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Original poster

Do you know anyone whose name doesn't suit them?

161 replies

Louwheeeeeze · 03/04/2023 20:15

I name-changed for this, since I'm about to reveal my actual real name...

I'm a Louise, and I've never felt that I look like one. It just doesn't suit me! I think of it as quite a feminine name and I'm a big clumsy oaf who can break things that other people wouldn't consider to be breakable. But at the same time, I always think that Louise sounds ugly, with all the emphasis on that "wheeze" sound at the end. It's just about ok when French people say it, but alas, I am English.

Do you know anyone who has a name that just doesn't sound right on them? I sometimes see on the Baby Names board comments like "We were going to call him George but when he arrived he just looked like a Sam" and I wish my parents had had that sort of ability when I was born.

OP posts:
YogaLite · 04/04/2023 11:54

OP, Louise is nowhere near as bad as Louisa (or Sophia or Nicola).

For some reason I don't like names ending with -a where there is a more elegant sounding equivalent ending in -e, could be to do with how accent falls on syllables.

I think Loose is a lovely name

I don't like my first name so use my second, tho both end with -a 👿

YogaLite · 04/04/2023 11:57

That was meant to say Louise not Loose!

Sidge · 04/04/2023 12:12

I have a very common, early seventies name. I like it as it’s classic and I think it suits me but I wish I had a name that was slightly more unusual. It was tiresome being one of half a dozen in my class at school, so much so that teachers had to refer to us by the first letter of our surnames…

Mind you my parents double barrelled mine with your middle name @Louwheeeeeze - I think in the seventies there were only 3 or 4 names used as middle names! I don’t use it in its entirety, I use Louise as a middle name. If I get called my proper name in a formal setting I wonder if I’m in trouble!

I’ve met lots of people who don’t suit their names, usually through work. It does tend to jar.

Interested in this thread?

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Families
maddy68 · 04/04/2023 12:14

My friend has just called their baby Barry and I can't get past the way he looks nothing like a Barry

diflasu · 04/04/2023 12:22

I have a family member called Joy - it nothing to do with her expected personality but fact she was born after a string of late miscarriages and a very difficult complicated pg and for time born very early - it was an usual choice for the parents who were just very relieved and very happy. Unfortunately throughout her schooling teachers and fellow pupils took the piss about her name and life has dealt more than her fair share of hurdles. So yea I wouldn't say she was Joyful.

I have another family member called River - it's a very unusual name so no idea if they live up to people's preconceived ideas.

I knew fair few Chinese Malaysian women at university and heard them moaning about their names always some variation of pretty and flower in their language which they tended not to like though one I knew named after a semi precious jewel hated her name for standing out.

IL never bothered to think of a boys name as they wanted a girl - so he got one so common he spent his childhood being called by his surname - I don't think it's ever really suited him but hard to think what would have.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 04/04/2023 14:06

My friend has just called their baby Barry and I can't get past the way he looks nothing like a Barry

Probably because he's still (significantly) under 50!

I'm chuckling now, remembering the thread where OP gave clues to a friend's unusual baby name, saying "it's an adjective and then a name, double barrelled". OP later revealed that it was actually Navy-Lee, but the good MNers on the thread had already long decided that it must be Fierce-Barry Grin

TheFireflies · 04/04/2023 15:43

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 04/04/2023 14:06

My friend has just called their baby Barry and I can't get past the way he looks nothing like a Barry

Probably because he's still (significantly) under 50!

I'm chuckling now, remembering the thread where OP gave clues to a friend's unusual baby name, saying "it's an adjective and then a name, double barrelled". OP later revealed that it was actually Navy-Lee, but the good MNers on the thread had already long decided that it must be Fierce-Barry Grin

I remember that thread and ever since then I’ve tried to persuade people to name their cat Fierce Barry. Or my husband to get another cat just so I can. It hasn’t worked.

The only person in my mind who actually looks like a Barry is Shaun Williamson 😂

Jellytotsburnmytongue · 04/04/2023 15:49

Sweeted · 03/04/2023 21:21

There's the lady I used to work with called Patience and she's the most gobby, snappy, irritable cow. I really thought people were referring to her as Patience for a joke

You thought they were calling her patience for a joke 😂 that really made me laugh.

Crunchymum · 04/04/2023 16:00

I know an Elaine and a Gloria in their 20's. I don't think I'll ever get used to them.

DP has a Barry / Gary / Wayne / Dwayne type name. He is one of several boys and the only one to get a dodgy name.

