Do You Hate Your Name?

[phoebejo]

I was thinking about this yesterday because they were discussing it on the radio at lunchtime. I don't think many people really do like their name, I know I hate mine! Cheryl is so bleurgh, I would never have chosen that but I can't think of what I would change it to. Then this morning I had to laugh when I read this so I decided to start this thread. Do you like your name and if not what would you prefer instead?

[Spins4me]

I don't think many people really do like their name, I know I hate mine! Cheryl is so bleurgh, I would never have chosen that but I can't think of what I would change it to. Do you like your name and if not what would you prefer instead?

 

Yep, can't stand it. Barbara means, stranger or foreigner. Some of my family shorten it to "Barb" (hate that even more) and some brave souls to "Babs" (they risk death). The "barb" part of it sounds like something sharp that tears at things and spoils them.

 

I'd like something that sounds like a bit of a free spirit, something short that can't be shortened further. Not sure what I'd choose.

[owl]

I had 30 years of being called Damsel, Denzil, Hazel, Damson, Danzig, Daffodil, Dazzle, Jezebel, thingy, wossname and oi-you. At least a thousand people have gone "tee hee, damsel in distress". I got asked to interviews because stupid employers ignored the Miss and the middle name and thought I was a man, and then got "we don't employ girls". That was when people were allowed to do that. You would have thought Danzil was easy enough to spell and remember, but not in England. There was no problem when I was small and we lived in Wales, as people here are accustomed to unusual names. Everyone got it right, no one made silly jokes about it. In fact, it would be thought very rude to mock someone's name.

 

So after 30 years I picked a new name and don't regret it. I don't think anyone should have to live with their parent's choice of name.

 

At least on the net we can call ourselves what we like, and heaps of people just call me owl anyway.

[cheryl33]

Cheryl I'm with you on this one! I hate my name

 

I was christened Cherylyn Patricia and then my dad's surname (marital name?) but I changed it by deed poll earlier this year and am legally known as Cheryl Gray now.

 

Boring I know but my dad told me last year my middle name was the name of a woman he was sh*gging at the time of my birth and its the first name that came into his head after my mum asked him to think of a middle name

 

I wish I was called Kimberley or something exciting. I do get called Chez by all my friends or Shrill by work colleagues. Only because the reception spelt my name as Chryl when I first started

[celeste]

I used to hate mine, but not any more, Jane, I thought, was such a plain boring name, I loathed the sound of it and longed to be called Victoria, then went through a phase where I spelt my name with a Y what can I say, I was a teenager, and you do that sort of thing when your 16. Now though, I rather like my name, it's simple and unpretentious, like me.

[Sophie]

I think I'm fairly indifferent to my name (which is Karen, not Sophie   ).

 

The only real issue I have with it is pronunciation.  My parents are English and pronounce it 'ka-ren'.  I grew up in Canada where it is pronounced like 'care-en'.  When I say it, it comes out some undecipherable mix of the two, and I always end up having to spell it   

 

 

[dibs]

I've always wondered whether there's an age limit on names being suitable? I've always quite liked being called Debbie, but as I get older I wonder if the name's too young for me? I'm thinking I should be Debra now (I'm not a Deborah).

Do names get too young for you?

[Sophie]

I've always wondered whether there's an age limit on names being suitable?  I've always quite liked being called Debbie, but as I get older I wonder if the name's too young for me?  I'm thinking I should be Debra now (I'm not a Deborah).

Do names get too young for you?

 

When Sophie came to us, we had a conversation about changing her name, as OH quite liked the sound of 'Sophie Summerfield' if we were ever to have a daughter.  I love the name Sophie for little girls, but for some reason don't think it fits many adults.  I definitely think of some names being less 'nice' for adults, but have couldn't tell you which names, or why - it's just something that seems to be there at the back of my mind with no explanation or logic reason for being there 

 

(I don't think any of that make sense so will run away now!)

 

 

[safneo]

I always hated my name - Andrea - and was called Andy by everyone which was fine as I was a tomboy as a child. When I became a teenager I changed the spelling to Andi. No-one ever called me Andrea except teachers at school. When I met my second husband he hated it when my ex would ring and ask to speak to me so called me by my full name instead. I actually grew to like it and use it all the time now. Only old friends and family still refer to me as Andi.

[cycas]

Victoria is all right, though I always think it sounds a bit frilly, but I don't like Vicky or Vick. That sounds like a cold cure.

 

My middle names are Frances and Mary, which I don't like at all (well, Frances is objectively not too bad assessed purely as a noise, only it reminds me of my evil grandmother), but thankfully I rarely have to use them.

 

I've never heard the name Danzil before, how unusual.

 

I think a Deb can be any age, but I always feel sorry for my mother whose name is Janet, which definitely sounds like a small girl to me.

[Laurel n Hardy]

Yes I bloody do

[lil_angel]

I dont mind my name at all. Its short n sweet lol. My Mum thought she was being a little bit different but I ended up in primary school with 3 of us with my name in my class.

 

My brother is Matthew. Only my Grandad and Me are allowed to call him Matt. He refuses to answer to any one else who calls him Matt or Matty.

 

When I worked in Pupil Admissions I used to cringe at some of the names the poor kids were called. Some of they were just daft spelling like Kay-tee and others were just mind boggling.

Edited September 10, 2009 by lil_angel

[one.eyed.dog]

My full name is

 

Lady Ellie Lucy Junkyard Dog Blake.

 

May have made a change or 2 along the way.

[phoebejo]

Yep, can't stand it. Barbara means, stranger or foreigner. Some of my family shorten it to "Barb" (hate that even more) and some brave souls to "Babs" (they risk death).

My name cannot ever be shortened either, like you say, it's on pain of death. Just last night at work a customer called me Chez and when he saw the look on my face then called me Chezza. He'll not be making that mistake again.

[merledogs]

I was christened Alison Marie and never really liked it. When I was at college I picked up the nickname 'Alexis' from a boyfriend (for those of you who remember Dynasty you'll know who I mean ), which then got shortened to Alex and it's stuck ever since. Even my family started calling me Alex and only my mother and a couple of other people still called me 'Ali'. I finally got round to changing it from Alison to Alex by deed poll a few years ago so now it's official