Mum wants to change her four-year-old daughter’s name as it is ‘too common’

"She's not a bloody puppy!"

A mum has come under fire after admitting that she wants to change her four-year-old daughter's name - as it's become "too common". The woman explained that she wanted to make the swap as her daughter was starting full time education later this year, and she found out multiple other students would share the moniker. She also admitted that while she loves her daughter's name, Esmée,  she "HATE[S] it's so common now." She said on Mumsnet:

"My DD [dear daughter] is 4 years old and I gave her a name which, I thought, was very original as I hadn't heard another girl called it in about 20 years. "Only to find when she started nursery another girl called the same but spelt differently. "DD [dear daughter] is due to start full time education in September and there will be 2 other girls with the same name so 3 in the class including DD [dear daughter]. "Now there's another in other DC [dear child]'s class."

The mum said that she was "totally hacked off and really upset by this" as, growing up, she shared a name with four others in her class - and changed her name as a result. She wrote:

"Maybe an over reaction but in the 1970's I was one of 5 named the same in my class and vowed never to have my DC's live with the same. Now history is being repeated. "I can remember my whole junior/secondary school time being coloured by the fact that so many of us had the same name. "I changed it as soon as I could because of that reason. Every time I hear my real name I shudder."

However, it doesn't appear that she was getting the response she was hoping for from other parents. One parent said:

"I really don’t think you should change her name now. At 4 she is a person in her own right and I think it would be really confusing to her to have a name change now. "I didn’t like my name because nobody had the same name. I was 44 when I met another person with the same name as me."

Someone else added:

"She’s not a bloody puppy! You cannot change a 4yo’s name! You will confuse the hell out of her. "It’s a lovely name, it really dosnt matter if others are called it too."

Another person said:

"Of course you can't just change your child's name at this age! Just because YOU have major issues with regards this type of thing, doesn't mean you can go screwing around with a major part of your child's identity."