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Baby names

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

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Original poster

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

127 replies

Bue · 05/12/2015 13:20

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!

OP posts:

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cheapandcheerful · 06/12/2015 20:06

My dc have semi-unusual names. We get some of the comments/questions mentioned in the OP and always just answer their questions with a huge smile, explain why we chose them, what they mean etc. We love our children's names and we love the fact that our dc hear us talking so positively and so often about them.

LumelaMme · 06/12/2015 20:17

Two of my DC have really unusual names. One loves it, and swanks about in the glory of having a name nobody else has got. The other one has opted for a shortening to a 'normal' name.

As for the PP who likes Ephraim: go for it. Cracking name!

AlmaMartyr · 06/12/2015 20:31

My DCs have unusual names and I've never regretted it. People who are weird about it can sod off tbh. I'm so bored of hearing the same names over and over but would never say that to another person (in RL, obviously I just did on here!). I have a very common name, one of three at school etc and I absolutely loathed it. DD loves having an unusual name. If either of them change their minds about it they can use their middle names.

lucy101101 · 06/12/2015 20:38

My DC's have very uncommon names indeed (names which went out of fashion in the 30's and weren't very popular before then). I love it (and so far so do they!)

KERALA1 · 06/12/2015 21:42

Lovely name. When dd2 born had some snooty comments from randoms with dc with terribly dull names (ben sophie etc). Nothing negative since. Very flattered that recently the uber trendy drama teacher at school told dd2 how much he liked dd2 and dd1's names

Just be glad she is not eve ie the name of every other girl child we know..

looki · 06/12/2015 22:22

My child has an uncommon name and yes I totally regret it. I have tried calling her by her second name (unfortunately a name I'm not mad about) but ended up just confusing her. People aren't familiar with it, mispronounce it, ask where its from, ask were I got it etc. I would NEVER use it again. Totally wish I'd gone for a top fifty name.

SellFridges · 06/12/2015 22:29

I have a Romilly. We've never had anything but positive comments to be honest. And when I come across equally unusual names (there's one in DD's class I had never heard, even on here) it's a nice conversation starter. It's like the children with unusual names can band together.

The trickiest thing we found with an unusual name was following it up. We really struggled with DS's name and although I love it, it's nowhere near as cool as DD's.

MamaLazarou · 06/12/2015 23:08

My baby's name was last in the top 100 in 1888. I have never had a moment of doubt that it is the best name for him, people often remark on its rarity and ask questions about it and I enjoy these conversations. The benefits of having an unusual name outweigh the downsides, IMO.

hobitty · 07/12/2015 12:11

Romilly is a great name! Beautiful, classic and easy to say/pronounce. We sometimes forget why we name our children - to identify them, and a I can remember a Romilly so much easier than another Evie or Ollie!! I'm sure your Romilly will love her name growing up.

Paddingtonthebear · 07/12/2015 14:16

Our child has an uncommon name. People often think it's something else until they see it written down. So that's a bit annoying but I still like it and we don't know any adult or child with that name. I have an unusual name, not so much now but it was highly unusual when I was growing up. I don't know anyone with my name either.

CastaDiva · 07/12/2015 16:01

Looki, why exactly do you regret an unusual name so much? Your regret seems quite extreme given that what you say about reactions sounds pretty inoffensive...?

Maevetherave1980 · 07/12/2015 16:09

I know someone who changed her name when she was 18 because she hated it so much because she thought it was so boring and normal.

I think as long as it isn't one that causes confusion when spelt or pronounced then it's fine. It can be very tedious (believe me I know) to spend your entire life having to correct people's pronunciation and really grating when your name is called at the hospital or doctors etc and its wrong, happens all the time and it gets tiring

looki · 08/12/2015 01:11

Somebody asked above why I regret an unusual neme. It isn't really an unusual name, more an uncommon one. People constantly misprounce it, spell it incorrectly, mix up the letters in it, ask where 'I got it' etc. I'm constantly looking for a nice nickname (not cutesy) so I could just call her that and hope it would stick. Today I(probably because of this thread) I started calling her another name and it instantly felt better. I like quite traditional old names, solid names even so why I chose the name I chose is so stupid. I wish that I had just called her something more commonly used, I tried far too hard to find a name that there wouldn't be too many of in her class etc. I always thought she'd grow into the name, that it would become her and the name was secondary but a couple of years on, I still get embarrassed when asked her name.

MrsTerryPratchett · 08/12/2015 04:37

She'll own it later. I know a Zeus and he rocks his name.

winterswan · 08/12/2015 06:44

I understand Looki.

I do often feel isolated and embarrassed when people react strongly to my name.

ashesandfire · 08/12/2015 07:02

I love Romilly!
I grew up with a name that was unusual at the time, no one could ever spell it right and they looked confused when I told them my name. I didnt care, I liked having a name that was a bit more uncommon- not Rachel/Becky/Hannah/Katie/Laura etc! (Im am 80s baby!) My name has now become rather popular (it's actually been mentioned on this thread) and everyone says how lovely it is. You never know, Romilly might become more popular in a few years!

BertrandRussell · 08/12/2015 07:53

I think there's a difference between uncommon and double take. Uncommon is easy- I have a 14 year old Patrick and he has never come across another one in this country. Victoria Coren has a Barbara. I have a friend with a Peter, and another with a Timothy. So if you want to have the only X in the school I could list you 10 names off the top of my head that would give you that.

I know 2 Ephraims, by the way - more than I know Patricks!

HackerFucker22 · 08/12/2015 09:41

DD name has only just nipped into top 100 so although it's not that common it's not unusual per se (no issues with spelling or pronunciation)

Elledouble · 08/12/2015 09:53

Casta - I wonder if your son's name is the same as mine. His name is biblical but related to a much more common name. It's very common in Germany I believe (albeit with a different pronounciation).

There were 33 born in 2014 (my boy was born this year so we haven't got the data for his year of birth yet!), the same number as Gary and Maverick, so I assume it will stay reasonably unusual for now!

LetGoOrBeDragged · 08/12/2015 10:11

Romilly is lovely. It is unusual but not 'out there'. I know two adult Romillys.

My dd has an unusual name. The abbreviation is very popular but dd always goes by her full name. I've never regretted it. I had a really common 1970s name and even though I think my name is pretty, l didnt like being one of four in my class!

When you have a really popular name, you almost stop hearing the prettiness of it because you just hear it as a generic sound iyswim. An unusual name is something that you actually listen to.

LetGoOrBeDragged · 08/12/2015 10:17

Meant to add that dd's name is one that people seem to either really like or really dislike. My nan hates it and the doctor last week seemed to think it was a bit of a mouthfull. But I love it and I think it is important to choose something that you really love and not try to please other people. You cannot please everyone and nor should you try. One thing I am really happy about is that I chose names for my dc that I liked and didn't give in to pressure from relatives - they got to choose their own babies names!

MagpieCursedTea · 08/12/2015 13:03

For those who have said how many babies were born with a certain name in a particular year, how do you find that out?

FattySantaRobin · 08/12/2015 13:06

here magpie. Just type in a name and then click the graph and it will give you numbers.

BertrandRussell · 08/12/2015 13:14

"But I love it and I think it is important to choose something that you really love and not try to please other people."

Well, apart, presumably, for the person being named............

MagpieCursedTea · 08/12/2015 13:17

Thanks!

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