It was about a year ago I saw a birth announcement for a little [name_u]Florence[/name_u], and I thought to myself, “huh. I really don’t like that.” Fast forward only five months later, and I’m absolutely obsessed (thanks [name_u]Florence[/name_u] Pugh!) Any of you guys have names you used to dislike but have come around too?
Some others for me:
[name_u]Maria[/name_u]- I watched The Sound of [name_f]Music[/name_f] for the first time
[name_f]Sophia[/name_f]- a character in a mod (which I don’t actually use) for a name I play, but I fell in love with her design
[name_m]Alfred[/name_m]- I watched War Horse and thought the main character was named [name_m]Alfred[/name_m], which won me over. It turns out his name is actually [name_m]Albert[/name_m]! I still love [name_m]Alfred[/name_m] though!
[name_m]Jeremy[/name_m]- [name_u]Jem[/name_u] [name_u]Finch[/name_u]. Need I say more?
[name_f]Jane[/name_f]- [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u], [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_f]Eyre[/name_f], etc etc
Hmm I used to dislike the names [name_f]Mia[/name_f], [name_u]Luka[/name_u], [name_m]Marko[/name_m], Aleksandar, [name_f]Sofija[/name_f], [name_f]Tamara[/name_f], & [name_f]Una[/name_f].
The first 5 names I used to dislike because I know too many people with those names, thought it was overused and too popular; and just thought they were plain names. Now, I appreciate these names more and like them more as I’m older, know more about the history behind the names, and actually really love the last two names now. I’d use [name_u]Luka[/name_u] in a heartbeat now if it wasn’t so common and used everywhere lol. Also grew to appreciate the names [name_m]Marko[/name_m], Aleksandar, & [name_f]Sofija[/name_f] after meeting some friends with these names, and now I have nothing but good Associations with them
I used to dislike some vintage names that I love now! I thought they sounded “old”. Now that I met babies with these names, I feel like they work well at all ages.
Here is the list:
Alice
Adele
Daphne
Estelle
Leo
Arthur
Edit: I forgot Clara, which is now one of my top choice if I ever have a girl, along with Estelle. Arthur and Leo are strong contestants for a second boy.
The only one I can of is [name_m]Bram[/name_m] ( don’t hate me ). The first time I saw it in a book I thought that it looked very unappealing but then I saw it on nb and now it’s my #1 favorite.
i used to really really dislike the name william - one of my very first posts on nameberry was in the hot takes thread talking about how much i didn’t like it, now it’s like my #2 boy’s name
I used to absolutely hate [name_m]Eugene[/name_m], but now I think it’s adorable and fits my style so well! Not sure what really caused the switch haha
Oh I was the same. Then I met a really nice [name_u]William[/name_u] and suddenly I loved it! Funny how people can change our perception on names like that
I really disliked Phillip/Philip. I thought it was so ugly.
[name_f]Oona[/name_f] / [name_f]Una[/name_f]
[name_f]Frederica[/name_f]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_f]Hilda[/name_f]
[name_m]Breccan[/name_m]
I like all of these very much now
[name_f]Fatima[/name_f]! Before I thought it was so unappealing but one day it’s like a switch flipped in my mind and I started to absolutely adore it. It’s now in my top 5 girls
Another one is [name_f]Amparo[/name_f]. I never hated it but didn’t love it either at first, but I started to think about it more and now it switches places between #1 and #2 absolutely love her I think she’s so gorgeous
Actually, a lot of the names I currently like!! I used to despise “old people” names, such as [name_u]Stanley[/name_u], [name_u]Walter[/name_u], [name_u]Ira[/name_u], [name_f]Agnes[/name_f], [name_f]Agatha[/name_f], [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], [name_u]Florence[/name_u], etc. Now they are my favorite types of names!
[name_f]Edith[/name_f] - I used to think it sounded so old fashioned, dull and dusty, but with the nickname [name_f]Edie[/name_f] which I love, I’ve come to see it as fresher and more beautiful.
