Mumsnet Talk

Ok, I started a thread asking for name suggestions for Ds3 and Bertie came up. Dh and I quite like it.
We currently have a Dylan and a Miles.
Opinions please!

Ooh I love it

Would it work at 25 though?

I like Albert nn Bertie

The bus?

Sorry it's a no from me as my boys were both Thomas obsessed and that's what I would thInk of.

Like.

Lol at Bertie the bus My dh's first reaction was 'you mean Bertie Basset?'

Once he thought about it though he likes it

I'm not overly keen on Albert, my grandad was Herbert so prefer that but it would be Bertie on the birth cert of we did choose it..

Hmm, I thought maybe he could go with Bert when older if he wanted..

love it. it was my 'boys' name but i lost the pregnancy.

don't worry about the Thomas the tank thing.... no-one thinks 'train' when they hear of a thomas.

good luck

For me it makes me think of a pet dog or cat. Wouldn't be on my list.

I've just returned a book to the library called "Dirty Bertie".

Sunshine I feel happy when I think of the name.. I'm so sorry for your loss x

silver I can see what you mean.. Doesn't put me off though..

Natural

Short for Bertram it is gorgeous, not keen on Albert, not on Bertie as a given name. Bertram is fabulous though! It makes me think of Bertie Wooster which is a good association (I love Wodehouse). I would have used Bertram if dh had let me!

It's awful. It has an ugly sound.

Its a great name - but you WILL have to get a dog bertie loved blue

We have an Albert (Albie/Bert). Also love Herbie (Herbert on birth certificate?)

I love it.

If it's a family name though,not sure if it is,have only read the first post, then I might use it as a middle name.

Bertie, like Bertie Wooster, one of the best fiction character ever! Oh I love it!

Like it a lot!

tummy Bertram is cool but it sure if it's a bit out there for us. I like slightly unusual names but not too unusual iyswim..

TheUncanny don't hold back! Ita not really a family name as such although it does remind me of my grandad who was Herbert.

I have one and it is loved by everyone we meet. Someone bought us the bus and the Dirty Bertie book too. Mine is an Albert - we wanted a serious name for when he is prime minister

Also obv when he's a teenager he can be Al or Ally if he wants. I hope he doesn't though, I just adore Bertie!

Oh and - like London up there - when e was born we were in London and it seemed normal. Now we've moved to Scotland and people comment on it much more (but in a good way).

I have a Bertie! His proper name is Robert.

bigkid nice to hear everyone likes it! I just don't know about putting a more formal name on the birth cert myself. I really like Bertie as a name in itself. Do you think having that on the birth cert would work of he used Bert when older? Can Bertie be a nn for Herbert? That's the only name I could possibly consider putting on the cert instead (Grandads name)

How about Robert like Sunseed?

Robert is nice but too mainstream for me (no offence meant!)

Bertie would work for any name beginning with,or ending in Bert,including Herbert,imho.

None taken!

I'll consider Herbert with Bertie as his nn although we would always call him Bertie and Herbert would just be on the cert.. Depends what dh thinks of that..

Just put Bertie then. If he needs gravitas when older he can be Bert

Cuthbert?!

or Dilbert?

Kveta both nice although they sound like characters to me iyswim?

Bertie is a rather likeable character in Alexander McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street novels.

jandy ah I didn't know that

Jandy since naming our Bertie we've moved to Edinburgh I hope noone thinks I am like his dreadful mother

Haha! I saw this in active and missed that it was baby names and got all worried for a minute...

I think it is an excellent name

It's awful , as is Herbert

Lol Bertie!

Er thanks for your opinion usual

Is it wrong that I wouldnt conisder for a boy but would for a girl? Are there girls called Bertie, or do I belong in the loony bin?

Gilbert? Gil is a pretty cool nickname for later on, when he's a teenager.

bigkidsdidit Lol. Have you a Ulysses too?

