Giving baby a famous/well known name?

[DoYouWantACuppa]

Hi All. FTM here. We know we are having a girl. Husband and I struggling to agree on a name. There is a one we both like, but when paired with our surname makes a well-known actress name (born early 70s if that makes a difference!) Would that put you off choosing that name or would you pick it anyway? E.g. Would you pick Scarlett if your surname was Johansson? Would you pick Kate if your surname was Winslet? Not because we want to name our baby after the actress but because we genuinely like the name. Husband says it’s not an issue but I’m not so sure, but we struggling to find alternatives! WWYD? Many thanks!

Sorry but we need the actual name.

I didn't pick a name I liked for this very reason or our son would have had the name
Of a very famous actor and I didn't want it to be a constant topic of conversation for him

I agree, Jane McDonald is far different to Gwyneth Paltrow.

I don't think it should be an issue but some names are only associated with one person where some are known, but not too uncommon.

Well known or insanely famous? It's like Kim Novak vs Elizabeth Taylor.

No I wouldn't. I went to school with a girl who shared a name with a supermodel. Whilst we all got used to it, the eye rolls she used to do when we got a substitute teacher who inevitably commented sent a strong message as to how annoying she found it.

I think calling your DD Kate Winslet or Scarlett Johanssen would be weird, yes. In those examples it's exacerbated by the fact the names are quite unusual. But even calling her Julia Roberts or or Jennifer Lawrence, which are more common names, would still be pretty strange.

Gut feel is I wouldn't but if it's someone more obscure it could be fine. The only way you'll get truly helpful answers on here is to share the name, but it's understandable if you don't want to.

I think if the surname is unusual, like Winslet or Johansson or Delevingne then it would be odd. Something like Roberts, Brown, Smith, less so, unless the first name is really unusual. So Jada Smith, odd. Melanie Brown and Julia Roberts less odd.

I did, but we have a very common surname and the famous person isn’t hugely well known.

I've come across an Adam Smith, a Michael Jackson and even an Eddy Murphy but no one really batted an eye at these..

Unless it's a very common surname then I wouldn't.... it will just be a complete eye rolling PITA for your daughter when she has to meet and explain it to new people 'no, not that one..', 'no, I'm not named after her...'

I wouldn't.
I taught a child called Paul Newman (way back when PN was still very much alive and acting)
Every new teacher commented on it so I'm guessing loads of people outside school did too. Decades later I remember his name but nothing more about the student.

I wouldn't. I knew a James Bond. Poor kid, is all I can say.

There's more than one pretty girl's name in the world. Pick another one.

Hmm, I wouldn’t.

Olivia Coleman?

Olivia Coleman?

It's a bit weird. Don't do it! Everyone will laugh.

Haha great minds @nursebernard

Possibly ok. You need to tell us the name.
Fine if it's a fairly common name, but you can't saddle a child with something like Kate Winslet or Scarlett J

I bet we’re right @RebeccaCloud9

I went to school with a lad called James Bond. We had to stick up for him when substitute teachers came in & thought he was taking the piss.

Depends on how famous the person is. If it's someone who almost everyone has heard of then I wouldn't go there. Less famous celebrities (the kind who aren't tabloid fodder) may be okay though.

Speaking generally, I think it would be a PITA to have the same name as a celebrity and it could invite negative comparisons. I wouldn't want to be a shy, awkward teenage girl named Scarlett Johansson or Megan Fox. That would be awful.

Definitely wouldn't do it.

I know a Julia Roberts and would have hated to have that name.

I wouldn’t do it. It would be potentially annoying for her, and if this actress goes on to be very controversial for whatever reason, your daughter’s identity is tied up in that.

Depends how famous and to be honest how they're thought of- as a PP says, it could invite negative comparisons. I would not have wanted to be called Michelle Pfeiffer in my days as an awkward, chubby early teenager. A character actress's name not so much.

Definitely depends how common the first name and surname are. And how famous the person is. And how long lasting their career will be. Someone who is famous now may not be when your dd is 10/20/30.

My brother has the same name as an American comedy actor (wasn’t famous when my brother was born) but is older than my brother, who is nearly 60). Both first and surname are very common. He gets the odd comment but Tbh not often, though in formal situations he uses the full name rather than the short one the actor goes by (think Joseph/Joe)