Mumsnet Talk

I have posted so many times, I think we have found our baby boy's name.

The name is Elvin, it's celtic meaning is elfish or elf friend, it's scandinavian meaning is 11th. We call my bump Elfie and I was tempted to actually call lthe baby Elfie but I'm not sure he would be pleased as an adult. He is also my DP's parent's 11th grandchild.

It's a pretty rare name in the UK 8 babies were claled Elvin in 2010. It's in the top 100 Swedish baby names, it was 90th last year but only 119 babies were called Elvin so the chance of him meeting another Elvin are fairly small.

I wanted an unusual name as my name is very common and I hated being in a class with loads of Amys, but I didn't really want to give him a name that was compleatly made up.

We are still not 100% decided I'd love to hear opinions both good and bad

And thank you for all the feedback on this name and the others we have considered

I dont like it. It sounds like you were going to call him Alvin but wanted to be 'different'.

My first thought was '... and the Chipmunks.

my first thought was isn't it Alvin.

I think I have also exceeded my allowed baby name posts on here! it's a hard job this baby naming business

I don't like it. Makes me think of Elvis and Alvin/Calvin. Also of elves which is totally bizarre.

I thought "Stardust" shows age so no, I don't like it I'm afraid.

Also, once I'd realised it's not alvin, I thought it was a girl's name....

Sorry, I don't like it either.

But that doesn't really matter if you do.

Oh dear, I really appreciate the honest feed back! looks like it might not be my last naming post ;)

We did consider Alvin, I teach a little boy called Alvin and it feels like his name, I know lots of children so it is a little silly to not consider a name because I know a child with that name. Alvin Is also very very popular here in Sweden.

Elvis was on our first list, it is fairly common name here but it just makes me think of the singer.

Chipmunk names are all the rage here, I have a friend with a teodor and an Alvin!

If you live in Sweden and it's reasonably popular there, then why not if you like it?

I would hate to be an adult called Elvin.

It is not a good strong name at all and why would you give a boy a name that is to do with Elves?

Stanley
Arthur
Benedict
Alfio
Ted
Carlos
Darius
Dante
Edmund
Harold
Hugo
Hugh
Xavier
Wilbur

ruprekt lots of name are to do with elves, such as Alf, Alvin and Oliver. The reason why we want a name that means elf is because we call him Elfie now and it feels like his name.

I don't believe that if he has a strong name he will be strong and if he has a not so strong name he won't be strong, Tor was also on our list, if we were to choose that name I wouldn't expect some hammer wielding brute as a son in the same way that if we clal him Elvin I don't expect him to have pointy ears and like picking flowers.

I actually like it. It probably wouldn't be my personal first choice, but if I met a baby/child/adult called Elvin I would think 'hmm, that's a nice name.'

I also like the personal meaning behind it.

I quite like Elvin too. It is easy to say, spell and works well in most languages - what's not to like about it?

I don't like Alvin at all, for some reason. Too similar to Alfie which I don't like.

Honestly? There's a reason why only 11 babies were named it that year. I can see him being called 'Lord of the rings' (the nick names good and bad at my school were pretty inventive). It's not an attractive name and it sounds as if the parents spend all day reading fantasy books.

I think it's great!
Elfyn is a welsh boys name which I always think is lovely. All the Elfyns I know are strong, manly, welsh farmers so it doesn't make me think of Elves or Pixies at all!
Why not spell it "fy" which takes away the similarities to Alvin....?

How about Alfie?

I like your reasons for wanting to name him Elvin but I don't like the name itself. Sorry.

Now I've seen you live in sweden I think you should go for it. Top 100 there = normal name!

I wasn't aware of the name Elfyn, I love the spelling but we live in Sweden I don't think they would cope well with trying to pronounce it. Also you have to apply for a name if it isn't on their preapproved list and I don't think Elfyn would be on the list.

It was 8 babies in the UK but 119 in Sweden, it's number 90 on the Swedish baby names list so it makes it as popular as names such as Elijah, Bailey and Caleb in the UK.

I like Elfyn.

My DS is Albert which was number 130 the year he was born, I think.

I like Alfie, but names ending in a "ie" or "y" sound are seen in Sweden as names that a naughty young man would have.

I have a slightly off the wall suggestion DH loved it but it was too out there for me but it might work in swedish.

Balin (sanskrit) Powerful, strong; robust (Aslo one of the dwarfs from JRR Tolkein)

Haha, honeytea the 'naughty names here are things like Jayden and kayden. I didn't realise you lived in Sweden. It's highly unlikely he will get the teasing then if it is more common there. I still think its's an unattractive name, but it may be different with a Swedish accent.

I'm glad you said that Lisaro, I was going to say the eqivalent of names such as Jayden and Kayden but I didn't want to offend anyone!

I'm British, DP is Swedish and we live in Sweden, DS will be (hopfully) bilingual but he will go to school in Sweden and possibly University in the UK but by the time he is 18 I hope he will be confident enough to choose friends that don't tease him about his name.