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 :)

[FlipFlopFatality]

Julia

I really do like it, always have. Everyone can spell it and everyone can say it but it isn't/wasn't too popular. There are a few people out there that call me Jules (my parents and a few old friends) but it doesn't get shortened often. The only thing that annoys me is when people call me Julie!

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

Emma.

I hate my name. It's just boring, clumpy and very very meh. I'm amazed how often it is recommended as a 'classic' on baby name threads on here. Don't saddle your child with a lifetime of a boring, mediocre name people!

My MN is Louise, just the same as every other woman born in the mid to late 70s, so I don't even have a more unusual MN to fall back on. I was almost called Rachael or Rebecca - I would have vastly preferred either TBH.

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

I do also get called Emily and Gemma on occasions, which I don't quite understand .

[NonUrinatInVentum]

Christina. I love it because I've only ever met another one.

I always get compliments on it. Family all call me Chris.

[DancingLola]

Another Louise here, born mid 80s. Had another Louise is my class in primary school who also shared my birthday! I don't hate it, but don't love it either. Apparently I was nearly Jacqueline.

[charlyn]

Im also a Charlotte/ Charlie and always hated my name. Ive always been Charlie since birth so when someone refers to me as Charlotte it doesn't feel like my name. I don't like Charlotte because its so popular and Ive met loads over the years and was once in a small class with 3 other Charlottes! Also dislike Charlie as its so boyish and also really popular amongst boys. Growing up I always wished I had a more unusual feminine name.
I also have the default middle name in the 80s of Louise yawn!

[TempsPerdu]

Zoe

I've grown to love it. As a child I desperately wanted to be called something glam and girly, like Crystal or Stephanie (too many '80s soaps, I think!) but I'm happy with it now. It seems to have aged better than most of my friends' names (Karen, Lyndsey, Nicola etc.) - as a teacher I still regularly come across little Zoes, so it seems fairly timeless.

My only reservations are that it's so short that it sometimes feels a bit 'plain' and no-nonsense (not too many nickname options, although that might be a good thing!), and that it doesn't travel all that well - whenever I visit Spain I always get 'Thoair', and in German-speaking countries I seem to be 'Zooey'!

[GreggsAnatomy]

N/C so as not to out myself.
Antonia.
I love it. But sometimes people call me AntoniO. Not cool.

[mrsmootoo]

Verity. Love it. Unusual but not weird. Hard to shorten. Easy to remember. Not too many about.

[jackydanny]

Robyn.
See it recommended a fair bit on the names board, it's come into fashion (ish)
I'm 40.
Prefer it on a boy, Robin, obvs.

[dustarr73]

Martina,i like it now but wouldnt call my kids it.There was only 1 girl wiht the same name as me in my class.Was supposed to be called Clair,im glad i wasnt as Gilbert O Sullivan as a lot to answer for.There was loads of Claires in my class.

[marshmallowpies]

Alison. It's very dull. Whenever it gets mentioned on baby name lists on here the reaction is 'so boring' or 'so 70s'. Grr. 'Allison' still seems pretty popular and not as dated in the US, though.

My mums other name choices for me were Edith and Elinor. I think my dad vetoed those. I also have a much nicer middle name which is v popular these days but giving that too might out me...

[marshmallowpies]

@Cupcake123 I know a Louise but it is her middle name - she hated real first name so dropped it and uses Louise as her given name. No idea what her original name is, she won't say!

Louise is definitely the classic middle name of the 80s though, especially combined with Sarah. I've probably met more Sarah Louises than any other name ever!

[Notyourbestfriendanymore]

Another Julia here. Don't really like it - wasn't that keen when I was growing up. Always got called Julie! Mainly go by Jules these days.

[BotBotticelli]

Danielle. Like it a lot. Popular in the 80s - I know a few other Danielle's in their 30s now.

Good choice of NN.

[Harrin]

Kayleigh

Not sure if I like it or not. I think it looks prettier written down than said out loud. Hate it being shortened to Kay which happens all the time. I also got dumped with Louise as a middle name

I have heard of little Kayleigh's though and it's odd

[GreatAuntDinah]

Susie. I like it a lot, I think it's very cute.

[Vmj23]

Victoria.. Which lead to the famous nickname sticky Vicky!!! HATE IT!!

[Noggie]

Norah - like that it's a bit different but not crazy about it.

[mynameissecret]

Allison hate it there were 8 of us in my year at school.

[headlesslambrini]

Heather, don't mind it really, although I get Hev alot.

[Caff2]

Catherine. Hate it. Do not understand the apparent liking for this name on mumsnet. Since very, very small, I have been known universally as a diminutive that everyone on here (rightly) hates, as does my own mother and yet it was always a high risk it would happen and it did.

I have tried introducing myself as the full name, it still gets the disliked diminutive when anyone hears an older friend or a acquaintance say it once. I changed my name on FB to Catherine - still everyone calls me Cathy. I look forward to people calling me Cath these days, at least it's genuinely affectionate and not that I just look somehow inherently like a Cathy.

And breathe. No I would not recommend

[eckythumpenallthat]

Melanie.

So 80's

[jimmycrackcornbutidontcare]

Amanda - uuuugh