Childhood favorites: still love them? Used them? Or let them go?

[yellow]

This pops up very regularly, but since the population here is relatively transient I love getting current responses!

Most of us have names we've held on to since childhood (for the sake of this poll, we can define childhood as lasting through high school). I know I've had a favorite boys' name that I've planned/hoped to use for a son since I was the tender age of 11... and I still love it, though it seems a little too mundane now next to the rest of our list.

From casual observance here and elsewhere, it seems like most people don't follow through with their long-time favorites... but perhaps keep them on the list just in case.


Edited to add: Sometimes I wonder if, when trying to decide between that long-held favorite and something newer and possibly more appealing at the time, there's something to be said for choosing the one that's stood the test of time. My boy name remains number one on my list even when it's not my current favorite, because the newer favorites can often be passing interests.

Within the first few months of our relationship, I disclaimed my boy name to my now-husband, and let him know (jokingly... kind of) that his disapproval might be a dealbreaker :P

[dantea]

I've loved Damien and Griffin since I was about 12 or 13, and I will use Damien for my first son, and I'm including Griffin in my Alexander combo (which you can see all my combos in my signature).

When I was young, like younger than 10, I wanted to rename myself as Willow, and it lasted for a while before I learned to really love my name, and I'm using it in my Persephone combo now.

Those are the only names I really loved when I was younger, and I will use them because I still love them and besides that, they're still relatively unique ^_^

[consultantmeghan]

My favorites growing up were always Charles "Charlie" and Lily. Both names are still on my list, but I'm always acquiring new names, so they get kind of tossed aside sometimes. I may very well use them someday, but I have a bunch of other names I'd love to use as well that are much "newer".

[stripedsocks]

Ranging from very young childhood through teenage years:

Girls
Susie, Jenny, Kitty, Katie, Cat - I still like them, but only as NNs. Actually even at the time I thought of them as nicknames. Husband hates most of these, except Katherine/Catherine, and he's related to one.
Chelsea, Tamika, Topanga, Karen/Kara - It was the '80s-'90s, what do you want from me? :P Outgrown.
Hannah, Lily, Emily, Caitlin - Still love them, but apparently so did every other girl my age and they're ALL using them! Also my husband hates at least one of these due to a girl he knew.
Ramona & Naomi - Loved it, love it now, doesn't work with new last name.


Boys
Jared, Harrison, Tyler - Names I loved at the time I can't stand now. I have no longer ANY memory of what was so danged attractive about Tyler.
Jesse, Patrick, Ari, Ezra, Joaquin, Zane, Zachary, Raphael, Hawthorn - Names I loved then I still love that have been shoved down my list by my husband vetoing them because he hates them for assorted reasons.

I voted other because my main reasons for not using a lot of my favourites is a) Husband veto b) married name conflicts c) since I am older, more of my relatives have passed away and I want to honour them, something I didn't worry about as a kid as I thought they'd live to be very old d) I'm not actually going to have a huge family like I always wanted so I just won't get a chance to use some.

[brittberry]

When I was around 11 I had a list that I was totally sure I would use on my future kids. It was all names that were of some kind of Irish origin and in alphabetically order..it didn't last though lol. The only name I still love from that list is Declan I think it's an adorable name, unfortuntley I won't ever use it (other than a possible MN someday) because it doesn't fit it with the theme I have for my permanent list which are all names that were in the top 1,000 sometime during/between 1880's - 1920's and a million other "rules" that I won't bore you with lol

[girlychock]

When I was little (like, 3rd grade), I really liked Lewis for a boy, and Cosette for a girl. I still like them, but there not at the top of my list, and I would probably use them for middle names.

[saracita00]

I chose "other" because there are a couple of names that I liked as a kid, and then didn't like for a period of about a decade, and now I've come full-circle to liking them again though I don't think I would use them.

However, one name I have admired all along is my Norwegian grandmother's middle name, Ivorine. It has finally made the serious consideration list, thanks to a berry from Norway who was recently able to shed some light on the etymology of the name (it's a feminine of Ivor, popular in Norway). Ivorine/Ivorene, Ivor and Ivo are all now on the list as first or middle considerations for any future children. Not knowing the history was what held me back before, but now that I do know, I hope I can use it.

[kathrynsarah]

My list is always changing! The names I loved when I was in 5th-6th grade were on my list for a long time, but I've definitely outgrown them. The names I remember are Joshua (can't remember his mn!), which I wouldn't use now because of an ex, Kayli Marie, and Caleb Austin. My current faves are in my signature.

[malk]

My fave names from my teens were always Katherine and Michael. I used Michael for my first son as a middle name, but kind of wish I had gone for something more interesting, but I like that it's a loved name. I won't use Katherine even though I love it as it feels a bit boring now.

[ajw]

I chose other because I'm not sure what's on that list. I have it in a sealed envelope waiting to be opened when we get pregnant. I wrote the list at age 12 and am 30 now. Can't wait to read it and see if the names I chose then are still faves.