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

[redredholly]

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.

Tricky there's a facebook page too.

I like my name. My sister and I were named after the Monaco Princesses because my Dad had a thing about Grace Kelly. Think I have given my age away too !

My name is Stephanie. Family, friends, colleagues call me Steph.

Naming a child is a huge responsibility. Make sure you like the shortened version of the name you choose, because even if you don't shorten it others will. To name our DCs my DH and I each looked through a baby name book, ringing round our faves. That narrowed the selection down to the ones which we both liked.

When naming DS I knew he was not going to be an Elliot. There are 2 living on our street and another round the corner.

Another Alison, very surprised I got to page 8 before seeing one I don't mind it but I hate being called Al or Ali

I went to school with a Laurina, always loved that name

My DD is Melissa. Her friends call her Mel. She loves it.

Good but very old-fashioned names I like are : Sylvia, Phyllis, Grace.

From up-thread I like the name Claudine. Never heard it before.

I'm surprised we've got to 11 pages and no one else is saddled with a horrible name like mine!! Its Diane and I hate it!

Diane - I think that's fabulous!! Hunting queen!

I have the same name as LadyRivers and like her I hated it as a child, mainly because there were so many of us with the same name that I spent my entire school career being called by my surname, which is not in the least bit feminine and often mispronounced despite being spelled as you say it.

Now I like it, but hate shortened versions by anyone except family.

My name's Holly and I love it. I've only ever met one other the same age as me (I have met a few Hollies of the same age though), I was the only one in my year called it. I know it's a lot more popular now but I still don't know that many and I like that my parents were ahead of the game and were trend setters. I'm glad that I've got a name that's modern sounding and not dated or old fashioned too. A lot of people say Holly sounds young but I like having a young sounding name. I think it's young but not cutesy which is an important distinction, I wouldn't have liked to have a cutesy, little girl name either. Holly suits me just fine as an adult.

My name is Kay - I don't know anyone else with my name and haven't done for years apart from the od time it comes up on the telly!

I quite like my name and am glad it cant be shortened but that doesn't stop people calling me Katy or insisting that it must be short for Katherine!

I'm a Sophie and have always liked it. I didn't know any others when I was a child and was always annoyed that I couldn't find it on any of those tacky gifts you get with names on when I was on holiday! I'm 30, it is much more popular now.

I also like that it can be shortened to Soph although I know a lot of people hate that nickname. I find it's a measure of how well I know someone or how comfortable they are with me, whether they will shorten my name. For that reason I would like a name that can be shortened for my own child (currently pregnant and thinking of names!)

I used to hate my name because I didn't know anyone else who had it, now I like it for that reason. I always preferred my middle name (Rachel) as it's easier to say. As someone said above, it irritates me when people spell my name incorrectly in emails when it's clearly there, right in front of them.

When I was a teenager I insisted that my first child would be named Skye, boy or girl. Now that I'm a bit older I'm rethinking that! To the OP - flower names are pretty and seem to suit all ages :)

Mine's Hannah. I didn't like it as a kid but I do now. I don't know any others although I think it's reasonably common. My family and best friend call me Han, apart from
DH who never has.

I'm a Carolyn, which I've always liked except that most people outside my family seem to think it's pronounced Caroline! I've given up correcting them because in the main they don't listen or will be quite shirty about being corrected.

DP (and his family) call me Callie, which was my nickname as a child.