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Baby names

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

Original poster

Names you LOVE but would never choose...

164 replies

poppymango · 19/06/2024 17:57

For example:

A name associated with a famous celebrity

Something gorgeous but very obviously from a movie/book franchise

Something that sounds way too posh (or not!)

Etc.

I loved the name Merida (from the movie Brave) and was very disappointed to learn that it's not actually a real Scottish name at all! Naming your daughter after a Disney princess seems like something you may regret.

I also saw a TV show once with a character called Persephone, Percy for short. I love it but we are in no way posh enough to pull it off. Sigh.

What are yours?

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HollyYates · 27/02/2025 20:34

Elena!! I love it but the vampire diaries is too big!

Titasaducksarse · 26/02/2025 22:40

GentrifiedJen · 19/06/2024 18:43

Veolia - I think this looks so pretty but unfortunately it's the name of a waste disposal company!

Pretoria - I love the sound of this but I think it would cause too many questions for the child

Mireille - such a pretty French name but, alas, only the French seem to know how to pronounce it

Gwalia - the ancient name for Wales - again, it would cause too many questions

Was in school with Mireille and I'm 48 so quite a few years ago. We had no issue with pronunciation then.

Triskeline · 26/02/2025 22:36

TheGroovingDucksOfItchycoo · 26/02/2025 22:12

I quite like those names too!

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But think of calling your baby St John after his ghastly grandfather, who would sit around being horrified you didn’t send him to prep or pre-prep or whatever, aged six, as a boarder.

TheGroovingDucksOfItchycoo · 26/02/2025 22:12

Triskeline · 26/02/2025 21:58

She now has two sons, with nice, ordinary names, but the PIL can’t forgive her for not using the family names. Which were along the lines of St John and Tristan.

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I quite like those names too!

Triskeline · 26/02/2025 21:58

TheGroovingDucksOfItchycoo · 26/02/2025 21:36

I wonder if she will do that with the next one?

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She now has two sons, with nice, ordinary names, but the PIL can’t forgive her for not using the family names. Which were along the lines of St John and Tristan.

TheGroovingDucksOfItchycoo · 26/02/2025 21:36

Triskeline · 26/02/2025 21:33

A good friend of mine pretended to her challenging PILs they were going to call their firstborn Ughtred, then confessed that she rather liked it.

Edited
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I wonder if she will do that with the next one?

Triskeline · 26/02/2025 21:33

TheGroovingDucksOfItchycoo · 26/02/2025 20:44

I quite like Aethelred.

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A good friend of mine pretended to her challenging PILs they were going to call their firstborn Ughtred, then confessed that she rather liked it.

TheGroovingDucksOfItchycoo · 26/02/2025 20:44

Dazedandconfusedma · 26/02/2025 20:44

I knew a Galahad at uni and thought it was an awesome name

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I quite like Aethelred.

Dazedandconfusedma · 26/02/2025 20:44

cheapskatemum · 20/02/2025 20:49

I can never understand why Galahad isn't a popular name. He was the best knight. Would have loved to use it, but went for short boys' names instead.

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I knew a Galahad at uni and thought it was an awesome name

cheapskatemum · 26/02/2025 20:38

I love the name Aloysius, but am aware that it's often mispronounced & was the name of Sebastian Flyte's teddy bear in Brideshead Revisited, so didn't use it. Doubt DH would have agreed to it anyway.

Charlottejbt · 26/02/2025 19:01

Your friend was BU! Tanaquil is the perfect girl's name if you're brave, and the perfect middle name if you're not.

I love Diana, but didn't want to be mistaken for a Princess Di superfan! I think she has positive associations, but I remember how cringy it was in 97 with all the performative weeping and wailing.

TheGroovingDucksOfItchycoo · 26/02/2025 18:49

Ottilie
Petronella
Hermione

Littledot2 · 26/02/2025 18:46

Love Felix but not brave enough and with the cat connotations. Also Sebastian but feels a bit too posh for us

Baninarama · 24/02/2025 18:19

I know an Iseult (though spelled Ysolde)!

I like Macsen for a boy, though we have zero Welsh heritage so wouldn't get away with it.

Original poster
poppymango · 24/02/2025 07:09

LadyLapsang · 21/02/2025 23:04

Iseult and Aeneas.

Oh I love the way Iseult looks written, though I wouldn't have a clue how to pronounce it. I assume it's related to the Tristan & Isolde story?

OP posts:
LadyLapsang · 21/02/2025 23:04

Iseult and Aeneas.

Triskeline · 20/02/2025 20:53

LookingAtMyBhunas · 20/02/2025 20:04

I love Harriet, it's my sisters name and I'm always jealous she got the better name IMO 😂 Why wouldn't you use it out of interest?

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I always associate Harriet with bossy, jolly hockey sticks types.

StiggyZardust · 20/02/2025 20:52

Araminta
Cassandra
Damaris
Seraphina
Berrigan
Orlando
Jasper

cheapskatemum · 20/02/2025 20:49

17caterpillars1mouse · 19/06/2024 20:28

Pandora - love it and think Pandy is a super cute nickname but no.

Lancelot - so grand and handsome but no.

I've always always thought Camelot would make a lovely name but again no

And noticing a theme Merlin

I can never understand why Galahad isn't a popular name. He was the best knight. Would have loved to use it, but went for short boys' names instead.

iAmBarbara · 20/02/2025 20:32

Fable- it’s way too out there for me and it’s not a ‘real’ name but I love it

Stevie- I adore Stevie Nicks, but as we’re working class I think it comes across a bit ‘blokey’ for us to use it.

Marigold- dh says all he thinks of when he hears it is rubber gloves.

dutysuite · 20/02/2025 20:14

LookingAtMyBhunas · 20/02/2025 20:04

I love Harriet, it's my sisters name and I'm always jealous she got the better name IMO 😂 Why wouldn't you use it out of interest?

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It’s very close to a similar sounding name as one of my sister’s children so it wouldn’t feel right using it.

LookingAtMyBhunas · 20/02/2025 20:04

dutysuite · 20/02/2025 13:09

I’ve always loved the name Amelia, but I didn’t use it 15 years ago because my husband’s cousin had a baby just before us and used it - then I just noticed the name everywhere. My daughter who would have been named it hates the name so is thankful we didn’t use it. I still have a soft spot for it.
Others I like but can’t/wouldn’t use

Eliza
Florence
Lydia
Harriet/ Hattie/Hettie/

Edited

I love Harriet, it's my sisters name and I'm always jealous she got the better name IMO 😂 Why wouldn't you use it out of interest?

dutysuite · 20/02/2025 13:09

I’ve always loved the name Amelia, but I didn’t use it 15 years ago because my husband’s cousin had a baby just before us and used it - then I just noticed the name everywhere. My daughter who would have been named it hates the name so is thankful we didn’t use it. I still have a soft spot for it.
Others I like but can’t/wouldn’t use

Eliza
Florence
Lydia
Harriet/ Hattie/Hettie/

RogueFemale · 08/02/2025 00:35

Dazedandconfusedma · 07/02/2025 21:05

Tuppence

Tuppence is sweet, but Sixpence would be nicer.

Dazedandconfusedma · 07/02/2025 21:05

Tuppence