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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Re baby names?

45 replies

rabbitheadlights · 27/05/2019 22:04

How do you decide? Does the name need to 'fit' with their siblings names? Do you imagine calling the name in a park etc and what it might sound like? Or what it looks like at the top of a future C.V ? What's the most important factor for you?

OP posts:
Original poster
rabbitheadlights · 27/05/2019 22:07

I should add I realise this isn't AIBU but there's literally no traffic elsewhere

OP posts:
Modestandatinybitsexy · 27/05/2019 22:12

I have no idea! I guess I keep looking until I find 'the one'. Trouble is now we have DS I cannot find another 'one' if we have a DS2.

My main specifications are that it has to be a real and recognisable name, quite classic but unusual enough and not too popular. I'm finding the line between classic and unusual quite difficult though.

Due in 2 weeks. Hoping for a girl purely because I know what we'll call her!

Pinkvoid · 27/05/2019 22:13

I like classic timeless names that aren’t overly common and boring. It has been difficult to meet those requirements four times but I managed Grin.

floraloctopus · 27/05/2019 22:14

LOok through a baby names book and write a short list then see which you like best.

DreamsOfDownUnder · 27/05/2019 22:27

I had 5 names in mind:

Emelia - different to Amelia but she would go through life with people misspelling her name. I know how it feels. So it was a no

Nala - the look on my mum's face said a big fat no and Lion King is out this year.

Amelia and Olivia - love them but I had them in my head then saw that they were the top 2 girls names of the year. I didn't know they were so popular - I know hardly any children!

Emma - Simple, easy to spell and won't go out of fashion. I think it's pretty timeless. I went with this one.

Original poster
rabbitheadlights · 27/05/2019 22:28

Congratulations @modestandatinybitsexy I'm also due in 2 weeks this will be dd3

OP posts:
Heptapod · 27/05/2019 22:30

Eh, the Mn baby names forum is very busy...?

WhiteWavingCat · 27/05/2019 22:32

ExH picked one name, I picked another, we decided they worked together and that was that. We just had to decide the order, which we actually decided when she was born.

And that was that. I never really thought about it,

Original poster
rabbitheadlights · 27/05/2019 22:33

@heptapod I didn't know there was one .. I gave looked at other sites

OP posts:
Original poster
rabbitheadlights · 27/05/2019 22:35

I just think they are going to be saddled with it for life and would hate to pick a name that she will grow up to hate, that everyone mispronounces, looks shitty on a c.v etc

OP posts:
Heptapod · 28/05/2019 00:22

Head on over to the baby names forum, so, OP. You have found your tribe. It even features people who are not only not pregnant, not TTC, not in a relationship and not in any way planning a baby, but are still ‘curating’ a list of names they’ve loved since they were nine for a baby they might have at some point, AND they will give an individual plotted point for every name suggested on the spectrum between ‘try hard’ and ‘chavvy’.

janetforpresident · 28/05/2019 00:26

I would say the most important thing is that it's pronouncable. Its really frustrating to have a name people can't pronounce and embarrassing at times. We didn't choose our dd2s name until she was born. We had a shortlist but when she was born we didn't want any of those names and came up with a completely new one in hospital.

I wouldn't worry about popularity and I really wouldn't worry about whether it goes with her siblings. She won't care will she?

TwoShades1 · 28/05/2019 03:34

I’m currently pregnant so baby names are very relevant to me at the moment. Things I keep in mind: Not too similar to sibling ie, sibling is Charlie and name new baby Charlize. Sounds good with surname ie, not Tilly Tolly. Initials don’t spell anything rude/silly ie, Beth Ursula Mason spells BUM. I personally prefer a more standard spelling, particularly if it’s a more common or traditional name.

TwoShades1 · 28/05/2019 03:37

Forgot to say in mine also make sure it’s something you can pronounce! My DP can sometimes mispronounce R so would prefer names that don’t start with R.

RebootYourEngine · 28/05/2019 04:24

I find choosing a name so hard as there are a few names that I like and I don't know which one would be the 'right' one.

There is one name that I absolutely adore but as it is similar to ds' name i can not use it.

ScreamScreamIceCream · 28/05/2019 05:15
  1. Different initials from sibling
  2. Fits in with siblings name
  3. Looks reasonable on CV
  4. Not the same as loads of people I know around the same age
  5. Any famous person with the name is not a well-known criminal
IAmAlwaysLikeThis · 28/05/2019 05:20

I think a lot of people really overthink it. I feel like they want the baby's name to 'mean' something and symbolise something about themselves (mainly status, intellectual ability, coolness etc).

Personally, I think that's kind of messed up. My husband and I chose our babies' names quickly just because we liked the sound.

It's not that big a deal.

cantfindname · 28/05/2019 05:27

My ex boss announced the names he intended to give his son. I had to point out that the initials spelled ARSE ! He was a bit thick, bless him.

nornironrock · 28/05/2019 06:01

For us, it was (as mentioned above) a case of recognising that the child will become an adult, who will have to get a job.

Regardless of whether we like it or not, I am sure we can all agree that there are those who will make all kinds of judgments about someone based on only their name.

So, no made up names, and no odd spellings.

TwittleBee · 28/05/2019 06:05

With both our sons it's been a case of going through 5000+ plus names and not agreeing on anything. Neither of us wanted too common names but DH also wanted names that weren't too out there and I wanted to ensure it was likely to sound good on a CV too.

DS1's name was my suggestion from a book series (one of my fav characters) and then DS2's name was eventually agreed upon after we watched a TV show and we both said we liked our favourite character's name.

I do like that they have both been named after fictional characters.

TwittleBee · 28/05/2019 06:06

Oh and we also vetoed names that where someones we disliked has name etc!

EssentialHummus · 28/05/2019 06:18

a real and recognisable name, quite classic but unusual enough and not too popular

This for me too. Though in our case we needed a name that worked equally well in our two very different cultures as well as in the UK, which presented us with a limited choice.

Peccary · 28/05/2019 06:29

The baby names forum is good here, as long as you aren't too out there the advice is generally fair. I had a late night wobble with DD's name the day before registering her and they were all so kind.

Our criteria were: Not too common but not unusual, Would work internationally, suits an adult and a baby,
Things that didn't bother us: potential nicknames, spelling (her name has 2 spellings, I don't mind if someone uses a the other one, it's just 2 extra letters.)
We ended up using an app that's a bit like tinder for names you can both use until we landed on something we agreed on

user1493413286 · 28/05/2019 06:31

It needs to feel right for me and fit with our surname. I do imagine calling it across a park though but I don’t really think about it fitting with siblings names apart from not being too similar I guess.

maddiemookins16mum · 28/05/2019 06:31

I wrote Dr and Professor in front of the names we were choosing for DD (only for fun mind you, she currently wants to go to the Norland Nanny college).