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 :)

[generaltilney]

Charlotte. Yes I love it. The only thing is that it sometimes seems prettier than me, IYKWIM. I'm also quite pleased that it's nothing like as posh as it used to be - when I was a young adult it still had quite a 'posh bird' reputation but not any more.

[velocityofbeans]

Eliza-Jane, hated it when I was a kid in the 70's, I knew no-one else with the name and children frequently took the piss sang at me. Now I'm just Eliza, except to my Uncle, and as there have been a crop of little ones around here, it's not so bad

[Ohfourfoxache]

LikeA

Victoria.

Hate it.

Have always fucking hated it.

[Allice]

I'm an Alison. Have never met a small child with the name since I was one. It's ok, I don't love it or hate it.

Was almost a Sally, which isn't me.

Oddly, my dad calls me Alice and my mum calls me Liz never ever Alison.

[WhereHas1999DissappearedToo]

Helen. It's okay I guess but it's pretty boring.

I wouldn't recommend it as it's too dated.

[MissCardew]

I'm Christine and I never liked it as a kid. The only other Christine's I seem to know are much older and I've never met one my own age (early 30s).

Everyone calls me Chris.

[mynameisnotmichaelcaine]

DD's first name has become really popular, but her mn is Christine. I've told her it'll be cool by the time she's grown up ??

[MrsMonkeyBear]

I'm a Jessica, but always introduce myself as Jess, as Jessica doesn't suit me. My mum calls me Jessie or Bess (who knows why)

I don't know many other Jessicas and certainly no one under 20. I do love it as a name, but it's too "posh" for my personality.

[StoneFoxMama]

Leonie, other people like it, I'm indifferent. I wouldn't call a daughter of mine it as it's really not my naming style.I like Pandora, Antigone, Venetia, Margot, Juno, Flora etc etc.

[ShinyHappySteeple]

Gabrielle. Nn Gabs. I HATE being called Gaby, but people only call me it once . I would recommend it, I really love it - it's fairly unusual, but people have heard of it, and I'm invariably the only one so if I hear someone call my name it's me!

People can't spell it, and plenty of ppl mispronounce it to start with, but that's never really bothered me. And I suppose it's a pain that I dislike the most common shortening of it, but the reality is it's very easy to choose your own nn - I just tell people not to call me Gaby!

[ScooseIsLoose]

Josephine hated it growing up as i didn't know anyone else with the same name. Now I don't mind it although still get the oh that was my grandmothers name! I'm 33 still I got off lightly my sisters middle name is honora!

[BubGal13]

1 more Jessica (don't actually know many my age at all though) . love my name! Always have done. Jess/Jessy as Nname are fun + affectionate while I think the full name is strong but feisty while being pretty/feminine but not overly twee.

[yummymango]

Sacha, which I hated as a child but I love it now. I rarely meet anyone else with the same name, especially with this spelling and I like unusual names. I do remember whinging to my mum when I was a kid saying why couldn't she have called me something ordinary. I wouldn't change it now though.

[Blissx]

My name is Tamsin. The name itself I love. What I don't love is the fact that all my life (35 years of it) it has been pronounced "Tasmin" by almost everyone and continues to do so by people I just meet, so I am sick of correcting everyone.

It is for this reason, I gave my DD the name Sarah, so she wouldn't have to keep correcting people's pronunciation of it as much as I have had to!

(and I went to Secondary School with two other "Tamsin"s in my class, so couldn't get away with "at least it was unusual"...

[SlowlorisIncognito]

I'm Lori. I know it's more common in America, but I've never met another one in the UK, which I love. The only annoyance is that no-one can spell it and everyone seems to misspell it a different way. I would recommend it, although sometimes I'd prefer something a bit longer and fancier!

[silveroldie2]

I'm a 69 year old Patricia. No-one likes the name, hell I don't like the name, plus had the horror of being called Patsy and Patty by various aunts as a child [shudders].

I expect it to be in the top ten names in fifty years. Well if Ethel and Edith are now acceptable why not Patricia, given time? Perhaps not.

[namepain]

Catriona (Cat-ree-uhna). Hate it! Can't pronounce it or spell it and nor can anyone else. Feels like a collection of cold, hard letters, not a nice name. Would have preferred Katherine.

[namepain]

Just seen your post Wildrunner - glad you like it! Funny how it's different for everyone.

[mangoespadrille]

Hazel. My mum chose it because she was one of five girls in her class at school with the same name, and she hated it so wanted something a bit different for me. Naturally, when I got to primary school there was only one Jennifer, Michelle, Sarah etc. but two Hazels.

I've never liked it but I can't say I hate it either. There are the inevitable hazelnut jokes, but that can be quite useful in that complete bellends out themselves within seconds of meeting you with their "witty" and "original" comments.

As a Rastafarian taxi driver once told me, "Dat an old granny's name, man." It feels quite weird that it's becoming a moderately popular baby name again.

It definitely suits me: plain, practical, unfashionable but I do wonder if I would've turned out more into make up/ fashion/ princesses etc. if I'd had a prettier name; as it was I was a total tomboy and still am to some extent.

In terms of recommendations, I'd give the name Hazel 6/10.

[PuppyMonkey]

DD (aged 7) has a Hazel in her class, Mangoes

[yazz21]

I'm Yasmin. Probably obvious due to my name! Everyone calls me Yazz though, which I much prefer. I don't mind Yasmin but I'm not sure if I quite suit it. It seems too posh/girly/grown up sounding for me!

I'm not sure how to explain this. But if I say Yasmin out loud, or someone calls me Yasmin it doesn't sound right to me. I don't know if that's because its my own name. (You don't normally say your name out loud ). Or because I'm so used to Yazz. If that makes any sense.

[AllMimsyWereTheBorogoves]

plain, practical, unfashionable

Gosh! That's not what the name Hazel suggests to me at all. I think it's a lovely name. I knew one who would now be 53 and she was a very nice-looking, slender child back then, with (appropriately) lovely hazel eyes. She also had a very nice personality. She's probably the reason for my very positive view of the name! Mangoes, I bet you're not at all plain.

[Spanglemum]

I'm another Louise. Late 40s. There were 3 of us in one class at school, with similar surnames. I know several now. Nearly all the mums at my children's school are called Becky or Emma.

[Yorkshirelassreturns]

Eleanor nn Ellie. I love Eleanor and Ellie but wish that Ellie wasn't so popular (and dare I say chavtastic) these days- it was a v unusual and cool nn when I was growing up and the popularity has ruined the nn for me.

[laughinglil]

I am Louisa. I don't personally know anyone with the same name. I love it but I do get called Louise alot!!!! Grrrrr