To change their name!

[Chesternut]

My DD is 4 years old and I gave her a name which, I thought, was very original as I hadn't heard another girl called it in about 20 years. Only to find when she started nursery another girl called the same but spelt differently. DD is due to start full time education in September and there will be 2 other girls with the same name so 3 in the class including DD. Now there's another in other DC's class.
Totally hacked off and really upset by this. Maybe an over reaction but in the 1970's I was one of 5 named the same in my class and vowed never to have my DC's live with the same. Now history is being repeated.
AIBU to change my DD's name before September? I love her name but HATE it's so common now.

I write slow on my phone. Cross posted!
Esmée is a lovely name. Don't change it.

YABU

Your DD has a lovely name. Yes it's unlucky that she will be one of 4 in her school when it isn't a particularly popular name but I really can't see that is a good enough reason to change a 4 year old name

Once she leaves primary school she may never encounter the other 3 with same name again

Twilight. Bet all the esme’s are inspired by the twilight films

Pratchett... I mean surely a gnarled old witch is more likely a role model than a vampire?

If it upsets you that much could you use a middle name if she has one?
I think it's a bit late to change it now.

Never known or even met an Esmée.

Does she have a nickname that she likes? Use that instead.

You gotta tell us the name!

It’s true school as pp pointed out, school IS temporary. The admission forms always ask what is child’s preferred name so you can put something else in there. I did this though not for the same reason; and as it turned out the new name then due to a big brother contestant has become dreadfully popular with all sorts of awful spellings so will be phased out again probably sooner rather than later.
For the record, as far as DC and our family concerned, getting used to new name took literally days

I sympathise I really do. My boys all have very traditional names but dd got a name that was very meaningful but, by coincidence it’s never been registered to a baby in Britain before (or at least appears on no records according to google) and I know I’m going to bump into one at school!! It’s just Sod’s law.

Try to remember that you chose it because you love it x

I could always change it for a Mumsnet favourite?!? Willow Uniglow Sasparilla moonunit??? Anyone with that name about?

Surely you've seen twilight? There was an influx of names inspired by that franchise esme being one of them

Sorry I was interrupted mid-typing so missed the whole name reveal x

Not everyone has seen twilight, I never have.

She’s not a bloody puppy! You cannot change a 4yo’s name! You will confuse the hell out of her.
It’s a lovely name, it really dosnt matter if others are called it too.
Stop worrying

Stop projecting your own issues.
All of the kids in my child’s class who have the same name are perfectly happy with it.
The two Evies are best mates she LOVE that they share a name.
Your long term hang up, such that you’d try to change a 4yo’s name is ridiculously OTT.
Get some counselling for yourself before you mess with her name!
Not sure why you ever thought a variation on Esmé was going going to be original though.

Ridiculous. Of course you can't change a 4 year old's name.
I was one of 8 kids with the same name in one of my classes. Eight of us...Still didn't bother me!
We were all known by nicknames or surnames, it was totally fine.

Never known or even met an Esmée.

I've never met one, but there was a girl named Esme in the news here in Cincinnati in 2009. She was 13 at the time, so predated Twilight, I think.

Is she Es-meee? The others might be pronounced Es-may. Failing that does she have a middle name that could be used at school?

I’ve never watched twilight so wouldn’t have made that association. Tbh I thought it was from peaky blinders!

Beautiful name OP. Don’t change it.

See that's another issue all together. In French Esmée is pronounced Ez-May not Ez-Mee. Will she forever have her name mis-pronounced too? This is just going from bad to worse.

I know 3 Esmee's all in their teens I thought it was a pretty common name but theres nothing wrong with that at all.
All my 3 have very straight laced/top 10 forever type names.

She does have a middle name, which is Grandmothers name and equally as popular.

I dont think you can really change your daughter's name at 4. Unless she really wanted to herself - which I would very much doubt. And if you ask her I'd ben worried about influencing her by your own upset. Surely she's just deeply attached to it now, learnt to spell it and respond to it.

I'm surprised you thought it was unusual - I know quite a few and it is in the top 50 British girls names. But really its not that debilitating to share a name - there are always repeats. Lots of Zacks, Jacobs, Maya's, Jacks, Lilys etc round here - so what?

So The French Esmée is pronounced the same as the anglicised Esme? They're both ez-may?

I might have gone for Es-mee as the pronunciation. I know an esme known as Essie

It's a lovely name. Please do not change it, it will be confusing for her.

I was born in 1962 and clearly the name I was given was the name of the year. At secondary school 6 out of the 15 girls in my form had the same name and there was one other girl in the same year with that name.

So what? It was no big deal.

Are you so hung up on being "original" that you would confuse your DD by changing her (beautiful) name?