Please help...changing DD name

[rubyred84]

I'm so conflicted over what to do about my daughter's name. She is 8 days old, and we called her Bryony. It wasn't an easy decision...we spent months looking for a name that we loved as much as her sisters name (Imogen), and thought we had decided on Ottilie (nn Ottie). We announced it via text to family when she was born, and the responses we got were "wow, never heard of that before". Literally nothing else. I spoke to my mum and asked her what she thought, she said it was a name she had never heard of and just thought we were setting the baby up for a lifetime of explaining her name, spelling it etc. Also, she hinted it was a bit pretentious. So, after a few days we decided on Bryony, and this is what we have "announced" her as. Cards etc are arriving with this name on.

But I'm now not so sure. It was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction to give her a name. I just don't feel it's a pretty/beautiful name anymore, and I don't know if it goes with Imogen. But I am used to calling her it now (for a few days i called her Ottilie by accident).

I would love others thoughts. Do you think Bryony goes with Imogen? Is Ottilie really that pretentious? Should we have stuck to our guns and gone with Ottilie? Does Ottilie even go with Imogen? Is Bryony a "pretty" name in your opinion?

I was due to register her tkmorrow but ive cancelled for now as we have time. I feel like I need to go back to the drawing board for a bit to make sure we are certain on her name.

Others that have come to mind that are prettier and match Imogen are Phoebe, Freya (a bit of an issue as DH has a close-ish friend who's daughter is called this), Clara....

Im still sad at our family's reaction to our first name announcement...we werent asking fir their opinions, it was the proper announement! So now I'm totally unsure of myself and what to do.

I'm just a bit lost and would really appreciate some help.

Byrony is okay, but it is what is its, a male name with an added Y. I really don't like Ottilie. This is the first time I'm hearing it and it looks and sounds made up. Phoebe and Freya are nice, they aren't as popular as they were a few years ago.

A German shortening for Ottilie is pronounced Tilia (spelt Tilie in German but that wouldn't work in English ). I think it's beautiful, and more of an Imogen sort of name than Bryony.
Go for it. No one else cares as deeply as you do about this, and they'll all get used to it very soon.

Just think of the brilliant nickname potential...

Spotty Ottie
Snotty Ottie
Potty Ottie
Grotty Ottie

Bryony is a lovely name

what about Jane?

I know two Ottilies, it's a beautiful name. Although Bryony is also very beautiful too. I'd be tempted to go Bryony because it's more unusual but that's the opposite reason to you! Does she look more like one than the other? Can you let her sister choose?

Bryony is a much nicer name than Ottilie imho. It's not common but I'm amazed if people haven't heard of it. I think it's beautiful.

Byrony is okay, but it is what is its, a male name with an added Y

No it’s not.

Bryonia is a flowering vine, and derives from the Ancient Greek.

Brian is a completely different - Celtic - name with a different etymology.

Ottilie is undoubtedly pretentious unless you are upper class. I like Bryony. Feels earthy and feminine.

I like all your name possibilities, there's nothing that stands out as too weird or not compatible with Imogen. Clara was on my list but DH vetoed. You're doing exactly the right thing to delay registering and it's certainly not too late to change back even though cards have arrived with Bryony on. If you have a difficult to spell surname then Ottilie might make life a bit more awkward, but I have to spell out my name and married surname and it's not a big deal. She'd have to spell out Bryony anyway as there's different versions. Go with the one you love most, name regret isn't nice.

I like Ottilie in it's original, German, pronunciation: Ot-teel-ye-ah.
According to Forvo, that's what's used in American English, too.
forvo.com/search/Ottilie/de/

(Ottilie is a modern version of a very old German name 'Odilia' (Oh-deel-ee-ah')

In France, it's become 'Ot-tee-lee'. If the French pronunciation is followed, as it sometimes is in England, then, as previous poster says, there's a danger of the name being lost among a great many 'Tillys'.

Another vote for bryony. The thing is though, she’s YOUR baby and you have to call her what you like. My youngest daughters name has caused faces over the years, but I love it and so does she, so that’s what matters!

Change it, my DS was Alexander for a day, Hugo for a week and then back to Alexander by day 10. Sometimes these things things take time. Don't listen to anyone's opinion go with your gut.

I really like Bryony, however, my friend spells it Bryoni (she's 26)
It's totally your decision, does Bryoni suit her or does Phoebe or Ottilie fit her better. To be honest I think Bryoni is the nicest out of the 3. X

Much much much prefer Ottilie. Don't like Bryony at all. Please change it back!

I also really like Ottilie.

(And don't like Bryony)

Personally I think Bryony is prettier than Imogen, which I think don't feel flows as nicely and isn't so feminine.

We had Ottilie on our list, but my Mums reaction was the same as yours. In hindsight, maybe it is a bit pretentious. It is in the top 10 names announced in the Telegraph...interpret than as you will!

I understand the wish for sibling names to go together. You are always going to say 'my children are Imogen and X' so it makes perfect sense! E names seem to go well with I names, as do A...how about Elodie if you want another 3 syllable name?

I think Bryony is lovely. It's a very pretty name, a plant name, but it doesn't seem twee or cutesy like a lot of flower names can do. It's not a male name with a Y on the end! I much prefer it to Ottilie, which I don't like at all. Bryony and Imogen go well together, whereas Ottilie is clunky and ugly-sounding, in my opinion, but it seems popular on here.

You have to feel happy with it, I don't think Imogen is particularly 'pretty' although you do.

I posted on your other post, I'd never heard of Ottilie and I think your daughter would need to spell it a lot. I have to spell my name a lot (and my surname now I'm married even more so) and as a result we went for names where that wouldn't be the case; although post fact realised that there was an alternative spelling of the name we'd picked. You'll have it with Bryony as well as you can spell that with an i instead of a y.

FWIW my daughter's name is different to what we call her day to day. She responds to the nickname much more than the actual name. No idea what will happen in future, but currently she's the equivalent of 'Her name is Bryony but we're calling her Ottie' (although it happened completely by accident in our case). She is only one.

Both Bryony and Ottilie are pretty names. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks. Pick whichever you want but stick with it. If you keep changing, people will assume they can keep commenting.

Bryony and Imogen go really well together OP.

If you do change it that shoulb be 100% your decision not based on anyone elses reaction. What if they don't like Ottillie either?! And they haven't even said they don't like it!

I wasn't taken with my nieces name but its her name now and i can't imagine her being called anything else

Go with your heart.
Nobody in my family liked my sons name, it was the only one his dad and I agreed on and now it’s just who he is, they’ll get used to it and ottilie is lovely, I’m not keen on bryony but that’s just my preference

Bryony is so beautiful - pretty and classic. Ottillie sounds a bit try-hard to me.

I have never heard the name Ottillie outside of this website, and I think there's a good reason for that. Stick with Bryony.

Love LOVE Phoebe!!

I think Imogen and Bryony go lovely together. Also like Imogen and phoebe. Otillie is pretentious sounding. Sounds like utterly as well. I hate the name but she's not my baby so do what you want to do regarding the name and ignore others