Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think that parents who give their children "unique" names are setting them up for a lifetime of difficulties?

236 replies

Aishlynn · 02/05/2023 16:07

I have noticed a trend among my friends and acquaintances to give their children very unusual or "unique" names. While I understand the desire to give a child a name that stands out, I worry that this could have negative consequences for the child later in life.

For one thing, a name that is difficult to pronounce or spell could lead to frustration and embarrassment for the child. Additionally, having a very unusual name could make it harder for the child to fit in and make friends. And what about the child's future job prospects? Could a "unique" name be a liability when it comes to getting hired or advancing in a career?

I'm not saying that parents shouldn't be creative when it comes to naming their children, but I think it's important to consider the potential long-term impact of a name. What do you all think? AIBU to be concerned about the trend of giving children "unique" names?

OP posts:
ADogTwoCatsAndAFlan · 02/05/2023 20:24

Is this one of those weird Chat GPT threads?

Sissynova · 02/05/2023 20:25

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 02/05/2023 20:20

At dd1’s nursery school in the early 80s there was a child called Florian Finkbeiner.

And? Or is it cute to be xenophobic?

bakewellbride · 02/05/2023 21:03

I agree completely op. I hate these awful names and having worked as a teacher including supply I have seen first hand how so many kids hate having stupid names too.

Just give your kid a normal name, there are plenty of them out there. Why unnecessarily saddle a child with potential problems?

eatdrinkandbemerry · 02/05/2023 21:12

Depends on the child's personality (which obviously you can't tell at birth).
My son rocks his different name but my daughter is a real introvert and would have hated peoples commenting on her name (she doesn't even like people talking to her 😢)

MsBarbaraGood · 02/05/2023 22:06

Solidarity with @ISaySteadyOn - I have an unusual name from another heritage (nothing to do with our family's), which is close to a more common name. One of my earliest memories is of a teacher at my school making me correct my own name for repeatedly spelling it 'wrong' Sad

My DC have names which are easy to spell, easy to pronounce and can be swapped for nicknames if they don't like them - thankfully so far they do - and neither is massively popular, just ordinary. I was born mid-70s and longed to be a Nicola, Claire or Sarah!

Sorryyoufeelthatway · 02/05/2023 22:09

Nope. I have such a name and other than having to spell it out which can be tedious, i can assure you it has never caused any issues with being popular or work, ridiculous to suggest that.
Maybe you are bitter your children are called Olivia and George? How dull.

Grimbelina · 02/05/2023 22:11

I had an unusual name growing up and always felt special and destined for great things.

I’m somewhat lazy but relatively successful, and I think if I had a big standard name I wouldn’t have felt special.

nochangeever same here and hence my children have unusual names too (and it seems to be working out well so far).

Thepeopleversuswork · 02/05/2023 22:14

literalviolence · 02/05/2023 16:26

Honestly sounds a bit racist to me. Lots of people from abroad have names which Brits mightbl find hard to spell or pronounce. If someone has a problem with an unusual name, that really is their problem.

Racist and very small minded.

You realise, right, that today’s exotic name is tomorrow’s there are three in class 4b?

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 02/05/2023 22:15

My friend has an unusual name and named her children from the top 10 most popular kids names list.

She said she didn't want her kids saddled with an unusual name like she was.

Mookie81 · 02/05/2023 22:50

mackthepony · 02/05/2023 16:29

I completely agree

I know a kid called Deen

You know, Dean

Ignoramus.

Buebananas · 02/05/2023 23:18

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 02/05/2023 22:15

My friend has an unusual name and named her children from the top 10 most popular kids names list.

She said she didn't want her kids saddled with an unusual name like she was.

"Saddled" with an unusual name by choosing a non top 10 name Confused?

nochangeever · 02/05/2023 23:38

@Buebananas the mother has an unusual name. She gave her kids popular names.

TheOriginalEmu · 02/05/2023 23:42

I have an unusual name. It’s never been an issue career wise or anything else. If anything it makes me memorable which is a bonus at interviews etc.