No but I did take him to Valvona and Crolla for a cake on Saturday

I have a Bertie. Favourite name ever ever ever! Always has been it just makes me

sarge makes me too!

Any suggestions for middle names? We had decided on Harrison but that doesn't go that well, or does it

Hmmm....I don't know, I never think of 'what goes' wrt middle names, as how often do you ever really say them all in a row? I couldnt decide between two names for my DD, so DH picked his fave and the other one became her middle name. Never really thought about whether they matched.

With Harrison being a typical surname, I think it would go with any name as it may sound like you've used you maiden name (not that I know what your MN is, but it does sound like a surname)

My son is Bertie William James. We call him bert for nn. I've only met one other so don't think it will become mega popular (fingers crossed)

sarge love your middle names

Thanks I've met a Jackson recently and it's growing on me. Kind of similar to Harrison in the middle name/ surname feel. I also love Christopher and Edward.

Jackson is cool

I would NOT just have Bertie on birth certificate.. It's very cute for when he's little. You could have Gilbert which could be Gil if he doesn't like Bertie when he's older - he might love Bertie of course!

I really don't like Bert at all!

Bertie is cute for a little boy but less so for an adult imo. I also expect all the cutesy type names (Archie, Alfie, Bertie etc) to start to sound dated soon, as people tire of them - they've been so popular recently.

useyour I would have just Bertie on there I know what you mean about it being a cute boys name etc but I'm not going to put another name on the cert just to be traditional. He can use Bert when older if he likes.

mayanna I disagree. I don't think you can tire of someone's name as its not just a name once it belongs to someone iyswim. I think it depends on the person and their personality as to how the name comes across. Of course, if I had a Bertie he'd be a super cool dude

Of course dairy you can put whatever you like on birth certificate - just my opinion. My DS has old-man type shortened version/nickname but a more traditional, if you like, name on his birth cert because it has a bit more gravitas I suppose. DC's make their names anyway.

I see what you mean, I personally just feel more comfortable using the name that would be on his cert

Of course this is all hypothetical as we're not even sure we're going to use the name yet!

I wanted to call DS2 Bertie. It's a lovely name and family were very keen on it.
However, DH said that we had to call him Albert which is just to cold for a baby, even though he would only be called Bertie.
When for Hugo instead, but it's a great name.
The little boy in Supermarket zoo is called Albie, which is very cute, too.
Bert is a fab name for an older gent too.
We are Thomas fans in our house too!
Patsy Palmer has a Bertie.

happy Hugo was a good choice

I agree Albert is a bit cold. Albie is nice although a friend has a boy called that so kind of rules it out. We don't live near each other or anything but still..

Bertie? I am sorry but it's awful. You may not want to put a traditional name on the birth certificate, but your child will have to put this cutesie child's name on his CV for example. I am not sure that Bertie sounds like a serious contender for any serious or responsible job role.

Maybe give him a more grown up middle name as well to fall back on?

Its awful in your opinion don't you mean?

He can use Bert on forms, as I've already said.

Oh and I don't agree it is just a cutesy little boys name. There are lots of men called Bertie and my grandad was known as Bert

You asked for opinions,Dairy. Why are you getting so worked up when others express a negative opinion?

And plenty of people have said it's lovely.Perhaps they should state that it's only lovely in their opinion?

I like the name Bertie. It makes me smile, as I have a friend who is a late-30s-Bertie and he is lovely.

I really don't get all the hoo-hah (not just on this thread) about what should be the 'proper' name and what should be the 'nickname'. Just choose a name. Stick it on the certificate. Meh.

Agree sanuk. Uncanny I don't think op is getting worked up. She's responding to comments. I can't stand how everyone goes on about names dating. I picked a name that we liked for our child-not one for a cv or to fit in. I can honestly say that when I meet people I don't judge them by their name (a few exceptions obviously) and if I personally was to be looking through a CV and came across Bertie it wouldn't make me think 'that is a cute name so he can't do the job'. I think it has character personally. My own name is coming back into fashion after ages of being considered 'dated'.

