Stop Asking For Unique Names, And This Is Why

Having a baby is exciting and scary, all mixed into one. Baby name choosing is stressful, but I’m forever seeing expectant parents asking for unique names. But is there even such a thing?

I was thrilled when I found out I was expecting. I knew instantly that I didn’t want to pick a name until I saw my child, because what would I do or how would I feel if I bought personalised items (or others did) and when I saw her she was a Ellie instead of Phoebe.

I never understood how someone could be so certain. But I guess that others have it more together than I do.

If you haven’t already join, you can find our support group here.

Running a 70k Facebook Group has a lot of perks, you get to see everyone’s ideas and decisions when it comes to baby names, hacks and tips all first hand.

I often see many asking for unique, different or unheard of names. But I usually sit and ponder, is this even true?

• Are there names out there that nobody uses? 
• How do I know someone won’t be in my child’s class or school with that same name?
• How deep do I need to dig?
• What century should I look in?
• Is there even any point to all this stressing?

My conclusion is pretty simple..

Who cares?

I chose to go with the name, Phoebe Francesca Collings.

Whhyyyy you may ask??

Well, I LOVE Phoebe from Friends!

Phoebe at a week old. I never said I was a good photographer!

I was sat on the sofa the week before I was given the date of my induction and the advert for Friends came on, this was no ordinary advert. It was a day dedicated to Phoebe and her personality.

As many other heavily pregnant women do, I just sat there for the entire day just watching and falling ever more in love with this character. She is forever loving, you can do no bad. She will always embrace you with a huge hug and is incredible sarcastic, but in the sweetest way possible.

I liked this. This was an ideas I could get behind.

The idea that my daughter could turn out like this, I believed this and I still do. Although so far not so good as we’re currently entering ‘Terrible Twos‘ which, if you have been or are going through it – You’d understand!

She is just hilarious!

Her Middle Name..

I chose her middle name carefully. If you read my blog ‘As One Passes’ you’ll find that the year I became pregnant, my husbands Grandfather passed away to old age and cancer.

We had been married a year before and pregnancy just wasn’t happening for us. We had been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and I wasn’t having periods.

During the wake of my husbands Grandfather, I had a relative approach me joking as she said ‘As one passes, another arrives’ indicating I was to become pregnant. I awkwardly laughed it off because at the end of the day, this was said at a wake – which was weird – as you can imagine.

After careful consideration and days of mulling over how I wanted it to be put, Frank whom my husband was so fond of, became Francesca in my daughters middle name.

As a sign of respect, to honour him and to let him know we love him if he is looking down at us. It needed to be perfect and Francesca was!

Sadly I don’t have any images to access of Frank, but I am always thankful my Great, Great-Grandfather was able to meet Phoebe before he passed away this year.

At the end of the day, don’t choose a name because you don’t want seeing anywhere else.

Go for a name that has a massive importance to you or simply LOVE.

Check your family history and see what names you ancestors had.

It’s time to stop worrying yourself sick.

Screw fashion and screw the system.

Just be YOU!

Join the fun at our Facebook group – Bump, Baby and You.
Follow us for updates on Instagram – BumpBabyYou.
Tweet us – Bump, Baby and You.
You can follow my personal account – @BethanyCollings.