How important are initials...?

[stroodlebug]

So - We have pretty much picked a first name for our little girl when she arrives in the next two or three weeks - our issue is that my DH doesn't want to use my preferred (family) middle name as it leaves the initials FEC... he says it's too close to f**k... Is it really? And even if it is, does that matter that much??

Lol feck

I used to work in schools, where initials are a big deal. Now I work in law, where initials are a big deal. They're on every file, on every document. Having comedy initials would be hilarious every single day.

Any chance of reversing the order and calling her by her "middle" name? eg Emily Felicity, known as Felicity.

Initials are a big deal.

If in doubt, change the middle name.

I don't think it's that bad in the grand scheme of things. For example I had to rule out middle names beginning with A and O otherwise we would have ended up with HOG or HAG. To be honest would you have to use the middle initial? If I am asked to initial things I only use my first and last name.

could not give a toss.
people who want to make fun will make fun regardless.
BO didn't stop barrack from being a president.

some people have too much time on their hands and not enough thoughts in their heads..

you could twist and be creative and misspell things to sound like whatever you want them to sound if you really intended to ridicule someone.

I was in 7 VD at school .... It was changed when we got to year 8!

I know someone whose initials are PIG.

If someone asked me my initials (or those of my kids) I'd never include the middle name. Her initials will be FC not FEC!

Really wanted to call DD Violet, but didn't because her initials would have been VD :(

I don't think they're important at all. If I think about the initials of my friends from school, I think of first and last name only. Half of them I don't even know their middle name.

If it was F U C, fair enough I suppose, but F E C is stretching it a bit. I wouldn't worry about that in the slightest personally.

FEC is fine. The initials that you shouldn't go for are on the lines of BJ or ASS.

FEC is fine and if you are that worried, add another middle name in.

I wouldn't worry if it's the whole set as she can choose whether or not to include the middle one

And I speak as someone who's initials always prompt a laugh

I'd add another middle name

Yes they're a big deal. My initials spell something fairly amusing When I left school I didn't really use them so I thought I'd escaped but I have to sign everything off at work with them now and the sniggers get a bit tedious I'd personally change it as feck comes straight to mind but agree that it's not like it spells something really bad.

Will your daughter have your husband's surname?
If so, you get to choose the middle name.

Agree that what the vast majority of people mean by initials is FirstnameSurname FS, not FirstMiddleSurname FMS. If you want to give thought to it at all, then think about FS, not the FMS.

Only exception is if you are in the USA where they use middle initials much more frequently than here, for example my middle initial is on my ATM card here, for a middle name I would never use but they insisted.

Feck is quite a specific nearly rude word that won't necessarily endure, surely?

But if you are worried, I'd tinker to avoid it - it amazes me how often parents agonize over names with out considering initials

I'd also add a second middle name if your dh can't get over FEC.

Thanks all - I'm definitely of the opinion that it's not that bad, and if I initial anything is use first and last only. So I might just dig my heels in and go for the name I love. Cheers all!!

They're a big deal x even in hospitals we use initials for data protection. I've had KOK and TIT

I know of someone who gave her son the initials CJD during the mad cow crisis. I wouldn't have at the time but makes no difference now.

if I initial anything is use first and last only

That's fine until you have 2 people with the same first and last initials in the same group. Then you find people need the middle initials so people know which FC is which.

FEC is fine. FUK - maybe not. But FEC is no problem!