Your unpopular mumsnet naming opinions

[Jsummers16]

This is a very controversial opinion especially in the Uk but I prefer the modern “made up” names like Paisley, Braylee over the classics like Olivia, Lily, Edith ect.

I really don't understand the whole 'old person name' rude comments. My DC has what would be classed as a vintage name, but when you just say it without any thought of 'old people', just say it and listen to how it sounds, it's a pretty name. All pensioners were young once and their parents obviously thought the names were lovely and that's why parents today are choosing the same names.

There’s a lack of understanding of names other than traditional English ones. Things from other cultures/countries are often slated on here. I once read someone slag off a load of Welsh names because ‘no one could pronounce them’.

I just don’t get the obsession with uniqueness. There’s literally millions of lovely names out there, needing to make up your own one because your child is too cool to have the same name as anyone else is a bit try hard.

Unique spellings of usual names, why? Caeden is not going to be any more interesting than all the other Caden’s, he’s just going to spend his whole life spelling his name out.

I really don’t like the name Edith. And my daughter has 2 friends with that name!!

There is definitely some correlation between yoUniQue names and behaviour.

Isla - I always pronounce it Is-la

'Frilly' names are beautiful and the French spelling of girls names is infinitely better than the British version, such as Juliette, Jeanne, Annabelle.

If you are going to use a traditional Irish name you should spell it correctly not use whatever Anglicised / made-up / yoo-neek / wrong spelling that pops into your empty little head.

Honestly unfortunately you can make assumptions about a family by the children's names. Obviously not always right but they are often made.
Ie many would assume different things about Laci-Mai and mason-junior compared to Clara and James family. Maybe one family has younger trendier parents and the other higher professional parents? or maybe a different thought process?
Also on hearing a little Barbara is coming to clinic I may wonder if she is named after a beloved departed grandmother or parents are super cool hipsters. ( I have met similar named babies who had these reasons)
On seeing Kasper is attending I may wonder if family is from Eastern Europe?
People can't help making assumptions. Be aware those assumptions may follow your child through life. Some don't matter but some do.
Kaaciii-Rae may imply the parents lack the ability to spell and Hades may imply the parents lack any insight into mythology or just hate their child.
I will now go and hide

Artemis and Aurora are awful - just my opinion.

Ottilie is stupid, unless you're German and pronounce it properly

This, this, and so much this^

The other similar one is Elodie. How on earth can you say it without adopting a silly, put on French accent. Both names are super popular on MN.

Other MN popular names I hate passionately are:

Noa
Willa
Imogen

🤮

Came here to say this !!

My guilty secret. I don't like the name Wren. Now, if you have a Wren - I mean absolutely no offence and loads of people love it and it's a nice name and sound so it's not really the name itself. I like the idea of nature names and I like Wrens for that matter and I like the sound. But I think it's in combination with other newer nature names for boys like Hawk and Wolf. It does seem quite sexist to me and whilst that's the same for an awful lot of old names, often we don't really know what the old name exactly means and usually there's enough people who've had the name over the years that the association isn't just the word's meaning anymore. But with newer names it really jumps out at me. Why are newer names propping up the usual stereotypes? Wren (tiny little shy bird) versus Hawk or Wolf (predator animals). Girls have the former and boys the latter. Why are girls Willow and boys Storm? I also really hate it on here when people talk of something "sounding feminine" or sounding "harsh" - therefore unsuitable for a girl and suitable for a boy. I think people should consider what they are saying a bit more and question these assumptions.

I quite like the old lady thing. I don't like the way people go "makes me think of an old lady" as though that's reason enough to dislike or not use a name. Why? Are you saying that old ladies aren't likable or can't be great or cool or talented or stylish or people you want to name children after? Again, it's the lazy way people come out with that as reason enough on its own that is what I don't like.

I love all the names from different countries. I find that aspect of this forum quite inspiring and interesting.

Well sure, in real life and to someone's face. On an anonymous forum, not so much.

For me my pet hate is odd spellings of names, whilst it might feel quirky and fun for the parents but it's a life time of a child having to spell their name or correct mispronunciation. Each to their own style wise though, I'm fussy for my own children but then I'm sure plenty think my choices are awful!!

I don’t like the name Wren either.

I loathe 'frilly' girlie names like
Arabella, Henrietta, Anastasia, Isabella

I also suspect I'm probably the only Mumsnetter out there who think Imogen is absolutely vile...

I think Enid pronounced the welsh way (Enn-id), and it's a very old welsh name, is lovely.
Dorothy is really nice

I really dislike hyphenated names, though I know they’re quite popular.

All the old ladies called Edith Agnes; Gladys, Doris etc were little girls once!!
My favourite name of all time for a girl (I had all sons) is Clothilde (Clo-teel)
It's probably for the best I had sons as although it's a beautiful name (IMHO) I think their would be a lifetime of having to spell it out and correct the pronunciation!!
I know have granddaughters but sadly no Clothilde 😭😭

I wish English people would just stop with the Orla obsession. It pops up on every thread here.

Aurelia sounds like an ear disease.

My name is a birth stone. I LOVE my name but the amount of hate I've had for it is unreal.

Years ago, I went for a job interview and they honestly said to me that i was the best candidate but would I consider using a middle name for my name badge?!?! Needless to say I declined the offer.

When I was pregnant with DC, my MIL kept saying to me "please don't name them with a silly name like yours". I responded to that "oh it could be worse, they could be called MIL name" 😅

How do you pronounce Ottilie in German?

I love elodie but only with a French accent and I am decidedly not French. Sadly.

I hate hyphenated names and stupid spellings for normal names. I once saw a California-Bleu on Facebook, poor baby!
And I can’t imagine ever choosing a top 10 name as I find them so boring when there’s so many other interesting names out there, but everyone is different and likes different things.

@GreatCuppa I feel guilty about that now as I also think to myself that we should celebrate the quiet traits and modest creatures like wrens (that are great birds!) as much as the louder or more showy ones. And when I think of the Wrens in the war I can end up quite liking it. So I think it's the overall context of it in amongst other new nature names for girls and boys that is my issue really. I mean I feel the same about Hawk and Storm. Willow? I mean Willow is a lovely word. But why can't it be for a boy as much as for a girl? Is it because it's associated with "willowy"? Or pliableness? It's just that Wren is always getting suggested on here so has come to symbolise my discomfort with this aspect of boys and girls names.

Oooh I can get this out here.

I really, really hate Matilda, Tabitha, Oliver, Rafe, and the ilk.

I'm not down with people giving a pre shortened name, nor with the proliferation of Alfies.

The rise of rabbit names for girls (Poppy etc) and dog names for boys (Max etc) infuriated me but seems to have passed.

Never post on the 'what do you think of this name' threads.

I've 3 unpopular opinions on names:

~Double barrel names SUCK! Pick one name, give a middle name if you want, but this 2 name shite is horrendous!

~Put whatever you intend to call them on the birth cert. You want Abbie to be Abbie and never Abigail, why the fuck are you naming her Abigail then!?

~You don't need to "wait and see" what name suits your baby. Babies change so much, what they look like today is not what they'll look like in 20 years time, 20 months time or even 20 weeks time so I don't believe a baby "doesn't look like" a name!