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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What names did you like but couldn't call your child?

447 replies

NachoNachoMan · 21/09/2020 13:22

When I was expecting, we were discussing baby names. Me & my husband liked the name Sydney for a girl. We had a conversation about names with my brother and sister in law (who were also expecting) and told them we liked the name Syndey.

A few weeks later it was Halloween. My phone rang, it was a withheld number but answered it anyway. I said "hello" & then the voice down the phone said "hello Sydney", followed by a knock at the door. My husband answered it, and there was someone in a scream mask, followed by laughter. The mask came off... and it was my brother! (He has always been a bit of a teaser, thank goodness I'm not of a nervous disposition!)

My daughter was born a few months later, and she is not called Sydney.

So what names have you liked but couldn't call your child?

OP posts:
lepnee · 21/09/2020 13:24

Grace. I've always wanted this as a middle name for my DD, unfortunately DH didn't because his sister's middle name is Grace. Fast forward 2 years, my niece was born (BIL's daughter) and they chose the middle name Grace. Now I definitely can't have it! Sad

dentydown · 21/09/2020 13:26

Ismael/Ishmael but family stuck their ore in and said it sounded like a “bag of fish”

haba · 21/09/2020 13:26

Rory- because my husband can't pronounce 'R's properly.

UsernameUsernameUsernameX200 · 21/09/2020 13:28

I loved Madeline, but partner sister was called the same. It didn't bother me to be honest, but he said no to it.

weeblueberry · 21/09/2020 13:28

Theo. Because we have an O’ surname and it sounded daft. But it’s a name I’d loved since I was little.

In the end we had girls so it didn’t matter anyway. Grin

PrawnofthePatriarchy · 21/09/2020 13:29

I wanted to call DS1 Mungo, an old Scottish name. DH hated it so we went for something else.

DS1 is 27 now and says he's still really grateful to his DF for saving him from that dreadful fate. Grin

ghostyslovesheets · 21/09/2020 13:30

Ada after my ex’s grandmother- sadly it was over ruled

I also like Helen, Jane and Mary - also over ruled

NachoNachoMan · 21/09/2020 13:32

@weeblueberry

Theo. Because we have an O’ surname and it sounded daft. But it’s a name I’d loved since I was little.

In the end we had girls so it didn’t matter anyway. Grin

I hope you called her Cleo!
OP posts:
Lemonyfuckit · 21/09/2020 13:32

I think Isabelle is beautiful but a good friend has called her daughter Isobel, and even though the spelling is different I wouldn't want to upset her.

There are lots of names I think are nice which end with an 'ee' sound (eg Zoe) but we have a surname which ends with an 'ee' sound so I don't think it would sound quite right together,

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 21/09/2020 13:33

Kermit. I genuinely love it - it's both a sweet-sounding name for a young child and also has a strong, well-defined, assured ring for an older man.

But you just couldn't - at least in a western country.

TheMusclesBrigade · 21/09/2020 13:34

If I'd have had a boy I wanted Dylan but ExH hated the name so couldn't use it.

I had a girl thankfully as we couldn't choose a boys name.

Lemonyfuckit · 21/09/2020 13:34

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

Kermit. I genuinely love it - it's both a sweet-sounding name for a young child and also has a strong, well-defined, assured ring for an older man.

But you just couldn't - at least in a western country.

GrinGrinGrin

At least people here are considering the implications of certain names. My mum was a teacher and honestly, some of the names her pupils at various times had been saddled with....

Mypathtriedtokillme · 21/09/2020 13:35

My sister loved the name Tai when pregnant.
Bil (who is Maori) nixed that one by singing Happy birthday to Tai which sounds very close the the Maori word for shit (tūtae)

Happy Birthday Shit.

pinkyboots1 · 21/09/2020 13:36

I wanted Scott but we disused against it as MIL at the time laughed and said "ooooh Snotty Scotty!" That put paid to that idea. Fast forward to having a new partner after divorcing her son and yep .... his name is Scott Smile

Stoichio · 21/09/2020 13:36

Hamish and Angus - too Scottish for two English people living in England. I did give my son a Scottish name but not that Scottish.
I have a lot of Scottish family (inc. Dad, grandparents, aunties/uncles and half siblings) and lived in Scotland for six years - I would love to be Scottish and live in Scotland! Such a shame to be a sassenach...Outlander has just made it worse Grin.

MulticolourMophead · 21/09/2020 13:36

Benjamin. ExDp vetoed that one Sad

Rowan, ditto.

speakout · 21/09/2020 13:38

Tabitha- but my OH hated it.

ASandwichNamedKevin · 21/09/2020 13:40

@PrawnofthePatriarchy

I wanted to call DS1 Mungo, an old Scottish name. DH hated it so we went for something else.

DS1 is 27 now and says he's still really grateful to his DF for saving him from that dreadful fate. Grin

Oh @PrawnofthePatriarchy your DS certainly does owe his dad a debt of gratitude 😂
Secretlifeofme · 21/09/2020 13:43

I really like the name Asher, but there is a very 'interesting'.one in my school (I'm a teacher) and the name is now forever associated with him for me!

StormyInTheNorth · 21/09/2020 13:43

Lark, but I married a mancunian and we live in the north where the poor girl would have got 'Laaaaak' for evermore. I should have married a scotsman. It sounds hot in scots accent.

TheGoogleMum · 21/09/2020 13:43

Evie. I really like the name and so did DH but felt as pokemon fans people would think DD was named after the pokemon Eevee

Lizadork · 21/09/2020 13:44

Padimè is a mad up creation and only suitable form is Padmè (star wars) but I didn't like that whole heartedly. Vada was too close to Vader. So we went for Delilah instead.

Sausagedog1 · 21/09/2020 13:45

Jesse but DH wouldn't have it.

abonae · 21/09/2020 13:45

We thought Mercedes would be a lovely name, but we chickened out!

Cocomarine · 21/09/2020 13:46

I love the name Mercedes. But struck it from the list quickly, as I might as well have been calling her Chardonnay.