Would you use a name everybody hated?

My husband and I love love love the name [name]Louisa[/name] [name]Frances[/name]. It honors family, it works well internationally, and we think it’s beautiful and warm. However, NO ONE we know likes this name. NO ONE. Our families hate it, our friends call it “old lady”, the only people who have ever said kind things about it are on this blog. What do you think? Would you use a name no one you knew liked?

Sorry to say it but your family is totally out of touch of trends, one of which is the revival of old lady or nursing home names which people are discovering anew and loving.

[name]Louisa[/name] [name]Frances[/name] is a beautiful name, it is a classy dignified name, that will outlive the [name]Madison[/name]'s and [name]Addison[/name]'s of the present day.

So, if you love these names go ahead and give your daughter this name. I think [name]Louisa[/name] is really pretty.

Agreed. I think [name]Louisa[/name] is beautiful (I have a dear friend named [name]Louise[/name]), and [name]Frances[/name] is a lovely choice, definitely due for a revival. It does work well internationally, and will grow with her as the years pass. Your friends and family may be well-meaning, but they’re probably not as clued-in as you when it comes to baby name trends!

Well, I for one, love [name]Louisa[/name] [name]Frances[/name]! And we have chosen [name]Louisa[/name] [name]Margaret[/name] ([name]Margaret[/name] for family reasons, but I think [name]Frances[/name] sounds prettier) for our baby due in [name]November[/name] (IF its a girl). I think a lot of people I know won’t like it either, but we’re just counting on them to get used to it, and once they do, I think they’ll recognize it for the pretty name it is. We chose [name]Louisa[/name] as a middle name when I was pregnant with my son five years ago, but ever since then, it became more and more our choice for a first name. We chose it for my mom whose middle name is [name]Lou[/name] – she has gone by [name]Lou[/name] her entire adult life because she didn’t like her first name ([name]Alma[/name]). Now she says she likes [name]Alma[/name] but not [name]Lou[/name] . . . I hinted that the baby may be named after her, and she cringed, so I think she will like it the LEAST of anyone (that’s kind of ironic, isn’t it?).

Anyway, we are trying to keep the name a surprise, but I have a told a few people and some say they love it and its really pretty, and others pretty much say nothing (which I think means they think it a strange old lady name). Again, I think the more they hear it and think about it, the more they’ll like it. I also like that its more a name from 200 or so years ago than just 100 years ago – at least where I am from, there were more [name]Louise[/name]'s than [name]Louisa[/name]'s in my grandparent’s generations, but when I think of [name]Louisa[/name], I think of [name]Louisa[/name] [name]May[/name] [name]Alcott[/name], and [name]Louisa[/name] Musgrove in the [name]Jane[/name] [name]Austen[/name]'s Persuasion. In fact, I reread Persuasion this summer to make sure I loved [name]Louisa[/name], and it only made me love it more!

Now, my husband has never had any qualms whatsoever about the name [name]Louisa[/name], and just really really likes it. He doesn’t even get why anyone wouldn’t. (yet, he can’t get on board with [name]Leo[/name] or [name]Charlie[/name] for a boy??? I’m so frustrated!)

[name]Just[/name] curious – are you in the U.S., and if so, do you mind saying what region or state? I’m in a mid-south state/mid-size city.

[name]Louisa[/name] [name]Frances[/name] is so pretty. I’m sorry you’re having a hard time with it. I would probably still use it, and everyone would just have to get used to it. I don’t know how you feel about nicknames, but maybe your family and friends would find [name]Lulu[/name] or [name]Lula[/name] less objectionable. If you do decide that it will bother you too much if no one likes the name, choose a new one…but don’t tell anyone until the baby is born. My baby name list is top secret for that reason alone!

I love that you’re using [name]Louisa[/name] too!! While I don’t want it to get popular at all, maybe a little familiarity would help my cause! :slight_smile: [name]Louisa[/name] [name]Margaret[/name] is beautiful. I love it.

