to ask if you have an awkward surname, how did you manage to choose a name for your DC?

[choccomilk]

We have a surname which is a noun and doesn't go well with any name we like. This only became apparent when we started thinking about names and have since discovered DH'S mum had the same problem when trying to name him.

Basically, every name we think of seems to make a phrase or word when put together with our surname. As a result we have very few names to choose from and all my favourites are ruled out.

Do we go for a name that fits well with our surname or choose one we really like and risk a lifetime of teasing for DC about their name. Sounds silly but this is making me sad!

what sort of names do you like but you can't have? Maybe folks can suggest some that are a similar type and you'd be able to see if there were any that fitted?

tbh, I'd solve the problem by changing the surname. Seems the easiest solution and it solves the problem for you and future generations.

There must be something that fits, presumably both of your names sound ok with it? I think you might need to give us a 'sounds like' in order for us to help.

Knew a family with the surname "Ing". The first thing they did was say no names beginning with "F".

I'm trying to imagine a noun surname that always makes a phrase with a first name .

Maybe you'll just have to sit down with a baby name book/list and go through every one, marking off the ones that sound ok, and take your choice from there.

I knew a mavis davis you would have really love someone as it was her married name!

When you say a life time of teasing you really do mean that. I have an unusual surname, and hate it, but my poor father had an unusual first, middle and surname. He was teased from infant school until he retired. He never forgave his now deceased mother, especially as all his siblings had perfectly average first and middle names. My Mum really wanted to call my sister a family name, but they both finished in a Y and would have sounded ridiculous.
I don't know what name you should use, but do no use one that is funny, it can be a life long burden.

Our surname is a noun AND a verb. That's fun...

Seriously, though, you have to really give some unusual names to make a phrase with our surname, how does John or Mary make a phrase with any surname? (unless you're Mrs Something-ing, and then it's a verb not a noun...)

My (now retired) FIL used to work in payroll for a large nationalised industry and he swears blind they had a "Nellie Smellie" on the staff.

DHs last name is a colour and that's hard, in fact he has an extensive list of vetoes, ie no other colours or plants, but it is easy to spell.

Ours is German and most people can't spell it so I gave my children both easy to spell names so at least they only have to spell out one of their names!!

We have an awkward surname. We made sure DSs both had traditional first names, not too long and easily spelt to go with the fact that our surname is rarely spelt correctly by others.

Both DSs have names that can easily be shortened to names we like. Ds1 now uses the shortened version and suits it.

But simple rule for us is that complicated surname meant we had to use simple first names.

Cross post with hopping but the same point.

Our surname begins with a vowel and makes some very odd combinations and odd sounding combinations with lots of first names. It also makes some very interesting combinations of initials!
We gave up on our favourite name for DD because the initials together would have potentially given her a lifetime of teasing.
We had to choose something I was much less keen on because it was tease-proof with our surname.
She grew into her name, she suits her name and I've never regretted it. She's never been teased for it and that's a big thing.

I would change my surname...oh no wait I've already done that and love my new surname, my husband changed his too.

I have an awkward surname it's a both a noun and a verb and can be quite funny, although it's growing on me, lol. We simply had to keep going to find something that sounded nice, both children have classic traditional names.

There's literally thousands of names to chose one, surely you can find one that won't be ridiculed?

We have a very short 'e' sounding surname, and I agree with you that it was difficult finding a name for DS that fitted well.
Most names I liked combined with our surname were either too comical, or far too eeee sounding.

We managed to find a couple that worked well which were long, traditional names with a lot of consonants.

I understand your frustration OP

Change both your names to your birth surname.

Ha ha, I think everyone changing their surnames; therefore banks, passports, house deeds and all the other palaver, is a bit extreme rather than sitting with a cuppa browsing a baby name book.

I have a surname that is a bit like Street, Road etc. We gave DS a really unusual first name (about 3200 on the last years list of names) to deflect attention from the surname and it works. Meanwhile my name sound like a destination in a set of directions!

I have an anglicized Polish surname, which not many can be bothered trying to say, ( am known in chemists as my address!!!!) so we double barelled for the craic. Dd has a very short fairly unusual name, which still confuses people, it's only four letters!

My Cousin has kept her surname after marrying as she would have become Teresa Greene

I know of an estate agent called Wendy House. She rocks her name!