Surnames as Christian names?

[MrsHBaby3]

Sorry if this has been asked before but a friend suggested I use my maiden name for my baby boy (she plans to do the same as shes TTC),
Just wondered what general consensus is? Personally it sounds like Im saying a double-barrelled surname and cant decide if I like it.

Names such as
Bailey
Hunter
Parker
Morgan
Spencer..

any others if you like the idea? (I know some will sound ridiculous!)

[PickledFanjoCat]

I think some can be nice.

Depends..

[squoosh]

I don't like it. I think it sounds very American soap star. Girls being called Piper and Parker really baffle me. Such ugly names.

Lots of people love the surname as first name thing though.

[PickledFanjoCat]

I think it can work better for boys. It's not my personal taste but I quite like bailey.

I was toying with using mothers family name as a middle name as it is a first name used in America.

[Doodlekitty]

I really wanted to use Todd but DH would not go for it. Still love it

[MrsHBaby3]

Yeh it would be for a boy. I kind of agree with the over American thing but can see its a nice way to include a maiden or family name too.

[EdithWeston]

It's a very old tradition in many parts of UK, at least for first born boys taking their mother's surname. And some names like Harvey, Stanley or Norman are unexceptional now as first names as a result of this.

Whether or not you do it would all depend on whether you like the name and what you think of how it sounds (you could always stick it in the middle if you're not so sure).

[HappyJoyful]

Riley

[SomewhereInCanada]

I used my MIL's family name (Baird) as DS's middle name as she is an only child and the name would keep going (sort of).

[gymboywalton]

jones

ramsbottom

johnson

it's a stupid idea

[squoosh]

Oh I do like the 'maiden name as middle name' tradition.

[bigbluebump]

Lots of names used to be mainly surnames - so yes, it is fine!

Jackson
Logan
Carson
Blake
Mason
Morgan

and the name will have much more meaning if it is a family name of yours than if you name your son a generic 'first' name (e.g. Jack, Joe or Tom) just for the sake of it.

[GrimmaTheNome]

It depends what they are ... I can't imagine anyone calling their kid Higginbotham . Same as for place names - a few work, most don't 'Pontefract...'

Absolutely fine as a middle name though, if you want to keep a name in the family.

[Frontpaw]

The ones that amuse me are ones that sound like they've been taken from a Ye Olde Booke of Trades: Piper, Fletcher, Cooper... I really don't like the Mac/Mc ones. In scotland its not really a 'thing' to call your child 'MacKenzie'. I've met a few little American girls called that.

[Narked]

Awful.

[Harryc]

A lot of Anglo Indians use surnames as first names. Usually after a close friend or relative.

[Kingsfold]

Frightful.

[squoosh]

Yes it's always the trades, wonder why that is.

Smith
Mason
Cooper
Fletcher
Carter
Porter
Sawyer

[garlicbaguette]

I love them! I think they sound all grown-up :)

[Chopsypie]

Some i love, some I hate.

You're never going to get 100% approval, but its your baby so go for it.

I couldnt do it, because then my son would be called Fuller Cox, and I'm not that mean

[Chopsypie]

FWIW I love the names Hunter and Cooper

[birdofthenorth]

I am contemplating my maiden name as the middle name if next dc is a boy. It is not as unfortunate as Ramsbottom but not as cute as Spencer, Todd, Harvey etc. It would mean a lot to my family at think.

[MorrisZapp]

Normal here in Scotland. DS aged two and his pals are called:

Fraser
Innes
Murray
Findlay

[squoosh]

Fuller Cox

[Rutherford]

It depends what name it is, but I quite like the idea. Wouldn't deliberately use a 'surname' as a forename but some names I like happen to also be used as surnames - Jackson, Harrison for example. Wouldn't use this with another --son surname though [hgrin]
DGM maiden name was Ella which isn't frightful or stupid as some people have said also have a DGM Taylor. I would consider using these as names, think they're lovely and they would be meaningful without having family members with the same names as we do now.

[sweetkitty]

As someone has said very common in Scotland I know a
Finlay
Fraser
Carrick
Murray
Logan
Stewart
Riley
Grant
Lennox
Wallace