Election-Name crisis

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2003
Election-Name crisis
14
Fri, 01-27-2006 - 1:21pm
My husband and I are expecting our second this summer. We have had Harper picked out for a girl since I was pregnant with my son (Rhett). I am Canadian and we elected a new Prime Minister last week and his name is Stephen Harper. Can I still use Harper or will everyone think I am a die-hard conservative naming my daughter after our leader? I guess not too many people had this problem in the US...Bush isn't the prettiest girls name.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-28-2005
Fri, 01-27-2006 - 1:24pm
I think you can still use Harper. You may get a few comments or questions in the beginning, but it would soon go away. Stick with it!
Theresa
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2005
Fri, 01-27-2006 - 3:14pm

LOL no I haven't met any baby boys or girls named Bush, but there are plenty of Kennedys, Carters & Reagans running around

I would say depending on what kind of leader Harper (the politician) turned out to be would have an affect on your baby & unfortunately that is something you wouldn't know until the end of his term

I mean in the states I have never met a baby with the name Nixon & I'm sure in Germany there aren't a lot if any poeple with the first name Hitler

michele
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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-14-2003
Fri, 01-27-2006 - 4:26pm
That's a tough call. I do tend to think that people might think you've named your child after the PM unless you name her Harper NotnamedafterthePM Lastname!


Edited 1/27/2006 4:27 pm ET by fourthboyinaugust
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2005
Fri, 01-27-2006 - 4:51pm
Hi I'm also Canadian! I didn't vote for Harper and yes I have negative thoughts when I hear that name. I agree with one of the other posters who said there are no babies named Nixon. And that you won't know for sure what kind of feelings the name Harper will bring about to the rest of the population until his time is done as the PM. What if he is a terrible PM? Do you want your daughters name to have that kind of negative association?
I'd pick another name if I were you. Good Luck.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-24-2006
Fri, 01-27-2006 - 6:26pm
I don't think it should matter whether the PM is good or not. If you like the name, who cares who she is named after. She will grow into her name and make it fit her.
**Andrea
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2005
Fri, 01-27-2006 - 6:50pm

I LOVE Harper. My first daughter is going to be Caroline Harper.


If you really love it and have for years, tell people that if they ask about the political connection. What if you had named her this six months ago? Would you be considering changing your mind now and changing her name? If people make any comments about the connection, you can point them to a better connection



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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 01-27-2006 - 11:46pm

Ooh, that's a tough one. However, plenty of people here have used Clinton, Kerry, Madison, Hillary, etc. and haven't meant to honor those presidents/politicians. If DD#2 had been a boy, we were talking about using both John and Paul in the name (both important family names), but we were afraid of looking like super-Catholics and trying to honor the Pope, so I kinda know how you're feeling. ;-)

I'm sure that some people will think that Harper is in reference to the PM, but he won't be the PM forever, and eventually people will stop mentioning it. ;-) Really, if you love the name and have planned to use it for a long time, then I think you should go ahead.

Good luck!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-28-2005
Sat, 01-28-2006 - 10:48am

LOL! Wow, that is a predicament, maybe you could use Harper as a middle? George Bush's middle name is Walker and my dh and I happen to love that name. But, again, I don't want people thinking I named my child after Bush! But, on the other hand, if I liked the name enough I wouldn't let it stop me from using it. I guess it just depends on how much you like that name.

Good luck,

Sunny

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2006
Sat, 01-28-2006 - 11:40am
I really like the name Harper as well. I was going to say the same thing as someone else... He won't be PM forever, and I agree that if you had already delivered the baby and used the name, you wouldn't go back and change it now. My name is Wendy, and there is a fast food restaurant here called Wendy's... I guess my parents just loved the name so much that they stuck with it. I do get the occasional jokes about it, but really not that often, and I'm completely fine with my name. Not that a fast food rest. is the same as the PM, but its going to be a fast food rest. forever... Hope this helps you make a decision.
Wendy
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-10-2003
Sat, 01-28-2006 - 3:57pm
I'd choose something else.

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