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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Name regret - does it ever go away?

62 replies

everythinginthegardensisrosie · 07/05/2014 13:18

My DD is now 5, so there is absolutely no way I would change her name or let on to her that I feel like this.
Ever since we named her I've had namers remorse. I suffered from horrendous pnd after her birth which made me completely paralised in decision making and made it very hard to name her. Even after recovering from the pnd, I still feel like I made a mistake and I've let her down. The rest of the family have solid names such as James, Will, Anna, Lucy, Edward, George etc. I gave her a very fashionable name which I hear everywhere. I wish I had called her a classic too.
Just want to know if there are others that feel like this and if the feeling passes with time. She is very much her name now and it does suit her so I'm confused as to why I can't move on.

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Original poster

everythinginthegardensisrosie · 08/05/2014 14:07

:-)

OP posts:

Honsandrevels · 08/05/2014 14:08

Dd2 has a name that dh and I compromised over and although it is a lovely name, I do wonder why we didn't choose something else. I think I'm influenced by people mispronouncing it though! It is a name like Harriet with a t at the end and people miss it off. It really annoys me!

Op a popular name isn't a bad thing. My dd1 haas one of the classic names you listed in your op and there are a fair few of them around.

I hope you feel better getting your worries off your chest.

flavourflave · 08/05/2014 14:25

Op how do you feel about your own name out of interest?

Original poster

everythinginthegardensisrosie · 08/05/2014 15:36

I really like my name, it's timeless.

My siblings dislike theirs as they are very 1970s names. My Mum hates her name, but I don't blame her as it is awful.

OP posts:

Original poster

everythinginthegardensisrosie · 08/05/2014 15:40

......but the rest of the family - nieces, nephews, uncles etc have the timeless solid classics.

OP posts:

flavourflave · 08/05/2014 16:58

From my guess your dd name is timeless but in top five? So of its time as well?

Original poster

everythinginthegardensisrosie · 08/05/2014 18:55

It's probably top 5 if you add up all of it's variants.

I regularly hear it being shouted across Asda, Aldi, H&M etc (shoot me down for being a snob).

OP posts:

Everard · 08/05/2014 19:43

In my day, the popular, non-classic and timeless names were Tracey and Sharon - no offence to anyone with those names but they were the sort of names that would have been hollered down a supermarket aisle or screamed by a bunch of women staggering drunkenly down the street. Then I met a Sharon who was an Oxbridge graduate and an extremely well-heeled Tracey and it made me realise: the name does not define the person, the person defines the name. So it will be with your daughter.

Everard · 08/05/2014 19:43

that should read non-classic and non-timeless

Squirm · 08/05/2014 19:49

I'm guessing that her name is something like Isla, which is lovely; and although it is currently very popular, it's still an old solid name; nothing like Tracey!

I think you will get over it.

Salazar · 08/05/2014 19:56

Just want to agree with Everard's sentiments. I'm friends with a Paris, a Keeley, a Demi and Shanice from my days at Cambridge.

atypicalwotsit · 08/05/2014 20:12

If it is a Evie, Eva type name then I wouldn't think its like a modern day Tracey at all!

Though perhaps in 100 years Tracey will be popular amongst the polo set!

slithytove · 08/05/2014 20:18

Have you googled the meaning and origins of the names your daughter has? I would imagine they are older than you think - names move in and out of popularity over the years but that doesn't necessarily make them new or modern.

For instance Ava is either English, German or Iranian. Currently popular but was also en vogue in the twenties. Origins in the name Eva. Means 'voice' or 'desired'. Was also the name of a 12th century saint.

Olivia has European origins and came into popular culture with Shakespeare in the 1600's, and climbed in popularity in the 20th century.

Just to show you that fashionable and classic are not always oxymorons, you can have both. Have a google and see what you think.

slithytove · 08/05/2014 20:19

I really want to know your daughters names now can't you tell us and then get the thread or post removed or nc?

HPparent · 08/05/2014 20:29

OP I did regret the name I gave DD2. However she is now 15 and likes her name. Unlike my name and Dd1's everyone has heard of it and can mostly spell it. It is not associated with any social class and was popular in the USA particularly, Believe me I have an unusual surname and first name, if I google my blood runs cold, I am unique and identifiable.

