Alabama???

[Amandawest447]

I’ve been looking around for names and I do prefer what some people would call “weird names”. I’ve come across Alabama, I know a lot of people don’t like place names on Mumsnet but im falling in love with it for a little girl. Travis barker named his daughter Alabama years ago and I think that’s how the name came into the mainstream. I do also like other state/city names like Memphis (which would be for a boy) For a girl there’s also Georgia which is obviously a state but that is more of a classic old name that has been used for decades as appose to a “trendy name” like Alabama. I also adore the nickname “Bama” I would just like to hear peoples thoughts as I don’t know how a name like this would work in England because people here tend to stick to old fashioned names like Lily, Elsie etc? Middle name will be rayne

IMO it's a bit too out there for me to use but if I met someone called Alabama I wouldn't have an issue with it there are plenty of far worse names floating around these days

Bit bizarre to be honest. Do you have any connections to the US? It’s not exactly what I would consider an ‘aspirational’ state… Alabama Rayne sounds very redneck.

Don't be ridiculous Alabama Rain?

I don't like names like evie, lily etc but equally Alabama is too much.
Montana
Georgia
London
Vienna
These type of place names are better. Can you imagine being called bama?

I love it!

You might like
Adelaide
Arizona
Florence
Montana
Savannah
Victoria

Best way to make sure the child will be bullied all his/her life.

Travis Barker brought it into the mainstream?

Nah.

I actually don't mind Alabama (but wouldn't pick it for a child of mine) but the general MN consensus will be that it's awful and you should call her Harriet so she can become a high court judge...

It's awful. People associate it with redneck America, incest jokes and hillbillies. Why would you do that to an innocent child? Are you expecting her nickname to be Alla? I think that ones already taken...

What about Alba?

Going against the grain but I think it's lovely. It's also the name of the female lead in one of my favourite films, True Romance, so that might be part of the reason I like it!

I also really love Adelaide.

Bama Rayne? 🤣

Sweet home alabama!

Yes! Love that film.

I am not against place names but I don’t think Alabama makes a nice name, and I really don’t think Bama makes a nice nickname.

I do like Memphis and Georgia. Also Arizona, Atlanta, Alaska, all would make perfectly nice names. Not Arkansas though.

Not a huge fan, sonically or otherwise. Alabama is evocative and not in a way I’d want to be associated with. In terms of state names, I like Alaska (probably because I lived Looking for Alaska as a teen).

@Moonshine160

What about Alba?

That's bloody awful too, most people cannot pronounce it correctly!

No offence to people from there but it doesn't have a very good reputation and is often presented as backwards. I know some of that might be stereotyping etc but still, it exists and would be associated with the name. I also don't like the sound of it. I think if going for US states there are better ones. Not sure what I'd choose but I guess I like Indiana but that might just be because I'm an Indiana Jones fan.

😂

oh god don't name your child Alabama if this is true.

Sorry, I think of lynchings and the Birmingham church bombing. Not great associations.

It's the name of a native American ethnic group, which makes it a bit questionable as a personal name for someone not associated with the group.

I do understand why you like it in terms of the sound, though.There are lots of common names ending in -ma (Alma, Cosima, Emma, Fatima, Fidelma, Gemma, Jemima, Norma, Paloma, etc.) but not so many in -ama (Fiamma? Miriama? Naamah?)

I like the name Salma - meaning health/well-being - which has a similar kind of sound to me.

Not keen. Some good suggestions above - love Georgia, Savannah, Adelaide, India.

Honestly, I like 'out there' names but this is awful.

I’ve met someone called Manhattan.
Dakota is nice too.