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Original poster

Renaming a terrible house name

213 replies

ChristmasCrumpet · 19/08/2023 21:35

Just a bit of a silly one as it may come to nothing, but we've seen a house we like....that's currently aesthetically awful but tonnes of potential.

It's large, detached 3000sqft. Stands in an acre. 16th C but been extended and extended. The outside is covered in mock Tudor beams, painted chocolate brown with a yellow background. We'd take off all the mock diamond lead stuck on the windows, and paint it nicely! It's a big imposing lump, and I like that.

The owners have named it (very similar to) Lance Lodge. It's not a lodge. And Lance is bloody awful.

We'd rename it 'Something' House.

What would you replace 'Something' with? What sounds like a nice, strong, impressive, clean, welcoming name?

I don't like the usual suspects...Crown House. White House. (Although we'd probably paint it mainly white TBF.) Oak House. All are a bit uninspired, one in every village.

I quite like Alexander House, but DH thinks it's just odd to pick a random name, I just think it flows.

Looking for hive mind inspiration!

(I've been looking on Rightmove at house names, there's genuinely one for sale called Chez Wedrewolf. Yes really. And no, I don't like Wedrewolf House Grin)

OP posts:
Original poster
ChristmasCrumpet · 19/08/2023 21:59

Iclyn · 19/08/2023 21:47

What can be seen from the house ? Are you in a historic area , could you link to that ?
Do you like a particular season - Winter House , Spring House ? A place you love - Highland House , Devon House ?

What can be seen is a tonne of fields, and a metal fabrication unit.

Winter House I also suggested as that's one of DDs middle names, but DH dislikes that too.

OP posts:
SarahAndQuack · 19/08/2023 21:59

I think it'd be a bit wanky to call it something personal to you - if it's a really old house, I'd just go with whatever name you like from the past. Or something totally descriptive that helps the postie? As you say, white house or oak house is a bit boring.

I do get the issue - we're currently trying to make this decision about our house. It's a tiny and undistinguished cottage, but our mail goes astray because the postal address just isn't clear enough, so we want to find a name that'll help people find it. We looked at the history and there were some terrible names! We understood why someone in the recent past just did away with them all.

GerbilTrainerExtraordinaire2 · 19/08/2023 22:00

look at the trees, wildlife and plants in the garden?

look at the history of the building, what was its function if it was not a home, who built it/bought it, what was their job?

weegiemum · 19/08/2023 22:00

My parents bought a lovely house in the country when they sold the family home and it was called (I kid you not) Graceland!

They changed the name to the name of the street the family home had been on, where we had grown up. I'm not saying the name, but it's (something)field. Fits in well with local farm names and we all like the connection.

saraclara · 19/08/2023 22:01

curaçao · 19/08/2023 21:51

Or a hospice

Show quote history

Yep, both of those.

Original poster
ChristmasCrumpet · 19/08/2023 22:01

LadyOfTheCanyon · 19/08/2023 21:48

If it's 16th century, hasn't it got genuine Tudor beams?

That part, they probably are original. But that part makes up about 15% of the place. And the rest is that fake beams stuck on the outside thing. I think it wouldn't look so bad if they hadn't done the whole thing chocolate brown and yellow.

OP posts:
YukoandHiro · 19/08/2023 22:02

Don't call it anything that sounds like the location of a major police investigation

saraclara · 19/08/2023 22:03

Why name it? Presumably it has a number?

I drove along a perfectly normal road yesterday (the Cotswolds, doncha know) where none of the houses had a number, just names. I felt for any delivery person or postie.

hennybeans · 19/08/2023 22:04

What about a saints name? Any from your area?

Our house has a ridiculous name that we’ve lived with for 10 years because it’s such a pain to change everything. It is the only address in England with this name. Except for one house in the next village over where our previous owners moved to and renamed that house. Once a delivery driver told me in astonishment that he had just delivered a parcel to X House in the next village and couldn’t believe there are two of them!

Neighneigh · 19/08/2023 22:06

Sorry to be boring but it's not listed is it? Just before you go changing anything on the house itself ...

GerbilTrainerExtraordinaire2 · 19/08/2023 22:07

Meadow house

pasture house

paddock house

furlong house

Original poster
ChristmasCrumpet · 19/08/2023 22:07

saraclara · 19/08/2023 22:03

Why name it? Presumably it has a number?

I drove along a perfectly normal road yesterday (the Cotswolds, doncha know) where none of the houses had a number, just names. I felt for any delivery person or postie.

No, it's completely stand-alone. Down a very long drive, so the postie won't need help, there would be a sign on the main road (as there currently is) pointing down the drive, saying Lance Lodge. It's not visible from the road, it's way back in the middle of three fields.

There is literally bugger all in the garden, for all those suggesting inspiration there...all lawn, bar one large tree (think it's oak) and actually some very old graves! Corpse house?

OP posts:
PoliticallyIncorrectHitchling · 19/08/2023 22:07

Sugar Maple Lodge
Hawthorn View
Anderson Abode( suename) Abode
Anderson Abode

waltzingparrot · 19/08/2023 22:08

I live near a 'Fox House' - I've always liked the name.

PoliticallyIncorrectHitchling · 19/08/2023 22:09

Sorry, sent too quickly
Laurels
Firs
Gables

Goodviibrations · 19/08/2023 22:09

Crumpet House

catin8oots · 19/08/2023 22:10

NooNakedJacuzziness · 19/08/2023 21:50

Could you combine your names - like Casa Bevron in Brookside 😆

This has brought up a vague and distant memory and I love it!

I think all houses should be named via a mashup of the owners.

Steve and Jane - Stane House

Lisa and Roy - Loy Cottage

Kristie and Bill - Krill Heights

SheilaFentiman · 19/08/2023 22:10

Something like Stoneridge or Stonecroft?

Original poster
ChristmasCrumpet · 19/08/2023 22:11

waltzingparrot · 19/08/2023 22:08

I live near a 'Fox House' - I've always liked the name.

Oooh, I like Fox House.

I want to make the Fox longer though, more syllables, sort of Foxford (not actually that though it's crap)...

OP posts:
NyanBinaryJohn · 19/08/2023 22:12

I just looked at synonyms for 'lance' and found 'shaft', 'penetrate' and 'prick'...

Think of the fun you could have Grin

Merapi · 19/08/2023 22:13

If it's that old, it will already have had a name (possibly more than one) over the centuries. Maybe ask your local history society or see whether some research can be done at county archives.

JennyForeigner · 19/08/2023 22:15

Our house was one of three Rose Cottages of five houses on this side of the road 😊

We renamed it after the village green, which is the other side. I can't think why no-one had bagged it first!

JennyForeigner · 19/08/2023 22:16

Oak House is nice though!

Tlolljs · 19/08/2023 22:16

What about Fairfax House.
No reason but you said you liked fox but longer