ThingsThatShine · 08/05/2014 23:52

With the mention of variants I am wondering if the name is either Isabelle or Evie/Eve? If so then yes they are popular but they are definitely classic and lovely names

slithytove · 09/05/2014 00:04

Isabelle and Evie are both gorgeous traditional names, I would happily name dd2 either of them, except I know 2 Isabelle's (not the popularity that bothers me but my friend would be a bit ) and I like names which can be shortened. So I would choose Evelyn and nickname Evie, but I don't like Evelyn.

Can anyone tell I'm struggling to name dd2 lol

What do people think of the names: Verity, Hannah, Georgia, Amy, Sophia, Annabel, Claudia?

total thread stealer and should probably make my own

blossommy · 09/05/2014 00:13

My thoughts and experience are exactly the same as everard so I won't type it out again :-).

Everard · 09/05/2014 10:36

Well, the name I wish I had given my dd (the one I ended up giving her as a middle name) is Isabella. It (and its variants) is a lot more popular now than it was 14 years ago, but I still wish I had chosen it. I envisioned her friends calling her Izzy and her boyfriend/lover/dh calling her Bella as it means beautiful in Italian. Instead, I gave her the silly made up name that will forever date her to the 1990s/turn of the century.

Oh hang on, I am on this thread to convince the OP that the regret lessens....

Slithytove, FWIW, my opinion on your name choices:

Verity - I like a lot and have toyed with choosing for the hypothetical dd2 I will now never have, despite knowing a really obnoxious Verity about 25 years ago.

Hannah - very popular these days, there is at least one in every year of my 3 teenager's years at school. Some nice, some not. Personally, I think it is too popular and not characterful enough for me.

Georgia - could be ok, though I can't get the character from Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging out of my head (my dd has all the books)

Amy - pretty but quite a weak sounding name

Sophia - classic and elegant but maybe a bit overused these days?

Annabel - always makes me think of the horsey set, which is fine if you are part of that scene?

Claudia - I should feel about this the way I feel about Sophia but I knew a very irritating one when I was at school. Very full of herself, a right madam, so that puts me off.

These are just my opinions though, coloured by my experiences. You shouldn't let anyone put you off the name if you like it. And the one good thing about your list is that they are all proper names, spelt the usual way.

Original poster

everythinginthegardensisrosie · 09/05/2014 14:08

Wow, you are a lovely lot. Thanks again for taking the time to reply. I woke up today feeling much better about her name.

Everard - I'm curious to know what your dds first name is - bet it isn't silly or made up. Understand that you don't want to tell us though.

Slithytove - I like Hannah and Georgia from your list.

OP posts:

atypicalwotsit · 09/05/2014 14:12

Everard am curious to know made up name! Did you make it up?

slithytove · 09/05/2014 14:40

Thank you for responses :) I do like classic correctly spelled names, but don't want DD to be one of several if I can avoid it. I adore the name Olivia but we have discounted it for this very reason. :( I think I'm going to make a name thread.

Rosie, glad to hear you are feeling better. Did you check out the origins of DDs name?

Everard · 09/05/2014 17:49

I didn't make it up, no, but John Mills and his wife did in the 1950s I believe. There you go, those of you with random knowledge or the ability to google can work it out now.

Original poster

everythinginthegardensisrosie · 09/05/2014 19:54

Everard I have random knowledge and know the name.

I have a friend with this name - she is 40, fabulous, creative and stylish, so the name has good associations for me.

Slithy - yes I've looked into the name origins. It has lovely a meaning and is an old name.

OP posts:

elotrolado · 09/05/2014 20:09

Well … if this helps I'm in a similar boat ...

Announced name of DS2.

Then after 3 weeks switched names around so middle name was first.

Registered him.

Then after 9 months changed middle name to something else!

When I hear the name which he had as his first and middle name, I cringe a bit. I do like it but it didn't sound right with our surname and it bugged me, even as a middle name.

I do worry about it now - more because I wish I'd got it right in the beginning. Like you the whole thing just reminds me of a confused/anxious time that I'd rather forget.

Hugs x

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