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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Should peoples opinions put me off this name?

99 replies

LittleSugaPlum · 14/07/2012 19:15

Im 27 weeks pregnant with first child. I once met a small child called "Devon" she is female. And the name really stuck in my head.

When i got pregnant, if the baby was a girl Devon was one of my choices.

At 20week scan found out we were having a girl.

However nobody in the family likes the name Devon. My mother hates it, and mother in law does.

My side of the family have mentioned that its not really an appropriate name.
One of them said thats a place not a name! Everybody has said they havent heard a child called that before (i have only heard of it once).

Now i ve been wondering whether to use the name Devon or not, i think peoples reactions have sort of put me off it.

Mentioned this to DH who said "you cant change her name now!" lol

OP posts:

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Viviennemary · 14/07/2012 21:54

It's not that bad. But there's a lot of much nicer names in my opinion. But if you like it then go for it.

Zakinthos · 14/07/2012 22:11

Don't let other people put you off - its your choice. But it will probably be shortened to 'Dev' at school which sounds more male. I have come across a couple of girls with that name though.

Plaguegroup · 14/07/2012 22:30

I know a couple of little boys called Devon, never heard of it being used as a girls' name but I think there is a lot more cross-over these days (Bailey, Maddison, Ellis, etc).

We were having a discussion at work the other day about people who we correspond with by email and assume are male/female, and which ones we've found out we were wrong about when we finally spoke to them!

muminthecity · 14/07/2012 22:46

I know a teenage girl called Devon, she is lovely and kind; a real tomboy, my DD looks up to her and loves her to bits. I think Devon Elizabeth is lovely.

luanmahi · 15/07/2012 10:53

If you like it, don't let other people put you off. When she's born you might think differently yourself anyway. My husband suggested the name Imelda if we had a girl after seeing Imelda May on Jools Holland and I instantly said no. He continued calling the bump Imelda or Stanley (which was his first choice of boy's name) throughout my pregnancy and it must have seeped in subconsciously as when she was born, that was the first name I thought of and that's her name now. When we first tell people her name, people either love it or hate it and everyone of a certain age makes reference to Imelda Marcos and shoes which hadn't even occurred to me.
I wouldn't worry too much what other people say because after a very short time, it just becomes their name. There are quite a lot of names that I don't particularly like but it's not the first thing I think about when I meet someone with that name. Don't worry.

Coconutty · 15/07/2012 10:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CecilyP · 15/07/2012 12:23

I think it is sufficiently unusual that you are always likely to get a reaction, even when your DD is here. However, if you can live with that, go for it. OTOH, it might really catch on and there could be loads of Devons in future.

littlemissbroody26 · 15/07/2012 17:03

Do you like Devon the place? I'm from devon and would never consider calling my child devon... it doesnt exactly bring to mind sophistication or elegance.. more cows and mud and rain.

Lannie33 · 15/07/2012 21:01

Don't let their opinions sway you. Stick to Devon! If you had announced "here's baby Devon" they wouldn't say anything and would love it or grown to love it. I know a Devon aged 28 (we live in Canada). She's lovely.

Original poster

LittleSugaPlum · 15/07/2012 21:52

I ve never been to Devon, just like the name. I dont want it to be shortened to Dev tho when shes older.

OP posts:

littlemissbroody26 · 16/07/2012 11:19

Maybe have a little google of devon, i think to people who have been to devon/come from devon it has a meaning that if you havnt been there you wouldnt be able to see.

Personally i want a name that means something to me and my child, id say if you had been for your honeymoon in devon for example and it had a personal meaning for you and others didnt like it id say just ignore them.

What is it about the name you like? is it the sound?

Original poster

LittleSugaPlum · 16/07/2012 15:01

I think its because its unusual thats why i like it. I want a name that no-one else in their class will have at school - gives them individuality. I didnt want a common name like Sarah, Emma, Louise etc.

