First name: [name]Sunshine[/name]-[name]Day[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Joy[/name]
Nickname(s): [name]Day[/name], [name]Day[/name] [name]Joy[/name]
What I thought of it when I was younger: I thought it was awesome. I liked being called [name]Sunshine[/name] endearingly, and [name]Day[/name] as a nickname.
What I think of it now: I hate it. I changed my name to [name]Dana[/name] as an adult. I still go by [name]Day[/name] around family and friends. When I hit high school and decided I wanted to go to medical school someday/make a name for myself ( no pun intended) I decided that I wanted to be taken more seriously. My parents were major hippies and my mother was 100% native american. I spent the first 3 years of my life closely associated with a Native American Reserve in the US but then we moved to Detroit for my father’s job and left that life behind. My mother expected me to be into art and grow up closely with the Native American community–I chose otherwise. My sister’s changed their names as well in adulthood to their middle names. My youngest sister’s name was originally Water [name]Lily[/name] [name]Alexandra[/name] which she changed to [name]Alexandra[/name] W.L. and married a man named [name]Johnson[/name]. My middle sister was originally Foxanne [name]Helena[/name] and she changed her name to [name]Helena[/name] [name]Fox[/name] as an adult. My brother’s name was originally [name]Daniel[/name], after my father…and he didn’t have to change it, obviously.
My parents did not think of the consequences of naming their children EXTREMELY unconventional names (ESPECIALLY during that time period) and there were a lot of strange looks in school as a kid and even “what were you parents thinking?!” We even had a social worker come and evaluate our house after a teacher made an anonymous inquiry. This is why I really try to tell people to think twice before naming their children something like [name]Clover[/name]. Can’t you just put it in the middle spot and call her [name]Clover[/name]? She has to live with that name.
What I might have been called: My dad wanted to name us our middle names originally which is what we ended up going by, with me as an exception, and I changed my name to [name]Dana[/name] as my middle name was similarly hippie-sounding to me.
First name: [name]Jana[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Beth[/name]
Nickname(s): My grandmother sometimes called my [name]Jana[/name] [name]Beth[/name] or JB, but she was the only one.
What I thought of it when I was younger: It was troublesome. People had trouble pronouncing it right (I pronounce it like [name]Anna[/name] with a J, but it was sometimes pronounced like [name]Jay[/name]-na or [name]John[/name]-ah), and when they spelled it out, people sometimes spelled it [name]Janna[/name]
What I think of it now: I really love my name now. It’s not completely unheard of, but not anywhere near trendy or popular. I’ve only ever met two or three other Janas, and I really like not being one of five or six Jennifers in the room (no offense). I don’t know why, but people don’t have a hard time pronouncing it as much anymore. I would use it for my own daughter if it wasn’t already my name, lol.
What I might have been called: Mum wanted to call me [name]Bethany[/name] [name]Ann[/name] which Dad hated, and Dad wanted [name]Elizabeth[/name], which was his mum’s middle name. Mum didn’t like [name]Nan[/name] at all, so they compromised by giving me the middle name [name]Beth[/name]. I’m eternally grateful that I’m [name]Jana[/name], as I hate the name [name]Bethany[/name] and I’ve since met an [name]Elizabeth[/name] with whom I would loathe sharing a name
First name:[name]Lyndsey[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Rose[/name]
Nickname(s): [name]Lyn[/name], Lynnie [name]Lou[/name], [name]Lou[/name], [name]Rosie[/name], Rosebud, [name]Jinx[/name], Jinxy, Godal, [name]Omer[/name], Roseabella, [name]Bella[/name] [name]Rosa[/name], [name]Bella[/name], and literally 120 others. Our family is big on nicknames
What I thought of it when I was younger: I liked [name]Lyndsey[/name] and how it was spelled, I hated being called [name]Lyn[/name] and loved [name]Rose[/name], but didn’t go by [name]Rose[/name].
