What would your name be?

I changed my Christian name to one I prefered about 20 yrs ago
Did it by deed poll
I’m really happy now

Dislike my given name and my surname....so was quite pleased to marry and change it.Shouldve called myself by a different given name but didn’t realise I could. Still don’t like it and I’m 68.

Some names date, some don’t. I think it’s impossible to tell in advance. I’ve been lucky with mine and they don’t date me.

Traditional names are the least likely to date. You couldn’t guess the age of an Edward, Andrew or Catherine.

Moleswife - my granddaughter, age 6, has a Margaret in her class! Then names that were very out of date when I was young are fashionable now - think Emily or Charlotte

I remember when my DGN was baptised and the priest gave him the wrong name (one of the names). However, it's the name on his birth certificate which is the legal one and everyone ignored what the priest said!

I was told that I was supposed to be Patricia, but when I was baptised at one week old my Godmother gave the wrong name and nobody corrected her. Margaret had been the original choice anyway.

I don't like either, but I can live with Maggie, Mags, or Meg, which I've had over the years. I would like something less common and more elegant though. Lois is lovely.

I like my name-it sat very well with my maiden name as both are/were Scottish. My brothers also have Scottish names as do 3 of the dgs and 3 of the nephews.

I actually did the deed and changed mine. My Mum was a bit hurt at first but when we discussed it rationally she was fine. However she continued to call me by my birth name and that was fine too. A little confusing when in mixed family company but that happened very rarely. My Aunt of 97 and a couple of cousins don't even know of the change and that's fine too. Amusingly, when I asked my husband how he coped he said 'when they start speaking of ---- I kind of switch off as though I don't know her'. Strange but true. Hey ho.

Apparently and according to my late mother her mil chose my name.

I always wished I'd had a middle name.
Our names date us so much - don't believe it, then when do you guess these names were most popular:
Susan, Margaret, Gillian, Linda, Christine
or these:
Donna, Tracey, Amanda, Kayleigh? See what I mean?

I did the deed and changed mine. Mum was a wee bit hurt at first but when we discussed it rationally she accepted it. However, she continued to call me by my birth name and that was fine. Only became a little confusing when we were in mixed family company and that was extremely rare. One Aunt of 97 and a couple of cousins don't even know of the change methinks. My husband used to make me laugh when I asked him how he coped. 'When I hear them speaking to/of ----, I just sort of switch off as though it's someone I don't know'. He wasn't kidding either. Hey ho.

SueSocks you're quite right, Susans are all the same age.

Wasn't it the most popular first name five years running ?

Something to do with Susan Hayward I believe.

There are so many of us, everyone calls me Sus... to rhyme with snooze... which I much prefer.

My mother called me Penelope which is not only pretentious but certainly not to my liking, so I changed it legally. This was not easy, but having ditched it, am very happy because like many of the other contributors, I am now legally Catherine. Such a lovely name don't you all think?

I hate my name and my Dh calls me by the name I prefer. When we told my Dad (aged 92) he was horrified!

Loathe my name with a passion! My father wanted Sylvia (thank goodness he didn't get his way!), but I was named after the midwife. No second name, so not much choice. But always wanted to be Morag, so always called myself that, although nowadays I do accept that my name is Sheila and stick to it. However, gave all my kids second/third names, so they can choose.

I've never liked my name and would have liked to be called Harriet, or Frances or Judith - cool, calm, grown-up names. But I have written two adult novels under pseudonyms and one was Kate and one Amy!

My name is a combination on my mother and father's names ( both of theirs were fairly unusual ). I am often asked if I have an Irish background and the answer is no.
It is also the name of an old piano tune. I have never really liked it.
When I asked my Mum what she would have named me if I had been a boy - the answer 'Barry'

My granddaughter has my name as one of her middle names. Conveniently, it also happens to be the name of her other grandmother!

I don't mind my name, it was quite unusual in 1946 when I was given it, and I only know another two or three people sharing it. I gave my daughter the same name but she never liked it and shortened it.
One GD has a name that has been in our family tree for two hundred years and the other is a beautiful Scottish name, my name does not feature anywhere.

Congratulations on your name callgirl1, it is beautiful. (Youngest DGD has the same lovely name. Must admit when we were first told I remembered it by thinking of Superman’s girlfriend).
I always wanted my middle name to be my fist name. Thought that rather old fashioned but then I remember who I was named after.

I’ve often thought about this, but usually come to the conclusion that although I’d like something more unusual, at least my names aren’t the sort that date me. When I was about 10, in 1950, I longed to be called Beryl for some reason. Now I’m glad I’m not. My father wanted to call me Catriona, but wasn’t sure how to pronounce it (CatREEona or CatriOHna) so I wasn’t called that. I’d have liked it, though. My mother liked Alison, but that’s not my name either. I would quite like to be called Caroline - not particularly unusual, but I think it has a nice sound.

I had an unusual surname before I was married. I wish I hadn’t taken my husband’s rather boring name, but it was quite a relief not having to spell it every time I said it!

I don’t like names to be shortened. Susan I like, but not Sue. Elizabeth but not Liz. Some boys’ names, like Christopher, Benjamin and Nicholas, are hardy ever used in full. I think that’s a pity, and it would stop me using them. (Sorry, that’s a bit off topic.)

Some people like a name that stands out, some hate that. My DIL was one of five Katherines in her year at school, which infuriated her, but I have a friend called Felicity who hated being the only one with that name.

I don’t really like my name although I don’t mind it’s derivative it’s also a dated name but my Dad choose it and I loved my Dad so
Is anyone else now curious about others names after reading this

My name was very unusual when I was growing up, and I never met anyone with the same name until I was in my late teens. And then only one. It is much more used now. Most people either say ' What, is that Welsh?' No it isn't. Or when I was younger ' What a pretty name's. I have always liked it and was glad it was unusual.

My name is also a male name and it’s rare for a woman.That being said it was my grandmothers name and I’m so proud I was named after her. She was a very special woman and her family adored her. I’d like to have been named Charlotte

No apology necessary, Suesocks!

SueDonim my apologies, assumed you were called Sue.