Calling a child Dolly?

[ImJustMadAboutSaffron]

Someone I know has called their new baby this and I can't stand it. Of course they're entitled to call their children what they like and it's none of my business. Just before someone tells me that.

I don't like it because it sounds babyish and not a real name. It's more like a nickname. It makes me think of an old lady or a Barbie doll, not a person.

Wr have a Dorothea, nn Dolly. Suits her to a T. I love it.

It's fine. It makes me laugh all these people clutching their pearls and crying 'but how will they get a job?!' I work at a huge national law firm. We've previously had lawyers called Coco and Princess (female) and Buster (male). All very formidable lawyers.

That's so refreshing to hear!

I work in the creative industries where any name goes but you always get told on here "oh you'll never get a 'serious' job" ie corporate, finance , law etc

Just presumed everyone in these jobs was Charlotte, Kate , Victoria ( nothing against those names...)

Dolly Parton is an asking woman, OP.

I hope this girl is inspired by her rather than your mean-spirited, insipid example.

My dh is from Africa but he's lived here for thirty years. His name is ridiculous by British standards. Ridiculous.

He's a director in a huge multinational company. It doesn't seem to have held him back.

Give us a clue!

I'm sure there are at least some names that you don't like too, @eldora - does that make you mean spirited, too? No it doesn't. And neither am I, simply because I don't like a particular name.

What about if people keep their dislikes to themselves? Is it only mean spirited if you mention it? Would I be less mean spirited if I hadn't made this post? What about those posters who have come on here and said they quite like it but don't like other names and have given examples, does that make them mean spirited as well? And those posts on the baby names board?

PS: What's an asking woman? I am surmising you meant amazing and autocorrect went wrong. Dolly Parton is brilliant. Still don't like her name, but I really like her.

What about if people keep their dislikes to themselves? Is it only mean spirited if you mention it? Would I be less mean spirited if I hadn't made this post? What about those posters who have come on here and said they quite like it but don't like other names and have given examples, does that make them mean spirited as well? And those posts on the baby names board?

Yes it would've been less mean spirited if you'd not made this post. A simple, thought running through your head of "not my cup of tea" would've been a lot less mean spirited. Hopefully mum won't pick up on this thread and hopefully the press won't either.

Shrug, it's just another spelling of Dolidh, which is Irish Gaelic. There are a lot of women with that name. I don't know why it's got you so furious, it's just a name, and it's really kind of sweet when you think about it. I think it's a far bigger crime to call your kid something absolutely awful like Freddie, or Archie, or Jane or Sally

(I'm running away now before someone comes after me with a knife!)

I often call both of my child this as a nickname / term of endearment (they are different sexes). Doll, dolly etc. As well as a million other things that make no sense at all.

But I wouldn’t use it as an actual first name.

We've got a Holly, who we've always called Holly Dolly, and frequently Dolly on it's own. Obviously we like it!

I've got a friend who worked for British Airways and hated being called a trolley dolly.

Yes I bet she did. Is that throwing shade on the actual name Dolly?

I don't like it, never have, but most people have names I don't like and wouldn't choose myself. Whether my doctor is called Dolly or Katherine or Shruti or Foluke or Agnieszka really has no bearing on what I think of them.

Everyone saying 'Well, it will be ridiculous when she grows up and she's got a childish name' is kind of missing the point that the name only seems childish now because in the present day it's primarily popular for children. In a few decades' time, all those children will be adults and we will no longer associate the name with children and it will seem totally normal for a middle-aged woman to be called Dolly (or Poppy, or Milly, or Daisy or whatever).

Not my taste personally, it’s like other ‘cutesy’ names such as Minnie. Makes me think of Lolita too which is an uncomfortable association.

Dolly sounds nothing like Lolita. What a bizarre association.

I know a Dolly and she doesn't look like a Dolly. It's a ridiculous name imo.
Also know a Minnie which is also ridiculous.

It’s an okay nickname but pretty cruel to give a child as their actual given name. It’s very objectifying.

I know an adult Dolly and she's one of the coolest, most intelligent ladies I know.

There was a character called Dolly on Emmerdale Farm, as it was back then.