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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

A thought about unusual or made up names

94 replies

PeggySioux · 30/03/2008 14:00

When we gave dd1 a highly unusual name, one of the (many) criticisms that were leveled at us by interfering and rude well meaning family members was "she can't ever have a serious job with that name" and "what if she wants to be a lawyer rather than a pole dancer?" and "the bank manager will laugh at her" (I promise I haven't made those up).

Well, arguably the most powerful woman in the world is called Condoleezza Rice. C'mon... Condoleezza? That's not even a name - it's made up from the Italian musical term con dolcezza meaning "with sweetness". And top it off with Rice?

Hmmm... yet I don't notice anyone refusing her a bank account. In fact, like her or loath her, you can't deny that she gets taken pretty seriously and has done okay for herself.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

solo · 31/03/2008 12:44

I knew a woman(vaguely)about 25 years ago and when asked what she was calling her baby girl, she said DOYLEY. Don't know how it was to be spelt though. Doyly. Doiley??????
Odd, very odd.

Buckets · 31/03/2008 13:27

D'Oyly?

LaComtesse · 31/03/2008 13:30

I worked with a girl years ago who was called Errolie (she said it was a South African name) but she used to get really annoyed when it was prounounced wrongly. Her sister was called Susan so they seemed a bit mismatched for sibling names .

Flight · 31/03/2008 13:36

I agree. I pointed this out on another thread in january but nobody took any notice

She has done pretty well with such an unusual name.

Good ammo for anyone faced with comments about their child's name!!

BuckBuckMcFate · 31/03/2008 13:40

Kitty is my new number one favourite girls name

Original poster

PeggySioux · 31/03/2008 15:33

Bah, Flight. I was all pleased with myself for having an original thought then!

OP posts:

slinkiemalinki · 31/03/2008 16:45

Elinor is the elder Miss Dashwood in Sense & Sensibility so has been around for a while! They certainly pronounce it the same on the telly adaptations

solo · 31/03/2008 22:43

Buckets, I doubt it was D'Oyly. This lady would, nowadays have been classed as special needs. I actually wondered how she'd gotton pg as she(trying not to be rude)was not the full ticket ..I'm so trying not to be offensive here.

BEAUTlFUL · 01/04/2008 13:51

Doilie? OMG, lol. Maybe she named him after what she was eating from when she found out she was pregnant...

EachPeachPearMum · 01/04/2008 15:04

Or perhaps WHAT she was eating

MadameCh0let · 01/04/2008 15:08

I'm not sure that the OP is being reasonable here, for a couple of reasons.

Because first, no matter what you call your child, you'll have to deal with other people's comments. Too conservative, too popular, too pretentious, too hard to spell, bit chavvy!!

So, if a person sets out to give their child a particularly unusual name (whether it's Persephone or Rikki-Mae), then they of all people need to be able to let public opinion roll off their back!

Second, I find the prejudiced and slightly snide comments about bank managers a little at odds with the acceptance demanded from everybody else for unusual names.

JMO. My children's names aren't inside the top 100 by a long way (not sure) but people are welcome to dislike them. I really don't mind.

EachPeachPearMum · 01/04/2008 19:51

'Persephone'?

How very dare you?

Elkat · 01/04/2008 22:35

Haven't had time to read the whole thread, but I have got quite a chavvy name when said in its entirety. Thankfully, I go by a nickname most of the time.. but when I do get called my real name at work (I'm a lecturer) it does make me squirm sometimes. My name definitely does not go with my job!

madamez · 01/04/2008 22:45

When our DC grow up, the names we have given them will be just one the things they can blame us for. Others include never having taken them to Disneyland, having terrible taste in clothing/music, not having moved to the country/the city when they were young enough/old enough to appreciate it, and having made them be born at all becasue after all they didn't ask for it .

Countess: are you in the Croydon area? Because if not, Pebble Heaven is a more common name than I had thought.

frasersmummy · 01/04/2008 22:57

As someone with an unusual name I can tell you that sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it.

There is no hiding with an unusual name, because you cant be confused with anyone else. You always have to explain pronouciation and spell it everywhere you go.

However an unusual name can get you noticed for things like interview shortlists

one big advantage is email addresses are a dawdle.. I have moved isp 4 times and each time I have just been my first name@ tesco, at tiscali etc.. nice and easy

DonDons · 02/04/2008 15:19

I also have an unusual name (middle name) but common and easy to spell first and last names. (first name prob v obvious). My name hasn't stopped me getting a good job or given me any bother with the bank manager. The unusual bit of my name is a family name that my aunt has traced back to 1700's and I am proud of it. My DD will be inheriting it too. It's rare for anybody outside of our family to have heard of it (although it is in the bible) but I have never resented my parents for giving it to me and have always liked having a different name(my sister's middle name is Louise - there are millions of those around). I don't think it matters what you chose to call your child, as long as it means something to you.

fleximum · 02/04/2008 15:25

Agree with frasersmummy as i too have an unusual name. When we were choosing names, my main criteria were names that wouldn't get them beaten up in the playground but that if you shouted for them only your child would turn around rather than half the playground. I say that after being in a class of 30 girls of whom 5 were called Sarah!

picklepoo · 07/06/2008 23:01

LaComtesse, i do believe i know who you are talking about!!

Flibbertyjibbet · 07/06/2008 23:15

On tv the other night I heard two names for girls that made me roll my eyes and snurk.

Halo

and

Breeze.

Yes they were American children but still.... Halo ????????

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