If you have the same surname as a famous person

[Soubriquet]

Would you be happy to use the first name?

For example, if your last name was Smith, would you use Maggie or Will as a first name?

Or would you be conscious of people always saying “oh yeah, like Fresh Prince”

I'd definitely avoid a first name/surname combo that was associated with a famous person even if the name was quite a plain one like Tom Jones. The constant references to it would get so bloody boring.

Obviously you can't see into the future and see who'll be famous/notorious 20 years from now but I'd definitely discount all name that were currently associated with someone with a medium to high level of fame.

I remember a thread on here a while back where a poster had called her son Louis not realising that there was a famous Louis with her exact same surname (Walsh) and was getting annoyed at all the comments she was getting. I'd personally never heard of the famous Louis Walsh, but I was very much in the minority on that thread!

My brother is Michael Douglas. He got loads of stick when younger but not so much now

People always ask me if I'm related to the name of a celebrity and I say yes, because my uncle does indeed have that name. But it's never been an issue, just vaguely amusing.

My daughter's dad's brother is actually a will smith but I never even noticed until you brought it up. İt's such a common name.

İ think it's only a problem if it is someone really really iconic that absolutely everyone knows worldwide- like David Beckham, Marilyn Monroe, Winston Churchill, Fred Flintstone, Donald Trump, etc...

I have the same surname as a famous UK person. Not sure how common the surname is in the UK but where I live it sticks out a bit. I'm Irish and live in Ireland and I swear 90% of British person I meet (and I meet lots through work) say "Any relation to X??" as small talk when I introduce myself. I don't mind, usually joke back with them but I can only imagine what my poor child would have to listen to if I had given them the actual person's name 🤣🙈

So no in short, I wouldn't 😊

I know a little boy called Liam with the surname Gallagher. I always think there's no way that didn't cross his parents minds when they picked Liam as his first name.
I doubt most toddlers his age will make the connection though.

I was at school with a David Livingstone. He constantly had people, including teachers, saying "David Livingstone, I presume"

I'd avoid famous names. We ruled out two girls' names for that reason.

I agree with @RavenclawsRoar

Names like Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson , Marilyn Monroe are iconic and will be around forever. But names of towie stars, Kate L@wler ... those kind of people, as successful as they are, they're unlikely to be household names in 15 years so I wouldn't let the surname /first name combo put me off too much

Over the years I have taught a Philip Schofield , Ricky Martin and a John West . ( Yes I know John West isn’t a person) but his parents must have made the tuna connection . Once I know the child I only think about it as their name until a thread like this comes along . I suppose it makes it harder for random people to google you .

It doesn't take much for people to make these connections. My married surname is slightly uncommon but not rare, however there's only been one famous person with the name, a footballer of yesteryear. Like @Bluey18, I was invariably asked "any relation to XXX?" whenever I gave my name (always by men), and now my DC get asked all the time too. They've only heard of the person through being asked if they're related to him. So I'd say that if the surname is distinctive, your child might get comments regardless of the forename.

I work with a Janet Jackson.

She's is very seriously fed up with the comments, which are legion.

I know a Barry Potter who gets a lot of smart-arse comments about Quidditch, in spite of the fact that it's not even the same name!

I also know a Jennifer Lopez (married name) but nobody ever comments on it to her because she's a very staid, self-contained woman who frankly doesn't invite frivolous chat. Although whenever I see her, I instantly get Jenny From the Block stuck in my head, but I keep it to myself!

If I shared a surname with someone very famous, I would probably try to avoid naming a child after that person, but it would only apply to people with Elvis Presley/Marilyn Monroe levels of fame, or people where there's a negative association, like Ian Brady or Peter Sutcliffe. I wouldn't be concerned about having a little George Clarke or Amanda Owen because there's little chance anyone will know who the famous person is in ten years.

We have an uncommon name which we share with a very famous actress. I wouldn't use the same first name even though its a nice one. Wouldn't bother me with a more common name though

I have the same full name as someone famous. At least people remember who you are.

@BikeRunSki Hello Alice :)

Through work I met an Adrian Mole, he would have been a teen when the books came out.
One thoughtless colleague mentioned it to him and got her head snapped off.
The poor man must have suffered!

I agree with most - it depends how iconic / famous they are.

It can always happen that something terrible happens long after you get your name. One of the best examples of that was the brother of a friend whose name was Adrian Mole. He would have been about 13 or 14 when 'The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 and 3/4' came out.

Poor, poor lad

OTOH, current 'celebs' won't be known as they grow up, and common names (like Will Smith in your example) wouldn't have the association in the same way as far less common names.

Oh! how funny
What a x-post.

I wonder if it is the same chap?

I went to Uni with someone called Walter Disney

How could his parents do that to him??

My children’s surname ruled out a first name I liked. I’m bored enough (as is my husband) of saying “yes, like x” and “no, no relation”.

It’s not unique, but unusual enough to have that. As in you wouldn’t call your child Jason if your surname was Donovan, or Enid if your surname was Blyton. I’m quite glad husband talked me out of giving preferred first name as a middle name too.

I had an ex with last name Davidson and I would have really considered using Harley for a girl's name if we had children.

My husband has Pitt but no, won't use Brad for our son's name. Don't know why, just not keen bit I guess if I liked the name Brad maybe I would!

I have three brothers two of whom had to change their name for professional reasons as there were already famous people with the same name/of the same age. The third brother has no desire for fame but his name is the same as a very famous person too. It’s so unfortunate for them.

Damn pressed soon too early. Neither one can book a restaurant without being asked if they’re THE alpenguin’s sibling.

DH has the same name as a 90s boyband star. Barely anybody makes the connection though the star wasn't a star when DH was born!

We considered naming our daughter the same as a famous poet. (Though poet is male- first name can be unisex). We didn't in the end.