Your own name ...

aprilbaby2014

Just curious - how does everyone feel about their own name ? Do you love it for one reason ? Hate it for another ? Or just have learned to deal with it . What rank was your name the year you were born/youneek spelling/etc. ?

My name was number 11 the year I was born & my entire time in school there was always another girl with the same name in class so I was always FN & First initial of LN . Although, I was happy I didn't have a crazy spelling, to this day, I would love a different name . There's nothing about it I like ...

DaisyDuck40

My name is MeghanClare (I go by Meghan). I like it! I have never met anyone with that name and when I google it just some random chick on YouTube pops up and that's it! I know there are other people out there with my name, but not a lot lol and that makes me feel special I suppose.

I have no idea what the rank was.

The only annoying thing about my name is when I have to spell it for people....They like to spell Meghan Megan and Clare Claire and they always put a hyphen or a space between them.

SuperMom17

My name is Emily, and I have a twin sister named Grace. I always liked her name more than my own... FWIW, I never had another Emily in my classes at school, even when I went to college and what-not. I rarely meet another Emily my own age actually. I like it fine, I don't go by Em or Emmie or any other nn either. My sister goes by Gracie generally and always has since we were very little.

BulgariHeart

I love my name, always have. Was named after a strong-willed woman and I, too, turned out to be one. There's no way of knowing its exact ranking the year I was born but for sure it was pretty high in the chart. ETA - in the US it wasn't in the top 1000 the year I was born.

Helenahhandbasket

I don't like my name but I wouldn't change it.  It was a top 10 name the year I was born and it's pretty dated sounding.

jjh471

I'm Jillian. I had no other Jillians in my class ever but I like my middle name better even though it's technically made up...

lifeonthehill

My name is Alyssa. It was #30 in 1991. I never shared a class with a student with my name. I am glad for that. I didn't meet another Alyssa until I was in middle school and she moved into town and my younger brothers 2nd grade class. We were from a large town.

It is an okay name. I love it because it is mine. It is nothing I would ever choose myself. I did however LOVE my maiden name and was really sad to see it go but I want to share the name of my future children. Fun story. My initials were AMA and all of middle school my teachers called me "double a" and it always made me smile.

aprilbaby2014

@alyssa32713 My FN & MN are both M's so I always got M&M lol

sundaesprinkles

I kind of have a love/hate relationship with my name. It was #167 the year I was born and has been trending down since so it is fairly unpopular. It's rare that I run into other people with my name. I like that I have a unique name, but I don't like that I always have to spell it and sometimes repeat it because people don't hear it correctly (probably because it's unexpected). I can't picture myself with any other name though. 

Cat&S

I'm Caitlin. It was in the 100's when I was born in '84. I like my name, and it didn't get hugely popular until I was older. I wasn't in the same grade as another person with my name until high school and she spelled it completely differently (Katlyn). The only thing I dislike about it is that there are so many different spellings, and people usually don't get mine right even if I've spelled it for them.

diamondduck13

I don't like that its also a boys name, but I'm relieved it's at least predominantly female.

I don't like its the LN of the grandfather who left my mom at a young age never to be heard from again (my mom's defense: "I liked the name and it was my LN", she didn't think of it as naming after him, but when I pointed it out she was surprised she didn't think of that perspective herself.)

I like that its strong sounding and not cutesy. I like that its familiar without being popular; I've only known a handful in my life. Although it did urk me to meet one who had misspelled it and implied my way was wrong!

Overall I'm ok with it, but I've never liked it. I've never felt connected to it somehow. I think it's from the times people have told me they thought I was going to be a boy and that its the LN of the child- and wife-abandoning grandfather.

coopsbaby

Another Amanda, but I'm a bit older. I was born in 1973, so it was ranked #50 when I was born. There are TONS about 7-10 years younger than me, so people tend to assume I'm younger than I am, which is fine by me. One of my dd's friends told me the other day that I don't have a "mom" name. I never had another Amanda in my class, and there were only 2 others in the whole school, which I loved.

Gigi8212

My name is Stephanie. I don't mind it because it is what I am used to but I don't think it is a good name. You can tell I was born in the 80s!

My sisters are Emily, Anne and Meredith and I feel like they got timeless names, whereas I got the dated one.

LtlAngL

My name is Lisa. I'm too lazy to look up what # it was the year I was born, but I know it was very popular. I liked my name growing up because I felt like I "fit in" since there were 2 other girls in my grade with the same name. Now, I can't stand it because everyone can pinpoint my age based on my name. My parents were debating between Elizabeth and Lisa, and chose to go trendy. I wish they went the other way and named me Elizabeth but called me Lisa or Liz.

stahlop

My name is Lisa and it was #11 the year I was born, but on it's way out (trending down). I didn't meet a whole lot of other Lisa's until about high school, but I never had any classes with them, so I was never Lisa LN. It wasn't until I was an adult that there always happened to be multiple Lisa's in my group of friends, and then we were typically called by our last names.

