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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

childrens names

89 replies

verazafira · 07/09/2009 20:16

a colleague of mine had a baby last week and named her florence. i had twins 3 months ago and one of those is florence, i dont mind this but still find it strange, but to cap it all today someone i know in our village has named her new baby martha which is my older daughters name(her other daughter goes to same nursery) i choose my childrens names as they are individual and have never gone with the crowd i am really mad about this , any advice, am i being unreasonable.

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 07/09/2009 20:17

yes, yabu

you don't own the names, other people are allowed to use them too.
if i found a name i loved and wnated to use it i wouldn't really think i shouldn't just because someone my child goes to nursery with is called it! how bizarre

if you wnated unique names you should have made some up!

cocolepew · 07/09/2009 20:18

YABU they're not copyrighted to you.

whoingodsnameami · 07/09/2009 20:19

My friend called her dd the same as my dd, she did'nt ask, and I really did'nt care.

Rindercella · 07/09/2009 20:19

I think YABU vera. Florence and Martha are both relatively popular names. I know a couple of each.

I linked to an article the other day which mentioned two children called 'Unique' (really) in the same class in a London prep school.

So no matter how different you think you are being, there is likely to be another near by.

CantThinkofFunnyName · 07/09/2009 20:20

Ah - tbh, I do think you are being a little unreasonable, but I can understand you being miffed. Perhaps, though, you could be flattered instead? Many people choose names for their children because they have heard the name somewhere else, have heard about friends/colleagues calling their children that name and suddenly they love it. I have been having the most awful time trying to decide on potential names for my 3rd (unborn) without using names that I know are held by friends, family, colleagues etc. It's difficult because all the ones I love are "taken". The use of the names you mention above I would say is acceptably "remote" enough from you - not like its your best friend, brother, sister etc.

LaurieFairyCake · 07/09/2009 20:20

yabu

and both of those names are really common (as in frequent) now

ShowOfHands · 07/09/2009 20:20

YABU. You don't own them and they're both becoming popular esp Martha. Your children will meet more of them I guarantee so you'd better get used to it.

generalunrest · 07/09/2009 20:21

My DD knows about 5/6 other girls who have the same name as her! I didn't know anybody who had it at the time. I'd just take it as a complement that you've chosen nice names for your DD's

Tinkerisdead · 07/09/2009 20:22

YABVU

I thought initially that you were going to say a family member had taken the names you had chosen but a colleague and a woman from nursery??? you say you chose names that are individual but you chose some of the oldest names that have been used for centuries and are under revival, as such you're bound to encounter a few more in coming years!

notanumber · 07/09/2009 20:23

I know SEVEN Florences and three Marthas.

Seriously, if you think that Victorian scullery maid names are unique then you're delusional.

pooexplosions · 07/09/2009 20:23

YABVU, I imagine you know it really! Nobody owns names and its not as if they are family members, close or otherwise.
If you were so obsessed by having unusual or unique names, you chose badly, Martha and Florence and getting fairly common now. You should have called them Starfish and Bob or something....

Umlellala · 07/09/2009 20:24

Oh dear YABU

We thought dd's name was pretty unusual (Aphra) but we met another one the same age in our local park the other day

LaurieFairyCake · 07/09/2009 20:24

chocolate starfish would be really unusual

thesecondcoming · 07/09/2009 20:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

nickytwotimes · 07/09/2009 20:25

Yabvvvvvu.
Pretty normal (and lovely) names, so no wonder other people have dared to use them!

Fwiw, my mother called me Nicola as it was unusual at the time. That was in 1973. I don't suppose it would come as any surprise if I told you there were 3 Nicolas in my class of 25.

thedolly · 07/09/2009 20:25

YABU - be flattered not mad

nymphadora · 07/09/2009 20:25

I don't know any of either. Do I live in the wrong place?

FabBakerGirlIsBack · 07/09/2009 20:25

yabu and silly

Thunderduck · 07/09/2009 20:26

YABVU. You don't own the names. And they are actually quite common names.

geoffkates · 07/09/2009 20:29

Agree - Florence is very popular. I would think it flattering if someone I knew chose one of my dcs names. Try hard mind...but flattering all the same .

LottaRump · 07/09/2009 20:32

YAB a loon

bigstripeytiger · 07/09/2009 20:32

Those names are pretty popular at the moment. I doubt that either of the people copied you, probably just thought that the names were common enough that it would be OK to use them without seeming as if they copied you, IYSWIM.

elvislives · 07/09/2009 20:34

It is frustrating when a friend uses "your" name, but somebody at nursery? I wouldn't be particularly aware of what children at nursery were called.

Did you check the popularity of your twins names before you used them? Martha was no 87 in the Top 100 names given in 2007. If you were aiming for individual it is best to avoid the most popular ones

I am afraid that in this case you are being unreasonable.

KIMItheThreadSlayer · 07/09/2009 20:35

Yes grow up.
You do not own the bloody names FFS

GirlsAreLOud · 07/09/2009 20:37

YABU, you should have called your daughters triptrap and bigfattroll.