I'm starting a Baby Names mutiny... Who will join me?

[CheeseAndBunion]

Last year Mumsnetters rallied behind a seemingly pointless quest of mine to find a lost teddy and helped give my son a very Merry Xmas. The comments and posts on my thread were unbelievably kind and I was struck by what a great bunch of people Mumsnetters must be. On the Baby Names forum though I often read comments which would give the impression we are the total opposite and that instead it's populated by quite a vicious bunch.

I have read some awful things written about my child's name on here, comments that have sometimes really stung. If I was posting to ask advice about his weight, hair colour, acne or sexuality then I have no doubt people would reply with kindness but instead I've seen endless posts about how 'x' will never be a doctor or using 'y' is akin to child abuse and that you shouldn't have been allowed to breed if you were going to name your baby 'z' (or worse something beginning with k). I've seen parents and children described in the most awful way just because their naming style differs from others and for the most part the names being attacked are ones in the current top 100. Names that will be unremarkable, commonplace and totally acceptable once our youngsters are young no more. As most people on this forum are likely to be hormonal parents to be, or sleep deprived and angst ridden, I wonder if an intervention is needed?

I'm going to start an appreciation society for the hyphenated. A support network for those with the initial K. A meeting place for the made up, awkwardly spelt and abbreviated. You're all welcome - membership is free and there is booze on offer. Founder members include Tony and Cherie (nickname and slightly common sounding), Condoleeza Rice (made up spelling), Madonna (sounds like a sex worker) and Willie Walsh (never going to get a decent job with a name like that). Kay Burley, Kirsty Young and Kate Middleton have shown interest in joining. Yes, Kate has the far more acceptable 'Catherine' to fall back on but it's obvious she has experienced first hand the negative affect on your life a 'K' name can cause. Our hyphenated patrons have asked to remain anonymous as they know the persecution that might follow if the unfortunate dash in their name becomes public.

So I'll start...

My name is CheeseandBunion and I have a child with a nickname on their birth certificate... And I like it.

Dd1 has a nn on her birth certificate and so will dd2. I don'5 like the longer versions and don't see the need to have a 'Sunday' , 'proper', 'cv' name

Annie I love the name Leo. It was in my list of names for my son.

*Moomins" my cousin Conor is in his final year of medicine. But see, your Connor will be excluded from that, the extra "n" you know. That "n" is the entire difference between medicine and toilet attendant.

The High Court Judge bollocks gets my goat. How many High Court Judges is Mumsnet aiming to produce?

I'm Janoschi and my name is so nuts rare that I've yet to meet another one. I have to spell it constantly. It ends in i, which I believe is a sin.

My DD has a unisex name (R o b i n). Also frowned upon. And a deeply uncool middle name (D e b o r a h). Sod it. R o b i n means a lot to me. And D e b o r a h is the name of both of her grandmothers, plus all of the direct maternal line on my side right through into the early 1800s.

Love your thread idea. Feel I'm usually one of the few trying to support the OP in the face of a terrible backlash because they've dared to suggest something other than Beatrice.

My name means golden princess in Irish
It means foreskin in Hebrew apparently.
Ya win some, ya lose some.

My name means warrior I believe. I'll stick to that one.

Though I guess it can't be worse then foreskin

Liam = drug dealer? FFS.

I know a Liam. He's a paramedic.

Love Rudi - was on our list but we got a wee girl.

It also means bright headed. That I am not

Ceallach that is how my name should be spelt apparently

Just searched to see what MN had to say about DD1's name:

"Can't stand it. Not my cup of tea at all."
"Very 1980's and naff"
"Just odd"

Excellent

My Connor was talked out of staying on to do A levels and convinced to do a trade by the careers adviser ( wonder if she's a mnetter) he has been moaning about it ever since he started it and wishes he'd listened to the school and stayed on.

Cory wants to be a doctor, even though he's working 2-3 years above his class mates ( another stealth boast) he doesn't have the right name

Tommy might be ok, he can always shorten it to Tom

My DS has one of the most commonly used boys names that a lot of posters have sneered at but I don't care. We like it, it suits him, stuff anyone else's opinion!

We are about to name our second-born, Spike! Can I join? (DS1 is Oscar. I chose it BEFORE it got popular - 8 years ago!!!!!)

You can all help me think of a name for dc5, that way I know some of mn approve!

I also really don't get the whole "could he be a doctor or a high court judge with that name?".

Everybody KNOWS that the number 1 factor that holds children back in this country is our fucking two-tiered education system

Just a little rant there...

I don't understand it either Badgerina but more because no doctors or judges are called by their first name in a professional capacity.

Unless the child is going to be a TV doctor like Dr Phil or Dr Christian!

Ooh, am loving the idea of us finding a name for your baby Moomin. Can I tempt you with the thought of a boring but try hard, obscure yet over-popular, misspelt, abbreviated, hyphenated, surname for a first name, multiple middle name, ending in an 'i' with a 'K' thrown in for good measure, double barrelled combination? We'd have our very first Baby Name's Mutiny full house then!! It would really help our revolution :)

Just did a search for DC's names in babynames.

DS1- actually quite a few people liked it although there were comments such as "poncey" "downmarket" and its something to do with the devil.

DS2- his name doesn't come up at all even though its the shortened version of a classic and fairly popular name

Could we find one though cheese

We had people going NUTS over DS' name.
It's a very old name, going back to Roman times, but most people know it only as an adjective.
Thing is, it really is him....... If you put an "e" on the end of his name, it means suave, charming, well-mannered and cultured.
And he is (except for when he's doing his "flying dinkle" routine.

On here, apparently, he's a poor child whose parents were not particularly chavvy but were trying to be different.

DD's name is harsh, Germanic and brings to mind a strapping blonde masseuse!

They both have v northern European middle names and a double-barrelled surname because DP and I are not married.

They pass the judge and doctor test, though.....so I don't know where they stand.

loving this thread!

DD1 has a stripper's name which used to be posh but is now chavvy (apparently); a place name as her 1st middle name; and a 'descriptive' as her 2nd middle name.
DD2 has a very unusual 1st name and 'ordinary' 2nd and 3rd names - I think they are all approved of on here tho.

what I really think about names is that if you know and like someone you like their name because it's them iyswim? in the same way I think all my friends are stunningly attractive because I like them.... So if you dont know someone called Connor or Jayden or Kelli-Mae you dont necessarily make that positive association.

The student midwife I had with DD has a strippers name according to MN.