If you decided on an unusual name did you every regret it?

[Brugmansia]

DP and I are currently deciding on names and the ones we like are all on the less-used/unusual end of the scale, particularly the boys short-list.

We really like them and they're also the only ones we can agree on, and in general I feel we should just go with what we like. There's a bit of me niggling away though that's worried about both other people's reactions and whether it could be a bit of a burden for DC in the future.

Just wondering on other people's thoughts who've chosen unusual names for their children.

[ProcrastinatingPanda]

DS has an unusual name, he's almost 6 now and I don't regret it at all, I still love it and he is always being complemented on it.

[smable]

Dh convinced me not to give ds2 the name i really wanted he is now 10 months and i regret it everyday, even dh admits that it was unfair to think about other peoples opinions before mine. There is a difference between a name that could cause your child problems and a name that just isn't very popular, try not to make a choice you will regret whichever way you go.

[Brugmansia]

But choosing for an adult who can't consent equally applies to a boring popular name.

I agree with the point about some girls names maybe not being ideal for an adult. In general though my feeling is that trends in men's names are more conservative.

[seeker]

There is a middle ground between giving the world another Connor or Callum and calling your child Dayspring or Zowie.

[FellatioNelson]

One of my DS's has a try unusual name. He is 13 and we have never met another one, and there are only two people (including him!) on fb with his name. I think a few babies have it now, but it is still well outside the top 100.

I still really love it, and lots of people comment on it and say they love it, but then people don't usually volunteer to tell you that they hate your child's name! It has been mentioned a couple of times (not by me) on MN and has received a very mixed response which is exactly as I would expect to be honest.

You can't please all the people all the time, and I can live with people hating it - the fact that he is the one and only X that any of us know, and no-one ever says 'X who?' when he is mentioned is good enough for me!

[FellatioNelson]

very not try

[fedupwithdeployment]

DS2 has an Irish name that no one knows how to spell - there are different versions and we seem to have gone for the most complicated version! I have at times wondered if it was the right decision, but it totally suits him!!

I had an Irish mother, although am totally English myself. Little F (think sharkey) can actually spell his name (and corrected his teacher in first term of Reception!) and is very proud of his Irish origins (has only been there twice!)

We had a few looks initially, but as I say, he has made it his own, and no one has commented for a long time.

[Coffeeformeplease]

Hi OP, We really struggled to name our first daughter, and chose an unusual name in the end, there was no one with that name in her primary and there is one other girl in her secondary school with that name.
My son has a Finnish version of a classic name, yes, he has to spell it, but he loves his name. I know only Finnish people with that name (no, we're not Finnish, but foreign ).
My Youngest daughter has a classic name which we abbreviate to something two-syllable, there is no other child in pre-school with that name.
All children have (more main-stream) middle names they can revert to when they are fed up, but I doubt they ever will be.
You choose the name for your child. We would never ever have discussed the names with anyone. We got comments from my MIL, but then she dislikes almost any name and has recently badly affronted her own daughter by rudely commenting on the name of her first child.
You cannot please everyone, as everyone's taste is not yours!
Think ahead, will the child likely to be uncomfortable to be addressed with her/his name in public in 30 years' time? Then think again, otherwise, go with your gut feeling, or you will regret it.

[honeytea]

I have a very common name (Amy) I hate being one of many Amys.

We have 98% decided on our unborn son's name, we are going to call him Elvin, 8 babies were called Elvin in the UK in 2011 and 119 were called Elvin in Sweden (we live in Sweden) when our family and friends look a little supprised we just say "oh its an English/Swedish (delete as appropriate) name" and they don't mention it again.

[mrsbugsywugsy]

Hello Brug

I think it depends on the name and exactly how uncommon it is. I don't like made-up names, or ones which sound like they were picked just to be unusual.

On the other hand, I'd prefer to use a known but less common name rather than give the world another Jack or Harry or Oliver.

I've refused to tell my parents my name choices - if they ask I tell them Wayne for a boy, Waynetta for a girl (apologies to any Waynes or Waynettas out there!)

[comeonbishbosh]

I think it also depends on your surname. I have a fairly common name for my generation (though there was only 1 stage in my life, 6th form, when there were enough others around to need additional nicknames to identify). But, I have a damn fine unusual surname. So if you google me, there's only me there. And I like that.

