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
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if you like your name (and if so, what is it?)

263 replies

redredholly · 03/02/2015 14:51

We're trying to think of a name for our new daughter and I want to find one that is actually fun/useful to have rather than one that we like but is horrible to actually be called.

OP posts:
netty7070 · 03/02/2015 14:56

I'd rather not say what my name is, but the names based around Ann (Annie, Anna, Annemarie etc) always seem feminine and timeless.

I'd deffo go for timeless over 'cool' or 'quirky'. She's got to live with it for a long time.

Suefla62 · 03/02/2015 14:59

Timeless and spelled correctly. Get stale really quickly when you're constantly having to correct the spelling of your name.

Aberchips · 03/02/2015 14:59

I didn't used to like my name when I was little (I wanted to be called Janine like my friend at school) however now I do quite like it.

My name is Charlotte

I would always go for classic & timeless over quirky as well. My youngest (son - now nearly 3) would have been Amelia had he been a girl.

SomewhereIBelong · 03/02/2015 15:00

you can't win though.. my DD(14) is a Rebecca/Becky/Becca but says why couldn't you have called me Sky or something "cool" like Raven...

('cos you are not a bloody dog was not the greatest thing for her dad to say at that point)

Tyzer85 · 03/02/2015 15:00

I'm not going to say what my name is either and as I'm male it won't be of interest anyway.

I like it, it's not common but it has raised eyebrows in the past, think along the lines of Tyrion...

WillWorkForMoney · 03/02/2015 15:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wheresthelight · 03/02/2015 15:01

I agree, go with classic rather than hip and trendy! names like Holly, Abigail, Evie, Megan, Lauren are always nice

WillWorkForMoney · 03/02/2015 15:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Davsmum · 03/02/2015 15:04

I hate my name. I hate my middle name and also my surname which I have kept since I divorced because of my children. Both my names are old fashioned classic names. One of them was fashionable in the late 1800s/early 1900s so no doubt it will come back soon.
I will still hate it.

septicleg · 03/02/2015 15:05

My name is Lyla.

Pronounced Lie-la.

It means "beautiful night" in Arabic.

I am always being complimented on my name, by strangers and colleagues and friends alike.

It is unusual and I do get a lot of people mispronouncing it, but I don't mind. I love my name!

BankWadger · 03/02/2015 15:09

I do like my name. It's a bit different due to being uncommon, but isn't made up or have silly spelling.

It is BankWadger

Wink
IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece · 03/02/2015 15:11

I love mine, I always thought I wanted to change it but whenever I thought of what it would be changed to, I always came back to the fact that I actually liked it!

It's Emma

redexpat · 03/02/2015 15:12

I hate my full name. Really like the shortened version. M&d wanted to give a name with flexibility.

Whatisaweekend · 03/02/2015 15:16

Hate mine. It was the most commonly used name at the time of my birth so I know dozens. Colossal lack of imagination on the part or my parents and it's just so DULL.

It's Sarah (God I nearly fell asleep just typing that!)

SocialMediaAddict · 03/02/2015 15:16

Amber.

Had hippy parents. Was very unusual when I was growing up (I'm 41) but far more common now. I've always liked it.

KaelyLanglaise · 03/02/2015 15:17

My name is Michaela. I hated it when I was a kid, partly because I could never spell it - seriously, I got 10 out of 10 on every spelling test, and couldn't spell my own name!

I've been known as 'Kaela' since I was about 7 (and feel like strangling anyone who gives me a card addressed to 'Kayla'). I still use it, even for professional things.

Now I really like the name 'Michaela' too, I don't know why it's just kind of growing on me (after all these years!).

momofmonster · 03/02/2015 15:18

I do like mine and its easily shortened. It's Samantha or Sam to everyone who knows me but i always introduce myself as a Samantha. I know it means listener too and i am a pretty good listener if i do say so myself!! Grin

confusedandemployed · 03/02/2015 15:20

I don't really like my name. It is frequently used in books / TV shows for timid, mousy, downtrodden women whose husbands invariably cheat on them. Hasten to add the husbands are usually egotistical wankers. I am most definitely not timid or mousy and I don't think DP has been putting it about.

My name is Helen

septicleg · 03/02/2015 15:22

Love the name Amber!

kally195 · 03/02/2015 15:24

I like my name, but don't love it. My parents went with popular so there was always at least three of us in the same class. DH also has a normal yet very popular name.

When it came to naming DD, we took the ONS list of girl's names for 2013, eliminated all the nonsense names (made up, spelled wrong etc) and then went through everything at position 300 and below. We wanted her to have a reasonably timeless, not popular and interesting name.

It was remarkably useful for throwing up names we hadn't thought of, and we came up with a frankly staggering short list (we think so anyway!). Made it much more fun choosing.

bloodygorgeous · 03/02/2015 15:24

Whatisaweekend

I love the name Sarah!

It's both soft and strong and it looks nice written down...

Embrace it, you might as well! Wink

andadietcoke · 03/02/2015 15:26

I'm a Hannah - I hated mine when I was a teenager. I wanted to be Jade, or something equally trendy. I like it now, but hate it when someone I don't know shortens it to Han.

FelixFelix · 03/02/2015 15:28

Mine is Xanthe. It's alright I guess, but it's irritating having to spell out my name and repeat the same conversation about how unusual it is constantly. I also cringe a bit when someone asks my name as I know what's going to follow Confused

Also you'd think that having an unusual name would make you more memorable but has the exact opposite effect because no fucker can be arsed to learn how to pronounce it. Everyone forgets who I am.

Chickens1987 · 03/02/2015 15:28

My full name is Victoria but i'm known to most as Vicky. It's a name that can be shortened in lots of different ways and that's why my parents chose it. Good luck finding a name you love for your DD x

DealForTheKids · 03/02/2015 15:30

Mine is Laura. I didn't like it when I was younger - there were about five in my year - but as I get older it's grown on me. Classic but not ridiculously common, I don't think it's got a particular age (I know Lauras from child age to retirement age) and having now seen the classic film I like the idea of being a bit of a femme fatale - if I'd seen it as a teen I don't think I'd have taken such issue with it!