I've just clicked on a couple of random threads and...

[thereisalightanditnevergoesout]

they've mostly been discussing the name Romilly.

I have one and I know of about 8 others (directly, and through various acquaintances). Up until now, we've always received mixed reactions (people either like it, or pull a face).

Should I brace myself for loads more and break the news to my DD that she might, after all, be able to buy a pen with her name on in a gift shop one day soon ?

I like it. A lady at work's got one, aged 5. Don't know any others, though.

Don't know any Romillies.

I like it, but when I suggested it to DP while I was pregnant, he told me it wasn't a real name, and I'd made it up. When we were watching the news and Romilly Weekes, the presenter, came on, he said "just because one person in the world is called that still doesn't make it a real name!"

pinkgirlythoughts you might like to direct your DH here :)

The weird thing is when DD was born (she's now 6), Evie and Isabella seemed to be the popular names and we wanted to avoid her being in a class with a couple of other girls with the same name, differentiated only by her initial.

Funnily enough, despite their popularity, I hardly know any Isabellas or Evies compared to my collection of Romillys that I mentioned above.

Never heard of the name until Romilly Weeks. I love it.

I heard it first as it's the name of my friend's sister. It used to be mainly a boy's name pre WW2, now it's used mostly for girls.

I used to know one years ago, she would be in her 40s now and have heard of Romilly Weekes too. Don't know of any others though so your DD might have to wait a bit for the giftshop experience

Lovely name, I know of none!

I know a mner with a Romilly, it is a lovely name. Actually it might be you as I can never remember any of the 'locals' names on here!

*an

Isn't there a Romilly Weeks who reads the news?

I used to work with a Romilly a few years ago (she would now be mid-thirties) and have loved the name ever since, hence it is on my shortlist!
I am at a collection of people called Romilly being 'Romillies'!!

It is me Fimbo! But I think there are one or two other MNers, too.

MsChanandlerBong my friend's sister is in her mid 30s -I wonder if it's the same person? You're not from Suffolk are you?

I know two.

I don't know any, and didn't know of the name until I found this site.
Gotta admit, I don't really like it, but it's nothing I would pull a face about (now that I know it - when I first read about it I was very much 'What?!'

It's a bit of a marmite name, I think squeak! When we first told family (DH's I might add) we definitely got the face (actually there isn't an emoticon to do it justice!) and FIL got out a baby book, licked his fingers, turned a page and said, 'Alright, how about 'Ruperta'?... 'Richenda'?...' (Mind you he did the same with DS2 (DC4) when he was 5 days old because he didn't like what we'd picked.) - I supoose that's why it's surprised me to find 3 threads with it on a shortlist/being discussed.

I've got one and she's almost 5 months. I've noticed a lot more people suggesting it on here recently and I'd also been wondering if one day we'd be able to get a pen with her name on :)

We've had nothing but good reactions to it, with a couple of people telling us she'll never be able to spell it at school (a bit like all the Elizabeth's and Alexandra's eh?!). We assumed she'd become Romy or Milly over time but so far people are sticking with the full version.

Yeah - I can't fathom why people have such a hard time spelling it, either - I mean, it's spelled as it sounds. We do get all sorts of variations though - Romany, Bromley, Romney amonst the mis-hearings and mis-spellings.

Actually, since posting this, I've found it as a suggestion on another thread.

I always think of this en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romiley

Ha ha, yes - DD was very nearly born in Sheffield and we got some funny looks there, too!

My friend did send me a picture of the Romilly Street sign when she was in Soho the other day.

I'm more keen to make a trip to Romilly sur Seine in France which is apparently very close to the champagne region :)

Most commonly we get people spelling it with just one l, although we get a lot of mishearings too - mainly Romany.

How is it pronounced then? Is it Ro-milly or Rom-illy, because if the second I would expect the spelling to be Rommily or Romily (like Emily)

(not the place in France, I know how that's pn) :)

Well - it's has the same pronunciation as Emily except that it starts with a 'Rom' not and 'Em'.