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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To use the name Alfie for a girl?

211 replies

Notverycreative · 20/06/2019 17:50

I really really really love the name, we were actually hoping for a boy so we could uae this. We won't be able to have any more children after this and have just found out are having a girl.
WIBU to call her Alfreda and use the nickname Alfie?

OP posts:
pontiouspilates · 20/06/2019 18:09

Sorry, I don't like Alfie for a girl or a boy. How about Aoife for a similar but less common name?

bellagood · 20/06/2019 18:09

@Notverycreative

No. Don't do it. Alfie for a girl is dreadful. And Alfreda for her 'full name?' Really?! Hmm

The fact you said you were hoping for a boy, and you are having a girl and giving her a boy's name disturbs me a bit. Why are you insistent on giving a girl a boy's name? Confused

MuddlingMackem · 20/06/2019 18:10

@Whyrmengreattiltheygottabgreat, I knew a Henri, short for Henrietta, also during my student days. :)

RuffleCrow · 20/06/2019 18:15

No, call her something else. She's a person in her own right - not a 'non-son' Hmm

I think you should get some counselling actually to help you get over your 'gender' disappointment.

I felt disappointed that dd2 was a girl when i had the scan but i now love her more than anything and feel quite ashamed that i was ever so stupid.

RichPetunia · 20/06/2019 18:16

No, don't do it. It would be a crying shame for the child.

Davros · 20/06/2019 18:17

It's no 7 in cats' names, I saw a list recently

GurlwiththeCurl · 20/06/2019 18:17

Why would you want to make life difficult for her? People have enough to deal with in life without their parents saddling them with a silly name as well!

Whyrmengreattiltheygottabgreat · 20/06/2019 18:18

@MuddlingMackem mines really was just Henry! She was American and apparently it was from an archaic Southern tradition of naming babies after their father, regardless of sex.

mumofwantwomany · 20/06/2019 18:19

I think it's nice tbh. one of my DDs has a stereotypically male name (although it's more popular in the US for girls than it is here). Alfreda is a horrible name though, sorry Blush

Napqueen1234 · 20/06/2019 18:20

It would make me kind of sad in a ‘ mum must have wanted a boy and she ended up with me’ instead kind of way if I was Alfie growing up

RageAgainstTheVendingMachine · 20/06/2019 18:20

What's it all about OP?
Elfie (Elfriede/a) better. Alfreda sounds like pasta sauce.

xSharonNeedlesx · 20/06/2019 18:22

No, it smacks of we didn’t want you we wanted a boy. Please don’t do that to her. How about Aphia as an alternative?

RumpoleoftheBaileys · 20/06/2019 18:23

I see Alphredo. Yum.

But no, you can't do this.

ElBandito · 20/06/2019 18:25

Every time she meets someone new and tells them her name in the future
Them “That’s an unusual name!”
Alfie “Yes, mum wanted a boy”

DontFundHate · 20/06/2019 18:25

I love Alfie for a girl but not Alfreda. Just call her Alfie? Or shorten a different name? (Don't know what!)

changingnam · 20/06/2019 18:26

I like Alfie for a girl

Rumboogie · 20/06/2019 18:26

Silly

DontFundHate · 20/06/2019 18:26

Call her Francesca? Then shorten to Alfie

Pemba · 20/06/2019 18:27

Agree with Sansa that Elfie would make a good feminine alternative. Short for ... Elfine, Elphaba? (like the misunderstood witch in 'Wicked').

You can't really use Alfie, it is just so popular for boys right now.

Lolalouisa · 20/06/2019 18:28

Yabu

AnnaBegins · 20/06/2019 18:31

There's a female Alfie on radio X who works on the Chris moyles show, wonder if that's short for anything.

Kel801 · 20/06/2019 18:31

Oh don’t, I have a “boys” name and have spent my life listening to stupid comments about it being a boys name. Being put in the boys dorm on school trips etc. It’s very frustrating

Redtartanshoes · 20/06/2019 18:31

Go Frankie instead.

QueenoftheBiscuitTin · 20/06/2019 18:31

Elfie is much better.

AmeriAnn · 20/06/2019 18:33

Add an S to the name so it sounds like Selfie. She'll be taking a lot of Selfies probably so why not?

Wink