I personally never likes my name because it just never felt pretty to me. I always wanted a name like Stephanie. Now I'm okay with it.

capulet

My name is Juliet.  It was #687 the year I was born and has risen since then.  I didn't really love the Romeo jokes I got when I was single (which was a long time; my first boyfriend was DH, whom I met when I was 27), and people often misspell it (either as Juliette, which is legit, or something completely weird), but those things don't really bother me anymore.  I'm glad I have a name that is classic, feminine, a literary reference, and familiar without being too common.

Bookelly

My name (Kelly) was in the top 25 when I was born. Though spellings varied, there was always at least one more in all of my classes. I hated it growing up since it was a masculine name with no good nicknames (though most people call me Kel). Now I can take it or leave it. We deliberately gave our daughter a lengthier, feminine name so that if she hates it she has multiple ways she can alter it, nickname-wise.

ellebee2

My name was #163 the year I was born but I wouldn't consider it uncommon. There were always a few kids in my school with it, but we all went by different nicknames.

The only thing I dislike about my name is that my nn (which I have always gone by personally and professionally) starts with a different letter than my given name. Not a huge issue, but is sometimes bothersome with official documents, signatures, etc.

sandraanddrew

I'm Sandra and it was 106 for the year I was born.  However, it was popular in the 50's and 60's when my parents were young, which is why they loved it.  I've never met another Sandra my age or younger but have met tons of them who are middle aged or older.  Don't love it but I don't hate it either.

evaazalea

Cara (Care-ah), of course I get both spelling and pronunciation issues but it doesn't really bother me since it's a short name, easily correctable. There were two Caras in my school in elementary so I did have to go by my last initial until high school where I was the only one. I like my name and seldom ly run into other Caras, it seems to be popping up on more name lists now and I have heard it on a couple of TV shows lately.

flerlgirl

My name is Kristen. I like it okay. I don't mind how common it is but it's so easily misspelled and people always default to Christine, and no matter how many times I say it properly they just don't believe me. I never felt like it was very girly and I don't use any NNs with it. So it's fine; just kind of blah. 

Ashleypixie

I know the name Ashley has always been really trendy but I rarely ran into one growing up. I didn't like it only because every bitch in every book or movie has been named Ashley, but now I love it. I fall naturally into bitchiness and it goes well with my bitchy resting face. Some of us are nice, but most of us are relentlessly judging you.

Lulu80301

My name is Lauren and I love my name. It was quite popular when I was born, in the 80s, but I only went to school with 2 others named Lauren so it never bothered me. I think it's an awesome name :-)

Texasgurly0313

Another Stephanie here.  It was #6 the year I was born (1985), and I always had at least one other person in my class with the same name.  My high school graduating class had 6 of us.  I don't mind it, but I hated when people shortened my name to Steph.  I preferred to be called by my full name.  

NerdyLucy

Ashleypixie said:

I know the name Ashley has always been really trendy but I rarely ran into one growing up. I didn't like it only because every bitch in every book or movie has been named Ashley, but now I love it. I fall naturally into bitchiness and it goes well with my bitchy resting face. Some of us are nice, but most of us are relentlessly judging you.

I just laughed out loud. 

I'm an Ashley as well. 

I'm from a really small town where everyone knows everyone else and I'm pretty much the first female Ashley around where I grew up. I knew boys named Ashley, but all the other Ashleys I knew were girls that were younger than me. 

Later, like in college, I was around a ton of other female Ashleys my age. I knew it was popular when I was born, but my experiences growing up didn't reflect that until I left my hometown. 

I didn't always like it because it was a boy name and also because it was super-trendy (as I later learned), but a professor I once had would talk about how great of a name it was, how different to hear it on a girl (????), and how it was a dignified English name, that Ash trees are lovely, etc. and I appreciated it more when hearing it spoke of from a different perspective. 

Also, the whole bitchy resting face?  Growing up, my mom would tell me to stop scowling, frowning, looking hateful, etc., and I'd be like, "But Mom, THIS IS JUST MY FACE. I CANT HELP IT." 

MeganM0710

I'm Megan. It's okay but i wish my name wasn't so popular. It was #10 the year I was born. There was ALWAYS another megan in the class. And in fact one of my best friends is Meghan. She's a year younger then me so we call her little Meghan

Ashleypixie

NerdyLucy said:

Ashleypixie said:

I know the name Ashley has always been really trendy but I rarely ran into one growing up. I didn't like it only because every bitch in every book or movie has been named Ashley, but now I love it. I fall naturally into bitchiness and it goes well with my bitchy resting face. Some of us are nice, but most of us are relentlessly judging you.

I just laughed out loud. 

I'm an Ashley as well. 

I'm from a really small town where everyone knows everyone else and I'm pretty much the first female Ashley around where I grew up. I knew boys named Ashley, but all the other Ashleys I knew were girls that were younger than me. 

Later, like in college, I was around a ton of other female Ashleys my age. I knew it was popular when I was born, but my experiences growing up didn't reflect that until I left my hometown. 

