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Original poster

Girls name - we love it, but strong reaction from others!

104 replies

emmyjj · 23/12/2011 08:09

I'm currently 38+5 with our first, we don't know if we're having a boy or a girl.

Both my partner and I love Coco for a girl, but when we've mentioned it as a possibility there have been some pretty strong reactions against, references to coco the clown etc.

DPs family are old school posh and much more accepting of unusual names, where as mine are east end working class and much more suspicious of anything exotic!

As a compromise we were thinking of going for Celeste Claudia and then using Coco as a nn, but don't want it to feel to contrived?

Our other possible girls name is Gala, and for a boy we like Finlay, Dexter or Rafe.

Would love your opinions on Coco, and whether we should just go for it or use it as a nn?

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Oubliette0292 · 23/12/2011 09:18

I know a Coco and I think it is a lovely name (it is a nn though - her given name is Chloe).

Really like Celeste too.

CaptainMartinCrieff · 23/12/2011 09:20

Gala? As in bingo? Do you mean Gaia?

lisad123 · 23/12/2011 09:23

i prefer Celeste to coco but its your child. No one liked DD1 name when they found out what we called her, but now no one minds and often get comments about how lovely her name is :)

liveinazoo · 23/12/2011 09:23

at the end of the day its your choice.i like all the names you chose...i actually had a celeste who is nearly 8Smile.just beware some options.dp wanted to call her brother neo til a elative said as in neo nazi!!!

seeker · 23/12/2011 09:26

Of course it's your choice - but you are making a choice on behalf of another human being who can't give her consent. So think carefully.

imaginethat · 23/12/2011 09:27

I know a Coco and I think it is lovely and she is an adorable little girl. I say go for it, your child, your choice.

etJeviensEntretesReindeers · 23/12/2011 09:27

Hmmm, well, it's nice, probably she will need a more formal name to revert to, as well, but it is to my mind quite classy.

I'd feel odd saying it though. Do the supermarket test...imagine shouting it down an aisle full of shoppers. See how silly you feel. If you can handle that, go for it Smile

I never get why people like the name Rafe. Ever since I found out it was the name of part of a bloke's I can't see it in the same light.

ShowOfHands · 23/12/2011 09:28

I don't understand the taken seriously as a judge/surgeon stuff. If somebody has done the time studying and has got the job, then I don't give a monkey's chuff what their name is. When wheeled into theatre for an emcs, I wasn't remotely concerned with the surgeon's first name and its connotations. Likewise, I'm sure she would argue that her name had fuck all to do with her ability to do her job. If anybody was as shallow as to remotely imply that my name impacts whether I should be taken seriously, I'd judge them based on flaws more concrete than whether or not my name passes some arbirtary and ridiculous MN test.

Oh I'm in a foul mood today.

I don't particularly like Coco for any reason other than I just don't but if you like it then you should use it.

I have a Raphael who is called Rafe (or Raffy or Raf or RifRaf) a lot of the time so love it. Finlay and Dexter are extremely faddy atm but this shouldn't put you off if you like them.

MigratingChestnutsOnAnOpenFire · 23/12/2011 09:30

I'm with seeker. Can't see 'Coco' heading up a Boardroom really. Great as a nickname.

I love Celeste!

edam · 23/12/2011 09:31

Rafe is just the posh pronunciation of Ralph. Rafe is a phonetic spelling by people who are not posh. Nowt wrong with being not posh, guvnor, gor blimey, innit but worth knowing when you choose it.

Sorry but I'd avoid Coco for the same reasons as everyone else.

ShowOfHands · 23/12/2011 09:32

etJeviens, I've never heard of it being anything to do with a man's penis. Or do you mean the perineal and penile raphe? It's not a term in common use I suspect, spelling is different and I think far more people would think of Rafe as a man's name before conjuring up images of cocks. Or scrotums really I suspect.

MmeReindor · 23/12/2011 09:32

SOH
I see what you mean, but I do think that with some cutesy names, you do have to think how they will sound when the child is grown up.

Teddy is cute on a little boy, but if he grows up to be a 6' 3" rugby player with shoulders as wide as the Isle of Man, it might seem odd.

I don't think that it has to do with being a judge/doc, just being an adult person not a child.

ShowOfHands · 23/12/2011 09:33

Oh and you have a 'raphe' on your tongue too iirc.

etJeviensEntretesReindeers · 23/12/2011 09:34

Raphael is a GORGEOUS name. I know another, very beautiful boy.

Showy I love you when you are in a bad mood.

etJeviensEntretesReindeers · 23/12/2011 09:35

Crossed posts. Yes that was what I meant. Sorry. I think of cocks whenever I can tbh.

etJeviensEntretesReindeers · 23/12/2011 09:35
ShowOfHands · 23/12/2011 09:38

I do see what you mean Mme but that person will be a whole person with a whole life and will have been known as that name for the whole of their time on earth. In the end it's no more, no less than a label to which we answer. And if they find it an issue, if they find they're uncomfortable with their name, then it's in their power to adapt. So Teddy can be Ted. Or they transcend their name, which is what most of us do in the end.

I'm known almost solely by my nickname and it's more than a little ridiculous and probably sounds so to people I've never met. But you ask my family, dh's family and friends and they'll look blankly at you. Because it's just a fact of life that if you shout Fish, I'll come running and they've said it so many times that it's no more remarkable than John or Susan now.

I did NOT pick that nickname btw. It just happened and now I can't get rid of it. It's almost better than my real name though. Grin

ShowOfHands · 23/12/2011 09:41

I will come over there and I will sit on you. And I will remain thus until you are suitably contrite. My mood is not here to please you. It is here to make my Christmas preparations feel just that bit more real. And if her next door sneezes once more I'm going to kick her bin on my way to the shop for more bastard icing sugar.

MmeReindor · 23/12/2011 09:44

Your NN is Fish? Really?

The day has just brightened.

ShowOfHands · 23/12/2011 09:47

It's barely even a nickname anymore. I may as well change my name by deedpoll.

My brother doesn't call me Fish. He calls me Ron. Mainly to annoy me.

I'm glad I've cheered you up. My terrible struggles are comedy fodder for all.

MmeReindor · 23/12/2011 09:52

I shall chuckle all day about that. And ever call you "Fish" in my head.

ShowOfHands · 23/12/2011 09:55

Oh she hasn't got a cold. She's doing it on purpose. Just like she leaves her bin out for several days post collection. She does these things to try my patience.

Swiss chocolate. I haven't eaten chocolate (or sweets or cake or crisps) for SIXTEEN WEEKS. It physically hurts. 2 days to go...

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 23/12/2011 11:43

I like Claudia nn Coco but don't like Celeste.

Gala - Bingo anyone? Sorry but Gala is really, really, truly terrible.

Don't like any of the boys' names but Dexter is the best of the bunch.

BehindLockNumberNine · 23/12/2011 11:46

I don't like Coco as a given name, I too would think Chanel and think you a bit 'try-hard-ish'.

However, I love Celeste Claudia with Coco as a nn. Georgeous.

Please do not go for Gala - that is definately Bingo hall and you will get stupid jokes from people assuming that is where she was conceived...

Finlay, Dexter and Rafe are fab!

BehindLockNumberNine · 23/12/2011 11:48

SOH - My dd's nickname is Fish, has been for ages.... No idea how or why, we just started calling her it one day and it stuck!