RAGE- inducing baby names

My best friend at school for a few years was called Isobel. She was really nice.

It was considered VERY old lady when I was given it - just after I was born, apparently the obituaries were full of Isobels!

the only Isobel I know is my 50yr old aunt, DD1 is named after my (now deceased) great aunt Isabella, its also my cousin and was my mothers middle name so it has huge family connections for me

its still considered as quite an 'old lady' name up here - no offence - however I love it and DD1 is delighted for the reasons she has it

Dizzy - ironic really, since Isobel is the Scottish spelling.

I could be feeling highly miffed actually since I am an Isobel, but I'm 36 and when my parents were naming me (after my grandmother), there were literally NO others. I am yet to meet another one - even a baby - and I live in London. [hmm}

you lot are just laid back and very cool, while we go berserk trying to think of 'different' names which none of the other 7 billion people down here has used yet.

no, not at all! as I've said it isn't popular up here at all but then again, according to the Government the Scots are always behind the 'trend setters' down south

which is definitely the way to go, Dizzy. I hope you weren't offended by my comments, I would never think badly of someone for using a popular name.

I certainly couldn't care less if people felt I wasn't original with my choices - all of my girls have names that mean something through their choice and not because of a desperation to be seen to be different from the pack

I was lucky with ds1's name, though I expect it will have a resurgence in the next few years, but he is nearly 7 now and the only one in his school...we know another little one who is about 3.

Ds2 is the only one we know of or have heard of, but even I'm not always sure i like his name it's a bit unusual.

I don't think it's fair to say people couldn't be bothered. Like with your dd's name, you didn't know it would be so popular.

But I think once a name reaches saturation and if you are aware of this, it's a bit odd to use it knowing her class will have 6 or 7 other children with the same name in it.

i don't expect most people do realise this though or they wouldn't do it.

Yes, that was my point about Isobel - the popularity. It is a very pretty name but for any child under the age of about 7 who is called Isobel I think it's a shame that her parents couldn't be bothered to think of a slightly more original name.

Mind you, I gave dd my great grandmother's name, which had been pretty rare over the last 80 years or so but now every other girl seems to have it.

Fliight - move up here, honestly it isn't popular at all

Plus it's only that popular because it is so attractive. It is a pain when a name becomes very popular, to the point of putting people off using it...if that makes any kind of sense at all!

Nothing, nothing, it's gorgeous - but it's just uber common round here, and by that I don't mean 'chav' common but seriously ubiquitous.

It got to the point where you would be talking to an acquaintance in the street and they would say 'Oh my daughter just had her first baby!' and you'd say 'Oh what's it called?' and you would KNOW. Which is such a shame, really, because it was on my favourite girls name list since I was about 9, right through till about 29!

no offence, honestly.

What's wrong with Isobel/Isabella?

we have an Isabella who is 7 and she was named after a beloved Great Aunt who was named after an aunt of hers etc etc

it is a timeless classic and popular for a reason - I don't understand the extreme reactions it generates, esp when I only know of one other up here and not the hundreds that everyone keep talking of. I stand by it for the reasons we chose it and we still love it

the name we picked for DD2 was less popular in the charts and has sped up them and is now considered common/chav - you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't!!!

I sadly can see how it could...when every second person who mentions a new baby tells you it is called that, it does begin to get a bit scary. Prob just where we live.

It's a lovely name and of course the babies are all beautiful. Just so many of them!

I could see how Isobel would induce rage

I don't care if you think it's not nice to slag off names people are suggesting. Why post on here if you don't want opinions. Imo, anyone with a dd younger than 7 called Isobel deserves a proper slagging, bring it on.

If you don't want to know what people think....

I agree about the chav thing too.

Massively over used on MNs.

Reminds me of the whole 'none U' thing.

Horrible shorthand for laughing down your sleeve at those dreadful working classes.

i have had some comments about my choices, but tbh I have only posted them after the fact, and it was having decided on names I loved, so it was cool if people went 'that's terrible!' It just made me smile.

As long as the requisite one person agrees with you you're Ok. If you're nOT ok with the name after some derision, don't use it.

It's a good test of how much you like it.

If you can't stand the heat...

People are much more forthright on here than they are in real life. In real life, people will smile diplomatically at a name and then laugh in private. At least this way, you're getting an idea of exactly how much people will laugh in private and whether it's really worth putting your child through that. A community service, if you will.

This forum is really just used for people considering names - not for actual names chosen and bestowed.

I dunno - the original post sort of reminds me of those people who go into, for example, celebrity gossip forums and then take massive umbrage at the gossip and bitching that goes on in them. It does what it says on the tin, and if if offends your delicate sensibilities, then just stay away!

well said MamaLazarou - I hate that word too