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Baby names

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

Original poster

What name might you have been called instead of the one you have now

185 replies

wishingwellofhope · 22/04/2009 14:36

My DF wanted to call me Merlin if I was a boy and Gwenevere if I was a girl. My DM wanted Joseph for a boy and Abi-Jo for a girl. I ended up with Abi but secretly i'd have liked Gwenevere

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pranma · 22/04/2009 21:26

I was nearly Gloria Jean

Lubyloo · 22/04/2009 21:24

I narrowly escaped being called Perdita!

numal · 22/04/2009 21:21

I was named after my aunt. She was a wonderful lady and died 5 years ago. We only then discovered from her birth certificate that her name was not what she was known as and I was named after, but.... Honor. That is such a beautiful name and it should have been mine (shock). Instead I have had a name I have never liked.
God knows how it was mixed up, the registrar must have been deaf (or drunk)or both.(sad)

differentID · 22/04/2009 21:17

My parents never had a girl's name ready for me they were so convinced I was going to be a boy called Michael Edward Peter James. As a result it took them nearly the whole 6 weeks alloted to decide which versions of my grandmothers' names to use.

CakeandFineWine · 22/04/2009 21:14

my DM would have called be Alistar if I was a boy!!! Thank f*ck I was a girl, even if Jane is the most BORING name on the planet, at least its not too embarrassing

hester · 22/04/2009 21:11

Hedwig. I kid you not.

HecatesTwopenceworth · 22/04/2009 20:45

oh and PANDORA!!!

HecatesTwopenceworth · 22/04/2009 20:45

Just spoken to my mum and mentioned this and she said they were also considering Selina, Jemima, Primrose and Miranda!

HecatesTwopenceworth · 22/04/2009 20:41

My middle name was supposed to be Naomi. My parents loved it. My mum went to register me and for some reason that she cannot explain to this day, registered my middle name as Maria instead. Maria was not a name either of them had given any though to at all. She has no idea how it happened.

Oh, and had I been a boy I think I was going to be Luke. Or was it Saul? Or maybe my sister would have been Saul? I dunno.

Thunderduck · 22/04/2009 20:30

The other possible girl's name was Claire, my cousin got that and if I'd been a boy it would have been Craig or Michael, after deceased relatives.

lydiathetattooedlady · 22/04/2009 19:26

born in the early 80's my dad wanted to call me either keith or sharon thank god my mum got the final say so!

FrannyandZooey · 22/04/2009 18:58

christopher

PeppermintPatty · 22/04/2009 18:56

Verity

Or Joem if I was a boy (I'm not sure this is even a real name, it may be something my mum dreamed up).

walkingwomb · 22/04/2009 18:49

i like morag, thinking about it for bump. harsh, but if you have the right personality so cool.

I was almost called margaret, which i use to be aghast about but recnetly have begun to think of as a pretty and mistreated name

NorbertDentressangle · 22/04/2009 18:37

I was very nearly a Morag.

Quite a harsh sounding name IMO so I'm glad they changed their mind

bluebump · 22/04/2009 18:37

I would have been a Ben if I was a boy. My mum wanted to call me Martha but my dad said no!

OAPmum · 22/04/2009 18:35

Nearly got called Blodwen! Have another Welsh name - a bit better but there are lots of Welsh names I like better. Personally, I would have chosen Alexandra. Perhaps it ought to be the done thing to be able to officially change your name at the age of 21 ( not before else we could all have ended up with some awful pop star name).

poppyknot · 22/04/2009 18:33

Dr Who.

My poor brother was devastated that I was not a boy ( he already haad two sisters) and was asked what he would like to call the new baby. DW had just started and he was already a fan. He was earnest in his suggestion and was thwarted again!

RachieB · 22/04/2009 18:30

Not sure will have to ask my Mum!

dad wanted me to be called Tracy!

and my eldest sis wanted me to be called Claire after her best friend lol,so that's my middle name

CountessDracula · 22/04/2009 18:29

I was going to be India and my brother Quatermass Ignatius
Thank god for my mother

TheBolter · 22/04/2009 18:22

Bernadette.

MsMargotBeauregarde · 22/04/2009 18:22

I'm very glad my granddad intervened. My Mum thought she liked Kerry Anne. fcknig horrible.

My Grannddad said, "what carry on???!!!! you can't."
"No Kerry Anne!."
"Carry ON! that's not a name."
They changed it to something a lot more conservative.

What a massive favour he did me.

Leannabanana · 22/04/2009 17:29

if i'd of been a boy i'd of been benjamin

other choice of girls name was louise/louisa

missmiss · 22/04/2009 17:05

If I'd been a boy, I would have been Robert or Christopher. But my younger brother is called James, oddly.

anotherNCTlackey · 22/04/2009 17:00

I was going to be Simon. Not bad at all.

They only had one girls name as my Mum had decided when she was a little girl that if she had a daughter she'd call her .