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Baby names

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

What happened to normal conventional names?

163 replies

VelvetLace · 17/06/2026 18:41

An acquaintance who is due slightly after me has just announced on Facebook that she will be naming her baby girl Charm. I originally thought it was short for something else but no. It's just the word Charm. I'm not saying that everyone should name their baby something incredibly dull, but why have full-blown dog names become so common for human beings? Has naming babies just become a creativity contest? I see a lot of conventional names being asked about and considered on MN, but I'm seeing the opposite with people that I know offline. DH and I were discussing this last night.

OP posts:
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HumanOfTheWeek · 17/06/2026 20:09

SemperIdem · 17/06/2026 19:42

What did you think Charm might be short for, Charmander?

Charmain perhaps

Wre · 17/06/2026 20:08

What are you naming your baby?

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 17/06/2026 20:07

Not a lot wrong with Charm. Naming children for virtues or for your hopes and dreams for them is pretty common in some countries. There are more traditional ones we might be familiar with like Verity, Prudence or Joy and there are also those that are more associated with some black African cultures such as Blessing. Or you can go all Spanish and go for Purificación. I would much rather Charm than Purificación!

SemperIdem · 17/06/2026 19:42

What did you think Charm might be short for, Charmander?

Loures · 17/06/2026 19:41

Most MNers always want to be contrary, OP. I've noticed this. If someone had started a thread saying that they loved the name Charm and wanted to use it, everyone on here would be saying how awful it is. Because you have started a thread criticising the name, everyone comes to defend it.

Screamingabdabz · 17/06/2026 19:08

It’s worse when they do pick conventional names and then try to spell it in a unique way.

concertinacornflake · 17/06/2026 19:04

It's bad form to post judgemental views in such an identifiable way!

I don't think there's anything wrong with a few unusual names. As every year, the majority of kids have common names and a minority have less common names.

Charm is no problem IMO, if they were in my class it wouldn't register.

Twoshoesnewshoes · 17/06/2026 19:03

There have always been less usual names - people probably have a wider pool of inspiration now from internet.
i wouldn’t chose that name personally, but I do wish I’d given my children slightly more unusual names.
I went to school with a Barbie and a Lancelot….

SleepingStandingUp · 17/06/2026 19:03

Because people have different tastes? You can convince yourself your a better person, smarter, classier, more loving parent, wiser to the ways of the world etc than your friends, sorry acquaintance, I'm sure your friends all pick names you approve of, but you aren't. Most people genuinely just pick a name they love.

CurlewKate · 17/06/2026 19:03

What’s happened to normal conventional names? The vast majority of people are giving them to their children!

Iarthar · 17/06/2026 19:01

What counts as a 'normal, conventional name' is pretty subjective to class, ethnicity, generation etc.

I mean, I'd prefer Charm to George, by some way.

Herstruly · 17/06/2026 18:59

Bless that poor child. I'm not sure why every name must be so cutesy and infantile now. This is as bad as that 'influencer' couple that named their son Koazy because he was cosy in the womb. 🙄

Sassylovesbooks · 17/06/2026 18:49

Mmmmm, well it's definitely not a name I would choose!! I'll be honest it reminds me of a name a woman would pick within the adult entertainment industry, back in the 80s/90's!! 😬

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