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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Would you be a good registrar?

58 replies

Thighofrelief · 01/10/2018 02:50

I find names and trends really interesting but think I would get sacked pretty quickly.

I'd say "oooh no dear, don't spell it with a y" and "are you sure? She really looks like a Caroline to me" and "for the love of God pick a spelling! Think of the statistics"

Went I went to register both my DCs I was really interested in the registrars reaction but didn't get one either way.

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SadieContrary · 01/10/2018 03:02

I'd be terrible can't hide my face when I hear or read about ridiculous spellings when it's none of my business.

Original poster

Thighofrelief · 01/10/2018 03:07

What would you do if forced to register a Brandeey-Jaiye? I just don't think I could. And the variants on Mohamed / Isobel make me itch.

OP posts:

Zoflorabore · 01/10/2018 03:29

The one who registered my dd needed a trip to the charm school. She was a miserable cow and questioned my dd's middle name!

For context it is Valentine. Dd was born on Valentine's Day which is also our anniversary so the name is symbolic to us.

Her first name is very "normal" and I came away thinking I had set dd up for a lifetime of ridicule. She's 7 now and loves her middle name so all good but that woman was such a misery.

I would be a damn sight more professional than her even with a baby Balonz

LostPlatypus · 01/10/2018 05:52

My face apparently gives away what I'm thinking even when I don't mean it to, so I'd probably also be useless. I couldn't care less about "unique" spellings or anything like that, but anyone who hasn't thought of how the child's name will work with the surname would be something I'd struggle with if it sounded silly or rude.

SadieContrary · 01/10/2018 06:38

The variants of Mohamed are a daily challenge for me as I work in a school in the Middle East. I can think of 5/6 diff spellings off the top of my head

oldmother44 · 01/10/2018 09:11

When I registered my daughter the registrar couldn't find the ë for Noëlle so said won't a normal letter e do? I made her go and find help to do it.

Kewqueue · 01/10/2018 09:18

And the variants on Mohamed / Isobel make me itch.

That's a bit mean. I have a very British name that has at least four common spellings.

owabno · 01/10/2018 09:24

And the variants on Mohamed / Isobel make me itch.

That's a bit mean. I have a very British name that has at least four common spellings.

Eh? Why is it mean? I must be missing something. What is the point you are making about having a 'british' name with many variants? Are you trying reallybadly to put a revisit swing on it?

owabno · 01/10/2018 09:25

racist

Kewqueue · 01/10/2018 10:26

No! I was just pointing out that my name is British and has lots of different spellings - as does Isobel (why on earth would Isobel be racist??) I think you are looking for an argument where there is none.

Original poster

Thighofrelief · 01/10/2018 10:48

Re Mohamed / Isobel - I am literally (lightheartedly) thinking about the statistics. There are many ordinary names that have spellings that have equal weight. For instance I personally prefer Catherine but i think for the purist Katharine is probably "correct". With the variants on Mohamed is it like Steven / Stephen ie free choice?

OP posts:

Dychmygol · 01/10/2018 11:08

I'm sure I'd do better than registrar for DD1. As DH and I were still unmarried at that point she asked me in front of him if I was sure I wanted the baby to have his name because I'd need his permission to change it if we broke up.

If DH was the abusive sort I can just imagine how I would have been the recipient of his ire. Thankfully he's not abusive, but laughed about it and gave me a cuddle when we left the room because I was upset.

Clearly we looked like we had no chance of surviving as a couple and I needed to be told that whilst vulnerable with PND by a complete stranger.

Original poster

Thighofrelief · 01/10/2018 11:20

Dych that's dreadful. It's so normal to be married or not now why would she even comment. Stupid woman.

OP posts:

SodTheBloodyLotOfThem · 01/10/2018 11:27

Re Mohamed: the Arabic language has no vowels, so in Arabic it's spelled the equivalent of 'mhmd'. The vowels (And doubling of the m) are fairly random and for users of the Roman alphabet's convenience.

Dunno what Isobel/Isabelle/Isabel/Izabel/Isobelle's excuse is

owabno · 01/10/2018 11:47

I wasn't looking for an argument, I was just a bit baffled that after someone gave Isobel and Mohamed as examples you said it was mean. What on Earth was mean about it?

You then went on to say that you had a brutish name which also had variants, which, in addition to suggesting the non traditional British examples were mean, suggested to me that you had an issue with 'foreign' names.

Kewqueue · 01/10/2018 13:42

I just meant mean to dislike names with more than one spelling - because I have one! It was meant to be light hearted!

Thebeautifullisette · 01/10/2018 13:46

I’m completely missing the point, sorry, but Isobel is British isn’t it? I always thought it was Scottish.

owabno · 01/10/2018 13:49

just meant mean to dislike names with more than one spelling

In that case I apologise. I didn't read it that way at all.

PiperPublickOccurrences · 01/10/2018 13:50

I'd be rubbish.

I'd be fine with people calling their babies Jane, William, Sophie, Thomas or even the more unusual things like Araminta, Peregrine, Hamish or Petunia.

But I would SO much judge someone wanting to lumber their child with a name like Sopheee-Bloo or Switzerland or Wastepaper-Basquette.

Original poster

Thighofrelief · 01/10/2018 13:56

There was a case, in Australia I think, where the parents wanted to call the baby 4real but couldn't as 4 is a number rather than a letter. So they called him Superman.

OP posts:

Polkasq · 01/10/2018 14:53

I think I'd have a good enough neutral expression but would be too silently opinionated to last long in the job!

theredjellybean · 01/10/2018 14:59

I'd be hopeless as very judgy about names ☺
I'd be 'no sorry you cannot call them cupcake-daisy-blubell, but Emily is nice I'll put that down'

GU24Mum · 01/10/2018 15:02

Back in the midst of time when my father was sent to register my name, he had a choice of two and ask the registrar which one she preferred..... then chose the other one!

TakeAChanseyOnMe · 01/10/2018 15:04

My friends dad was born in the 50s in Northern Ireland, when there was active discrimination against catholics. His parents want to name him an Irish name (like Sean). The register said “no that’s too Irish” and put down John instead. He’s been called the Irish name his whole life, just his birth certificate is different.

Flashingbeacon · 01/10/2018 15:09

I couldn’t do because I’d get twitchy about people that didn’t have at least one middle name. They have a space for it, fill it! The form the vet gave me for the cats had 2 lines for name. I assume it was for pedigrees but not my cats have 4 middle names because I like to fill the place.
I’d just add middle names for everyone. “I’ll just put in felicity penthaligan because that’ll fill the lines”.

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