What I think of it now: I’m not a fan of [name]Lyndsey[/name] but I do prefer it with a y because I now don’t mind being called [name]Lyn[/name]. I love [name]Rose[/name] still and I go by [name]Rose[/name] now. I wish I had been named [name]Rose[/name] [name]Lynn[/name] or [name]Rose[/name] ___
What I might have been called: My dad liked [name]Kelsey[/name], my mom liked [name]Kaylee[/name] and [name]Rochelle[/name] [name]Leanne[/name]. I prefer [name]Lyndsey[/name] to all of that and I’m glad my older brother thought to suggest sticking [name]Rose[/name] in there since I now go by [name]Rose[/name].
What I thought of it when I was younger: I’ve always liked my name. I was pretty much the only [name]Shelley[/name]. Anyone else who was a [name]Shelley[/name] only had it as a nickname of a longer name like [name]Michelle[/name].
What I think of it now: I still really like my name, it’s simple and easy to pronounce. People always spell it wrong by leaving out the second ‘e’, but unless it’s important I just let it pass. I also constantly get asked if it is short for anything and I have to say no. I was named after [name]Shelley[/name] [name]Winters[/name] because she was a strong, outspoken woman. I like having that to live up to.
What I might have been called: Dad wanted [name]Susan[/name] or [name]Maria[/name]. Mum wanted [name]Lewis[/name] or [name]Edmund[/name] for a boy.
First name: [name]Kylie[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Jean[/name] Kierrason (I only go by [name]Kylie[/name] [name]Jean[/name] though)
Nickname(s): [name]Ky[/name], [name]Kiki[/name]
What I thought of it when I was younger: I loved it but was always called [name]Kyle[/name].
What I think of it now: I hate it. I think it sounds so Toddlers & Tiaras and will never fit a grown woman. AND everyone misspells it, or remembers it as [name]Kyle[/name], [name]Kaylie[/name], [name]Kayla[/name], [name]Keeley[/name], etc.
What I might have been called: There were a couple; [name]Brittney[/name], [name]Amber[/name], [name]Morgan[/name].
First name: [name]Ebony[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Anne[/name]
Nickname(s): Ebs, [name]Eb[/name], [name]Ebb[/name], Ebsie, Ebenenzer, [name]Ebenezer[/name]
What I thought of it when I was younger: Terrible I wanted to be [name]Yasmine[/name]
What I think of it now: I like it
What I might have been called: I don’t know. If I was a boy I would of been [name]Isaac[/name] my brothers name
First name: [name]Jasmine[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Lee[/name]
Nickname(s): [name]Jaz[/name], [name]Jazzy[/name], Jazzymin, JazBaz etc. and [name]Rory[/name].
What I thought of it when I was younger: I sort of liked it. I liked being called [name]Jazzy[/name].
What I think of it now: I am not a huge fan. And I really don’t like [name]Jazzy[/name].
What I might have been called: [name]Jade[/name] [name]Maree[/name]/[name]Lee[/name], or [name]Jasmine[/name] [name]Maree[/name]. [name]Lee[/name] and [name]Maree[/name] were my mum’s best friends. I would have been called [name]Daniel[/name] if I was a boy.
First name: [name]Avalon[/name]
Middle name(s):[name]Grace[/name]
Nickname(s):[name]Avie[/name] (with a strong a like [name]Ava[/name])
What I thought of it when I was younger: I actually remember wishing that my parents had named my something more unique like Guanyin. I’m not sure why but I really liked Buddhism in third grade.
What I think of it now: I love my name and can’t imagine any other name suiting me more
What I might have been called: With the exception of my sister’s name, [name]Avalon[/name] is the only Indo-European name that my parents could agree on and wasn’t a name of anyone my mom had taught. Basically there were no possible alternatives.
First name: [name]Mary[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Anna[/name]
Nickname(s): [name]Mar[/name]
What I thought of it when I was younger: HATED it!!! I didn’t like being one of many [name]Marys[/name], and I thought it was boring, dowdy, and drab beyond words.
