Can I call my baby Jessica?

[RedPepperOrangePepper]

I’ve name changed as this is quite outing. My partner has a DD called Holly. I am pregnant with our DD who I did want to name Jessica. This has been my favourite name for years. Growing up all my dolls had the name Jessica and I was thrilled when I found out we were having a girl and I could use that name. But having heard OH say the names together I am starting to worry about what people will say! Are we going to have to pick a different name?

but the Soham girls weren't sisters, so I don't see why it's a no no?

@showerfire you have a strange logic

The victims were unrelated girls. They were not sisters. Ops partners daughter lives elsewhere with her own mother.

There is nothing wrong with op calling her baby Jessica!

By your logic anyone who has a daughter already called Libby absolutely shouldn't call their next daughter Abby? (Abigail & Liberty were murdered together) or any other similar?

I think i have been misunderstood. I know Holly and Jessica were not sisters. I'm just baffled at people saying it's ok to use Jessica BECAUSE Holly has a different mother. She will have the same father. But people are suggesting it's only an issue if they had the same mother. As if the OP partner isn't important in all of this. It will be HIS DAUGHTERS named Holly & Jessica, regardless of where they live.

I made the connection but I don't think it is an issue and would still use them.

Oh gosh, this is going to sound really crass,and I’m sorry if it offends people, but I don’t think it will mean much to people in a few years time.

I know two sets of sisters called Holly & Jessica, I think it's fine, I also agree with Stillnotready their peers won't make any connection as they go through school ( unless a parent mentions it ).

I find it more odd when people use notorious serial killer names, like the newish Teddy/Ted/Theodore, I like the name but I do think ' oh like Bundy' when I hear it.

I know a Holly and Jessica and first thing I thought of was the Soham murders but as I've known them longer I don't think of it anymore. They are young and have been named after the murders occurred so clearly not everyone makes the connection.

I made the connection only because you suggested there was a connection.

I don't think many peope in real life would think of the murders because they are very ordinary names. Although, I personally wouldn't use Jessica after Holly because the fact a murder case has even crossed your mind would taint the name for me.

I think it's fine.

If they were two uncommon/unusual names, then it'd be a bit off, but Jessica and Holly are both names which have been popular for decades. There are almost certainly other siblings out there named Holly and Jessica.

I didn't make the link, until I read other posts.

I have a little girl called Jessica, and everyone calls her Jess.

I love her name.
I'd go for it.

I didn't get the problem from your OP - despite the fact that I was reading about Ian Huntley only a few hours ago. The penny dropped when a replier mentioned the case. I doubt that the generation below ours will make the link.

They're two classic and popular names. There'll be loads of H and J sibsets out there, as well as best friend pairings, and maybe couples.

I think it’s fine.

Thought of Soham straight away

I did make the connection, but I don't think it should put you off. I agree with Sugarpie... As sad and awful as the reason we know about the Soham girls is, the names themselves were the names of two beautiful, innocent children, not of something horrible. I don't like the idea that the names themselves, or the use of them together, is tainted by what was done to two other lovely children who happen to have had those same names.

Only people over a certain age or living in that area will link the two names surely? No one of their generation will. I was looking for a problem with the names together and still couldn't see one until people pointed it out. I would never male that connection in real life when meeting a holly and Jessica. Then again, if you asked me to name the two girls I couldn't have and the names are obviously much more familiar to other people.

I wouldn't either. I'm in my twenties and vividly remember that awful time. Poor girls.

Sequin I am exactly the same age and I do remember. I remember my parents being deeply affected, I remember the news coverage and I even remember where I was when I heard the news.

Sorry, I see now you must mean the age of the children - but still their parents will.

Cherry

The issue isn’t either name on their own, it’s the two together.

Op -honestly if you’re thinking about it now, choose a difference name.

I loved the name Eva/Ava. Unfortunately I have a one syllable surname beginning with B and kept thinking to myself “it sounds like Eva Braun, Hitler’s wife”. In the end, despite knowing I was probably more bothered by the sound similarity than anybody else (except my daughter’s dad who agreed) a different name was chosen and my god I am not sorry!

It's a tricky one. I'm not one to follow the most sensationalist or horrifying news any more than necessary and I don't like in the UK now or when the awful murders happened, and I still made the connection right away.

It depends on several things I think. Do you live near where the affected town or at the other end of the country? Are there additional children on either side "Holly, Thomas and Jessica" or "Holly, Anne, Ben and Jessica" dilutes the connection quite a lot. Is the elder daughter Holly old enough to have heard of the murders?

And then there's the issue that even if you've adores a name forever, you still need to reach agreement with the child's other parent. So without this issue, it's entirely possible that you end up falling in love with and having children with a man who vetoed Jessica as a name because he was bullied by a Jessica at school, or because his twin sister is called Jessica, or Jessica is the middle name of his child from a previous relationship, or the initials would spell something rude, or he just doesn't like the sound of the letter J, or a million other reasons why loads of individual parents cannot or have not named their child a name they have individually loved.

Of course, it's entirely up to both of you, but there is a strong chance of people making the connection and of having it upset the girls when older. It's possible that a great number of people won't make the connection, if in a different part of the country and if there are several other siblings but I think it's unlikely that nobody will make it.

For what it's worth, I think Jessa is a beautiful alternative as someone suggested above. Or Jessica as a middle name.

Best wishes.

I didn't make the connection until PP pointed it out also when the murders happened I was the same age as the girls so maybe that's a part of a reason I didn't make the connection, I think people my age (25) or younger wouldn't link it. Also as they'll be half sisters so a little less of a sib set too.

Of course you can, most wont twig now and later in their lives even less will. I think you'd be silly not to

I knew what you meant straight away but I don’t think it’s an issue. I’d still use Jessica if it was the name I really loved. I don’t think many people will make the connection in real life.
I’m due in September and I really like Madeline but my husband has said no for the same reason, I’d use it though.

If I'm honest, it does bring those poor girls straight to mind and it's the worse reason why. I don't think I would. What does DH think?

If it helps, I read your OP to DD(19) earlier and she didn’t have a scooby what the issue or reference was.