Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Naming your child

35 replies

Bobje · 15/10/2024 15:22

What was the thinking for your choice/s?

Family name?
Inspired by a song? (This seemed to be quite popular in the 70s/80s apparently!)
Only name you and partner could agree on?

We're over this stage now as kids are teens, but family members are in the midst of it.
Said it's much easier to name a pet! 😅

OP posts:

NameChange30 · 15/10/2024 22:11

Surname: DH wanted just his, I wanted mine too and insisted it was non-negotiable, he grumbled a bit but had no choice but to relent.

First name: had to be quite short (because two surnames) and had to work in both languages (DH not English). I went through the baby name lists from his country, shortlisting the names I liked that worked in English. He made his own shortlist and then we compared the two lists, vetoed a few of each other's, and ended up with a final shortlist. Luckily we agreed on the name both times (two kids).

Middle name: family name. DH was always very close to one of his grandmothers so I always said if we had a girl, we'd give DH's grandmother's name as a middle name. DC1 is a boy and I wanted my granddad's name as his middle name - DH took a while to agree to it but I'm glad he did. Not least because we did have a girl next and give her DH's grandmother's name as a middle name. So it feels fair that DS has my granddad's name.

Scutterbug · 15/10/2024 22:14

No 1 first and middle names just names we liked.
No 2 first name liked second name my dad’s middle name.
No 3 both names we liked
No 4 first name liked, second name diminutive of my mother’s name.

MrsLJ2014 · 15/10/2024 22:33

When DS (now 10) was born, I had been teaching for over 14 years so there was a long list of names I was not planning on using. We had to think of boys and girls names as I didn't know what I was having! It was tough...and our surname is unusual! He ended up with a traditional name but not in the top 100 and combined with his surname has a very unique name! I've only ever taught one other person with his forename.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families

LizzieLazzie · 15/10/2024 22:34

We have a common surname and chose a traditional and popular first name for our son. We didn’t want him to stand out as being from a particular background or have strangers making judgements about him. It seems that recent parents want to do the exact opposite and make their child stand out from the crowd rather than blending in. It would make a fascinating sociological study on how and why attitudes to this have changed.

PartOfTheFurniture12 · 15/10/2024 22:46

MaltipooMama · 15/10/2024 15:44

I always had a looooong list of girls names that I loved, so when I found out we were having a boy I was stumped! However I'd loved the name Tommy since I was little after first hearing it on Power Rangers haha and my partners middle name is Thomas so it worked out quite well, and then my son's middle name is my partner's first name. He's 10 months old now and it feels like the name suits him perfectly!

I can't believe I just read this! Similar story here, but a different Power Ranger. 😂

Aproductofmyera80s · 15/10/2024 22:52

DS 16 is named after a sports person I admired, he was Dutch and I just tweaked the name to make it sound American/English, it’s very very unique, I’ve not heard anyone in England with it so far. His middle name is Jamie because I wanted to be different, and didn’t like James. We had intended for his nickname to be TJ but then where i worked was a guy called TJ and I just didn’t feel comfortable calling him that anymore.
dd12 has her name because I couldn’t decide between 3 and so left it to DP to choose from the 3 names. I chose her middle name which I can’t say as it’s also unique and could be outing. He honestly didn’t care about naming he was just happy to be a dad. I’m of the opinion that mums should have final say especially if kids are having fathers surname. We also carried them for 9 months so….

MaltipooMama · 15/10/2024 23:09

@PartOfTheFurniture12 omg I love this!! 😂 I can remember it so vividly, being just obsessed with the Power Rangers and in awe of the White Ranger, Tommy!

CeeJay81 · 15/10/2024 23:29

DS was named after my late father in law. DH had his heart set on it. He died not long before I became pregnant, so I didnt wan to say no and his dad was lovely. I chose a middle name that I liked that flowed well with it.

DD has a name I've loved ever since I was a teenager. A fairly traditional, international name. It's common enough for everyone to know it but not that common at all really. DH picked a very traditional name for her middle name. The names go really well together and it's beautiful.

Ellsx6 · 15/10/2024 23:33

Easy for us. DP grandad called Edward who passed was always called ted. He meant a lot to Dp so he wanted to name our boy after him. I didn't like Edward or ted on its own so we called him Teddy and it just absolutely felt right and I've loved it ever since!

echt · 16/10/2024 04:14

The name had to sound well with the surname - we agreed my surname for a girl, DH's for a boy.

A number of my girl faves got kicked into touch because they were also those of women DH disliked, and I could see his point. We wanted the child's name to be theirs, not a relation's.

Flip

1 2