Please be honest!

[Ihateironinganything]

Hello,

Growing up I’ve had to deal with people’s preconceptions of me because of my name. Upon just hearing my name people just assume I’m a “chav”, which infuriates me. However when they meet me they are surprised to see that I don’t fit their mental description.

My name is a well-known French name, but unfortunately here it has negative connotations. My name has given me such grief in my life that I’ve even thought of changing it. But now as I’m older it’s just too much paperwork.

I’m pregnant now, and will do anything to avoid giving my child the same fate. I could select a typical classic name like Sarah/Jane etc. Though at the same time I don’t really like those names.

Please could you tell me if any of my shortlist are even a tiny bit “chavvy”?

And trust me I hate this whole concept of “chav” but I don’t know how else to phrase it.

My shortlist:

Florence
Jasmine
Harriet
Lara
Flora
Clara
Madeleine
Anabelle
Lola

Thanks

Have to agree that Lola and Jasmine definitely on the ‘chav’ name list unfortunately!

Lara & Lola (sorry to readers )
Jasmine & Annabel I’m on the fence - I think they span society but not 100% sure

All the rest not in the slightest

@girlsname demographic use of names change as trends catch on & spread. For example hyphenated names are no longer associated as being for the very posh & much more the opposite. So knowing adults with a name is decades of change that can have happened.

@bumblebeesmum oh I’m surprised about Lara! You’re the first one to say that. I don’t know whether to remove it from my list...

I agree about age. An older Olivia I would perceive as quite “posh”. But I wouldn’t be able to tell of a younger Olivia.

I wouldn’t remove any name from one person’s comment - I’m an outlier!
Someone said Clara is chavvy & I couldn’t disagree with that more strongly.

Yes 30 year old Olivia is a posh name 100% but 5 year old Olivia could probably be anything at all (?) !

Love your list except for Lara Lola and Jasmine.

From your revised list I like Clara best then Madeleine.

As a PP said, I'd avoid Jasmine and Lola.

I love Harriet and might have chosen that for own DD but it wouldn't have gone with my former surname at all.

None of your names have strong 'chav' connotations but if you are being ultra cautious avoid Jasmine and Lola. I would also spell Annabel with 1 L.

From new list I love Clara, Lara and Madeleine.

I love Clara but Matilda is by far the best imo

I love French names very elegant.

Sorry you've had issues OP - some people are funny with names.

I don't think any sound chav really (because chav is more an attitude than a class or anything).

Eleanor should also be on your list.

From your new list I’d avoid Lara. I like it but prefer it as short for Larissa. On its own it’s debatable. Madeleine and Flora are my favourites. Clara is nice but I think will date - that Victorian/Edwardian style of name is going out of fashion now.

I love Flora & Lara.

Sad to see Harriet has gone.

Laura?

I love Eleanor! But my husband thinks it’s too prim and proper.

Clara is higher in the charts than Lara so worried it will become over popular and become downmarket. I can’t really predict.

I think I’m edging towards Florence

I like Madeleine, Florence and Clara best from your list.

‘Chav’ is such a grim, classist word.

I love all of those names OP-even Lola which seems to have taken a bit of a battering (and in spite of the song, which is not a connection I think that many children born in 2019 will make anyway)

I love Eleanor! But my husband thinks it’s too prim and proper.

Eleanor was going to be DDs middle name but a colleague at the time said she thought of it as a 'maiden aunt' name (She didn't know we were considering it - we were discussing names as both pg).

I know of a couple of jasmines and they go by Jazz (not sure on spelling though) which I think is a bit chavvy personally.

I really like the name Lola but it is becoming more popular and I have to say doesn't sound good in a Yorkshire accent if you're from there! X

I like Florence and Lara

Florence, Lara & Flora.

How about Fleur?

All lovely