What I think of it now: It’s still not my dream name, but I love it for a lot of reasons. I was named for my grandmother who had died a couple of years before I was born. My mom and her sister were both pregnant at the same time and both wanted to use the name [name]Mary[/name] [name]Anna[/name]. My mother had her heart set on it, so her sister gave it up and named her daughter [name]Ruth[/name] [name]Ann[/name]. My mom had a boy with that pregnancy, but she used it less than 2 years later when I was born.
What I might have been called: [name]Laura[/name]…possibly [name]Laura[/name] [name]May[/name], after my other grandmother.
First name: [name]Grace[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Nicole[/name]
Nickname(s): none really, a lot of people have tried to call me [name]Gracie[/name] but I’ve made it quite clear that is NOT going to happen
What I thought of it when I was younger: Hated it!
What I think of it now: Still hate it. Plan to change to my middle name once I start at Uni
What I might have been called: [name]Rory[/name]. Which is even worse than [name]Grace[/name] in my opinion
First name: [name]Kelly[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Joy[/name]
Nickname(s): Kell or Kell-[name]Bell[/name]
What I thought of it when I was younger: I didn’t really have a problem with it. There weren’t very many other girls in my school named [name]Kelly[/name], and when I did run into them, I thought it was kind of cool that someone shared my name and I wasn’t the “only [name]Kelly[/name]”.
What I think of it now: I love my name now, especially the meaning.
What I might have been called: If I had been a boy I would have been [name]Gregory[/name], which I really wouldn’t mind. My mom also liked girls names like [name]Ashley[/name] and [name]Megan[/name], but I am very glad she went along with my dad’s suggestion. There were way too many [name]Ashley[/name]'s and [name]Megan[/name]'s in my class.
First name: [name]Sophia[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Rose[/name]
Nickname(s): [name]Soph[/name], [name]Rosie[/name], various cutesy nicknames such as [name]Sophie[/name]-Wophie, [name]Rosie[/name]-Toes, Snophie etc.
What I thought of it when I was younger: I liked it. I went through the normal little girl stages of wishing my name was [name]Crystal[/name] or [name]Princess[/name]. Until about 4 years ago it was VERY uncommon here in Australia (I had only ever met 1 other [name]Sophia[/name]), so teachers and other people who encountered my name on rolls and the like would get really confused and either call me ‘[name]Sophie[/name]’ or pronounce my name ‘[name]Sophie[/name]-uh’, and because of that I didn’t love it.
What I think of it now: I [name]LOVE[/name] my name! I love the meaning of it and it’s history! It really suits me and whereas before I didn’t like that no one had heard of it, now I don’t like that it’s becoming so popular!
What I might have been called: [name]Stephanie[/name], which went on to become my younger sister’s name. If I was a boy I would have been [name]Marcus[/name].
First name: [name]Emma[/name]
Middle name: [name]Charlotte[/name]
Nickname: No. People always called me [name]Emma[/name].
What I thought of it when I was younger: I hate it. There are 6 "[name]Emma[/name]"s in school. [name]Charlotte[/name] is terrible.
What I think of it now: I like it.
What I might have been called: [name]Angelina[/name], [name]Rosanna[/name], [name]Wilhelmina[/name], [name]Tatiana[/name], [name]Isabella[/name], [name]Mabel[/name]…
First name: [name]Athena[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Janel[/name]
Nickname(s): [name]Teenie[/name], Theenie, Feena, Beans
What I thought of it when I was younger: I hated it. It was so unusual, I just wanted to be named [name]Elizabeth[/name].
What I think of it now: I love it. People respond well, and I’ve found that it suits me.
What I might have been called: I don’t think there were any other girl options, but if I were a boy I would have been called [name]Roger[/name], [name]Jeremy[/name], or [name]Jean[/name] (pronounced Zh-ohn.)
First name: [name]Lauren[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Elizabeth[/name]
Nickname(s): None
What I thought of it when I was younger: I really didn’t like it when I was little. I wanted to be named [name]Ariel[/name], like the little mermaid.
What I think of it now: I love my name now. I feel like I could be anyone I wanted with a name like [name]Lauren[/name]. It’s clean, so it could lend itself to a girly girl or a tomboy.