I didn't always like it because it was a boy name and also because it was super-trendy (as I later learned), but a professor I once had would talk about how great of a name it was, how different to hear it on a girl (????), and how it was a dignified English name, that Ash trees are lovely, etc. and I appreciated it more when hearing it spoke of from a different perspective. 

Also, the whole bitchy resting face?  Growing up, my mom would tell me to stop scowling, frowning, looking hateful, etc., and I'd be like, "But Mom, THIS IS JUST MY FACE. I CANT HELP IT." 

< The only boy Ashley I've ever met was a 6 foot tall 250lb black man. No lie.

KristaU831

I'm Krista and the only thing that bothers me is that people always spell it wrong or think I'm Kristen, Kristine, Kristina etc. 

I ALWAYS get the Christa spelling even though the K was much more popular when I was born. 

NerdyLucy

Ashleypixie saiid

< The only boy Ashley I've ever met was a 6 foot tall 250lb black man. No lie.

At my workplace, there are about 50 people total, and two Ashleys. One female (me) and one male. He tends to go by Ash, and it can be confusing because a lot of things, like our email addresses, are by our initials, and my initials spell Ash. 

Chapter79

I'm Erika.  Was #91 in 1979, when I was born. (Erica was #32).
I like it because it's me, but it's kinda dated.  It's always misspelled, though.

julesgilead

My name is Julia, and I love it. It's beautiful and classic. I never had another in my class until I hit middle school and went to a bigger school, and then 3 of the 80-something girls in my grade were named Julia, even though it's not super-popular in terms of rankings. I remember being rather upset about losing my unique-name status, but it doesn't really bother me now. My middle name, Katherine, is the FN of my mom's older sister, who died in a car accident when they were teenagers. I went through a phase where I didn't like having the same name as someone who died so tragically, but now I appreciate having a family name that honors someone my mother loved who I never got a chance to meet.

Interestingly, both of my names fit really well with my own naming style--I would consider naming a future daughter Katherine, and I like a lot of names similar to Julia.

mylilwildflower

Genevieve.

I didn't like it much growing up but I didn't dislike it either. I love it now!!
I am not sure what it was ranked. I

Coconuthead

My name is Rachel. It was #17 the year I was born. When I was girl I didn't like it very much, but I appreciate it more now. I've often had another Rachel in class or in the workplace and had to go by first name, last initial. What I like is that it is a classic name, when I was a girl I knew old ladies with my name and I when I am an old lady I imagine people will still use it.

One thing I don't like is when people think I spell my name Rachael.

SidraJedi

My name is Misty. I think that my name is okay and that it sort of suits me in a way. I've considered that a different name might suit me better. Sometimes I think I would like a different name. (If I could choose a different nature name I would choose Dawn or a different name that sounds like Misty I would choose Mary) but my mom has changed her own name three times and this has completely turned me off from assuming a pseudonym. I think that changing your name is a cop-out no matter how mismatched you might be with the name, so I've tried to work it. To be clear, if my name was La-a or Orangello I might be okay with changing my name. I may yet go by my MN for work at my next job just because I think that I might be taken more seriously, my MN is Leigh.

I did enjoy being the only Misty at any of my schools and at my jobs. In fact, I like that I've met other Misty's but I've never been bombarded by them. The name was ranked 74 in the year of my birth and has been dropping since.

ETA: sometimes people mishear "Missy" and that sucks, but not as bad as the people who try to NN me "Mist". The best part about my name is all the old men who serenade me with the song "Misty". I'm not kidding, so far I've only ever thought it was cute when it's happened.

magentawarped

I'm a Lindsay, born in '83...way too damn popular. I hated it. There were 4 Lindsays with various spellings in my classes, twice. It was always misspelled. I also thought it sounded frumpy when I was a kid.

Kateysomething

Katelyn isn't even on the top 1000 the year I was born! Go, mom. However, 10 years later it was in the top 100.

There were 5 other Katies in my class, though, so it felt very common.

MrsMrWonderful

I love my name and always have. It's Sheena. It was more popular when I was born because of the singer Sheena Easton, but it was really never that popular. I've only met one other Sheena in my life and she happened to live across the street from me. I like my name because it is both feminine and unique.

scoutkate

I'm a Sarah born in 1979, so I have always been one of many Sarah's at school/camp/work etc. I don't mind. I love my name.

ArmyWife114

My name is Jessica, it was #1 the year I was born.  I hate how popular it is (being "Jessica R" in a class with 7 Jessicas got old real fast).  Even now I still run into a lot of other Jessicas, but I don't mind as much since I generally go by Jess, so that helps distinguish a little bit.

Spin313

My name is Leslie, and I like my name. It was a less popular 80s name, and I didn't meet another Leslie until high school (and never in a class). The only thing that bothers me about my name is when people pronounce it "Lez-lee" instead of "Less-lee."

Jynx23

My parents and everyone else have called me by my nickname my whole life so it is very strange to me to be called by my full formal name in grad classes and at work with people who see my full name on my email constantly. I wish my parents would have just named me the name that they were going to call me!