What where you "almost" named.

[rayoflightboy]

Mine was Claire,it was on the radio when I was born.
Luckily I wasn't called it as there where loads of them about.

Laura or Angela. Either would have been better than the name I was given!

I would have been a Karen but my Auntie bet her to it by giving birth first by 4 days and "stealing" the name. Name "stealing" was happening even back in 1968 🤣

Traditionally it ought to have been Josefine Henriette, but the aunt in question vetoed it. So my parents moved a generation up - 2 greatgrandmas and several great aunts felt honoured.
The first name they decided on I shared with 5 girls in my first year of school. Today almost noone is called like that.

I was going to be named Vashti until my aunt pointed out to my mum that in a Glaswegian accent it might sound as though she had called me Washday.

Judith
Think I would have quite like jude
Would have preferred Susan

Duke..my favourite doll was called myfanwy
Not welsh either
Just liked it

My friend - born mid 70s - should have been a name that would have given her the initials IRA. The registrar kindly pointed this out and my friend became RIA instead.

Natalie back in 1985. My name is similar but think I would of suited either. Was quite lucky though as there was only one other girl with the same name as me in the whole high school.
I found there was a lot of Emma's and Laura's when I was at school oh and Gemma's too!

Bridget, Selina or Harriet. I quite like Harriet, but I love my actual name, so pleased my parents went with that instead.

Hilda.

I’m nowhere near old enough to be a Hilda.

Petra. In 1960. The Blue Peter dog got it instead. What I got was little better to be fair.

Sabrina. I think originally because of the Billy Wilder film of the same name. But my mother was put off by another reference, don't know what. It's very different from my actual name.

Christopher if a boy or Diana - ended up with that as a middle name. So glad as I looked just like "Lady Di" as a shy 13 year old around when she was getting married to Price Charles, so having the same name would have made the reading even worse than it already was!

Teasing not reading!

I was very nearly Stephanie, I'd have been fine with that!

My son for one roughly 12hr period was going to be Tristan. The name popped into my head one night and I spent hours researching meanings and the history of the name so sure that I'd found THE name no other name could ever compare. By the time I woke up the next morning I was just a bit bemused. Still like the name but we did not use it!

If I'd been a boy I would have been Roy, after my (Canadian) grandfather Royston. Sis would have been Alan (we still don't know why). I can't imagine a baby called either!

I was given my Dad's first name choice but by Mum would have chosen Michaela (my Saint's name day).

When I was in my 20s I worked with a woman who had the same birthday but 20 years older. She was a Michaela, shortened to Mic, which I thought was cool.

Was going to be Antonia, after my father but my older sister had fallen in love with a someone's name who was in the news and insisted they called me that instead. Thanks sis! Still think Antonia is lovely but never had a chance to use it

Persephone

I don't know anyone close to my age with my name. I know many 90+ year olds with it - the shortened version is popular now though. But most girls were Sharon, Debbie, Travey, Mandy, etc., and there was me with a name their grandparents or great grandparents had. It also meant slag in slang where I came from. I use it again now, but for a while, I'd changed it.
It certainly made me think carefully about names for my children. I like it now and old fashioned names are quite popular.

Victoria

Helen. My paternal grandma didn't like it because it reminded her of her (wicked) stepmother, so my parents changed it to something else. I don't know if they instantly regretted their choice because I have always been called by my middle name. I did ask my Mum recently (now I'm 50+) why they didnt use my first name and she muttered darkly something about 'oh I don't remember it was a long time ago'. This makes me think there was some sort of family falling out she didn't want to talk about.
I called my daughter Helen. She hated it!

I didn't answer I realise, almost was Jon boy, Glenda girl

@Myimaginarycathasfleas Sabrina. I think originally because of the Billy Wilder film of the same name. But my mother was put off by another reference, don't know what. It's very different from my actual name. Maybe the 1950s glamour model, I think she was a bit of a blonde bombshell?

Timothy George. Mum didn't want a girl and hadn't planned a girl's name. I was named after the midwife in the end as they couldn't think of one.