What I might have been called: [name]Kristen[/name] [name]Shay[/name], [name]Anna[/name], [name]Katherine[/name]
First name: [name]Raquel[/name]
Middle Name: [name]Garcia[/name] (mom’s maiden name)
nicknames: Mamas, mamita
What I thought of it when I was younger: I liked it, however I didn’t like it when people pronounced it the Spanish way.
Now: I still like it, and I don’t mind people pronouncing it the english way or the spanish way.
What I might have been called: [name]Fabiana[/name]
First Name: [name]Rowan[/name]
Middle Name: [name]May[/name]
Nicknames: Row (my brother and a couple of my friends) Row-maybe/ [name]Rowan[/name]-maybe (mum)
What I thought of it when I was younger: I had very mixed opinions, I either wanted a prettier name, or a more popular name like [name]Jessica[/name], or I wanted to be called [name]Miranda[/name] (my best friend at the time), I loved my middle name as it is my Grandma’s middle name and my Great-Grandma’s name
Now: I like it a lot more now, and I greatly appreciate having a more unique name (even though there is another [name]Rowan[/name] in my year) and I get really excited when I hear that people are considering naming their children [name]Rowan[/name], the only thing I don’t like is that it is unisex, and people saying ‘isn’t that a boy’s name’ to me.
What I might have been called: My mum wanted to call me [name]Amelia[/name], I would still have had the same middle name, but since my mum had named my older brother, my dad got to name me and chose [name]Rowan[/name]
First name: [name]Hayley[/name]
Middle name(s):None
Nickname(s): Haylz, HayHay, Ley, Hay, Haystack
What I thought of it when I was younger: I hated it! I didn’t meet another [name]Hayley[/name] until I was 16 (I really don’t know why that is, I suppose it just wasn’t popular in my area) and I wished I was one of the many Helens, Rachels or Jennifers in my class as I thought that would help me blend in more
What I think of it now: I quite like it. I think it ages well, it suits my girly personality but isn’t frilly, and its a good mix of not too common and not too unheard of (despite what I thought when I was younger! Since changing areas, I’ve since met plenty of Hayleys!). I do hate the spelling issue though - I get numerous spellings of it on birthday cards every year! I dislike the constant American mis-spelling of [name]Haley[/name] - that is actually an entirely different name with a different origin but people don’t seem to realise that.
What I might have been called: My mum wanted to call me [name]Kirsty[/name] and my dad wanted to call me [name]Victoria[/name] - I would have preferred [name]Kirsty[/name] to [name]Hayley[/name], but I would have HATED to be [name]Victoria[/name]!
First name: [name]Natalie[/name]
Middle name(s): [name]Hart[/name]
Nickname(s): [name]Nata[/name], [name]Nattie[/name], some other ones that don’t relate to my name at all…
What I thought of it when I was younger: I used to not like my middle name when I was little because, to me, it wasn’t a middle name; it felt more like a second surname. That and I didn’t like people thinking it was Heart whenever I told them what my middle name was. When I was about 4 or 5, I went through a phase where I would “change my name” every week or so after TV/movie characters, many which were boy names for some reason. I didn’t change my name because I didn’t like my first name, but just because I wanted to be “different”.
What I think of it now: I kind of like my first name, even though sometimes I secretly wish I had a slightly less common name, but not enough to legally change it. I’ve come to terms with my middle name, and quite like the dual meaning behind it. Depending on who tells the story, my mother will say [name]Hart[/name] comes from my great-grandmother’s married name. My dad will half-jokingly say it was after the [name]Hart[/name] family of wrestling fame. (known for wearing black and pink)
What I might have been called: My middle name was set in stone, but my first name could have been [name]Lindsey[/name] (deemed too popular by my mom), [name]Janelle[/name] (mom didn’t like the nicknames [name]Nell[/name] or [name]Nellie[/name]), [name]Janice[/name], [name]Jacqueline[/name] (mom didn’t like the nickname [name]Jackie[/name]), or [name]Lacey[/name]. (ugh!)
