I had a weird dream the other night which told me to use Ypres for future baby...

[MrsSeanBean]

I know this is not even a name, but a town in northern France (or Belgium, my geography is a bit hazy). Anyway, it's out of the question isn't it? (Just checking.)

Er well I suppose not out of the question, but you'll probably have to keep pronouncing it and spelling it to everyone. It was known as 'Wipers' during WW1 wasn't it?

It is pronounced Yeeps.
Soldiers called it Whypres.

Perhaps it's your conscience telling you not to name your baby anything unspellable.

I thought it was pronounded 'eeps' or even 'eepr' (if that is even pronouncable?!)
Maybe you are right OddOne!

'Eepr' sounds better MrsSB - that's the one i was trying to do.

Are you now considering it as a genuine option?

It's quite pretty, but I fear it may get consigned to the 'brilliant stroke of inspiration but totally impractical and unfair to be saddled with' pile!

Can you roll your r's? I think you'd need to.

Wasn't Ypres a pretty horrific place in WW1? Strange place to be named after. Like Somme or Passchendaele.

Juwesm That is correct. Very inappropriate. Thousands of soldiers killed there in one battle.

What about Yves ? Yvette?

ScreamingAbdab, Juwesm, I was aware of the history (please read the OP!)

so you want to call your child after a scene of horrific carnage?

My grandmother lived near there during WW1 (she was Belgian) and met my grandfather there (he was a british soldier), and that's possilbly why I'm thinking it's romantic, but I think it's a name that will require explanation. How did the name come into your dream?

Was your great grandfather a casualty at Ypres? Maybe you should use his name? My great grandfather was in ww1. It's not unusual I bet.

I like the suggestion of Yves. Yvette is interesting. 3 yrs ago I would have said, non, non, non to anything ending in 'ette' but now, I am giving it a minute's consideration..

I had a dream when I was pregnant with my dd.

In the dream I was told very clearly to name my DD Monet. I called her Abigail. She definitely has an artistic flair though!

I have a friend whose ds has Ypres as a middle name.

Never rely on dreams for guidance in RL behaviour. I dreamt the other night that I won the Nobel Peace Prize for my contribution to peace in Northern Ireland (WTF???). It was cruelly snatched from me by a former work colleague (who, as it happens, is Irish) as they decided I was too busy with work to give my acceptance speech.

DS2 could hardly talk when I was pg with DD. He kept saying "Jayden" though. I sugested it as a baby name to my sister (yes - I knew I was having a girl!) The look on her face managed to disuade me.

I've been to Ypres and it's a terribly depressing place which is full of graveyards.

My great-grandfather died there and left 5 children fatherless. I have a letter he wrote to my grandad from the trenches and it's a very sweet letter. It breaks my heart to read it.

Without these connotations, the name itself is quite pretty, I suppose.

But it should really be Ieper - tis in Flanders where they speak Dutch.