Those who named their babies an unusual/uncommon name...

[Bue]

4 month old DD is named Romilly. Obviously DH and I knew it wasn't a very common name, but I don't think we appreciated just how unknown it is. We get a lot of comments like "Romilly? Well that's certainly unusual!" or "Hmm is that a name from your country?" (I'm from abroad). When people know the name I immediately think they must be an ITV viewer (Romilly Weeks), very posh (it was quite an upper crust name at least in the past), or a Mumsnetter . But I get the impression most people think we have made it up and I'm some sort of kre8tiv namer .

Has anyone else felt a twinge of name regret having given their child an uncommon name, and do you just learn to let it roll off your back? I'm feeling bizarrely defensive about it and am starting to dread telling people her name when they ask!

I have a very unusual name, used to hate it but it's just a name and in don't mind it at all now. My mum named me, my dad refused to call me by it and called me by my middle name for years

Fuck them all if they have an issue.

To everyone who has told me more or less to fuck 'em, thank you, that is what I will do! I feel better after a Mumsnet intervention. Dying to know what some of the names are that are referenced on this thread!

Costa that's what I thought... established and not wildly unusual. Maybe to MN baby namers, but apparently not to wider society.

Bessie I laughed at your post because this morning I actually said to myself "Sigh... we should have called her Kit." That was next on our list, for Kathleen. I also had it on my list for a boy. Apparently it wouldn't have solved this problem!

Goldplated that is so funny because I also thought to myself this morning, "I wonder if mothers of Xanthes have this problem?" (Love Xanthe).

Bendy as a Buffy fan I know what your DS's name is. It's great! How utterly bizarre and rude that someone refused to say it

Honestly, a lot depends on your circles and where you live. I now live in a village where all under-fives are called Harry, George or Louis, or Bella/Belle/Izzy, Milly or Olivia, but our friends (unfortunately) are scattered all over the world, naming their children according to their own cultures and languages. My son was born in London, and babies I encountered regularly at baby groups etc included Phineas, Mamie, Soren, Ace, Blessing, Ezra, Thiago, Jaoao, Snow, Saol, Ferdinand, Dennis (a girl), and several Mohammeds.

My four children have unusual names. They aren't completely out there but are unique enough to not have another one of them in the school they go to.

The only issue I've found is that my youngest DD's name is a Welsh name and people seem to say it how it looks as opposed to how it should be.

Opies my DD has an Irish name, and I've noticed people almost make a point of pronouncing it in English phonetics. I love her name though, and it's pretty popular in Ireland.

That is even after they've been told how to pronounce it- it's nearly like they just can't reconcile the spelling and pronunciation!

Bue Yes

Romilly is a lovely name. I'm familiar with it primarily because of the ITV presenter, but I've also since come across a fairly young (14yr) Romilly.
DS2 has a very unusual name, it's Welsh and fairly uncommon even in Wales. I don't regret giving it to him but people do have trouble spelling it. I like that he's the only one we know, but it's an established name.

My DS1 has a pretty quirky/cool/uncommon name. On here it is complete marmite but in reality we had 100s if gushing comments from friends etc.
i have never regretted it, it adds to his individuality, charm and character. When I hear a friend in my opinion almost "cop out" but going for yet another bog standard, average, top 5, "safe" name rather than daring to be slightly different, I feel disappointed and a bit sad. Dare to be different, you'll not regret it.

My DD has a very unusual name - we kind of made it up. We absolutely love it, and it suits her perfectly, but when she was born my mother was appalled and refused to call her it for the first 3 months. The first year or 2 people would comment "oo thats unusual" , and "is that from your country?" because I'm from the States, and it did bug me at first (and maybe even slightly regretted it??) But Now DD is 5 and it is so so perfect for her, everyone loves it. And yes my mother is fine with it. I'm so happy that we're in school and we know with confidence no one else will have her name.

I have a friend who named her DD Evie and then had "no idea" how popular it was, and now there are 3 Evie's in her class, and I bet she absolutely hates that. That was exactly what I was avoiding when choosing DD's name!!

My two sons have uncommon names, I've never heard anyone called my youngests name. But it wasn't to be different or 'yooneeq'. After naming my first I just couldn't find another name that I liked.

We are having the same concerns now. If our unborn baby is a boy we are keen on Ephraim which is an old biblical name but very unusual these days and I expect some raised eyebrows. My Mum keeps coming up with suggestions to change our mind. Romilly is a lovely name OP.

All four grandparents were silently (but detectably) embarrassed by our son's name, despite it being an actual Biblical name and having an association to the region where we originate.

They all feel that all girls should be called Mary or Ciara and all boys called John or Eoghan, and that what you are aiming for is maximum inconspicuousness. If you were able to foretell by magic what names would be in your child's school year, they would sigh in relief and opt for the name the most other children were called. Otherwise it risks looking like you have ideas above your station, and What Would People Say?

Though I must say I have occasionally since moving to this village come across the 'unusual name means the parents think more highly of their own tastes than what other people think, therefore think they're better than us' position, which is baffling to me.

Ephraim is cool. Though I'm never sure where the emphasis goes - is it EPH-raim, or Eph-RAIM?

I gave dd a rare name but not unheard of.

I love her name, family pulled their face when i was pregnant and they knew what i was going to name her.

Shes 3 now and we still get comments like "oooh i ve never heard of that name before" etc etc

My ds has an unusual name and I did have a wobble when all the midwives kept saying it wrong but 12 years later its been fine. I love his name and its really well known now oddly.

goldplatedbacon I'm also Mother of a Xanthe, how old is yours? Mine is almost 9 now, we used to have the Nancy mis-hearing a lot when she was small but haven't had it for a few years now. When she was first learning to talk she used to get very angry with people not understanding her name!

I'm with pp who don't think Romilly is unusual at all.

I've known many, and also one who spelled it Romily.

ProfYaffle DD has a friend called Xanthe, who is 24.

Romilly is hardly Neveah, as a PP pointed out.

Although here in South-east Wales many people would avoid it as there are lots of Romilly Roads / Parks / pubs.

She often got the Zante mispronunciation. Especially around aged 17/18 when they and their peers were into clubbing holidays.

Profyaffle she's 4 months - hopefully she'll be able to pronounce her name properly

We used to have some French friends who just could not pronounce Xanthe and always called her Zante.

Ah - still tiny then! People will get used to it, it's years since we've had a comment/mispronunciation

I love Romilly, it was on our list too but DH wanted something Cornish. Still love it though. My first name everyone pronounces wrong saying 'een instead of 'ine at the end. Gave up and used my middle name instead which is now coming in to fashion I think whereas when I was young it was way out there. Everyone was called Tracey or Amanda Jane