[name_u]Noah[/name_u] - as a child I came across it on an actual child for the first time on my only association was [name_u]Noah[/name_u] as in the ark, and so I saw it as an old man/ancient/dead name. Now I love it for a boy
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] (and Oliver) - I used to hate it as a child, I was obsessed with name meanings then and I couldn’t bear the thought of anyone giving their child a name meaning ‘olive.’ I also disliked how popular it was, I had three in my class back in school, and that was before it was in the top 20!! Now I don’t love it but I have more of an appreciation for it since learning you can use it to mean ‘peace’ as in ‘olive branch’ and it has a nice flow/aesthetic to it.
[name_f]Maude[/name_f] - I still don’t really like this one, all I can think is rhymes with bored and sounds really dull, but [name_f]Maude[/name_f] [name_u]Ivory[/name_u] from the Huger Games prequel “A [name_m]Ballad[/name_m] of Songbirds and Snakes” has mellowed me to this one ever so slightly
there are probably others but these are the ones that come to mind right now
I never liked [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] or [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] when I was little. I think it might have been something about the sounds, especially for [name_f]Daphne[/name_f]? Made me think of [name_u]Daffy[/name_u] Duck. And [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] felt stuffy and old. But now that there are a lot of little Theos running around [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] seems much more current and appealing. I’m not sure what prompted the switch with [name_f]Daphne[/name_f]. Maybe awareness of the Greek mythology associations which give it a more interesting, classic feel?
I feel the same about [name_u]Florence[/name_u], and especially with the nickname [name_f]Flossie[/name_f]. [name_u]Florence[/name_u] was sort of okay, but I strongly disliked [name_f]Flossie[/name_f]. But [name_u]Florence[/name_u] is growing on me, and [name_f]Flossie[/name_f] is my favorite nickname for it.
Others:
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
[name_u]Chris[/name_u] - I now like it for a boy, possibly with the full name [name_m]Christer[/name_m], but the jury is still out on that one
[name_u]Max[/name_u]
But my most extreme case is probably [name_m]Bram[/name_m] I used to dislike it, and not just “meh, maybe not for me”, but actively dislike it When I met the man who’s now my husband, years before we even got together, he told me his name was [name_m]Abram[/name_m] but he went by [name_m]Bram[/name_m], and my first thought was “lovely man, shame about his name”. But I have to admit he made my dislike for the name [name_m]Bram[/name_m] disappear, slowly but surely
I used to really dislike [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] I just heard ‘Jew nipper’ which is just very odd especially if your off Jewish descent anyways fast forward to this right now I think [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] is lovely. Such a sweet nature name. It’s definitely the influence of nameberry I think but yep loving [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] now
Haha, I was the same with [name_m]Phillip[/name_m], [name_u]Jude[/name_u], and [name_f]Frederica[/name_f]. [name_u]Jude[/name_u] I’m still kinda iffy about because my close friend has some feelings attached to it, and that’s all I’m ever going to be able to think of. But [name_f]Frederica[/name_f] is gorgeous. It was never on my radar until [name_f]Lady[/name_f] [name_f]Susan[/name_f], and now I adore it!
the one that comes to mind for me is [name_m]Hugo[/name_m]! it fits right into my style, but for a long time I just didn’t love it. a few beautiful combos later and I slowly fell for it! now I really enjoy the name (:
[name_u]Anne[/name_u]! I feel like this is so commonly used as a filler middle name and that really turned me off of the name… but then I read an [name_u]Anne[/name_u] of [name_u]Green[/name_u] Gables graphic novel a few months back, and I’ve now started watching the Netflix show… and I all of a sudden appreciate [name_u]Anne[/name_u] so much more.
Also loved reading your intro here— I do the same. I totally will dislike a name, then watch an actor with that name, and fall in love. Could not have cared less about the name [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] a year ago, but then I started watching [name_u]Marvel[/name_u] and thought, “golly, that is a lovely name…!”
When I met the man who’s now my husband, years before we even got together, he told me his name was 
Could not have cared less about the name [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] a year ago, but then I started watching [name_u]Marvel[/name_u] and thought, “golly, that is a lovely name…!”