Teasing about the girl's name Flora...

[Tinkjon]

Hi... as mentioned on a previous thread, we're considering calling baby No.2 Flora if it's a girl, but some recent comments (both on MN and in real life) have brought up a comment that girls named Flora 'spread easily' (because of the margarine of the same name). When I first heard that comment I thought it was just a joke that the person had made up, but I've now heard a few people mention it so I'm wondering if it's a well-known playground taunt. Have many people here heard this comment before - or if you are named, or know anyone named, Flora, have you had this remark directed at you? I love the name so much, but would hate to set up a daughter for this sort of teasing...

I look after a Flora, and there were two at DD's school, so grown up n ow. I think it is a beautiful name, never heard her acalled anything other thn her name

it true kids will picup on almost anything - hence why i wouldnt want to call my daughter flora - becuase when she is 15 it could make her life very hard.

some things you have control over - names, clothes, others you dont - your child might be ugly or have red hair or have 6 toes.

i would try and minimise the things that could cause future woes

I have heard that before at school it was used as a nickname then for that exact reason.

I do think though that you soult call your dd anything you want to and that kids will pick up on anything like the smelly ellie, juicy lucy tyoe things no matter what you call them.

I think Flora is a lovely name and it was a name before it was the margarine.

One thing popped into my head my friends very straight laced MIL was calling friends dd's "bits" her fanny when bathing her and friend said please don't call it that. The MIL had known a person called Fanny so to her it was not the unpleasant word that we know it as so times change.

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone. Again, yes I completely agree that any name is up for ridicule - it's just that a comment like "spreads easily" is really offensive compared to something like 'playground-ish' like Smelly Ellie, IFSWIM... I think from this thread that enough people have heard this taunt to put me off using it Or I could just wait and see whether we actually have a girl and stop stressing about it for now Much appreciated, ladies!

Use it as a middle name?

I don't think fanny is an unpleasant word. I think it's a perfectly OK nickname for the vulva, like willy for penis.

Flora is a lovely name.

Tinker, that's a good idea about the middle name, but our other name up for consideration is Freya and I think that's too many F's! But we have a few reservations about Freya too, so Flora could end up a middle name if we go for something else altogether.

I look after Freya and Flora! It makes me smile when I think of them, (on holiday at the moment) as they are so delightful and their names suit them