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Baby names

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Original poster

R Kelly - how bad is that initial & surname?

61 replies

thefirstmrskelly · 26/05/2024 08:41

We love the name Rowan and it’s out long term favourite for a boy, but our surname is Kelly. Is R. Kelly unusable? I’m leaning to no, even if people make the connection now it will fade throughout his life. But just want some outside opinions.

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FairyCakesss · 26/05/2024 09:21

I wouldn't

WaitingForMojo · 26/05/2024 09:20

I wouldn’t do it

Candleabra · 26/05/2024 08:56

I wouldn’t. If you already had a child named R. Kelly then you’d have to shrug and make the best of it. I wouldn’t name a child that now when you have so many other choices.

Amx · 26/05/2024 08:56

I wouldn't

EliflurtleAndTheInfiniteMadness · 26/05/2024 08:55

How often is someone refered to like that anyway? I can't remember any of my kids even once being referred to as first initial surname.

LaLaLouella · 26/05/2024 08:55

I wouldn't ...

AramintaTittington · 26/05/2024 08:54

@YouveGotAFastCar it's absolutely nothing like calling your child Rolf Harris. What are you talking about?!

Richard Kelly
Robert Kelly
Rowan Kelly
Rachel Kelly
Rebecca Kelly
Ronnie Kelly

Now do you see how daft that sounds?!

HubbaNubba · 26/05/2024 08:52

YouveGotAFastCar · 26/05/2024 08:44

I wouldn’t. I think R Kelly will be notorious for a while yet, it’s not “over”, and even if he’s largely forgotten by the time your baby is a teen, it’d still be an odd connection. Like calling him Rolf Harris.

And until then, you’re likely to get some strange looks/assumptions made by current generations very familiar with R Kelly & what he did.

I think this is way overthinking it. Nobody is going to give you strange looks, and it’s most certainly nothing like calling your child Rolf Harris.

How often are you going to refer to your child as R. Kelly? If they have middle names, they’re more likely to write their signature as R. X. Y. Kelly or similar, in which case it becomes much less noticeable.

I can understand avoiding certain initials if they spell something unfortunate when run together, but honestly I wouldn’t give R. (Rowan) Kelly another thought.

JohnCurtice · 26/05/2024 08:48

I wouldn’t.

Coshei · 26/05/2024 08:47

It’s a very common surname, and many people with it will have a first name starting with R. It’s not like you naming your child after this guy who will have been forgotten about in no time.

YouveGotAFastCar · 26/05/2024 08:44

I wouldn’t. I think R Kelly will be notorious for a while yet, it’s not “over”, and even if he’s largely forgotten by the time your baby is a teen, it’d still be an odd connection. Like calling him Rolf Harris.

And until then, you’re likely to get some strange looks/assumptions made by current generations very familiar with R Kelly & what he did.