Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

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

Original poster

Jennifer, Alison, Phillipa, Sue…

181 replies

IntelligentInputDarling · 30/05/2025 18:32

… Deborah, Annabel too.

Was your name inspired by a song?

Growing up, one of my friends hated her name ‘Kayleigh’ as everyone (it seemed) would think it was hilarious and oh so original to sing the Marillion track at her.

Currently, one of DC’s best friends is called Ruby, but loves her name and doesn’t give two 💩 when people start “going all Kaiser Chiefs” (their words; teen speak) on her!

OP posts:
JuneWind · 30/05/2025 19:43

My name is mentioned here (although spelled differently) as the title of a well known 80s song. I was born late 80s but weirdly never associated the song with my name, I never actually heard it until I was in my 20s.

I wasn’t named after the song, parents just liked the name, and it’s only now in my 30s that I get the odd person referencing it to me!

Iloveyoubut · 30/05/2025 19:53

My son isn’t named after a song but when he was about three months old (I was very hormonal) I heard a new song on the radio and I thought it was mentioning my sons name in a very unflattering way that would lead to him being bullied for ever, if you heard the song you’d understand, but it actually wasn’t using his name at all! I was so furious I was literally about to put my jacket on and get planes, trains and automobiles to the bands house and demand they stop playing it 😂 I can laugh now… thankfully the father of my son practically yanked me back in the door by the jacket and pointed out that the lyrics were in fact not saying anything of the sort! It still makes me smile to this day thinking about it … that I was going to ‘fight’ a band over a song for my son.

Stresshead84x · 30/05/2025 19:56

I think I was named for the time of year I was born and slightly after an actress- but there's a very dreary song with a story similar to Jolene where she's the young woman stealing the husband away and my mum used to sing it to me constantly haha.

SusanSHelit · 30/05/2025 20:00

I get jolene sung at me on a fairly regular basis. That isn't my name but it is very very similar to it

MargaretThursday · 30/05/2025 20:02

HeySugarSugar · 30/05/2025 18:45

My name comes from a Gilbert O’Sullivan song and yes it is still occasionally sung to me by people of a certain age 😄

On a G&S theme:
When a friend told me they were using the name Phoebe, my mind replied with "Phoebe, who may she be?".
Although the only female name I can think offhand of from the songs is Buttercup ("I'm called little Buttercup") and I'm guessing it's not that! 😁

I had a friend who was Cecilia and had to endure various people singing the Paul Simon song "Cecilia, you're breaking my heart". She started introducing herself as "Cecily" to avoid that.

As far as I'm aware my name was never used in a song.

JackJarvisEsq · 30/05/2025 20:02

TeacheeTeacherson · 30/05/2025 19:40

My DD has a friend called Eileen, I make so many jokes, like ‘What does her mum shout on sports day? What do you think her mum says when she’s being slow getting ready for school?’ Etc

That was almost my name although by the time I was born my mum had grown tired of the song

She claimed she was going to call me Joanna after the Kool and the Gang song but that’s clearly nonsense as it came out a year after I was born 🤣

purpleme12 · 30/05/2025 20:05

My child does actually have a song about her name

But it was released years ago. I didn't even know about it till after she was born and someone told me. So I don't think people her age would know about it anyway

ScribbblyGum · 30/05/2025 20:06

EleanorReally · 30/05/2025 18:32

dd's middle name from a blondie song , not denis denis

Edited

Shayla?

ScribbblyGum · 30/05/2025 20:07

Glashouse · 30/05/2025 19:01

I'm named after a Fleetwood mac song. Unfortunately I don't like the song. I hated my name growing up although is got alot more popular in recent years.

Rhiannon?

Dontbeme · 30/05/2025 20:08

I have had a certain ACDC song screamed in my face by drunk men of a certain age*

*I am not named Highway to hell

ScribbblyGum · 30/05/2025 20:09

shellyleppard · 30/05/2025 19:36

I like to think my name is inspired by the Beatles song 🙏❤️

Eleanor?

PauliesWalnuts · 30/05/2025 20:10

PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle · 30/05/2025 19:11

Caroline?

Show quote history

Spot on.

ScribbblyGum · 30/05/2025 20:11

QueenofLouisiana · 30/05/2025 19:16

People usually assume I’m named after a singer. Hated it as a teen. It would make me a good ten years younger than my actual age, so would live the same supposition now!

Kylie?

ScribbblyGum · 30/05/2025 20:14

Feel like I'm playing this game on my own 😂

CoubousAndTourmalet · 30/05/2025 20:15

There is a 1960's blues song with my name. I was actually named after a close friend of my parents, but the song with our name came out the year I was born!

SusanSHelit · 30/05/2025 20:19

Dontbeme · 30/05/2025 20:08

I have had a certain ACDC song screamed in my face by drunk men of a certain age*

*I am not named Highway to hell

Rosie?

GetDressedYouMerryGentlemen · 30/05/2025 20:19

Dontbeme · 30/05/2025 20:08

I have had a certain ACDC song screamed in my face by drunk men of a certain age*

*I am not named Highway to hell

Whole lotta Rosie?

Toblerone45 · 30/05/2025 20:23

My mother maned me after a particularly tragic character in Wuthering Heights which she read whilst pregnant with me.

great book but really? 🤦‍♀️😂

Dontbeme · 30/05/2025 20:23

SusanSHelit · 30/05/2025 20:19

Rosie?

Show quote history

Yep, I should demand royalties at this point.

Sebora · 30/05/2025 20:27

I have an Eleanor after Eleanor Rigby. Her generation won’t have a clue. When I suggested the name to DH he proudly told me it was the name of the car in Gone in 60 seconds.

Bumdrops · 30/05/2025 20:28

Sebora · 30/05/2025 20:27

I have an Eleanor after Eleanor Rigby. Her generation won’t have a clue. When I suggested the name to DH he proudly told me it was the name of the car in Gone in 60 seconds.

Love that film 🤣🤣

Tortielady · 30/05/2025 20:50

Mine was the opposite of inspired by...I was going to be Michelle, then the song came out, and drove my poor Mum up the wall. She changed her mind and I got a very different name, but with a similar consonant sound.

DelboytrottersDnecklace · 30/05/2025 20:59

My son is named after the singer Joshua kadison
Nobody seems to have heard of him but I love the song 'picture postcards from LA'

Around the time 'Ruby' by the Kaiser chiefs came out,28 of us from the school playground (our kids where at the school not us!) fell pregnant at the same time
(I'm convinced they put something in the water lol)
All bar one where girls-mine was a mollie,my mates kid was a sara and every single other baby was called Ruby
A few years later,about half the class went by Ruby A,Ruby B,Ruby C...

Eastie77Returns · 30/05/2025 21:00

Redheadedstepchild · 30/05/2025 18:40

My mum's, "Name song" was reprised by Amy Winehouse about fifteen years ago. It was hugely popular whilst she was in hospital having her gallbladder taken out.

There were complications and she ended up being in for two months. She was in pain, hugely annoyed with the situation and not in a particularly good mood.

The nurses used to sing, 'her' song to her constantly, thinking it would cheer her up. They clearly did not know my mother very well.

It most certainly did not.

Valerie? I lived in France for several years and had a boyfriend named Valery, much to the amusement of my friends.

Shesellsseashellsnotinmystreet · 30/05/2025 21:01

Yes my name is from a song. Only ever met 2 others in over 50 years.
Dd has a recent ish song name.. Quite popular now.
Hate mine. Obviously love hers..