We can't name our daughter Rachel, can we?

[TiggyWiggyLetsGo]

I have loved the name Rachel since I was a little girl. My husband also loves the name. It's a nice classic name that isn't too popular at the moment.

However, our surname is Chandler. We can't call her Rachel Chandler, can we?

Having said that, I recently had one of those moments that makes you think of an episode/line from Friends and I mentioned it to those who I was talking to and a guy in his early 20s said he'd never seen it.

So that made me feel old.

I'm of the friends age and wouldn't make the connection really.
I also know of three sets of siblings called Rachel and Ross and no one comments on the connection with them.
On another note I absolutely love the name Rachel, it feels almost classic.

Of course you can. I’ve known a Rachel Greene for years and only just made the connection.

Yeah, it'd make me laugh, really sorry.

I think Rachel is a lovely name but with Chandler as a surname, it might be a bit ch heavy. Never really caught the friends bug so all the references pass me by.

It’s fine.
Just don’t call her Monica

I was a massive friends fan and the connection wouldn't even cross my mind. It was Rachel Greene and Chandler Bing, they weren't together or anything, I really can't see the problem.

We have a puppy called Chandler! my 11 year old DS is always calling him Chanandeler Bong! 😅

I shared a house with a Rachel Chandler at university back in the 90s. I don't believe the Friends connection ever came up.

I don't think it cause anything more than a slight raised eyebrow. And I'm very much of the right age for Friends references.

However I met someone a few years ago some would be about 30 now so named pre-Friends. She had a double-barelled surname, Chandler-Bing. I kid you not.

Nooo, Rachel and any other Friends name is off I'm afraid! The only place I've ever heard the name Chandler is friends. It's on Netflix now and still going strong in pop culture.

Like calling her Hermione Luna Potter

She will get comments from adults, if not her peers.

I have a name that has a pun/knock knock joke attached that no-one of my age ever comments on, but growing up, adults would say it - it's not offensive, but it got said to me all the time (actually, it was really only men, looking back).

She will get comments, so it's just whether it would bother you or not. In my experience - it's quite tedious having to politely smile and nod along with each person thinking they're being hilariously original.

'How YOU doing?'

I think it's fine, Rachel is a lovely name and who cares about the Friends connection, it's a fab programme!

Perfectly fine break it up with a middle name or double barrelled name if you don't mind them or with bout your maiden name as part of her full name? I think you'll be fine personally whatever you go for

What about silly predictive text!

I think you'll probably be OK. Their names weren't 'paired' in the show, if you wanted to use Monica it would be more of a problem I think.

No!

It is absolutely fine.

I think people saying you can't use it because of the Friends connection are overestimating how much cultural currency it has. I came of age in the 90s and I never watched it - neither did most of the people I went to uni with. I don't deny it was popular, but it certainly wasn't as universally adored as some are implying. And yes, Friends is now on Netflix so perhaps some younger people are discovering it who wouldn't otherwise have done, but do you honestly think in 10 years' time it will still be the first thing people think of when they hear the name Rachel Chandler?

I say go for it!

I would. Its a lovely name and tbh your surname would make me think of Friends on its own anyway. They are iconic characters there is no getting away from that but Rachel is also a classic name imo, no one is going to think you named her after them. X

Friends just hit Netflix so a whole new generation will know about it. It's still up to you but I wouldn't if I'm honest what about using it as a middle name?