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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Karen

66 replies

lolianja · 28/05/2009 20:22

Am coming up 10 weeks up the ol' spout with twinnies. 3-month-old son is a James aka Jimmy and as yet we (of course) are unaware of the genders of the twins. My mother's convinced it's two girls, I think it's a boy and a girl - although in fairness I was woefully wrong last time around.

Favourite prior to this was Alice for a girl but I've found myself warming to Karen in a big way. The youngest I know is a couple of years younger than me (I'm 20) so it's a little passé, but I don't think this will be a problem. I like retro!

Any musings? I'm going to be here a LOT over the next few months with my name-related flights of fancy!

OP posts:
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edam · 30/05/2009 12:03

Mind you, you'll also have three teenagers all at once, all suffering from mood swings and all doing exams at the same time. Don't envy you that!

edam · 30/05/2009 12:02

lolianja - blimey! Had a moment of thinking you must be 'aving a larf there.

you do know you've got plenty of reproductive life left in you, don't you?

Although you will have MUCH more energy than us old birds who wait until our mid-30s to have kids. Oh, to have the energy of a 20 year old while doing battle with night wakings... AND you'll still be young when your kids are teenagers.

Nancy66 · 30/05/2009 12:00

My god - I can't believe the positive response towards karen. I think it's awful. I'd lump it in with Pauline, Joyce and Sheila. Dated and - sorry, I am a snob - a bit downmarket.

MrsEricBana · 30/05/2009 11:44

Oops, sorry Harlot! I think everyone is saying ok for grown up but less good for baby these days.

MrsEricBana · 30/05/2009 11:43

'tis my middle name (my first is similar in feeling to Dawn and I'm not at all keen, but hey ho!) and I'm afraid I don't like it either - sorry - very retro but not nec in a good way. Having said that, if you love it definitely go for it. My parents and in laws hated the name we had for dd so we didn't use it (India with Rose as middle name) and have regretted it, AND hated the name we had for ds (Charles/Charlie) which we did use, and we love it and it really suits him, so I say go with what you feel is right and ignore everyone else. (Karen Elson is cool isn't she?)

HarlotOTara · 30/05/2009 11:38

'Tis my name and have always disliked it, loads around when I was at school. Am a bit that not many people like it tho' and hope I am not one who was hated (further up thread)!

MrsMattie · 30/05/2009 11:31

Sorry to all Karens but NO. It's so 60s/70s.

Alice is much, much nicer.

(Love Jimmy, btw. Cool name!)

MachuPicchu · 30/05/2009 00:54

I used not to like Karen, but then the daughter in Outnumbered was called that I think and I warmed to it - is possibly coming back into fashion.

Original poster
lolianja · 30/05/2009 00:44

Thanks for the input folks, interesting responses!

@edam - yes.

Not keen on Sharon or Tracy. At all - I was at school with a vile Tracy! Rather l.ike Michelle and Deborah though.

OP posts:
edam · 30/05/2009 00:00

Hang on, you have a three month old and are ten weeks pregnant (with twins) and you are 20? Wow.

If you really like 70s names, how about Sharon and Tracy, or Michelle and Deborah?

mrswoolf · 29/05/2009 23:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 29/05/2009 23:03

I like your style
Alice is nice but a bit ordinary- Karen is really out there i love it

epithet · 29/05/2009 23:01

I like it.

boodleboot · 29/05/2009 23:01

Fimbo made a very good spelling suggesting on page one - Caryn i really quite like and doesn't seem 80's at all....Karen i do not like, yet they are the same name.....hmmm strange.

simplesusan · 29/05/2009 22:57

I was at school with lots and lots of Karens so for me it isn't old or young enough iyswim.

Turniphead1 · 29/05/2009 21:14

When I was little in the late 70s I always wanted to be called Karen or Lisa so I still have soft spot for those names.

Of course they won't become really popular intil about 2030s when they will be the equivalent of the Mabel, Emily, Ruby names now (ie great-grandmother names!!).

Go for it.

Pinner35 · 29/05/2009 21:07

I like it ......would go with Karin though.

edam · 29/05/2009 21:04

random's right, can you bear it when she's a teenager and tells you her name is Kaz?

jollyjoanne · 29/05/2009 21:02

Hi Loli, I like strong sounding names too, I think Karen is good but I may be biased as it is the name of one of my closest friends!

random · 29/05/2009 21:01

She will be called Kaz tho.......

bluejeans · 29/05/2009 21:00

I think you could start a trend ressurrecting the names from our (well my) generation:

Karen
Gillian
Amanda
Wendy
Linda
Alison
Lynne
Julie
Tracy etc etc!

Fimbo · 29/05/2009 20:59

I know loads in their 30's and 40's one even spells it Caryn. I think I would prefer that spelling if naming a child now.

treacletart · 29/05/2009 20:51

I think its quite retro cool too - isn't the little girl in Outnumbered called Karen?

MamaG · 29/05/2009 20:51

Alice is hte BEST

newpup · 29/05/2009 20:46

My lovely, lovely friend was called karen and she was pretty, funny, clever and fun. I always smile when I hear that name.

Very retro
Very chic
Very good name!

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