What's Your Name?

[manicinsomniac]

We've done mother's, father's, grandmother's, grandfather's, children's names. But I don't think I've seen an inspiration thread based on our own (maybe we don't like our own generation's names!)

Thought it might be interesting though. For those who want to share.

Also, how common was your name when you were born? And do you like it?

I'm a Rebecca. I think it was in the top 5. Certainly top 10. I was frequently in situations where we had to decide who was going to be Rebecca, Becca, Becky, Bex etc just to distinguish. I still really like it though. But I don't like Becky and am not that sold on Becca and Bex either.

[popsicle1984]

Chiara

[Abcinthia]

Katie. It's not short for anything.

I really like my name and have not met many other Katies. Met a few Katherines but they usually shortened their name to Kat/Kathy.

[TessOfTheBaublevilles]

Tess - not short for anything - just Tess.

[TessOfTheBaublevilles]

Oh and I really like my name.

I was so called name, as Tess of the d'Urbervilles is my mum's favourite book.

Like good old Tess in the book, I had a child in my late teens, but thankfully that's the only life event we have shared!

[LaTrucha]

Susanna / Susie - I do like it. I did upset my Dad, who named me, terribly one day when I said 'Susie' was the kind of name you give a labrador but I don't think that any more. My middle name is Maria, after Sarah Vaughan singing the West Side Story song.

My mum wanted to call me Chloe or Candace. I would have liked Chloe and it might have suited me more. I'm glad I'm not Candace.

[LaTrucha]

I like Tess too. nearly called DD it but her Spanish family would not have understood at all.

[spottywelly]

Katherine. Presumably because I had a 10-letter surname and 9-letter middle name, and my parents were trying for a record.

I quite like it, other than the length (never fits on any forms!). There seemed to be a lot of Katherines born in the late 70s/early 80s, but most of them went by a shortened form, and I never did, so that was different enough for me.

No one ever spells it the right way, though! They always ask 'with a C or a K?', but when I say K, they normally assume it's Kathryn.

[ToManyDicksOnTheDancefloor]

I'm Hayley, quite like it, don't think it has aged too much.

[javotte]

Amelie.
I don't really like it.

[PandaHeat]

Rachael.
I think it is a bit dull. It is also the more unusual spelling. I always wanted to be called something else, but could never decide what.

[EIizaDay]

Iona. Used to hate it but over the years it has grown on me.

[MrsBungleBear]

I'm Tara. I am 34. I've met one other Tara.

At primary school I wanted nothing more than to be called alison or Sarah or something more common! My mum always told me I'd prefer having a less popular name when I was older and she was right. I don't love my name but it's alright. I do like having a less popular name, though, and have given my kids uncommon names too.

[NymphadoraTonks]

Joy, which I've always liked.

[QueefLatina]

Charlotte.

I really don't like it but people always tell me it's a lovely name.

I particularly hate it when people pronounce it Char-lotte

[Szeli]

I'm Michelle, been Shelly since birth - prefer Michelle tbh but it's not 'my' name.

Not very popular with my age group (25)

Primary school 1 other girl who was two years older.

High School (900 girls) 2 others called Michelle, one in my year and one two years older.

Known two other Shelly's in work situations but they were christened Chelle-Ann and was 12 years older and Shelley - about my age.

Oddly enough my boyfriend always thought he'd have a daughter called Michelle and I fancied a son called Lennon - his name. Straaaaange xxx

[ILikeSquirrels]

I'm Georgina. No middle name. Hello, nice to meet you!

[CharlieBoo]

Im a Lucy... Have always (apart from teenage years) liked it. Not many in my age group (mid thirties).

[EverlongLovesHerChristmasRobin]

Some lovely names

[TodaysAGoodDay]

Possibly outing myself here.

I'm Morgaine, pronounced 'Morgarna'. It's a Welsh name, and I've never met another.

[kimcarl1988]

im kimberley but every1 calls me kim i dont really like it

[PorkusEnormous]

I'm Lois. Never met another. 99% of people I meet struggle with it and pronounce it loo-eee or loo-iss, slightly irritating!

[Spectra]

Shyla
I was named after a Shyla my mother knew, and have met a few others. I have always liked my name, although I have spent my life repeating it and correcting people.

[SomersetONeil]

I'm an Isobel. My parents were a generation ahead of their time! It was desperately old lady and very old fashioned when I was given it in the 70s. I was named after my grandmother and, as my Dad tells, the obituaries suddenly filled up with Isobels just after I was born; all the old ladies with the name dying off... They thought they'd made a terrible mistake!

I really didn't like it growing up - nobody, but nobody else was called it, I could never get cheap, plastic personalised tat with my name on it, and I was continually asked 'is a bell necessary on a bike?' by people my parents' age when introduced.

I like it now. I absolutely love being the only one anywhere near my age group with my name. I've never met another Isobel. I love not having an eyes-glass-over-dull name that everyone else from my generation has.

But of course, the cycle of fashion has come full circle and it - and its variations - are now so popular that it will be an eyes-glass-over-dull name to this generations' kids in another 20 years' time. If you had told me how popular the name would become when I was 8 or 9 I would just never have believed you.

[saffronwblue]

I'm Jane. A true 60's baby. Lots at school and at uni with me - and nobody ever uses it for baby girls now!
My mum named me after Jane Austen.