Madeleine

[holler]

I love this name, but DH thinks everyone will just think 'McCann', and that it has negative connotations. I think that this is fading, and that by the time potential DD is at school, her peers will have no idea who she is. WDYR?

Its a lovely name.

Its lovely and as time has (sadly) passed I dont think people will think that

Its a lovely name x

I think McCann, sorry.

But the important thing with names I think is the associations they have for you - is Madeleine McCann the first thing you think of when you hear the name? If not it's usable for you. For example, I quite like the name Sylvia but every time I hear it that song plays in my head - 'Sylvia's mother says...Sylvia's busy...too busy to come to the phone...' - and I think 20, 30, 40, 50 years of that would be a bit much!

Also poor Maddie McCann was the victim of a crime rather the perpetrator of one which makes a difference - it's not like calling your kid Adolf or Myra, she did nothing wrong.

What about names that are similar to Madeleine e.g. Madison?

Thanks all! I love Magdalena, abbreviated to Lena, but as there isn't a German connection, think this could be pretentious! Could Lena be used as a nn for Madeleine? I really don't like Maddy.

McCann

I didn't automatically think of McCann when I saw the title, so in one way I think you should use it.
But now you've said you really don't like the nickname Maddy (which I assume most people would shorten it to i.e. at school) then I would say use a different name.

No didn't automatically think McCann.

Love it. Was in my top three if had a DD.

Lovely name.

Lovely name. I didn't think McCann because I know 2 baby Madeleines.

BUT they are both known as Maddy. I think it's fairly inevitable. Lena might work but you'd still get a lot of people calling her Maddy.

Magdalena wouldn't be the least bit pretentious.

Madeleine is a French name after all, and not pretentious, so why would a German version be?

Lena is a lovely nn, as is Lenny imo (different sound though).

I wouldn't think McCann. I used it as a mn of one of the DDs long before the McCann case and the case made no difference to how I saw her name. Your Madeleine will be yours and nobody else's.

DD is Madeleine. She is 5 and hardly anyone calls her Maddy ( she puts them straight if they do!).

Its a lovely name but yes I did think McCann however Its a fleeting moment and then you see the name for what it is (beautiful)

I do however like Magdalena and would use it too :)

I have a 4 yr old Madeleine. But she does get shortened to Maddy/Maddie by most people, Monkey by us. If you don't like Maddy don't pick the name because it will get shortened

You're totally right re McCann fading. Seriously, my mate's a teacher and finds her Year 7s and 8s don't know what is meant by "9/11".

I love Magdalena, and that could also be Magda I suppose although that would mean pronouncing the "g" in the long version too, which you may not have been planning to do.

I think it's a lovely name but do automatically think McCann.

I immediately thought of a friends daughterr , then about McCann.

On a note nothing wrong if it reminds people of Maddie McCann - keeps the memory and hope open .