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Baby names

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

Original poster

Maddeleine.

30 replies

pamelat · 16/08/2009 09:51

Out of interest (only ttc) but do you think its acceptable/"allowed" to use the name Maddeleine nowadays with Maddeleine Mc Canns disappearance?

I love the name but worry that it has negative connotations and that its a bit like taking her name?

In my real life, people are saying its not really acceptable to use it.

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pranma · 18/08/2009 17:31

I have a dgd who is exactly the same age as MMcC and when it first happened there was an extra poignancy when we looked at our blonde,blue eyed Madeleine but I dont think anyone would make a connection now.It is a lovely name.

KERALA1 · 18/08/2009 14:06

It is a nice name but my mind automatically goes to that dreadful case every time I hear it so personally I wouldnt use it.

mathanxiety · 17/08/2009 01:38

I would name her Madeleine. It's beautiful name, and in a way it honours the missing child. I hate to say this, but the event that begat the negative or disrespectful connotation will one day be forgotten. Still regret not naming one DD Monica just because.... And at the time, you just couldn't escape the name (in the States at the time anyway).

poppysocks · 16/08/2009 20:55

I have a Madeleine. A fab name.

Mine is a year older than MMcC. Don't find that it's something that comes up at all now. In fact the only thing that affected us was that people started to understand that the spelling really is -leine.

DailyLazyFascistMail · 16/08/2009 20:50

I have a Madeline (after the Ludwig Bemelman books my older children loved).

simplesusan · 16/08/2009 20:41

It is a lovely name and I think you should use it.

merlin36 · 16/08/2009 18:22

i love the name and always wanted it my dd was born last year but i just couldn,t go through with the name as i feel the name is for ever associated with madeleine mcann

Meglet · 16/08/2009 13:55

I think it's fine. My dd has the same name as a girl who was killed and the story is still in the news, doesn't bother me.

Original poster
pamelat · 16/08/2009 13:44

Sorry just re read my last post and the etc is badly placed. I did not mean the girls names and then etc.

I meant that my reasons were "etc" for it meaning more, with the timing of the wedding.

Its all getting a little too complicated! I will keep quiet. Had 3 hours sleep last night with a fractious 18 month old DD!

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Original poster
pamelat · 16/08/2009 13:36

sorry one "d", not concentrating today, lack of sleep last night.

Madeleine went missing the weekend of our wedding day so maybe its more on my "mind" that Shannon, Holly, Jessica etc.

When DD was born I voiced using it and was greeted by cries of "you can't, how awful" etc etc.

It would be interesting to see what has happened to its popularity since then.

Consensus seems to be its ok, thats good

OP posts:
Nighbynight · 16/08/2009 13:36

Very beautiful name, I don't see why it should be not acceptable.

fishflange · 16/08/2009 13:19

Ummmm, my baby was going to be Kirstie but she was born the week of that dreadful case of the father slaughtering his animals and then his wife and daughter. I couldn't use it after that.
Don't hate me.
Pamelat, I think that the fact you have worried enough to post means it's on your mind and always will be. Nothing to be ashamed of.

zookeeper · 16/08/2009 13:16

the name for me will always make me think of the Mcann Madelaine - whether that's good or bad I don't know.

katiestar · 16/08/2009 13:11

So would you not use Sarah ,Holly , jessica Shannon as well ?

thedailyfemale · 16/08/2009 12:58

"I love the name but worry that it has negative connotations and that its a bit like taking her name?"
but MmC was a pretty little innocent girl. I find it hard to negativity in that.

Its a pretty name. If you like it, use it

suwoo · 16/08/2009 12:46

My dd is called Madeleine, it is a beautiful name. She is 7.5 though so was named well before the disappearance. My Madeleine is always very interested in Madeleine McCann and scours the papers for stories about her .

Go for it!

TheHappyCamper · 16/08/2009 12:39

My dd is Madeleine. She is 4 months old. It was really the only girls name we both absolutely loved.

We did think about the Madeleine McCann connecection but felt it would be awful for there never to be any more Madeleines in the world after her. It is very tragic but life goes on.

We didn't tell a soul before she was born what names we had picked and no-one has said anything negative since she was born. Most people just say it's a gorgeous name. She sometimes gets Maddie, but I like to call her Madeleine mostly - it really suits her.

(oh, and def one d only ! - MIL says it's the French spelling?!)

pointydog · 16/08/2009 12:11

Lovely name. Perfectly acceptable. One d

MaggieBeauLeo · 16/08/2009 11:59

My daughter is only 6 months older than Madeleine McCann, and it was on my list too. She has mousey brown straight hair and although she doesn't look like her, like FritesMenthes says, calling out the name in public TO a child of the same age wiht light brown hair, well, that'd be enough to have some loons called 999. If my dd was Madeleine, I think I would have shortened it to Ellen..

pagwatch · 16/08/2009 11:57

My DD is also the same age as Madeleine McCann and other than in the first months after her disapperance when ( lets be honest) the world was full of weirdos freaking out, the connection is not an issue any more.And she is nearly 7 but remains Madeleine - no one shortens it.

If you have people in your real life that feel it is unacceptable then don't use it. But FWIW I think that the people you are talking to are very odd and mawkish.

And do spell it properly won't you

mamadoc · 16/08/2009 11:51

I named my DD Madeleine and then 10 days later Madeleine McCann was abducted. I still don't regret it though. It is my DDs name to me and has no other connotations.
Tragic though it is eventually people will forget about the McCann case.
The only thing I don't like is people assuming Maddie is short for Madison which seems to be more popular round my way.

hippipotamiHasLost55lbs · 16/08/2009 11:35

Gah!
But don't not use the name etc...

hippipotamiHasLost55lbs · 16/08/2009 11:34

One 'd', only one 'd'
A lovely name with one 'd'

Yes, use it. What happened to MMC is tragic but don't use the name because of that. Of course it is acceptable /allowed.

screamingabdab · 16/08/2009 11:32

I think it's a lovely name, but it's spelt Madeleine

GirlsAreLoud · 16/08/2009 10:12

No idea why you wouldn't use it.