What is your name and do you recommend it?

[corgiology]

My name is Anneka (Ah nicka). It is unique and I like it but my brother quite quickly caught on calling me all sorts of knicker related jokes.

My surname is unusual too :)

Charlotte, nn Charlie.

I feel very indifferent towards my name, and for some reason people regularly will either refuse to shorten it (I haven't been a Charlotte since I was a little girl, except on my CV), or insist on calling me Lottie because they prefer that nickname, despite me never having been a Lottie. Occasionally get baffled older people who are confused that I'm evidently female. I think there's a big downside to names with more than one well known shortening in that people often feel they can choose what to call someone, when in truth that person might only identify with one or two ways to say their name.

I could well out myself but I LOVE LOVE LOVE my name. Never met another and doubt I ever will.
I am called Hephzibah.

Ruth. I love it, very very rarely meet another.

My name is Oonagh and having seen the recent thread on MN about it I wouldn't recommend

Anna. I love it. Lovely name, classic. Yes I'd recommend it, I'd call my dd that if it wasn't already my name!

I'm a Harriet! I like it but it's getting more popular now. I'm definitely more of a Harry than a Harriet. Americans can't say Harriet, it comes out as Herry-edd, which isn't great!

Katherine - it's ok :)

Have added Leanda to our list for DC1!

Alison. No I wouldn't recommend it, it's a very 'of its time' name so it'll probably be old lady chic in about 50 years time

Amy and hate it, was always loads of Amy's in my class at school (80s) and just sounds like a little girls name, it's very cutsie!

My name's Caroline. I love it. I hear it's not stylish at all in the UK, but I'm from the US so that doesn't really matter to me, I guess. :)

Xanthe. It's a royal pain in the arse!

Another Louise here. It was v. unusual when I was little and I was the only one at school with it. About 10 years later it became much more popular and I now know loads of Louises who are now in their mid thirties.

Nicola but I've always been Nikki. Born 10 years after its peak in the 70's so I haven't met that many. My only annoyance is that in parts of Europe it's a boys name, but in general I'd say it suits me.

Eleanor. Nell to family and friends. There was another Eleanor at my dance school so we tossed a coin to see who would be Ellie. At the time I was hacked off she won and got the 'cool' name, but now I'm so glad! I've never met another Nell

Same as Citroen vert. V v unusual in my 1970s council estate but then I was one of 3 in my private secondary school. I hated it growing up, thought it was boring and longed to be called Kimberley or similar, but now I like it.

Don't know any small children called Louise and would possibly use it if it wasn't my name!

Ah well there's at least 2 other Louise's, I'm not alone!

Carol - only ever given to girls born in the early 60s and there were lots...I was one of 7 girls in my primary class (25 boys) Three Carols , 2 Elizabeths and 2 Annes.

No, I wouldn't recommend it.

Kim. Not Kimberly, just Kim.
And after seeing the K name thread maybe best to avoid, you wouldn't want to lump your child with a gasp working class name :P
Uncommon name now but I knew about three or so other Kims my age growing up. (Born early 80's) None in my classes at school though.
The irony is that my mum gave me the shortened version as people would likely never call me the full Kimberly, but now I get all kinds of lengthenings: kimmie, kimbo, kimbob, kimmiecoo... Haha!

I am Jemma - I have joked before my middle name should be "withajay" as that is inevitably what I say when I tell people my name!

Catriona (the O is silent). Took me till 7 years old to spell it properly, but I've always loved it and there have been versions of it for every stage of my life. My parents got some things right

Francesca. I loathe it. Growing up it was rare enough that people didn't know how to say it or spell it and now it's become incredibly common in every sense. I shudder every time I hear it screeched at some poor child.

My birth name is Aleksis. I hate it - it's so masculine. I go by a different name now.

I love Charlotte/Charlie. Always loved boyish nicknames, so Georgina /georgie, etc. Very nearly went with Jaime pronounced Jamie. I have an unusual name in the UK, not quite so uncommon in the US. Still a boy nickname though, and full name - = I'm in trouble

This thread is like a virtual school registration circa 1989!