Can the name Madeleine still be used or does everyone immediately think of Madeleine McCann?

[TS24]

Just that really.

Love the name but I wouldn’t use for that reason

It's a lovely name and it's associated with MM. You decide if that's a problem for you.

Fine, as long as your surname doesn’t start with Mac, or is Cann, and possibly also other M or C surnames.

I really love that name but it automatically makes me think of her and then makes me feel sad 😞

Also a lot of the Maddys I know are Maddison

It's an immediate kick to the stomach for me, so I'd never use it. To me that name is her.

Having said that, a new friend has a step daughter Madeleine (she's 18 months older than MM) and after the initial stomach churn, I rarely associate the two now.

If you introduced your daughter to me, my stomach would flip, but I wouldn't think anything awful that you'd chosen it & id soon just associate it with your DD

it is a pretty name.

I have a friend with kids called Fred and Rose. Not sure I'd have done that personally.

I know plenty of Maddies and never once think of Madeleine McCann, in fact I'd almost completely forgotten about her tbh.

I always think of the film when I hear the name. I remember when she disappeared so not like I'm too young to remember it.
Didn't know it would put anyone off the name. Bad things have happened to children with lots of different names. Obviously it's terrible but you can't let it put you off a name you otherwise love.

@TS24 If you had asked this 5 years ago, I'd have said 'yeah don't use THAT name because McCann etc etc...'

But now, I think it's so far back now, and so much has happened since, that not many people will make the leap. Any more than calling your child Victoria will make them think 'Posh Spice.'

Madeleine is a lovely name.

Fred and Rose? And these are school age children? 😱 Why? Just why?

I know 2 Madisons. (Not double D like yours, but the same name.) Lovely name ...

Excellent point!

I think this is quite an odd reaction tbh.

If you are unhappy with the association, you can always go for Madeleina/ Magdalena. That also gives you the option of Lena as a nn, which is quite popular at the moment.

I know a young Madeleine snd have never once associated the two people

I have a friend with kids called Fred and Rose. Not sure I'd have done that personally.

Whaaaaaat?

Why would they do that?! Crackers behaviour

It must be a little hard to be called Karen these days, particularly if you want to complain about something.

It’s possible the parents have never heard of Fred and Rose West. It was a long time ago now. My daughter is 19 and likes those true crime videos on YouTube and she mentioned it to me as if it was some obscure crime that happened in the mists of time past and I was shocked, but the fact is Fred West died almost a decade before she was born!

Even if it does make people think of her, so what? She was beautiful, innocent child who should be remembered as such.

I think it's fine. I remember the case very well but I knew Madeleines before and after that so it's not my only (or main) association with the name. I think of Mary Magdalene!

As pp said, I wouldn't use it if my surname began with Mc.

Channel 5 will still be making Fred and Rose documentaries 50 years from now.

I wonder how many 'wtf' expressions people make when little Fred and Rose are first introduced to them.

@PuppyMonkey

I don't care what you think, I wasn't looking for your approval for my feelings 🤷🏻‍♀️

I have a friend with kids called Fred and Rose. Not sure I'd have done that personally.

Seriously ?

I think it gets used a lot.

But she’s still high in the news cycle so it’s a reference for sure. That’s not that important though? Her peers won’t know anything about it.

Madeleine is a lovely name. Some people will think of MM, but many won't, and does it really matter whether they do or not?