaughter]@WallaceinAnderland

Percy is slang for penis

Pointing Percy at the porcelain is a well known expression for going to the toilet.[/quote]
It's not that well known. I've only heard it on Mumsnet name threads and I can't imagine anyone under the age of about 60 using it. The name Percy is quickly growing in popularity and there are almost a thousand born in the last twenty years. That might be a dealbreaker for you, but clearly it's not for a lot of people and as the name grows in popularity then the porcelain thing will become less relevant. The sweets would be a bigger deal for most people. I just don't see how a name that over a hundred babies a year a given can be called "genuinely problematic".

SummaLuvin · 14/11/2021 19:52

Pipe down @LanaDelBoy OP clearly said she didn’t want discussion of specific names on her thread 😂😂😂

LanaDelBoy · 14/11/2021 19:49

No, I don't think "peony's" sounds like "penis" either!
But it has quite a potential for pee-esque comments.

WallaceinAnderland · 14/11/2021 19:29

@LanaDelBoy

She is saying it sounds like "penis".

Ah, right.

I didn't hear it like that at all.

TaVeryMuchLove · 14/11/2021 19:18

Addison
It’s a disease.

SummaLuvin · 14/11/2021 19:11

lol OP is very dictatorial about what goes on in this thread!!! stay in line guys.

if others are allowed to comment Percy and Alexa, then my contribution is Margarita - wouldn't call it problematic, but heavy pizza/cocktail associations make it unusable for me.

riotlady · 14/11/2021 19:11

Lots of beautiful sounding names from Greek myth have terrible stories behind them. Daphne- Apollo tried to rape her and she got turned into a tree. Io- got turned into a cow. Phaedra- couldn’t get her stepson to sleep with her so accused him of rape and killed herself. etc etc

Not necessarily unusable (especially names like Daphne which have been used enough they’re not so closely linked to the myth) but not associations I’d choose for my baby

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 14/11/2021 19:09

Melaena/Melena - it's black tarry poo due to bleeding in the gut.

Also Daria.

riotlady · 14/11/2021 19:03

@LanaDelBoy

She is saying it sounds like "penis".

Not sure if it’s just my accent but it doesn’t when I say it?

lovablequalities · 14/11/2021 19:03

Donald isn't a problematic name. There are lots and lots of people born every year with this name. A man who was a (one term) president is not the same as a serial killer or Adolf Hitler. No matter how offensive you personally may have found him his name is one that remains popular in certain places in the UK.

BobMortimersTrout · 14/11/2021 19:03

@LanaDelBoy

She is saying it sounds like "penis".

Thank you, I wasn't getting it either.

Also - she's wrong!

nocoolnamesleft · 14/11/2021 18:57

Melaena/Melena - it's black tarry poo due to bleeding in the gut.

BoomChicka · 14/11/2021 18:53

Slithery.

Hoping there's enough old timers around to appreciate

Original poster

AuntDympna · 14/11/2021 18:36

Reason for having a thread on the name is so this thread doesn't get cluttered with discussion about individual names.

Absolutely meant to be crowdsourced - I am trying to set the tone for the thread. So for example Lola doesn't warrant inclusion. Percy and Dick might.

OP posts:

LanaDelBoy · 14/11/2021 18:31

She is saying it sounds like "penis".

MissMarplesGoddaughter · 14/11/2021 18:28

@WallaceinAnderland

Percy is slang for penis

Pointing Percy at the porcelain is a well known expression for going to the toilet.

WallaceinAnderland · 14/11/2021 18:11

[quote CoconutQueen]@toastofthetown

Peony's hat
Peony's coat
Peony's rash
Peony's problem
Peony's caught on the zipper

Just say them out loud [/quote]
I'm still not really getting it.

Pee on his hat?

But how does that work with

Pee on his caught in the zipper?

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