If you love a name should you use it even if everyone pulls a [hmm] face when you mention it?

[casino81]

We really love Florence, esp. shortened to Floss/Flossie.

But when I have mentioned it to friends and family we have had faces from everyone, even a few deogoratory comments.

So should we use it or find a name that is more acceptable to our friends, family?

Some people have said its posh, which I didn't think it was at all. Is Florence considered so posh that it will really stand out in a state school?

Defo you should use it, this is exactly why i didn'y tell anyone the names we were thinking of.

Do it, Florence is a lovely name, my BF was one and we went to a very rough state school, no problem at all

Use it, it's lovely.

The thing is, as parents, we all spend LOADS of time thinking of names to call our children, we don't sit there thinking of the worst name we can come up with.

We've had it with both of our girls. And in the end, people get used to it or they get on with it. It isn't their choice - they've had their turn. When we named our DD1 - with a name that none of DH's family had heard before - and they came up with some corkers as alternative 'suggestions'. But I can't take seriously suggestions from people who chose 'Neville' as a middle name for their son. No offence intended to any Nevilles out there.

Your baby, your choice.

Florence is a fantastic name - I don't know why people would pull a face. Go for what you love.

Lovely name

dd2's middle name is Florence - love it

i call her flossie sometimes even though it's not her first name - poor baby has no chance of learning her name she gets called different things all the time

best tactic is not to mention your choice until after the baby is here

give your baby a name you love, and bollocks to everyone else

I know of someone with a baby Florence- its a lovely name!

florence is a LOVELY name.

I would use it

Of course you're going to get mixed reactions - especially the more people you ask. Everyone has different tastes and ideas.

If YOU and dh love the name Florence, then go for it. Everyone else will get used to it once the baby is born.

My ds's name is often described as 'posh' on mmumsnet, yet we've never had any issues with this (he is now 7) and he loves his name (and goes to local state primary). I'm glad I named him before I was a mumsnetter (as I would have possibly would have been dissuaded by the negative comments )

I love it,
I wonder if some of the faces are just because its not a name you normally hear,

Although I am with LoveBeingAHungParliament I wouldn't tell anyone names I'm thinking of,
then there can be no faces or someone else stealing the name you were thinking of,

But peoples comments on babies names are a sore point for me as I don't speak to my father because he didn't like my dd2s name, (that is not the only reason obviously but the final straw)

DS2 was going to be Florence.

I love it. (obv)

You should use the name you love. Best not to tell in advance.

Actually Florence not that popular in fact I don't think I know any! but all the better for that. Not posh, any more than Alice, Olivia, etc etc.

Florence is nice and not particularly posh. Your family will get used to it.

Florence is a lovely name.

Of course you should if you love it. It is a lovely name, anyway - and there is one in my daughter's state school reception year. No problem.

F**k yes, use it, and I don't even need to know what name it is.

There is a girl is DS1's class called Florence, shortened to Florrie. I've always thought it was a lovely name.

People came up with problems with all three of our DC's names, but at the end of the day it wasn't any of their business!

If you like Florence use it. I don't think it is posh.

I'm not keen on Floss/Flossie as nicknames because they sounds too much like a pet's name. Florrie as helyq suggests is a much nicer nickname.

Florence is lovely!

Anyone who makes a face for example is a twät!

You have convinced me, we should go for the name we love and sod those who want to pull faces

Thank you

Now to find a boys name we love just as much

Florence is beautiful...can't think of any neg connotations at all, maybe floss is a bit dental, I dunno - but still! Lovely city, lovely name. Do it!

sophiesmummy, I cannot help but the thought cross my mind that maybe your son is called Sophie...hope not

We didn't use Penelope in the end because people thought we were joking.

We used a name we loved equally so not dissapointed though.

I think Penelope's lovely!
Defo use Florence - it's on my list. Such a pretty name.

Florence is lovely. It's classy but not at all too posh. Go for it!