# Most-regretted baby names **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 7, 2023, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730 "2023-07-07T13:45:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Digger11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Digger11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digger11)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/1 "2023-07-07T13:45:16Z")
We’ve all seen lists of the most common baby names. And we may have seen lists tracking how certain names cycle in and out of fashion. But I’ve never seen a list like this before. [Most regretted baby names according to Social Security, and more! - The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/08/12/baby-names-childless-couples-moving/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWJpZCI6IjM1NDk1NDciLCJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNjg4MzU2ODAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNjg5NjUyNzk5LCJpYXQiOjE2ODgzNTY4MDAsImp0aSI6ImVkNTU4MDIzLWJjYzUtNDhkMC1hZmI4LWI3ZDE3ZTVkYTNjNyIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9idXNpbmVzcy8yMDIyLzA4LzEyL2JhYnktbmFtZXMtY2hpbGRsZXNzLWNvdXBsZXMtbW92aW5nLyJ9.u5DqnP9DI9N0axyJTzeaUxflwmQybZz5qk_DLHAOHiY) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/2 "2023-07-07T13:50:16Z")
It’s not among the most-changed names due to misspelling, but “Chasity” should be on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/3 "2023-07-07T14:00:05Z")
“Regretted” in the sense of “went to the trouble of actually changing it” is one thing. But there are probably a fair number of Karens these days who grind their teeth on a regular basis but aren’t likely to take action as a result. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/4 "2023-07-07T14:02:13Z")
A young couple I know recently had a baby, a little girl that they named Se’lah. Unusual name. I searched for information about it. The word is found in the Hebrew bible apparently, and not everyone agrees on what the word even means. The couple is not Jewish, they just heard the word somewhere and went with it. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/5 "2023-07-07T14:11:24Z")
My stepdaughter put a superfluous apostrophe in her first kid’s name. She now wishes she hadn’t. I didn’t ask her what the hell she was thinking in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/6 "2023-07-07T14:15:45Z")
My niece has a friend who named her son Lightning. The boy isn’t in school yet but I predict regrets ahead. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/7 "2023-07-07T14:15:59Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > But there are probably a fair number of Karens these days who grind their teeth on a regular basis **but aren’t likely to take action as a result.** - Because that would look like they’re complaining about it. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/8 "2023-07-07T14:21:56Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YKT9OOkqDTs/maxresdefault.jpg "why should i change?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKT9OOkqDTs) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/9 "2023-07-07T14:25:43Z")
[![](https://i.redd.it/s5lvnote7ne51.jpg) ](https://i.redd.it/s5lvnote7ne51.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/10 "2023-07-07T14:27:48Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > [https://i.redd.it/s5lvnote7ne51.jpg](https://i.redd.it/s5lvnote7ne51.jpg) - If true, that’s _awesome._ ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/11 "2023-07-07T14:32:34Z")
I would think that a lot of those who named their daughter Khaleesi or Daenerys really regretted it what that last season finally rolled around. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/12 "2023-07-07T14:41:25Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > My stepdaughter put a superfluous apostrophe in her first kid’s name. She now wishes she hadn’t. I didn’t ask her what the hell she was thinking in the first place. Not quite the same, but I have a friend who’s given name is Cassie, but pronounced Casey. Naturally she’s spends more time than she cares to either correcting people or just answering to the wrong name because it’s faster. On top of that, her last name is one letter off from a more common last name, for example, Smiths, when the more common name would be Smith. Then after 25 years of saying “Smiths, not Smith”, it was all pointless because her married name is Smith. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/13 "2023-07-07T14:41:37Z")
It’s funny how many people did go to the trouble of fixing a misspelled name. I’ve known three Issacs, four Micheals, two Chasitys, and a large number of Johnathan, Jonnathon, Jonothon variations. And many of their parents got really sniffy if you spelled their version of the name “wrong.” ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/14 "2023-07-07T14:54:11Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > A young couple I know recently had a baby, a little girl that they named Se’lah. > > Unusual name. I searched for information about it. The word is found in the Hebrew bible apparently, and not everyone agrees on what the word even means. The couple is not Jewish, they just heard the word somewhere and went with it. “Selah” is real Hebrew, and therefore a legitimate and interesting name, I guess. “Se’lah”, not sure if the apostrophe is supposed to stand for an aleph or a ayin, either way, is completely made up. Maybe it is supposed to be a sophisticated interlingual creation (no Hebrew elements at all). > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Cassie, but pronounced Casey Confusing (how does one pronounce “Casey”, anyway?) IME “Cassie” sometimes stands for Cassiopeia, Cassandra. “Casey” could be Cathasaigh. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/15 "2023-07-07T15:56:19Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > (how does one pronounce “Casey”, anyway?) Driving that train, high on cocaine, Casey Jones you better watch your speed. IIRC, it was one of those ‘wanted a boy, had a girl’ type compromises. I believe she may have since legally changed it to Cassandra just to make her life easier, it’s what most people seem to assume it’s short for when they see Cassie and I think she ran into a few hiccups along the way when those incorrect assumptions made it on to something official. ---
**Author:** ![Ziberian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/919ad9/32.png) [@Ziberian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ziberian)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/16 "2023-07-07T16:04:22Z")
Not the usual reason, but …shortly after the Columbine killings in Colorado, a local columnist lamented that the beautiful state flower name they’d given their daughter would now forever be associated with that incident. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/17 "2023-07-07T16:13:17Z")
Worked with a fellow that was named ‘Trip’ Well he was Henry the III so it was just easier to call him ‘Trip’ kinda cool really. Had me confused for a bit though. Odd name. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/18 "2023-07-07T16:17:46Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > (how does one pronounce “Casey”, anyway?) Like pronouncing the letters ‘K’ and ‘C’. My wife morphed into a Casey when her first and middle initials got into some junk mail list as KC, and eventually someone translated that to ‘Casey’ and the entry propagated through other lists. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/19 "2023-07-07T16:19:44Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Worked with a fellow that was named ‘Trip’ Well he was Henry the III so it was just easier to call him ‘Trip’ kinda cool really. I worked with a guy nick named ‘Cubed’ in his family because he was a III. His name was odd enough anyway. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730/20 "2023-07-07T16:36:26Z")
Are some of these changes due to true regret (what a dumbass name I gave my kid) or due to misspellings? Issac to Isaac is just a misspell, not because the parents later hated the name. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-regretted-baby-names/986730.md?page=2)