What were you almost named?

[KittyTwoShoes]

Just thinking about how on earth anyone ever decides on a name for their child and wondered if anyone knows their parents' shortlists? I'm interested to see how they differ from the shortlists on here today.

I'm Katherine, but was almost Anastasia... DP was almost Morris(!).

So what were you nearly called?

I think I was always going to be a Victoria.

Unless I was a boy in which case I would have been Christopher.

Wilhelmena (not sure of the spelling), she was my dad's first girlfriend. Luckily my mum put her foot down and I ended up with a unisex name that traditionally has been given to the first born of the family. Tragically for me it has always been boys, so dad, grandad, great grandad, great great grandad etc.

I was nearly Morag, imagine the fun that could have been had at school (by others) with a name like that!! Very glad I got what I ended up with....

Ian - they thought I would be a boy. Then after I arrived Jill, fortunately an older cousin objected to that and chose my name which I like!

My younger cousin is Ian - Aunt and Uncle only had girls names!

I was Poppy up until my actual christening, when a last minute panic changed me to Bridget - YUK YUK YUK

Gillian (until someone pointed out to my mother that as it rhymed with my surname, it was probably not the best choice) or Derek. My parents can be very odd at times.

I was going to be Josephine or Susannah. Both awful IMO. My parents wanted to name me after some of their favourite cows (were farmers). They returned to sanity thank god.

Was nearly called Naomi.

In the end my aunt named me...don think my parents culd be bothered!

Ruth, Claire or Helen. Any would have been fine tbh although I prefer my actual name

James or Robert if I'd been a boy.

My mum used all the slightly "out there" names that she liked on our pets to spare us the embarassment.

I was actually Stewart for a while as I had to be rushed away at birth and the dopey student midwife left with my mum told her she'd had a boy! Cue much confusion when they returned me to my mum and she insisted I was the wrong baby!! (Considering I look exactly like my dad with long hair and without a beard, I was definitely returned to the right mother)

Odile [boak] sophie
Glad I am neither!
the boy's name went to my little DB

Emma Penelope. My maiden name was Dale so once they realised Emma Dale probably wasn't the best choice they changed their minds

If I'd been a boy I would have been Timothy Charles

I think I was always going to be named after my cypriot nan, which is a greek tradition. Originally going to be Christina Mary but ended up plain Christine. My Nan's name was Christalou.

My mum wanted to call me Emmeline - not after the suffragette (which would have been fairly credible although I don't like it) but after the song by Hot Chocolate!

Her other choice was Hilary which I hate even more!!

Vanessa. VANESSA!

If I had been a boy I would have been called Caoimhín. Which is not only nigh on impossible to spell outside Ireland, it is also essentially pronounced as Kevin.

Thank goodness I was a girl!

My dad wanted me to be called Dorothy after his mum - cool now but not when you are growing up in the 80's. It was relegated to a middle name and I still got the piss taken out of me for having a dreadful middle name, even though my first name is a run of the mill perfectly acceptable name.

Stephen if I were a boy... odd really as I have two younger brothers neither of whom have Stephen either as a first or middle name.

Thelma. Seriously. And I'm not even 30 yet.

I was nearly called Chantelle or Siobhan but I'm a Charlotte! I thank my dad every day! Love my name. I wouldn't been Christopher if a boy.

Lara (Dr Zhivago I think?)

Almost called Lindsay.

Would have been Luke if a boy - think I could live with that.

I was going to be Liam or Trina, but then after I was born and Liam ruled out (much to my mum's disappointment) she chose a name that is quite popular now but really nobby in 70's/80's East London and I got teased for years about being a 'snob' as a consequence.

So as a teenager I shortened my name to avoid the teasing, and now sometimes wish I hadn't as it doesn't sound very grown-up, and I chose a typical show-offy teenage spelling which means I now always need to spell it out for people.

I hate my name, but got off lightly... was nearly Paris! It would not have suited me, but I wonder how different I would have been if if it had been my name. Would it have neded up suiting me? If I was a boy I would have been Daniel,which is a name I love and i am now going to marry my very own Daniel.

Belinda. Thankfully my mum talked my dad out of it.

I was nearly called Samantha but my dad didn't like it. Would have preferred it i think!