Harper

[PapaJohnBoy]

Hello, first time posting on this site but used it a lot over the last few months.

My partner and I are expecting our first early next year. We like a girls name but think our surname might be an issue.

The name we like is Harper. Our surname is Lee.

Are we silly to be considering going with a different name based solely on people saying, 'like the author?', when we introduce our baby?

Do people even know who Harper Lee is? Would this being the name of a famous author put others off choosing the name?

Any thoughts are welcomed.

The author having the same name would put me off. All of my year group at school would know who Harper Lee is as we read "To Kill a Mockingbird" at school. I think it was commonly read in schools so I'd imagine lots of people would be familiar with the name.

I don't like Harper anyway, but certainly I don't think you can really use it with Lee?

Yes most people know who Harper Lee is, she wrote one of the most famous books of the 20th century, if not of all time, that’s widely considered THE classic of modern American literature. Personally I wouldn’t do it.

I wanted to call our daughter Harper after Harper Lee, but the Beckhams put me off. It is a well known author so people will know the name, yes. Also liked the name Atticus for a boy, but DP would just not agree.
I think you should go with whatever you like without worrying about what other people think. It's hard enough picking a name.

I don't think you 'cant use it', you can use whatever name you like. But it definitely will be the first thing people think of .

As a pp said, to kill a mockingbird is commonly read at high school so yes I'd assume most people will be familiar with the name . It's like having a baby and calling him David when your surname is Beckham lol

I think most people know who Harper Lee is... sorry

It its probably the first thing people will think of but I don't see that as a bad thing at all! I love the name Harper.

My middle name and surname equates to that of a not very famous actress and when people see it/hear it, I often get 'ohhhh is that after ***?' and that's not even my first name .... also really not a famous actress.... so can only imagine what it might be like!

It's annoying. Lovely name choice but just wouldn't do it personally!

I wouldn’t. I think it looks a bit try hard unfortunately. Like you’re trying to show your naming her after the author and not because you’re Beckham fans.

As I'm sure you know, Harper Lee never used that name in real life - she called herself and was known as 'Nelle'.

Harper was just a pen-name. It was the surname of a doctor who had saved the life of Nelle's sister. Her parents used it as Nelle's middle name.

I love the name Harper but not with the name Lee, sorry!

Just spotted my grammatical ‘you’re’ error. What a rookie!

I'd be concerned the Beckham's have made it chavvy. Sorry OP.

No, you can't have a Harper Lee, and I say that as someone with the same surname as you. To Kill a Mockingbird is still a prescribed text and will be the foreseeable future. People do know who Harper Lee is.

If you love the name - use it. It's not as though Harper Lee has any negative connotations.

Ps..I may be biased as my 7 week old is called Harper!

Don’t do it

I’m not a fan of Harper anyway but I really wouldn’t saddle my child with the same name as a famous author that the majority of people studied at school.

She should have her own name and her own identity.

Do people even know who Harper Lee is?

Of course they do. Pretty much every school in the country will have at least one class doing TKAMB.

Please don't do that to your child. I know a few people who have the same name as famous people, but they are similar ages, so couldn't be prevented. This however...

Yes a lot of people will know who Harper Lee is. (I hope so, anyway!) But she's an incredible writer who is responsible for one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century. So it's not like you're lumbering your child with the name of a famous serial killer or a nazi general or something.

Surely everyone knows who Harper Lee is?! No I don't think you can use it with your surname. Unless you really don't mind people constantly commenting on it?

I wouldn't. TKAM is very widely studied at high school in the UK (and elsewhere) so even many people who never or rarely read books will know the name Harper Lee. Most people will notice and assume it's deliberate, a lot of them will comment.

Well there are lots of Stephen King’s etc.... so I don’t think that’s a problem. Not personally keen on Harper, it sounds quite harsh and barky

The difference with Stephen King is that lots of them will be a similar age and generation to the author, so it'll be obvious they weren't named after him, it was just a coincidence. If I met a Jane Austen, on the other hand, I'd assume she was named after the author. And Harper was not commonly used as a first name until the Beckhams, so it's very much associated with the writer.

It's not like giving your child the name of a serial killer but it's naive to think people won't notice or comment - I know a Michael Jackson and a George Harrison and people comment every time they introduce themselves.

I think it is very obvious. It would be like calling your son Stephen if your surname is King. Sorry.

No way would I use. TKAM is widely known and a lot of kids would study it. It sounds try hard imo and a bit silly - like a Beckham naming their kid David, or a Rowling using something giving JK initials.