Names are, by definition, part of our identity and what we choose to name our children is usually down to personal preference.
There are some which people hail as their favourite and others which they despise. Now, one name expert has revealed Mary to be her least favourite, as she believes it to be "very common" and lacking "whimsy".
Steph, a name consultant with nearly 200,000 TikTok followers on her @nameswithsteph page, has explained why she can't stand the classic title, taking the opportunity to roast anyone with the "boring" name. Recently, the most popular baby names for 2022 were announced with Olivia taking first place for girls, while Mary was nowhere to be found on the list.
Responding to a follower's comment which asked for a "brutal" but expert opinion on the name, Steph did not hold back.
As reported by the Mirror, she replied: "I'm going to say something mean about someone you know - not just about this commenter - but about everyone in the world because we all know a Mary.
"It's got be one of my least favourite classic names. I mean Elizabeth and Margaret is also stunning. Clara - beautiful. I know great people named Mary, but the name is boring to me and it has zero whimsy."
"And if you've been following me for a while you know we love whimsy. I mean all the variations are so much better," she admitted.
Savagely rating the name, Steph said: "Mary is a two out of ten for me for being very forgettable and common."
Not holding back from her verdict, her response to the classic name sparked a large reaction in the comment section. TikTokers were keen to share their thoughts on Steph's "mean" slashing, while others were keen for "brutal" ratings themselves.
One person wrote: "Mary is a very common name so I agree BUT the name Mary is still good."
A second claimed: "Every Mary is so mean", while a third admitted "I was so close to being names Mary I definitely feel spared lol."
A different user asked: "Can you do Andrea? Brutal as possible please", and another enquired "How do you feel about Claire?", sparking Steph's response: "Love!"
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .