The name Lucy

[Stayawa]

I’m not so much naming a baby, but thought this was the best place to discuss! I have a wonderful 8 year old Lucy - I have always loved the name and knew I wanted to name a DD by that name if I had one as soon as I heard it as a child… and I still do love it- I associate it with Lucy from the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe…it’s pretty, timeless, classic and all the Lucy’s I have known have been strong, intelligent women. Until the bloody Lucy Letby trial! I’m suddenly paranoid that the name is now tainted and I’ve saddled her with it, like, you don’t hear of kids called Myra do you?! Or is it a popular and classic enough name to weather it…thoughts everyone? (Btw I know this is a very petty first world problem)…

I know a Myra who would have been a child at the time of the Saddleworth Moor crimes. Never thought anything of it.

Most common first names have popped up in famous trials at some point, including mine.

@Neverseenbefore I watch/read the news, I'm aware of the story but no, I've heard little to no discussion about it at all. Think my mother said something vague about it last week. Was at various events over the weekend, the office yesterday and have adult DC. Wasn't a topic of conversation at all and other than seeing it on the news I've heard very little mention. It's a story I've no interest in so I'm not going to start a conversation about it either.

You're definitely overthinking it. Lucy is a saint's name and has always been a relatively popular English name. People still use Rose, Fred/Frederick, Peter (Sutcliffe), Joseph (Stalin/Mengele/Fritzl) and a whole bunch of other names that can be linked with infamous personalities. Most serial killers have "normal, ordinary" names - Myra is kind of the exception.

I have a little Lucy. She has a wee bff called Rose (luckily, not surname West). No Myra’s in nursery at the mo’.

No, it’s a pretty vanilla name with plenty around so I wouldn’t associate it with her. I think it’s a pretty name.

Don't be so bloody ridiculous.

All the keyboard lunatics suddenly obsessed with this woman need a hobby.

Lucy is, and has been, one of the most popular names for decades. That's why she is called Lucy.

Once the grief vultures find another case to rend their garments over she'll be yesterday's news.

As pp has said, once the headline grabbing lucyletby calms down, she'll undoubtedly be referred to as Letby only. And then slip into the quagmire of obscurity she deserves.

Lucy is a lovely name. One of the main reasons I haven't chosen a very unusual name is because they can be tainted by someone (myra tainted but not jack). But not Lucy. I'm currently pregnant and it's been my mum's suggestion! I'm not going with it for other reasons, but it's still a lovely name.

@WhenIWasAFieldMyself

Being interested in this case doesn’t mean you are a grief vulture. You just sound really cold to be honest. It was okay to feel shocked and upset at the Letby case.

Thanks everyone! @WhenIWasAFieldMyself bit harsh! Like I say it’s not something I’m loosing sleep over but more just a thought I had so thought I’d ask others to see if it has crossed their mind - and a couple of other parents on here with little Lucy’s have thought about it too so obviously I’m not completely crazy! I still love the name and I’m glad I picked it 😅

There's being interested, which I'd imagine most people (including me) who have heard about the case are and there's going completely and utterly insane about it, which many of the threads on MN are.

Only if your last name is let you I would worry

Last name is letby*

Honestly don’t worry. It’s big news now but unfortunately will be forgotten quickly

My dd is a lucy. Like you, I have always loved the name from watching the lion witch and wardrobe. Myself and dd were talking about it yesterday because my daughter is also a nurse and feel it's not a link.

I thought this too as I jumped at the name Lucy with an L surname on the cover of a book yesterday. It made me immediately think of her and I wondered if I was going to always have that association with the name Lucy.

Obviously, I was being silly as it is in my head at the moment. It will fade from being at the front of our minds soon enough.

Lucy might drop in the name rankings for the second half of the year at worst but it will remain popular.

My second dis has the same name as another serial killer. No one has ever commented and I did not even notice until the subject came up on one of these threads! Lucy is popular enough that I think you are overthinking. 🌷

No there are too many Lucy's for this to be an issue. Myra is a fairly unusual name which is why it became so strongly associated with Myra Hindley.

I live very near where Fred and Rose West lived and I know about 4 children called Fred and lots of Roses (especially middle names). No one has ever mentioned it.

No it’s a lovely name. Most people know a lovely Lucy x

I have a Lucy too

I've always thought of the it as a sweet feminine name that's traditional sounding and although common it's not overly common these days.

There are enough good Lucys for it not to be an issue.

It's a lovely, pretty name. One of my favourites.

RecycledBlonde I also have a Lucy who is a paed's nurse!
The name means 'light' and while it might go out of fashion for a while it's a solid name around for a very long time and not likely to be associated with Letby for long.

Lucy is a lovely name. I would not think of Lucy Letby if I met one because it’s a classic. Having said that, I know a lovely Myra and have never once thought Myra Hindley. I also know plenty of Roses, Peters, Jeffreys, a million Jacks and a baby Fred. You are over thinking it.

I think it’s the name as a whole “Lucy Letby” that people associate with her, not just Lucy on its own.