Let's talk about Bianca

[erikab922]

I am named after a very famous US daytime soap opera character called Erica Kane. On the soap, she had a daughter called Bianca so my mother and I have always thought that if I have a daughter, I'd keep the naming convention going and call her Bianca, like a little family in-joke. I have always loved that name anyway and everyone back home (well, the ladies anyway) would 'get it'.

So of course, this name was fine when I was living in the States but I've been in the UK for 10 years now and Bianca takes on a WHOLE new meaning. To make things worse, my fiance's surname is Jackson (I'm keeping my surname, child will be double-barrelled). When I mentioned Bianca to my fiance I didn't realise there were that many ways to say 'no'. The only other girl name that I like, Brooke, has been resoundly called every variation of crap on MN, so I'm kind of thinking I may need to stick up for Bianca.

What do you think of Bianca? I know there's the whole 'Ricckkkaaaayy!' thing but, really, kids on her own age group aren't going to know anything about it. Would I be setting her up for constant ridicule? Is Bianca due a resurgence? Or does it just need to die a peaceful death?

Whatever is said on here, your DP's dead against it. I doubt you'll change his mind. Even though your DD would be a generation away from EE Bianca it would be like one of us being called Vera Duckworth. (or Alexis Colby).

It'd be funny to see people's faces though when you told them you've named her Bianca after a soap character.

Brooke got slated then? I quite like Brooke.

Sorry to have to put this so bluntly but you simply can not use Bianca Jackson. Or Bianca Smith-Jackson either (replace Smith as required). Her life would be made very unhappy. She will beg you for a change of name. My good friend, formerly Michelle Fowler, did just that.

And whilst I'm being brutally honest lets move on to Brooke... One of the biggest problems you will find with Brooke is the British think it sounds American.

There is a level of resentment in the entire of Europe, but especially here (because of the shared language probably), about the general Americanisation of everything. It used to be called a shop, not a store. Kids had school disco's not proms... That kind of thing. It's not that we don't like you, we do like you, but we don't want to have to not be us. We like being us. It could be thought by an American visitor to the UK that we dislike you as people, not at all. It doesn't get explained properly very often but it's about that we dislike the spread of any mono-culture making the world less varied or making us less distinct. It's the British nature to love the quirky, individual, odd and different. So you can see how it leads to mutterings about "bloody Yanks".

So Brooke goes down badly here. It's American, therefore it belongs on Americans...

Well there you go. You are an American.

This is where it gets confusing for you I expect. How we can not like something because it's so you, and then think it's a great name FOR you. But we do. We don't want you to be British any more than we want us to be foreign. We love a bit of difference. Genuine difference.

So Brooke is a fine name for an American. That we dislike it's Americanness when we think about our British daughters is entirely because we like you. We like you being you. We want there to be variation. Look at the effort that goes into virtually every thread here to find a name that is "uncommon", "underused", "unusual"... THAT's British. That's our love of the different.

Be different. You are different. Your differences are probably a large part of why your British friends and family love you.

But FGS do NOT call that child Bianca.

I love Bianca. You could get away with it because you're American.

Brook sounds really abrupt and inelegant to me.

Brooke

My childhood was plagued by having the same surname as some well known soap opera characters at the time (perhaps you can guess who from my nn?!). I always thought I would change it when I got married, to get rid at the first opportunity. But by the time that happened I wanted to keep my name, and people had stopped really referring to the soap characters anyway. It hasn't done me any harm! So I reckon you should go with what you love.

Aloe Vera!

Michelle Fowler! that is bad. Actually there was a character on a tv show with my name once and a few people did mention it to me and the show was only on for one season.

Think both Bianca and Brooke would make me think the mother wears a tracksuit and I am not talking about when they go to the gym!

Brooke is awful.

Bianca is beautiful. Its a shame about the EE character, but if you love it, you should go for it. I know an adult Bianca and nobody except for the odd pissed person in a pub ever says anything about Bianca in EE.

Bianca is the pretty, sweet but rather spoilt younger sister of Katharina in Shakespears The Taming Of The Shrew so predates Eastenders and is quite old.

I like Bianca, but I honestly wouldn't use it if she is going to have Jackson as a last name. You could do it if you are planing to return to America, but please don't do it if you are staying here - she won't thank you. It would be like growing up with the name Sue Ellen Ewing. Dallas isn't on any more, but we all know who she is.

I quite like Brooke, but it is considered to be very American. Now I know you are American, so that would be okay if it was your name, but your little girl will presumably be British and although it sounds horrible to say it, Brooke is considered chavvy here (unless the person is American).

Still, if Brooke is the one you have your heart set on, you can say bollocks to everyone else's opinion. I'm a great believer in choosing the name you love and not settling for one that is just okay.

Did you have any other names in your shortlist?

the eastenders connection is out dated and won't be known to her generation, and all the other famous Biancas are elegant and glamorous.

The character is still in the show though (Patsy Palmer on maternity leave, I think). Bianca on it's own is lovely, just a bit dodgy paired with Jackson.

You can't possibly have a Bianca Something-Jackson or Bianca Jackson-Something in the UK. I'm sorry but NO. It's cruel. She's the Iconic Chav! She's in jail, has hundreds of jail by different dads, wears puffa jackets & hoop earrings & ir famous for being a gobshite. She could indeed be on Enders for years to come so kids could learn the associations too. Adults will laugh behind your back & say "she's NEVER called her daughter that! BiYANKaaah! Where's Rickaaaaaaaaay?!". For your DD's sake please pick another name, or at least give her just your surname!

PS people are saying the reference us outdated but Bianca is still in the show. The actress is on maternity leave but apparently coming back.

and she's about 38 in rl. she could be the next bet lynch/elsie tanner you know?

Bianca is beautiful. My brother's beautiful Brazilian girlfriend is called Bianca. I think of it as exotic, lovely and pretty. And I grew up watching eastenders! Just don't call her Sonia!

Bianca is lovely. Classic, feminine and not overused.