to think that all these darling Jocastas are mythical?

[manicinsomniac]

Seriously, does anybody actually know a Jocasta?

I know it's the go-to 'mock the middle classes' earnest yummy mummy name on mn but I'm not convinced they're really around.

It only appears of one of the ONS name lists from 2006-2012 (there were 3 Jocastas born in 2007) which means there have to be fewer than 20 little Jocastas walking around the UK.

Does anybody know where the reference to 'little Jocasta' came from? Did it start from a specific thread? I know of other seriously posh names which actually do get used each year (if not very frequently) eg Araminta, Antigone, Persephone.

Sunday best name? My full name (inc middle name) only comes out when I'm in trouble. It's one of the reasons I insisted on giving my DD a middle name- how else will she know she's crossed the line?

We also made up a long list of fake middle names but had to stop when he started telling people his name at school. He thought they were his actual middle names.

iklboo. I have told my two they can choose a middle name later in life if they are fussed

Adam- DH is lobbying for Constantine for DS2, but with Ly (abbr we use for DS1) i don't think we should have a Con. The third DC would have to be Cheat

I love having a longer more formal name and various middle names to choose from. I think people over emphasise the irritation of someone saying 'oh that's unusual, how do you spell it'. i think of it as a conversation starter. It always has been for everyone in my family. The only thing i have is that Cass over the phone sounds like Cath and i am often being addressed as Catherine by customer services (and on lecturer who bizarrely called me Catherine thru my entire 3 yrs at uni - i don't care tho - it's nice to have an alter ego )

This threads hilarious.

I've never met any children with these names

I love lucian though but not sure I'd be brave enough to use it.

I feel deprived I've never heard these supermarket incidents.

I've just remembered i dated a young man whose little brother was called Gulliver.

Oh and Adam - I worked at Tate Modern for 4yrs. So i suppose if we did go with Constantine for DS2 at least i'd feel at home

DH is also is trying to convince me Victor is the way to go. No idea where he has that one from.

Oh Giles!!!! Lucien is the name we have agreed for DS2 if it's a boy. (if DH doesn't win with Constantine - which he wont!). But we are having discussions on pronunciation. DH says Lucy-en and i say Loo-shen. What would you say?

It will probably be Lucien Alexander Watson-Ingram (not our surname btw - just similar!)

But MrsK if you and your DH pronounce it differently what hope is there for anyone else when they are talking to your son?

But Gulliver was Lemual Gulliver's surname.

I don't have DC, and the chances of having them are very slim so I do have my fantasy name. I would love Persephone and Cornelius, or maybe Atticus.

Neither is wrong tho Sparkling. So it's up to you to introduce the way you want it said. It's no biggy, really. We just have to decide which way we like - we like both. But have know Luciens who pronounce it both ways.

MrsKoala Loo-see-en

See I thought it was loo-Shen

(As in lucien dubenko in ER)

Honestly how often do you speak to someone who you read their name as an introduction rather than have it said first? Only someone who doesn't really know you i can imagine. So the conversation would be:

Stranger - may i speak to Lucy-en xx
Lucien - Looshen xx speaking

(corrected quite easily really)

I like my children's names pronounced correctly with no misunderstandings I think. I am all for an easy life though.

I have been to many a presentation (mainly junior footy) where the coaches have read strange names out wrongly and all the children have burst out laughing. I would hate that.

thanks Pip and Giles

Really? you would HATE it? wow, i can't see it as a problem at all, rather than just being funny. It's only a name mispronunciation. What pisses me off is once corrected when people continue to say it wrong. I have a friend Sarah who is called Sara constantly despite corrections. And know CHeryls (chh) who are always called Sheryl, regardless of their protestations.

Ok, we will have to agree to disagree then. I don't like seeing children laughing over a child's name en masse-no.

Anyway, as I said I don't have any misunderstandings with my two. At football they are general called a version of our surname these days.

Sparkling-I'm kind of with you there. Also I'm a stickler for meaning and origin, so don't get why anyone would want to give their child a random name from a country they have no connections with just because they like how it sounds (assuming they know how to actually pronounce the name).

I would have loved to be traditional and give DS one of the existing family names, but they're all either unspellable/unpronounceable to Brits or just plain awful (very old fashioned and not in a good way, trust me).

I know a Titania, luckily she is tattie not titty.

I have the Baby Name topic hidden. I am beginning to realise what a great decision it was.

She could be a "Titty" with a brother called "Dick".

Toys - You don't feel any connection with ancient Greece? That's seems odd to me considering a lot of our society is based upon it, culture, language, art etc. I think if i chose a Chinese or South American name that would feel weird but not from where i consider my society coming from. And meaning and origin is important to us too which is why we like the depth of classical names which i just don't feel you get from many others. I also like the way words sound and feel coming out of my gob, so that also comes into our consideration and i personally like the sounds of longer more classical names.

Sparkling - they aren't laughing at the name tho are they? They are laughing that someone said it wrong. I think that's quite different.

I also think it must be confusing in the Kardashian household at times, what with all of them having the same initials.. as well as silly names

No MrsK they nudge and point at the child and repeat the way the name was said then call the child that for the rest of the week.

I agree Sparkling - the reason i avoid it is the shocking amount of personl vitriol and class warfare there is over there. When i was newish to Mn and expecting DS i made the mistake of posting a few possible names. oh. my. word. People really must save up their bile for that board. i'm thicker skinned now tho.