Mumsnet Talk

Really struggling to come up with a boys name. What do you all think of Hunter? I want something strong and manly! Will welcome any suggestions!

I like it, though you're taking a chance r.e. whether he'll be able to pull it off. What if he grows up to be a vegetarian?

I agree with you r.e. manly names for boys though- I think he'll thank you when he's a grown up.

I would worry about substitution of the first letter at school.

I like strong and manly though. What about Idris Elba?

For me, personally, the issue would be that it evokes a very particular personality. You know, a Bear Grylls type. What if he turns out to be a sensitive lab researcher, or a ballet dancer? Because it is a real word it is always going to have strong associations in people's minds. It's not like a name like, say, Jack, which in my school days would have been an old man name and is now a very popular name. Unless it has a big surge in popularity, its real world meaning is always likely to skew perception.

Would be a great middle name though. I am a fan of the off beat middle name

What sort of names do you think are manly? And does the fact that you are considering Hunter mean you want something unusual?

Makes me think of Gladiators, sorry.

My friend called her baby Hunter, at first I was a bit but it actually really suits him now (4mo) because he's a huge baby!

A Hunter is something/someone who kills. Not a name I'd want for my child, sorry.

I'm with mrshelsbels. I immediately thought gladiator. I doubt any of his contemporaries will get the reference but I bet their parents will and it will only take one to be enlightened.

Well, it makes me think of Hunter S Thompson.

It's so hard to pick a name. Me and DH can't agree on anything! My Mum says it makes her think of Hunter wellies! I don't mind the Gladiator connotations!

zola there is a boy in my dd's year at school called Hunter however the first letter is substituted in the name of good fun & larking around .
In fact when I was at school many moons ago, the surname hunter was given the same respectful treatment.

It's a bit...violent for my taste

and at my school he would have been called cunter

Gladiators,, naff tv show

I like it!

I did wonder about the substituting the H for a C! But kids pick on anything don't they?!

My first choice would have been Magnus for a boy but DH says no! I like Hunter because it's a family name plus I knew someone who hired someone called Hunter just because they thought his name was cool! I agree, I think it's ridiculously cool!

Kids will mock any name and if they do not have a name that can be turned into some rude word it will be their hair, build, anything.

I know a Mark that was called skid mark. Kids are very creative. If you ruled out any name because of the potential for mocking then there would be VERY limited choice

I like Hunter. I knew someone with the surname Hunter at school who got the C substitution, and took it in his stride.

Better than Magnus! I know a Magnus with the nickname Mag or Maggie

It's okay. To me it's very gung-ho-American though. As someone said above, I think it needs a particular sort of personality to pull it off.

Basically it would suit someone very outdoorsy, energetic etc.

Wouldn't suit an indoorsy intellectual. So if you and DH lean towards indoorsy folk, I'd stay clear personally.

It does sound outdoorsy and would suit that type but it also makes me think of the writer Hunter S Thompson, and therefore bookish types!

Hunter S Thompson was sooooo not a bookish type!!

Hunter S Thompson

Yeah he was bookish, he wrote books

Hhhmmm. Not sure that just 'writing books' is what people generally mean by bookish . Hunter S Thompson was a wild card, drug taking manic journalist who had his ashes fired out of a cannon. He wasn't an 'indoorsy intellectual'.

Hunter is awful. A name that means killing things. I would also think that someone who called their child this had odd concerns about them growing up to be 'manly' enough or something.

It's not awful at all! If I have a third and a ds (although unlikley ) that would be his middle name. I love it but maybe not brave enough for a first name. You go for it

Haha Amanda Payne, I promise I was joking! Perhaps bookish isn't the right word I was looking for, I meant intellectual/literary. As mad as he was, he at least had to sit down for several days to write Fear and Loathing!

Thanks mrsyattering, glad you like it! I think it's a strong charismatic name plus it's been the middle name of a few men on my DH's side. It also goes very well with our surname so it's in our top two!