TheOriginalEmu · 02/05/2023 23:43

And my kids have relatively unusual names. They seem to be doing just fine with them.

Ossification · 03/05/2023 01:08

The French had it right...
if the birth registrar thinks that the chosen names (alone or in association with the last name) may be detrimental to the child's interests, or to the right of other families to protect their own family name, the registrar may refer the matter to the local prosecutor, who may choose to refer the matter to the local court. The court may then refuse the chosen names.

ohdamnitjanet · 03/05/2023 07:19

I know someone who called her twins Ronnie and Reggie……

Sunshine275 · 03/05/2023 07:25

Utterly ridiculous. My child’s got an Irish name. I loved that name since I was little and was determined if I had a girl she would be called it. I’m absolutely not seeing her up for a lifetime of difficulties, for me if I’m going to use a Irish name I wasn’t going to change to spelling to an American or English version.

CoalCraft · 03/05/2023 07:38

I dunno. I agree in principle but in practice, I gave my daughters classic names that I thought were well known and ambiguous and both regularly get misheard and mispronounced so I don't think there's any guarantees with names.

Sevenbells · 03/05/2023 07:45

I know people who choose to give their children very conventional names and think it's linked to their more conservative outlook on life, they want their kids to be doctors and lawyers. But what's so important to you about "fitting in" OP? Yes in some ways it's essential but if everyone went through life with that as their primary concern we wouldn't evolve and the world would be dull. Not to mention that sometimes doing what everyone is doing, because everyone else is doing it, has led to some of the most horrific events in our history.
Not everyone wants to conform with the pack. And that is a good thing.

Karenaki · 03/05/2023 07:49

My daughter is Grace and has yet to meet another.

Karenaki · 03/05/2023 07:50

Karenaki · 03/05/2023 07:49

My daughter is Grace and has yet to meet another.

I was replying to another post where they were saying it was worse to use a popular name like Grace and have three in their class, but forgot to quote!

gannett · 03/05/2023 08:23

I get contacted by a lot of people I don't know for work and every time an email pops up from an unusual name I remember it far more easily than one from a bog-standard John Smith. Being easily memorable in some way is important currency in how the world works these days (not saying that's a good thing) and unusual names help with that.

MagpieSong · 03/05/2023 08:50

Putyourdamnshoeson · 02/05/2023 16:51

I think that it is clear what OP means and I don't for one second think that she is being racist.
I work in education. It is always obvious when parents give their children names to make them special. It is a class identifier and it does make it hard for them to be taken seriously. Princess and Rileigh are the flip side of Bear and Star. I guarantee that 80% of these kids change their name entirely or use their middle name by college.

I think you’d be surprised. Name is a huge part of identity. I’m adopted (also hope to adopt in the future, if I’m assessed and found to be suitable) and it’s now not encouraged to change names because they are a part of the person. So while a few may change their names, a huge amount are unlikely to. While an outsider to a family may look at a name and judge, most children grow up with the story of their name - we named you after so and so /such and such a place, we named you because we wanted you to have this value or we saw this trait in you. It becomes a narrative within the family. Obviously, there are exceptions, but if you’re in a pagan family and are named for something in nature, that can carry importance or a Christian family and you’re named after a saint, that can carry importance. Even names like Princess reveal what your parents thought of you, how they felt. There’s often a cultural significance to a name too.

It seems AI recognises the things regularly discussed here because, as a forum, we’ve certainly had this discussion before.

Lcb123 · 03/05/2023 08:53

My pet hate is common names spelt unusually, I feel so sorry for them. I have a common name spelt the common way and I’m very grateful

SmartHome · 03/05/2023 08:54

YABU. It's not the seventies anymore. No one gives a shit about names anymore. We live in a multicultural country now. Children go to school with people from Africa, Poland, Ukraine, France and hundreds of other nationalities. They don't bat an eyelid at non standard English names anymore.