S/O Unique Names

[katespade]

How do you feel about your name? Has your opinion changed as you've grown up?
Do you ever wish that your parents had given you a more common name/spelling?

[katespade]

I've always appreciated my name. My unique spelling is because I'm named after my Grandpa, who was one of my favorite people in the whole world. If there hadn't been a reason for it, I think my opinion would be very different. I plan to give my children family names, because having one has always felt so meaningful to me and I want to give them that experience, too.


I remember that my mom used to special order things with my name on them so I wouldn't feel left out, because my brother has a really common name and could find personalized souvenirs everywhere we went.

[estrellita]

I always hated that my name was so common. But I do like that people recognize it (though usually spell my nickname wrong as mentioned in the other thread). I attempted to give E a less common name but we all know how that worked out. Haha. I like H's name, it's a good combo of recognizable but not common.

[grover]

I hated my name bc it couldn't be shortened to a nickname like all my friends when I was little. I was especially upset at like six bc my mom told me my first name was going to be Nicole (Nikki) and she moved it to my middle name instead. Now of course I realize that instead of being one of 2 Lisa's in third grade I could have been one in 5 or more Nikki's, but whatever.
H hates his full name but doesn't mind the shortened version.
We are naming our daughter with a long name that has lots of nickname possibilities if she chooses.

[travelbug]

I adore my name. Truly love it. First and middle. I was the only one growing up and in all my classes. We plan on naming our future children more unique names as well

[Blue Moon]

Eh. My first name was very popular in the 80s but not so much anymore. It never really bothered me. My married name is a very common Irish surname, so I am essentially Google-proof because a million results would come back. I even have the same name as my MIL.

I chose what I thought was a more unique name for my daughter given that she was going to have the same common surname. Her name has grown in popularity and she has another kid in her small daycare class with the same name. I'm not sure what to name my son, but I'd like something not too common.

[cowgirlcutie]

I hated my name growing up. Like it was mentioned, my name doesn't have a shortened nickname so I felt left out and uncool. It seemed like an old middle-aged lady name. I never ran into others in my age group so I guess that was a bonus. Now, I'm fine with it, but mostly because I can't do much about it lol. We named our daughter a common 70s/80s name that isn't commonly used now so she shouldn't run into many in her age group. We liked the idea that it's easily recognizable yet almost fresh again.

[bk1]

I love my name. I'm named after my grandma and grandpa. I like that it is old fashion but uncommon. I don't mind the spelling aspect.


travelbug Your name is one of my all time favorite names. I 100% would have used it but DH wasn't on board.

[wanderingenough]

I like my name just fine. It was popular growing up as an elementary schooler in the 90s, but not Jennifer-level popular. I love my middle name and would have preferred if my parents used that as a first name. Of course, as a kid I would have thought IT was too unique. Can't win them all!

suzv - I have a family member, Suzanne, who has the opposite problem prob you have mentioned. Everyone calls her Susan. Drives her crazy. She is like "they are different names!"

[HoneySpider]

I've always been fine with my name, never loved or hated it. I did used to wish it had a nickname, so I always thought I'd name my kids something with a nickname. Nope. But that doesn't bother me since DS has his own nicknames not related to his actual name.

[katespade]

HoneySpider - I've never really had any nicknames either. I guess I'm just not a nickname kind of person. My dad and step-family shorten my name, and I hate it. I wish they would just call me by my full name!

[MrsMB]

HoneySpider Some of my friends in the 6th grade decided to nickname me "Missy." No offense to Missy's...but it didn't fit me. Keep my real name!

[pooh8402]

I'm kinda meh about my first name. I didn't like it at all when I was younger and now I'm just meh about it. It's common but not popular, kwim? And old. It was more popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. I was named after my great-grandmother though, so... It's the most common spelling possible (yet still gets misspelled often). One of my favorite actresses uses my given name as a nickname, and she's about the same age as me, so I like that!

I do love my middle name and would rather go by it, to be honest. I feel like it suits my personality more?

[HoneySpider]

Jan 4, 2017 10:53:12 GMT -5 MrsMB said:

HoneySpider Some of my friends in the 6th grade decided to nickname me "Missy." No offense to Missy's...but it didn't fit me. Keep my real name!

Yeah, you don't seem like a Missy!

[travelbug]

Thanks bk1! You made my day

[rockinrobyn]

My name is not popular at all and has it's own song. I was made fun of a lot growing up. Even now a lot of my patients still say "like the bird?" And a couple of them tweet at me. Even with all of that I still like it because it is unique and if someone says it I know they are talking to me.

[awick14]

I don't have an opinion about my name really. I am not a fan that it so common though. I grew up with 4 other people with my name.