We’re in [name]Washington[/name] DC – but our families are all in the Midwest ([name]Indiana[/name]/Ohio) and we’ll probably move back there in the next few years. I know I should just use what we love, but it’s hard to think that our family and friends are so down on our choice!! Especially when I think it’s so stunning! Sigh.

They’ll come around! And I agree, while we wouldn’t want [name]Louisa[/name]'s cropping up out of nowhere all over the place, a few in this generation will make it seem less old-ladyish! When we named our daughter [name]Jane[/name] (she’s 6 now), I was convinced it was ready for take-off and kept watching, and well, it hasn’t happened yet!

[quote=“danal”]

They’ll come around! And I agree, while we wouldn’t want [name]Louisa[/name]'s cropping up out of nowhere all over the place, a few in this generation will make it seem less old-ladyish! When we named our daughter [name]Jane[/name] (she’s 6 now), I was convinced it was ready for take-off and kept watching, and well, it hasn’t happened yet![/quote]

Oh [name]Jane[/name] and [name]Louisa[/name]! Too cute. Have you made a decision for if it’s a boy?

I agree with the other commenters - they’re lovely names; they have the advantage of fitting name trends well without being wildly trendy themselves; and they will wear well. I know a teenage girl [name]Louisa[/name] who goes by [name]Lulu[/name], and I really like both the name and nickname.

No, I’m afraid not – I like [name]Leo[/name] or [name]Charles[/name] nn [name]Charlie[/name] (both have family connections), but my husband is excited about neither. I was going to make a poll with middle names, but he seems to like none of them. He seems to like [name]Francis[/name] a lot, so we talk about that for a middle, but we don’t have a personal connection to the name as far we know (no immediate family member/friend coming to mind). We already have a [name]Henry[/name] too, by the way!

[quote=“danal”]

No, I’m afraid not – I like [name]Leo[/name] or [name]Charles[/name] nn [name]Charlie[/name] (both have family connections), but my husband is excited about neither. I was going to make a poll with middle names, but he seems to like none of them. He seems to like [name]Francis[/name] a lot, so we talk about that for a middle, but we don’t have a personal connection to the name as far we know (no immediate family member/friend coming to mind). We already have a [name]Henry[/name] too, by the way![/quote]

Haha – I’m afraid we share really similar tastes! [name]Henry[/name] is our top boy’s name. :slight_smile: Good luck on your search for the perfect boy name! I wish you could talk your husband into [name]Charles[/name] nn [name]Charlie[/name]. [name]Charles[/name] [name]Francis[/name] is soo handsome!

I don’t think I would, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t! If you love the name go for it. My mother told me one of the most important things to think about when naming a child is if you like to say the name (which you will be doing–over and over lol!) If you love [name]Louisa[/name] then choose it, it will probably grow on your family.

[name]Even[/name] though my mother is really critical, and some people in my family are square, out of touch, etc., I would try to listen for a good reason to avoid the name, and decide to use it or not. I do like to please people, but I’ve also gotten to the stage where I see my mom caving in (still!) when my grandmother “makes a face,” or otherwise dislikes something. It’s my mother’s clothes and her house, she still second-guesses when my grandmother has any input on the matter (my grandma is not even harsh and she really doesn’t care that much - ask her what she thinks and she might say “eh” or “I like the way you had it before”), it just crushes my mom sometimes. I used to follow in the same pattern as a young person and into young adulthood, but I moved out of it. I shook it off.

I would still listen to her and decide if her reasons are valid. Sometimes she’s vocal, and other times, she says “that’s fine” with a tightness I can tell she’s just trying not to stir things up. I told her a while ago, I like the name [name]Doris[/name], and she instantly doesn’t like [name]Doris[/name], not because it’s too old-fashioned or sounds ugly. [name]Doris[/name] stole something from her. Considering her potential grandchild would be subject to her irrational prejudices against a classmate almost half a century ago, I would probably hesitate a lot. If she hasn’t let go yet, I don’t think an adorable baby would warm her to the name.