OP posts:

seeker · 16/07/2012 15:04

Well I know more little Devons than I do little Sarahs or , so if you're going for unusual....

lookitmyshoes · 16/07/2012 15:06

Place names always feel a little tacky to me.
How about 'fern' instead?

GetOrfMoiiLand · 16/07/2012 15:08

TBH I don't like it as a name, probably because I come from Devon so it seems a very strange name to me, but if you really have your heart set on it don't let people's opinions put you off.

Mind you, it will more than likely get shortened to Dev, no matter what your preference. I named my dd a name which I thought would be difficult to shorten - turns out all her friends shorten it and there is nothing I can do about it.

IawnCont · 16/07/2012 15:10

Regardless of what others think, it will be your DD who has to live with whatever name you choose. Don't choose for you, choose for her. Is it a difficult name to carry? Will she be self-conscious as to the fact that it's usually a boy's name? Only you can answer!

GetOrfMoiiLand · 16/07/2012 15:10

One of those Olympic rower chaps called their son Croyde (the name of a seaside town in Devon) which also seems strange - I associate Croyde with a ghastly holiday park and surfers who smell of wee, not a small baby.

RuthlessBaggage · 16/07/2012 15:10

Well I hate it as a first name for a girl, and would make probably unfair assumptions about her and you on that basis.

But perhaps you'd hate my DCs' (utterly perfect) names too. People do say their names are boring or whatever, which is fine by me, as that was one of the criteria we prioritised!

You are getting true opinions - people will think these things whether they express them or not. If they bother you, they will always bother you. If they don't, they won't.

If the comments hurt you, maybe swap the names over? Elizabeth Devon instead? Little curly-haired Betsy, who can grow up to be spiky-, purple-headed Devon when she's a teenager if she prefers...

IawnCont · 16/07/2012 15:11

But yes, it will get shortened- That's one thing you have no control over.

Lovemy3kids · 16/07/2012 15:15

I think its a lovely name and if it is what you want, then it doesn't matter what anyone else think. Everyone is entitlted to an opinion.....but that's all that it is....THEIR opinion.

I have a friend and her son's name is Deven, and my DS is named after a very romantic City, and my father has made fun on all the names I chose for my children.....but he soon grew bored of it when no-one took any notice of him!

littlemissbroody26 · 16/07/2012 15:19

I love unusual name like you op :)

My oh's family hate one of our name choices älva (said elva) because it is said the same way as the number 11 in swedish but it has personal meaning for us so i will use it anyway if we want to.

Maybe explain to them that you want an unusual name for the baby and they might understand a little more why you want to use the name Devon.

YoulllaughAboutItOneDay · 16/07/2012 15:21

I am not a fan of place names for people, but if you like it go for it. Family opinions shouldn't matter.

Do be aware though that you can't control shortening. If you hate Dev, don't use Devon. I love Elizabeth and many of the shortenings, but hate Liz, so decided I couldn't use it as a first name as I knew there was a good chance my child would become a Liz.

FWIW, there were 47 baby girls in England and Wales called Devon in 2010, and over 120 boys. So it's pretty unusual still, but the name may well cluster in certain communities too.

MrsRhettButler · 16/07/2012 15:21

I think its pretty

Kendodd · 16/07/2012 15:24

Going against the grain here but... I think it is a good idea to bat about names before the baby arrives because it allows people to give an honest opinion. If we had chosen a name that was so unpopular we wouldn't have used it. Other people can give you a different view point and open your eyes to things you might not have thought of. Also you might find things out about it, like it means fart in another language or great uncle somebody had that name and he killed ten people.

I think all the people saying choose whatever name you like it's not anyone else business are wrong, the name belongs to the baby and they will have to live with it not you. Also, who wants to have a name nobody likes?

For what it's worth, I think Devon is fine. It's a huge responsibility giving somebody a name, tread carefully (have fun as well)

tara0202 · 16/07/2012 15:25

I know two devon's. One is a 20 year old boy and the other is a baby boy in a group I go to.

I think its a nice name.

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