Stanley or Frank - Which is Rarer?

[doggus]

Hi - we want to call ds to be Stanley or Frank - but I am worried that Stanley in particular is getting widespread and I do like to be a bit different!

Are there lots of Stans and Franks about?

Plus any other good World War 1 era names - bring em on. We are due in a week!

[Clary]

I know one Frank, aged 12; and two Stanleys, one 12 and one about 5.

I know a lot of kids tho so those figures are both pretty low (for example I must know/know of about 30 boys under 12 called Matthew).

Other WW1 names:

Frederick
William (v popular still)
Arthur
Albert
Sidney
Wilfred/Wilbert
George
Thomas (also v popular)

I love em all. Very much like Stanley but DH wasn't having it.

[randomimposter]

Know more Stanleys. No little Franks that I can think of.

Having said that I prefer Stanley. Also love Arthur and like Albert. (Don't see William, George or Thomas as "older" names, they have always been right up there in usage - all 3 are good classics, I have a William).

[TittyBojangles]

They were our top two names! So I have one and know no others, round these parts they are definately rare,... fabulous names.

[meditrina]

I know 2 little Franks, and one grown up one. The only Stans I know are grown ups, who use it as a nn based on their surname.

[RustyBear]

My FIL was Stanley Frank - born in 1922. He hated Stanley, though and was always known as Frank.

I work at a junior school and have only known one Stanley and no Franks there in 12 years -Stanley would be about 13/14 now.

We do have a Reginald coming up in September - the youngest of a family of four - the others are Sidney, Lily and Albert.

[SandStorm]

I know one Stanley but no Franks. I do know a Frankie though.

[ragged]

I know a baby Frank about 10 weeks old. Don't know any other Franks, or Stanleys... I knew a 20-something Stan 20+ yrs ago. "Stan" is a possible nn for DS2's name... but must admit I don't warm to it. Or doesn't suit him, anyway.

Alfie is THE popular WWI name, methinks. On Clary's list, I'd say that George is also fairly popular ime.

[ragged]

Oh, to add to Clary's list: Norman.

[Rhubarbgarden]

I know several little Stanleys but no Franks. How about Clifford? I think Cliff is a great nickname.

[milliemoan]

Know loads of Stanleys - probably about 8. I know about 4 Franks.

I think Stanley will become very popular.

[tummytickler]

I love Norman! I want to use it so much but it does not go with ds's Hebrew names!

I know one Frank age 1, and a LOT of Stanleys. It seems to be very popular here.
Frankie is quite popular for girls here also.

I would go for Francis, with Frank as nn.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Know 2 Stanleys, one is 10 and the other is 3 Don't know any Franks but do know a few Francesca's who are called Frankie though.

As both names are quite unusual I would go for the one you love the most. Afterall, the name you choose may be rare now but in 10 years time there may be a soap star with the same name that triggers off a rash of little Franks or Stanleys.

[Hedwig3]

I don't know any Stanleys, I know 2 girls and a boy called Frankie

Horace
George
Ernest

[squeak2392]

I don't know any of either, but I think Frank is a horrible name - Frank Butcher suited it perfectly, imo.
I should imagine Stanley is more popular, and that Frankie is more common on girls.

[doggus]

I am torn and so is DH. I am leaning towards Frank though - I want Francis but dh not having it.

I also want Herbert but have been soundly told no way!

[LadyWellian]

Eric

I think Stanley is more common on small people. DD has a Frank and a Frankie in her year (Y6)

[Hedwig3]

Herbert - now you're talking!

[doggus]

Oooh I LOVE Eric!

What about Ernest?

[SpringFollows]

I have come across one Stanley and one Frank, although I have the idea (based on nothing) that Frank might be a little more rare. I am not sure which one i like more... they both have charm, although Stanley could be seen as taking the piss somehow. Frank makes me think of Franklin Blake from my most favourite book ever, The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. (Not that he was called Frank, just it reminds me).

[thereisalightanditnevergoesout]

Clive
Geoffrey

I like Albert myself.

[freerangeeggs]

Stanley and Frank are both lovely. I know one Frank and two Stanleys under the age of 14.

Ernest is a beautiful name (I also love Ernestine for a girl but most hate it).

Wilfred nn Wilf? Rupert? John nn Johnny or Jonno (John really IS unusual). Alfred, William, Bernard, Walter, Hector, Frederick, Gilbert, Lawrence, Edwin, Maxwell...

This makes for interesting reading - it's the top 100 names in Scotland from 1900. I'm not sure if there is an equivalent in England/Wales.

[pinkhebe]

I know 2 Stans but no Franks. What about Howard?

[LetThereBeRock]

I don't know any children with either name,but then that might be because they're both utterly hideous names. Stanley is marginally better I suppose.

[BBNElea]

In 2009 Stanley ranked #98 (with 627 births) in England and Wales and Frank ranked #259 (with 172 births).

[Clary]

jollster you say that William and George have always been popular but when a mate of mine was 11 and at school (I am mid 40s) he was nicknamed "George" which was a bizarre old-fashioned sounding name at the time; and my SiL was widely mocked for picking the odd and dated name William for her second son - he is now about 25.

I do agree tho that they have both come back in with more of a flourish than Stan. Love Will especially but obv cousin made it a no-no for us.

Loving Eric. I know one 14yo Eric and bizarrely there are also 2 at the school where I work (I say bizarrely because WW1 trendy-chic is not what the parents there have generally gone for - no Alfies or Arthurs or Freddies there).