I think [name]Louisa[/name] is a pretty name and add to the vote for your peeps are just out of touch. I think it sounds pretty, and that’s primarily what I go by for names I would use, barring any insurmountable associations.

I met a [name]Louise[/name] in her 20s a few months ago, and I have to admit her name surprised me. Whenever I meet a young woman with an “old lady” name, I wonder how she felt growing up with a name unlike her peers. Because she’s closer to my age than an infant, I know it just was not common to have these sorts of names, and wonder to myself what made her parents think of it, and be bold enough to choose it for her, when other kids were called [name]Ashley[/name] and [name]Crystal[/name] and [name]Rachel[/name].

Nowadays, it’s not that big a deal, but for my tastes, a name that sounds good to say and hear will sound good no matter what the other kids’ names are. I like names that were popular in all eras - I think a 20-something named [name]Louise[/name] gets through life with her unusual name because no matter what, it sounds pretty and in some ways a little quirky - like hipsters before there was such a thing. A baby named [name]Louisa[/name] NOW will likewise have a pretty-sounding name, but also fit in with the trends. I would go ahead with it.

A lot of comments here that I would say exactly. I think [name]Louisa[/name] [name]Frances[/name] is gorgeous and you should go with it if you love it and are comfortable with it.

I did want to add a little side note, though. I saw that you’re considering [name]Charles[/name] [name]Francis[/name] for a boy. I don’t know if anyone watches the TV show “The Fringe” (its in its second season) but there is a man on their named [name]Charlie[/name] [name]Francis[/name] and he ends up dying in not such a great way…just thought I’d throw it out there. Who knows if this show will catch on or not so it might not be a big deal…just wanted to mention it!

Oops! I’m afraid I added confusion to the thread - it was me (not original poster) who said we were thinking of [name]Charlie[/name] or [name]Leo[/name] for a first name and [name]Francis[/name] for a middle name, and I think someone else said they liked [name]Charles[/name] [name]Francis[/name]. But I’m glad you brought this up - I don’t know that show; I felt there must be some association with this name though because it sounds familiar. As soon as I can get my husband to agree to some options (like he’s not said yet whether he’s even ok with [name]Charlie[/name] or [name]Leo[/name] - he’s PONDERING . . . ), I’ll make a new thread.

All trends aside, I love the name [name]Louisa[/name]. If you and your husband both adore the name then you should go with it. It is your child, after all.

Plus, there’s always a nickname like [name]Isa[/name] or something along those lines.

[name]Bet[/name] u a million bucks that the same friends who are telling u they hate the name will be using a very similar name in 5 yrs.

That’s so true! And it just reminded me of the first new [name]Ruby[/name] I heard about a few years ago - it seemed everyone was shocked and didn’t care for it much, and now look how popular it is!!! I remember defending the choice back then saying I thought it was really cute and why not?

I couldn’t agree more! I think [name]Louisa[/name] is gorgeous. I’m in the UK and it doesn’t seem so strange or old lady here, and I have always known a few Louises of different ages. I’ve only met one [name]Louisa[/name] (around my age - early 30s) and it immediately stood out as having that extra pizzaz. I love it! And as I said, I agree with other posters that your friends will feel differently about it in a few years. It’s true that some names date, but I think [name]Louisa[/name] is classic and just so pretty to say and hear. I’d say, go for it!

Well, I’m a huge fan of [name]Louisa[/name] [name]Frances[/name], too, and I would definitely use a name that everybody hated, especially if it was clear that the haters were out of touch with what’s stylish, and if they had a different naming style from my own.

In fact, if the people who hated my favorite classic name happened to be fans of trendy or dated names, I’d actually feel relieved and encouraged by their negative opinions, because it would let me know I’d made the right choice. :slight_smile:

Good luck, [name]Kim[/name]!