Can I get away with this?

[DarcyParty]

DD1 has a normal first name, X Gardiner. I'm 12 weeks pregnant and if it's a girl, we like Holly....but then it would be Holly Gardiner :S

Will anyone notice? It was an unintentional joke, but we like the name now! I wouldn't want her to get bullied at school or anything, what do you think? And any middle name suggestions? Thanks :)

Is that a famous person? Or do you mean because holly would be in a garden. If the latter it would never cross my mind.

It's fine.

@SeasonFinale yes just the Gardiner thing, that puts my mind at ease. I went to a school where they'd tease you for the slightest thing, but I guess it's tame by MN standards :)

I wouldn't. Sounds a bit silly. How about Hilda?

I actually think it goes very well with the surname, OP.

I wouldn't, it's too much.

I’d probably raise an eyebrow if I met a Holly Gardener (even if the surname was officially Gardiner!) Not as obvious as Rose Gardener, for example, but still wouldn’t put a plant/tree with your name

Would a non garden-y middle name break it up a bit? I haven't seen any that would go

I really like it! And to be honest, I don't think I'd even notice (and I am a keen gardener who walks her dog daily in an area full of holly!).

I also like the suggestion of Hilda. But Holly Gardiner has a lovely ring to it.

I wouldn’t make any connection at all I wouldn’t worry about it. Holly a lovely name x

My dd has a friend called Holly Wood. I think it’s a brilliant name.

Thank you, I'm glad more people are saying it's ok, we really have stuck on it :)

Totally stuck for boys names though :(
We live in the north east if that makes any difference, not too many outlandish names around us, and no Sebastians etc

@SavoyCabbage that is brilliant 😂

Could you spell as "Hollie" rather than "Holly" so it doesn't quite have the same vibe?

Although I don't think it matters to be honest.

Sorry I don't understand why someone would make fun of Holly Gardiner? Am I missing something?
Holly is a gorgeous name by the way. So beautiful - one of my favourites

Read all the posts now and still don't see a problem. Your surname isn't Garden and even if it wasn't there's far worse. A garden of holly is a nice image anyway so it's fine.
There's loads of nature/flower names these days. I don't think anyone will bat an eyelid at this. There's some very unusual names now. I really wouldn't worry

I once dealt with a Rose Plant.
There was an Iona McIntosh at my school.

I know a Hollie Gardner, never thought about it being strange

I'm in the north east too and I know three Sebastians under six! And an awful lot of Erics and Alfies, if you're thinking of names to avoid.

Holly Gardiner is lovely.

It makes me think of the app Hollie Guard, I think most people wouldn’t have that association though!

A middle name won't break it up. Polly or Molly would be better.

I wouldn't even notice. And it sounds lovely.

I’m sorry but I would notice and I think it’s a pretty awful thing to do to your child.

I think it’s fine. lol at awful thing to do to your child Hilda would be an awful thing to do!

I think it’s completely fine.

Hilda Gardiner would be a mistake since Hildegard is also a name and it would be confusing.

It's fine. Don't misspell it as Hollie - you won't fool anyone as it's the sound that matters and you'll just add a lifetime of her spelling out her name.

Holly Gardiner is about a million times better than Hilda