Would you use a name everybody hated?

My husband and I love love love the name Louisa Frances. 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.

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

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

Agreed. I think Louisa is beautiful (I have a dear friend named Louise), and Frances 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 Louisa Frances! And we have chosen Louisa Margaret (Margaret for family reasons, but I think Frances sounds prettier) for our baby due in November (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 Louisa 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 Lou -- she has gone by Lou her entire adult life because she didn't like her first name (Alma). Now she says she likes Alma but not Lou . . . 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 Louise's than Louisa's in my grandparent's generations, but when I think of Louisa, I think of Louisa May Alcott, and Louisa Musgrove in the Jane Austen's Persuasion. In fact, I reread Persuasion this summer to make sure I loved Louisa, and it only made me love it more!

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

Just 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.

Louisa Frances 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 Lulu or Lula 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!

danal wrote:Well, I for one, love Louisa Frances! And we have chosen Louisa Margaret (Margaret for family reasons, but I think Frances sounds prettier) for our baby due in November (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 Louisa 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 Lou -- she has gone by Lou her entire adult life because she didn't like her first name (Alma). Now she says she likes Alma but not Lou . . . 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 Louise's than Louisa's in my grandparent's generations, but when I think of Louisa, I think of Louisa May Alcott, and Louisa Musgrove in the Jane Austen's Persuasion. In fact, I reread Persuasion this summer to make sure I loved Louisa, and it only made me love it more!

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

Just 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.

I love that you're using Louisa too!! While I don't want it to get popular at all, maybe a little familiarity would help my cause! :-) Louisa Margaret is beautiful. I love it.

We're in Washington DC -- but our families are all in the Midwest (Indiana/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.

kim w wrote:
I love that you're using Louisa too!! While I don't want it to get popular at all, maybe a little familiarity would help my cause! :-) Louisa Margaret is beautiful. I love it.

We're in Washington DC -- but our families are all in the Midwest (Indiana/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 Louisa'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 Jane (she's 6 now), I was convinced it was ready for take-off and kept watching, and well, it hasn't happened yet!

danal wrote:

kim w wrote:
I love that you're using Louisa too!! While I don't want it to get popular at all, maybe a little familiarity would help my cause! :-) Louisa Margaret is beautiful. I love it.

We're in Washington DC -- but our families are all in the Midwest (Indiana/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 Louisa'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 Jane (she's 6 now), I was convinced it was ready for take-off and kept watching, and well, it hasn't happened yet!

Oh Jane and Louisa! 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 Louisa who goes by Lulu, and I really like both the name and nickname.

kim w wrote:
Oh Jane and Louisa! Too cute. Have you made a decision for if it's a boy?

No, I'm afraid not -- I like Leo or Charles nn Charlie (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 Francis 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 Henry too, by the way!