Could you ever use a name when you didn't like someone with that name?

[CruCru]

I went to school with lots of girls with beautiful names. Quite a few I couldn't stand.

It's been 18 years since I was in school and am starting to think I can distance myself. Or can I?

What do you think?

IME you have to meet someone who erases the old connotation

If that long then yes I think you candistance yourself. If someone you still have dealings with then I suspect I would struggle.

Having said that I still can not bear Anja after the spoilt bratty over indulged sister of an x.. (and its been25 years)

if you really love the name and it's been 18 years then yes i woudl use it and give it a new association i.e; your lovely new baby!

and fwiw i share my name with 2 women who were absoloutely vile to me. one looked after me as a child and one is EXp's mum. very unpleasant experiences and when i hear the name said i shudder, i dont even like saying it but it's also my name so sometimes i have to.

No. I couldn't use any of the names of girls who bullied me.

Depends how much you disliked them! There are certain names that for me are off limits.

nope, I've vetoed lots of names DH likes because of yucky people, no matter how long ago.

I was glad that his brother named his dogs DH's most favorite girls names, which saved me the worry when DD arrived.

Same goes for him though, he rejects quite a few names too.

Will not be using the names of any ex boyfriends (or any of partners exes!)

Girls who bullied me were called: Jodie, Nicola, Samantha, Helen and Katie.

These names are forever sullied to me! I couldn't do it.

I think it depends on your relationship to the person. For years, for example, I thought I would never use Bethany even though I really like it because it was the name of a school friend's irritating sister. But recently I've decided I've just been being silly because I actually didn't really know this girl or have much to do with her. But Catherine, another name I really like, will always be off the table because it was the name of one of my housemates at uni who made my life absolutely miserable for the six months I lived with her. It's just too strong an association.

Thanks all for your responses. I don't have an impending decision to make (fertility treatment for number 2) so just getting a few ideas. The main name is Helena (pronounced Helayna).

I could use Helen-a but it doesn't work so well with our surname. However, it isn't an urgent decision - and we might get another lovely boy.

That's one of the names that are off limits for me, for the same reasons!