Which names are would you consider 'too posh/try-hard/odd' to be used?

[AKMD]

Having seen a few names pop up which, when read out to my office colleagues, have caused great hilarity, I was wondering which names poeple on MN generally consider too posh/try hard/odd to be passed off in RL. I absolutely love Arabella but have been told that DH and I aren't posh enough to use it :( Ditto Lucinda.

I have to admit I did laugh at Mungo. Sorry to any Mungos/parents of Mungos out there!

[Sophiesmummie]

We have a ds with a name mentioned above and both he and us love his name. He has never been teased and loves being the only one in his school .

I also don't get why some adults are so concerned about 'being different' or 'trying too hard' . Kids are much more relaxed about different names - our London school has names from all over the world and no one bats an eyelid.

Regarding the class thing, if 'posh' (whatever that means) people don't use 'posh' names anymore then these names are no longer 'posh' and the more 'normal' people use them, the more 'normal' they become, no?

[Sophiesmummie]

And to answer the op, I know a lovely Lucinda (known as Lucy) and also quite like Arabella (although it's maybe a bit too girly/frilly for me).

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

But it is equally insulting to presume that those who prefer some of the more popular names, in the top 50 or higher, haven't tried hard to find a name they truly love, that suits their family. They are sure their child won't be teased for their name, at least, and these names are popular for a reason, they are just lovely names.

[Sophiesmummie]

Yes, I agree with you Ellen. I'm sure most parents try very hard to find the right name for their child, whether the name happens to be widely used or rarely used.

But I am responding to the OP who is asking people to list names that they find 'unusable' (even 'laughable')- and many of us have children with those names.

I would react equally annoyed if an OP asked for people to list names that they found boring and overused and hence unusable.

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

Hi Sophies, I think I meant to respond more to tammy234 and her statement:

Personally I'd much rather meet a little Monty, Cassius, Quentin, Lucinda or Felicity than yet another Charlie, Alfie, Jack or Ellie.... (yawn).

It seemed just as rude as the laughter at some of the less popular names.

[Bandwithering]

Nothing is wrong with it at all tammy... but although my children's names might make you yawn, they went with the sur name, they worked in England and in Ireland, they weren't in the top, well, 80 anyway,,,, they went with each other, none of my cousins' children had these names, or my neighbours' children or my friends' children. My children's father had taste that was more conservative than mine. so it was actually very hard to come up with the names that would probably make you say 'oh. right'.

dykwim!?

[Bandwithering]

ps, i expressed myself badly in my post at 11.29.11. Instead of 'So I tried very hard to come up with names that have an ordinary vibe' I should have written 'So I tried very hard, only to still end up with names that have an ordinary vibe'.

but, fwiw, I think that's not unusual.

[tammy234]

Bandwithering, yes that makes good sense. Sorry, I had misunderstood you. Nothing wrong with 'ordinary' if the names tick all the right boxes and work for you, by the way.

EllenJane, sorry if I came across as rude, but I do get a little offended when people start threads asking people for names that are 'too odd' to be used. I wish people were a little more open minded about different names.

[posho]

I felt absolutely compelled to reply to this thread. I think if you wish to call your child something appropriate then you must consider the surroundings they will grow up in. I am middle class and was given a terribly posh name by my upper class father, I have no qualms about this as I went to public school and fitted right in with all the other Clementines, Constances, Ophelias, Quincys and Esmereldas. However as I got older and was exposed to a different way of life I noticed that people often judged me for my name.

This can be good and bad, for example in a job interview it is quite clear that interviewers already expect me to be a cut above the rest...but at parties I get the sort of 'Oh blue blood' nod from strangers and it can be quite uncomfortable. I also get the odd speech from my Jewish grandmother about how awful my name is, clearly she was hoping for a Rachel.

I plan on calling my children names that I have grown to love from the influence of my peers, and books that have inspired me (this is how my name was chosen) I think this is the most organic way of choosing. However, I do think that my posh name has given me a good start in life and to be taken seriously in a professional environment is well worth a few odd sniggers. But if you are a middle class child called Mungo in a state school it won't do you many favours! But in fact I love the name Mungo and would consider it as my wonderful history teacher Mr. Campbell was the guitarist in Mungo Jerry!

[bigbluebump]

What about those of us who aren't originally from the UK but have given our children names that Brits consider 'posh'. In other countries names have different connotations. In France, for example, the name Quentin is very common (was in top 10 for a number of years). And most other countries don't have such obsessions with labelling people by class - they judge a person on their character, not their name. Should we now worry that our children will be judged? Or should we encourage our children to go to University/school abroad?

This whole British class thing is very strange to non-Brits .

[Dogwalks]

I just said to my husband last night if we had another boy i would call him Tobias, since he's had the snip and that's not going to happen we will call our next dog that. Feel free to add that to the posh name list.

[Nataleejah]

I feel this nonsense of "posh vs. chavvy"... Every cell in my body wants to rebel

[taffleee]

LOL! Mungo??? come on!!!

[funnyflowersky]

Ptolemy
Rufus
Peregrine
Rupert
Tarquin
Bartholomew
Digby
Cuthbert
Monty
Percy

All of these make me and colleagues snigger.

[CruCru]

This is an old thread. It's worth bearing in mind that Mumsnet isn't representative of the general population. Names suggested here are often very unusual in real life.

[MammieBear]

I think the freedom to name your child any name regardless of class is a blessing and as the saying goes one man's garbage is another man's popurii (the Grinch). I know it's an old thread but this really annoyes me who has the right to criticise someone's name??

[Mrsknackered]

The ponciest people I've ever know have been:

Lucasta
Oliver
Thalia
Arabella
Juliette
Venetia

So all fairly normal minus Lucasta and Venetia. Again I think it's the person not the name. I know a brilliant Ludo, Hugo and Araminta all which could be deemed as poncy by someone else.

[Mrsknackered]

Damn it, zombie!

[Ionarocks]

Really surprised what people think of as posh. I think it might depend on area. I know loads of people with children called names on this and none of them are exactly posh. Rory? Really? Harriet? What do people called their children if they avoid all these names?

Lots of those suggested are on my shortlist: Tabitha, Matilda, Jemima. Then again, I do have a Sophie giraffe and a bugaboo (although second-hand!)

[TatianaLarina]

Zombie thread, but still worth making the point that obeying so-called ''class" distinctions in 2017 is bizarre.

The OP (from 2011 but not from 1911) says they were told they weren't "posh enough" to use Arabella. Fuck that.

When I wasn't growing up the only Olivias I knew were middle-aged and upper class. Now everyone's called Olivia.

[pipilangstrumpf]

I agree, ridiculous what some people see as ‘try hard’ names. I love so many of these names, just find them elegant and nice sounding. Has nothing to do with ‘trying to be posh’, I hate that class distinction!!

I think it says a lot about them. They feel the need to snigger about a Lucinda or a Rafferty? Really?

[LiviaAD]

Araminta falls into this category for me

[Queenofthedrivensnow]

Friends of ours kids are arabella and Hugo. Not try too hard parents actually very down to earth emergency service workers and not pretentious at all.

Lucinda is a good friend of mine at wirunits just a classy name not poncy

[Queenofthedrivensnow]

Jago is the name that makes me think wannabe hippy middle class types

[Timefortea99]

I have heard the name Ulysses before too. I wonder if there are any Cyclops out there?

Belinda has been mentioned up thread as being too try hard. I went to state school - used to be very popular at that time.