My DD has my DH's surname, which is a moderately well used surname. That was one of the factors in going for a more unusual first name for her.

As seeker says, there's a middle ground between Connor and Zowie. But generally the worry about 'what over people think' diminishes as you get used to being a parent... and realise that whether or not you breastfeed / let your children stand on chairs in restaurants / stay up late / walk on the pavement without holding your hand... are all ongoing 'fair game' for public approval or condemnation. So many things that people will agree with you on, or not. So you learn to thicken your skin a little. Enjoy calling your child a name you love!

[WhatEverItIsIDidntDoIt]

My son has an unusual name and people have some outrageous reactions that used to make me and but now I realise it is their problem not mine I love my sons name and it suits him perfectly!

[Brugmansia]

Hello mrsbugsy

I don't like made up names either, definitely not thinking asking those lines. I guess one of my concerns is that some people may wrongly see the names as having been picked for the sake of being different or dismiss them as pretentious.

[MoelFammau]

My name is unusual. As in, I'm the only one on Google :-) It's not a made-up name, it's Welsh but not one of the obvious ones. And yes, I'm Welsh.

I LOVE my name. I don't think I could pull off a Sarah or Louise type name at all and am happy I was given something outside the box.

I desperately wanted (and still do want) Phlox for my daughter's name but it was ridiculed no end by DH's rather boring family. Except his cool sister, who loved it too... Still wish I'd ignored the lot of them.

[Clary]

DD's name is often said on MN to be uber-trendy but in fact we have barely ever met another and she is certainly the only one in her 1000-pupil school.

I think she really likes it. DS1 also has a less common name (again the only one in school tho there is another in yr 3) and he is certainly keen on the fact that he is the only one.

But I should add that neither name is unusual in the sense of made up or unheard of; just not commonly used when they were born (think WW1) - so people don't tend to raise eyebrows, I have never had anyone ask how to spell it, they just say it's their grandad's name .

I agree seeker, there is a place between Callum and Zowie.

A friend of mine called Sarah always gives you her full name when she rings up - clearly out of habit from being one of many Sarahs. I never have to give my full name as I am the only one most people know. I was unreasonably annoyed last year to discover that on my teaching course there was another one and I was suddenly Clary B, grrrr

[ProfYaffle]

My dd's have unusual names, haven't experienced any problems so far.

On the flip side I have a very common name which attracts a great deal of wearying attention and teasing in itself.

Maybe we just have to accept that there are no perfect names and all of them have potential for grief somewhere down the line.

Fuck it.

Just choose one you like.

[SugarMeFingers]

I've never met anyone with the same name as my DS, it is also similar to Callum, but not. Wondering if it the same as InSPsFanjoNoOneHearsYouScream 's DS

[SugarMeFingers]

ooops, i also love it and do not regret it.

[LemonBreeland]

I have one DC with an unusual name and two with popular names. I regret the popular names much more and am annoyed at DH for talking me into them

DC2 has an unusual name and I still adore it 5 years on.

DC3 has a top ten name. I find myself really wishing she didn't have that name.

[missingmymarbles]

Think it depends on the name doesn't it?
DD1 has a very unusual name and I love it. I saw DD2's name years ago and have loved it since; it has now become really popular apparently, although we don't know any others. She's only a few months but I do love it.
I have a very unusual name and don't like it so much, but not because its unusual, just because I am not do keen...

[jeanvaljean]

As someone with a very boring, inelegant name, I would have loved to have had an unusual name. I think it's true that kids will be bullied for anything so calling them something outlandish will not compound this. If anything I think the unusually named kids get 'cred' in later years from their peers.

I also wish all those in the thread would reveal their unusual names!

[Journey]

My dcs love their unusual names.

I find it funny when people think that less common used names which everybody knows about are unusual. To me a name that is known (whether it is in frequent use or not) is not an usual name.

Different spellings of names to make them different doesn't make them unusual.

Go for the name you love whether it is common or unusual and you'll never regret it.

[Journey]

..not an unusual name!

[seeker]

I just think it's extraordinary that people say things lik "my children have very unusual names, and I've never had any trouble" or "I've developed a thick skin" or "ii love the name so it's all right"

It's not you that has to spend 80 years explaining your name to everyone you meet! If only people would remember that their child is going to grow up and have their own life....