Drastic measures.
Carri Kessler and her husband Will decided to name their baby girl Ottilie because they loved the name but they didn’t exactly anticipate what would follow.
Almost immediately after making their decision, they began to regret it when people stared at them in bemusement after hearing their daughter’s name.
Their baby name inspiration came after hearing the name from a friend who lived in Britain but no one in Maryland, America, seemed to recognise it.
In conversation with TODAY, Carri explained how no one could pronounce her newborn’s name:
“The nurse came in and asked what her name was, and we said, ‘Ottilie’ and she was like, ‘What?’”
“No one could remember it and no one could pronounce it. Anytime anyone said her name, I kind of cringed”.
“I was like ‘If you say it with a British accent, it sounds really good!’ and people said, ‘But you’re from Maryland”.
The new parents started to get “cold feet” about their choice and alarm bells started to ring when after six weeks, people were still getting confused and even Ottilie’s own grandmother couldn’t get to grips with her granddaughter’s name.
Carri said that her grandmother admitted:
‘I don’t know how to say her name. I have Post-its all over the house so I can remind myself,'”
Carri and Will decided something had to be done or things would only get worse and so, they sent a mass email to their family and friends announcing that Ottilie’s name had been changed to Margot.
Talking about the decision, Carri said:
“I feel like it’s a good story for her, it will be part of her lore”.