Crunchymum · 04/04/2023 16:02

Fierce Barry is the best name ever. I must get another cat to use it 😂

happinessischocolate · 04/04/2023 18:23

Yes, I knew a Charity who liked to spread unkind gossip. I also think names like Belle/Bella are risky - literally being called "beautiful" is a lot to live up to.

I worked with a Belle, it didn't suit her at all and what made it worse was it wasn't her real/birth name she'd changed it 😂

Tryphenia · 04/04/2023 18:30

Crunchymum · 04/04/2023 16:02

Fierce Barry is the best name ever. I must get another cat to use it 😂

And Terrifying Keith, his feline brother.

VivaciousRadish · 04/04/2023 18:48

I love the name Louise, shortened to Lou. She sounds cool, friendly, funny and capable. Not particularly girlie

Mylobsterteapot · 04/04/2023 19:01

I know a Mike. He’s not a 50 year old accountant, he’s a slightly nerdy 6 year old. His name does stand out in a sea of Archie/Oscar/Arlo which is nice.

Squirrel26 · 04/04/2023 19:27

My name is French, and it’s not common in the UK. I’m not French, I have a French speaking parent but apparently it was the other parent who chose it, and they ‘can’t remember why’ 😒My brother has a very standard ‘George/ Thomas/ Sam’ type name. I always feel like it’s way too fancy and attention seeking for me!

species5618 · 04/04/2023 19:34

A looong time ago I had a friend named Mary Merrie. I remember her being a happy soul but fancy giving your child a first name so similar to the surname

BobGalaxy · 04/04/2023 19:38

BobGalaxy
I'm another with a name from the previous generation. It's a Donna/Karen/Tracy type name. I'm 35 😑

Sharon? Alison? Deborah ?

Ha @hadenoughofhisshit bang on, it is indeed one of those!

eenymeenymineymo · 04/04/2023 19:54

I dont like my given name at all (born late 1950's) so use a shortened version now. But when I bump into someone from school days they still address me with the long name haha.
But its probably better than what I could have ended up with.
My parents didnt plan on the possibility of a 1st born daughter & only had a boys name chosen - David. So my grandfather suggested they call me Davida !!!!!
So as much as I hate my name it could have been worse.
Note - apologies to any Davidas out there who love their names Smile

worried4698643 · 04/04/2023 20:13

I work with a Pamela. She's early 20s and does not look like a Pamela.

dontgobaconmyheart · 04/04/2023 20:36

I wouldn't say my given name doesn't suit me as such - I can't imagine any tangible reasons another person would noticeably think it didn't. I just never felt it was very me or that I resonated with it. Hearing people call me it was always a bit of a grimace moment for me. It wasn't anything particularly unusual and I don't think it was objectively unpleasant as such, but nonetheless that's how I felt about it.

I changed it to something else- nothing out of the ordinary either- and am much happier.

StinkerTroll · 04/04/2023 20:38

I've got a friend called Sharon, she has the face of a Claire..... suspect she's on mumsnet so might see this (she knows this..... its been ongoing for over 20 years) waves 'Hi Claire, love you x'

botheritsgone · 04/04/2023 21:45

We have a Grace in the family and is so clumsy and not graceful at all. Similarly Patience has none whatsoever! 🤣
We also have a beautiful dainty little girl in the family. She doesn't suit her name Agnes Morag. I really don't like the name at all. Poor kid

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 04/04/2023 23:15

My parents didnt plan on the possibility of a 1st born daughter & only had a boys name chosen - David. So my grandfather suggested they call me Davida !!!!!

So as much as I hate my name it could have been worse.
Note - apologies to any Davidas out there who love their names

Why ever would he suggest that when Davina is already well-known - like it or not, it's an established feminine equivalent of David.

I'm baffled by the number of parents who don't just want a child of one particular sex, but don't seem to consider the possibility that they might get the other sex - to the extent that they don't even choose a name in case the 50:50 odds don't go their preferred way.

I thought it was bad enough when one of my DGMs was the second-born twin - long before the days of ultrasounds - so her (very slightly) older sister got the girl's name that their parents had chosen and she was named after the midwife! Twins is rarer, granted; but not to even realise/acknowledge/care that any birth is very likely indeed to result in either one girl or one boy?!!

AdditionalCharacter · 04/04/2023 23:17

My husband was very nearly called Russell. Not sure I would have dated him with that name.

I know a lovely woman called Maureen. She's the same age as me (early 40s) and not what you'd expect a Maureen to look like. She looks like a Teresa to me.

nealjacob53 · 05/04/2023 00:05

my name is marion ,i hated it when young but quite like it now