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.

[honeytea]

I'm another Amy.

I was born mid 80's and have met lots of other Amys. I wish my parents had been a little more imaginative.

[OddSocksHighHeels]

I'm Siobhan. I like my name, it's not too common but not weird either.

[rrreow]

Iris - quite popular where I'm from (Holland) when I was born ('85), although in the UK it seems a but more of an old ladies name! I like it now although when I was little I wished my name was Rose.

[MissChristmastRee]

I'm Ria.

My parents got it from a 70s TV show called Butterflies. I know a few others but they're mostly shortened from something else (Maria, Rhiannon, Rhianna etc). I even work with another Ria! but she's a Rhiannon, not a real Ria

I don't know any Rias older than me!

[DreamsTurnToGoldDust]

Loveday, hated it as a child but like it now, and yes I'm Cornish, although I've only met one other Loveday, everyone use to call me Lovejoy when I was little

[EskimoPie]

Emma - popular but not dated. I like it; considering I was in the midst of Sharons, Michelles and Traceys through primary school, I did very well, I think

[bruffin]

Christine- quite popular name at school but not as popular as Karen, Tracey or Susan. All early 60s names

[Haberdashery]

VisualiseAHorse, I think I know your mum!

I'm a Lucy and didn't like it at all growing up. One of four in my class at primary school. I like it a bit better now as I think it's fairly classic. But I would much rather have been called something that nobody else was called.

[Astralabe]

Louvaine - cool name!
And Rachel - I've always liked this name but didn't use it for my daughter, don't know why.
My name's Zoe - I've always like the fact my name means 'life', and that it doesn't really date - I know baby Zoes, and Zoes older than me (although I believe my generation, in their 30s, were the peak usage for the name to date)

[hev2010]

Heather. I love it now but always felt a bit short-changed when I was younger as my two sisters can both shorten their names in a variety of ways.

[chipmonkey]

Orla. Irish for "Golden Princess" although, annoyingly also Hebrew for foreskin!

We're Irish and I was born in the US. My parents thought they were giving me a really unusual name only to arrive home and find that every other person in Ireland that that a little girl had called them Orla.

I think it's the Irish equivalent of Katie, I was never the only one in my class and even in my job until a few years ago when the other Orla went to open her own practice!

[CheerfulYank]

Megan.

VERY popular in the US in the early 80's when I was born. :)

[VBisme]

Victoria, I always wanted to be Lucy when I was younger, but I'm used to being Victoria now (although I'm mainly Vic or Tori).

[Yika]

Sophie. Always loved it. I'm 46. fairly unusual in my day - I never knew any others at school or university.

[OhEmGee25]

Emily. I'm 25, there were three in my class

[rainbow2000]

Martina only knew of one other when growing up.I rather like it now but didnt for years

[sarahtigh]

Sarah, I like my name, we all have biblical names, there was one other Sarah in School with me, the only thing I did not like was no middle name

like that most people can spell name my mother has one of those names you automatically have to spell out every time, she says was the bane of her life she still hates it, so DD has a well known though not common name but everyone can spell it; was more common 50-70 years ago than now

[SirBoobAlot]

I'm Erika. Never met another one with the same spelling, and only one with a 'c'. I love my name.

[whistlestopcafe]

My dad calls me Kathy. My mum calls me Katie. My husband calls me Kate and I introduce myself as Katherine.

[WhatWouldSantaDo]

@whistlestop. Hi, Kat! [bsmile]

[headfairy]

I was a bit reluctant to post on here but as others with unusual names have done so, here goes.

I'm Gisele. I didn't know any others growing up, there are a few now. Most people think of the supermodel who I resemble a lot or the more cultured think of the ballet but that had 2 Ls. My name is the French spelling, there's lots of them over there. It's from Alsace so there are more Germanic versions such as Ghislaine, Gisela, or Giselle.

I hated it as a child. I wanted a pretty, girly name like Lucy, or Katie. Pronounced correctly (with a soft G, like zs as in Zsa Zsa) it's prettier but English people tend to use a harder G. Strangely enough Irish people always seem to pronounce it properly.

[mathanxiety]

JourneyThroughLife -- I know a Theoni (with the I at the end but pronounced the same as Theone). Her mum is of Greek extraction. It's a gorgeous name imo.

[Dontbesodramatic]

I'm about to out myself.

I'm Asma. Means goddess of beauty

[merlottits]

I'm a Kelly. I don't like it particularly. It's very 70's and there are many.
I had an interesting experience recently - an employee of mine named her baby after me
She is not British and the name is original and probably exotic sounding in her country of origin. I embarrassed myself when she told me. Rather than looking proud I just said "uuurrrgh!!!"

[ScooseIsOnTheLoose]

Josephine - I was the only one all through school and I have only ever met two other Josephine's. I hated it growing up but kind of used to it now