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Baby names

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

Thoughts on the name Heather?

66 replies

Sorbustree123 · 16/12/2022 08:40

I was surprised to see it barely made it onto last year's list of top 1000 names in the UK, at number 968. Just want to check I'm not missing some other reason for it being so unpopular. Thanks!

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Dollybird123 · 15/02/2023 07:53

Funnily enough my dad's Henry and his nickname is H

Evivie · 15/02/2023 03:51

It's my name and my nickname is H, which I quite like 😊

Dollybird123 · 15/02/2023 02:50

My baby was born November last year and she is Heather Zelda.
My husband suggested both names. Loved the quirkiness of Zelda and Heather being a pretty girls name that isn't commonly used. There aren't many baby Heather's around. People genuinely love the name when we tell them. We nickname her Hettie.

winonarose · 23/12/2022 21:52

I actually really like it and think it's sweet

midsomermurderess · 22/12/2022 18:02

A bit plodding.

MamboJamboWambo · 22/12/2022 10:56

Was popular in the 90's had a couple in my class.

nancydroo · 22/12/2022 10:47

Love it

Notonyournellykelly · 22/12/2022 10:45

There were three Heathers in my year group at school and someone always called them Hev 🤢. It's probably that which put me off.

FurAndFeathers · 22/12/2022 10:06

I know a Heather. Literally no one calls her Hev
surprised so many people think this is common. Or is it just an assumption ?

Notonyournellykelly · 22/12/2022 09:31

I quite liked Heather for dd, but I also hate Hev.

Similar vintage/style of name (to me) would be something like Natasha or Vanessa which I think are lovely

wheretonextyear · 22/12/2022 09:30

I agree it's another old woman name that is due a revival but I can't hear it without immediately thinking of Heather the Weather:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Reid

GCAcademic · 22/12/2022 09:29

It immediately makes me think of the film.

”What’s your damage, Heather?”

Firebird83 · 22/12/2022 09:22

Don’t like it, it’s frumpy plus I know a horrible Heather. Hev is awful too.

Oneandabean · 21/12/2022 14:20

I loved it and was on Our list, but my daughter couldn’t say the ‘th’ sound so it sounded like heifer.

Otterseatpuffinsdontthey · 17/12/2022 16:08

How about Erica (Heather's Sunday name)?

thecrispfiend · 17/12/2022 13:29

I'm a 40 year old redhead with Scottish heritage called Heather! I like my name and have only ever come across a few others with the same name. My nickname is Hev which I don't mind at all. I didn't like it so much when I spent a year in France as the French absolute butchered it by calling me "Ezzzerrrr" haha I think the name is due a revival

RewildingAmbridge · 17/12/2022 13:21

I know 2, one around 60 the other late thirties, lovely name

JamSandle · 17/12/2022 13:20

I like it. Due a revival.

jackstini · 17/12/2022 13:19

Lovely name

I know 3, all 40-50

Stevie6 · 17/12/2022 12:36

It was in my girls list for all of mine but had boys

HappyAsASandboy · 17/12/2022 12:16

I love it. I don't like many nature names but I do like Heather and Rowan.

The Heather I know has never been Hev or Hever or any name-related nick name at all; simply Heather Smile

StopStartStop · 17/12/2022 12:11

Hate it. My grandmother wanted me to be named Heather. My mother wanted me to be named Rachael. I didn't get either of those.

IntentionalError · 17/12/2022 12:02

Heather is a perfectly nice name. It’s just out of fashion, like many other names which were popular in the 60s & 70s, eg Joanne, Claire, Rachel, Deborah etc etc.

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 17/12/2022 11:58

Lovely name as long as you don’t live somewhere where the regional accent will pronounce the ‘th’ as ‘v’.

FurAndFeathers · 17/12/2022 09:30

Lovely classic name