We all spend far too much time deliberating over our little ones' names, but aren’t we supposed to? After all, they are going to be saddled with this moniker for the rest of their lives.
One mum-to-be has asked the women of mumsnet if the name she’s chosen for her unborn daughter is simply “horribly ugly,” and it’s sparked quite the debate.
Taking to social media, the mum in question explained that she already has a daughter named Tabitha, and is currently expecting another baby girl. She’s always loved the name ‘Winnie’ and plans to use it for her new daughter, but is wondering whether or not she should put the name ‘Winifred’ on the birth certificate.
“I know it's a bit ugly. But I like it anyway. And Winnie is one of my all time favourite girl's names,” the mum noted.
Continuing, she wrote, “I don't want to use nicknames on birth certificates mainly because my other children have long, full names, so using just Winnie would seem a little insubstantial in comparison. But is Winifred TOO ugly?”
The mum then went on to wonder if the name would eventually grow on her, like other typically old-fashioned names. “Is Winifred like... a Dorothy or Edith of a name? These names both sounded awful when I first heard them, but they started to grow on me as they got more popular and now they´re more familiar sounding and I know beautiful little girls with these names, and it's saved the names for me. I love them both now!”
However, she also expressed concerns that ‘Winifred’ falls into the ‘Gertrude’ category, “eternally ugly and never ready for a comeback”.
Many mums took to the comment section to put this mum-to-be’s mind at ease, with one user saying, “I think Winnifred is better than Winnie- don't put just Winnie on the birth certificate! It's OK verbally, but written down it just makes me want to add, 'the Pooh'”
However, other mums had very strong opinions against the name. “Sorry it’s akin to Gertrude for me (ugly and old fashioned) - don’t saddle the poor kid with Winifred when her sister has a pretty name like Tabitha,” another commenter wrote.
What do you think? Is any child’s name too ugly, and does ‘Winifred’ fit into that category?
