Griff?

[hardtochoose]

I'm due with our first baby in a few days and we're still undecided on names. We both really like more traditional/classic names, but everything we like is really popular, and we'd prefer to have a name that's a bit less well-used. We were trying to find a name that isn't too out-there. Solid but slightly unusual is what we're aiming for!

What do people think of Griff? He'd likely be Griffin but known as Griff (with the option for Finn I suppose if he wanted). I like Griffin less, but I do want to have options for shortening/lengthening. My family are Welsh so we like the Welsh connection, but I'm not sure whether it's too random?

[WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant]

Grif rhys-Jones has done ok on it!
Wouldn't it be spelled gruff in Welsh?

[GoldilocksAndTheThreePears]

gyazo.com/934a2fdc6dfd5f4e7be421b301cc5ae3 Grif just makes me think of this guy from RvB :D

And oddly enough the wife of the guy who voices him is Griffon www.youtube.com/user/GriffonRamsey

[MollieRos]

There are a few spelling options, The other version is Griffith, and in Welsh I've seen Gruffudd ("dd" is pronounced "th"), Gruffydd, Griffydd etc. But I think I prefer Griffin to Griffith, and I would want a more English spelling, rather than confuse things with y's and dd's! I consider myself English and my DH is fully English, it's just nice to keep some kind of Welsh link- I have lots of family still in Wales.

[hardtochoose]

Oops, name change fail! Ah well!

[DramaAlpaca]

I like it. As you say OP it's solid but slightly unusual. A good name.

[hardtochoose]

Goldilocks I have no idea what that is!

[Winterbiscuit]

It reminds me of the Three Billy Goats Gruff.

[squoosh]

I like it. Very manly. I'd imagine a Griff having hands like slabs of rock.

[plimsolls]

I love it.

[hardtochoose]

haha squoosh

winterbiscuit I hadn't thought of the billy goats gruff, but I suppose so!

[LentilAsAnything]

I really love it. I'd choose Griffin though, so he has options - Griffin, Griff, Fin. Go for it!

[nectarini1983]

Horrid

[BaskingTrout]

a good friend's little boy is Gruffydd, which I really like. we are in wales though, and it doesn't feel like a very unusual name

[NoSpamPam]

What an utterly ugly name. R u taking the piss? Did you not want this child?

[JingsAndCrivens]

R u a wanker?

Yes, it would appear that you are.

[5BlueHydrangea]

Pam that is nasty.
Do you know the saying "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all?"...

[guineapig1]

Gruffydd and the shortening Gruff is quite popular in Wales. I know of at least 6 under 10s which includes 2 under 2s.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

It's nice. I know a baby Griff.

Pam be a dear and fuck off.

[CakeRattleandRoll]

I really like it. Would use Griffin/Griffith on bc and Griff for everyday.

[pieceofpurplesky]

It's lovely and Griffin can be Griff or Fin - so if he doesn't like it when he is older he has a cool alternative

[hardtochoose]

Hmm, mostly positive I think (except for Pam... wow, don't hold back )

We've started trying out referring to the baby as Griff when we remember to see if it sticks. It's so interesting that names are so subjective- this is about the only one that DH and I have both agreed on, and I'm still not 100% sure. I don't want to lumber the baby with a really random name that raises eyebrows every time he introduces himself!

[paperdreams16]

I really like it although I think it takes a certain kind of man to fill it, IYSWM. Fine for a child but I would imagine an older Griff to be really solid, strong and confident. Might be difficult for him to 'wear' his name if he doesn't turn out that like that.

Of course that's just my opinion, others may imagine Griff to look entirely different! It's a great name

[Strokethefurrywall]

Griff is an AWESOME name! Use it, great name!

[leoniethelioness]

I know a few adult and child Gruffs (mostly short for Gruffudd but some just Gruff). It's a completely normal and acceptable name!

[ErrantApostrophe]

My toddler DS is Griffin, often shortened to Griff! DH is Welsh but we live in England. He wanted a name that was Welsh but easy to spell and pronounce where we live. I was in two minds about the name for a while, for all the reasons you say OP, but we went with as as my DH loved it. I have to say, I haven't regretted it! Many of my friends and family absolutely love it, and those who don't share the enthusiasm for it have at least been polite (why don't you try it, Pam?!). A surprising number of people know it's Welsh and have heard of it before (I wasn't necessarily expecting that outside of Wales) and most people who haven't heard of it before are complimentary about it. So I don't think it is an 'out there' name at all.

True, it's a name that a lot of people wouldn't use, but then that's one of the reasons you're interested in it, right? I really don't think it's weird or embarrassing, it's just not to everyone's taste - which is the same with many names.

Plus, in our case it suits DS perfectly . As with any name, you need to try it on your baby once he's here. Good luck!