Sorry but Bert has zero gravitas/formality, possibly less than Bertie (i.e. they are both nn's/abbreviations of other names), so that wouldnt solve the problem of what if he doesnt want to be a QC called Bertie

what about Robert?

The two Bertie's I'm aware of are girls and it's short for Roberta

I love it - as nn for Albert, Bertram or Herbet. I just think it's a great name. However, you would end up getting Bert as they got older. I think Bertie is ok as a little boy but it wouldn't stick, I don't think....

uncanny I'm not getting wound up at all I just think some people express their opinion rather tactlessly that's all. A simple ' I don't like it' or 'I wouldn't use it' will suffice. Not need for people to say a name is 'awful' or 'ugly', I just would say that. I think all names are lovely in their own way and of course it depends who they belong to

For those people worried about the name having 'gravitas' and being 'serious' tbh, that's makes me want to choose it all the more. I'm of the belief that we are in charge of our own destiny and we make our own way in life, a name isn't going to hold you back if you have self belief and charisma.

I honestly can't see someone not reaching the interview stage for a job just because their name is Bertie, or Bert for that matter. If you need convincing however, there are famously successful people with the name Bertie, amongst them is a football manager and an Irish politician.

It's a happy name imo, there are far far more ridiculous names out there!

I just wouldn't say that!

Just to respond, I see your point of view, I am stating my opinion, in terms of the gravitas a name provides you in a job interview situation. My DH has a name that is long and complicated, he used it for job searching on his CV for about 6 months and got no responses at all. He was applying for jobs he was more than qualified to do. He decided to put the shortened name down on his CV instead and was suddenly noticed. He got a job within 6 weeks of doing this. People should not do this when reviewing CVs but unfortunately this does happen.

I see what you're saying, although that's slightly different as you're saying his name is long and complicated. Maybe the employers were just worried about pronouncing it and therefore didn't give him an interview? You wouldn't have a problem pronouncing Bertie though..

I really don't think it's going to affect him getting a job in 20 years time, there are some really crazy names around at the moment, his will probably seem positively boring by then!

Dairy agree with everything you have said. I think it's more likely the right job came up for your dh in the end Dotty. Good for him by the way

I like to be honest on baby name threads because it's the child who has to live with the name,not the parent,so they might as well know what peoples genuine reactions are while it's just a hypothetical name and not one belonging to a person.

Saying that I hate a name is as valid as gushing over a name,and you asked for opinions so if people think it is awful then I'd expect them to say so.

You're entitled to your opinion uncanny

The whole gravitas thing -

I'm a bit surprised people think Bert has more gravtias than Bertie.

Speaking very cynically and making generalisations - at this point in time, 'Bert' is stereotypically a working-class name, and 'Bertie' middle class. Therefore I'd say that when looking at CVs, someone might envisage 'Bertie' as being more, ahem, professional.

Yep it was a relief.

It's a brilliant name. I love it. We did have a cat called Bertie growing up but I would still use the name myself. He was the best cat ever actually so it's a good association - I know that sounds mad but it's true. I think Bertie works well on a baby, a teenager and an adult. I might even add it to my list if you don't mind as I am having a boy and just can't convince my DP to go with the name Roscoe which I am STILL obsessing over despite DP ruling it out months ago he thinks

Sanuk I actually agree. I would say my grandad Bert was working class, he was a lorry driver who kept pigs and chickens. To me Bertie almost sounds a bit, well, posh. (not that we are at all!)

We too have a Robert who is nn Bertie.

whippet I remember the Roscoe thread and good to know you are a woman who knows her mind

yy Bertis is stereotypically posh. And southern. Whereas Bert is stereotypically northern.

Bert is a character on Coronation Street (probably).
Bertie is Bertie Wooster. He is Upstairs whilst Bert is Downstairs.

The lovely RL Bertie I know, who is late 30s, is posh and Oxbridge educated.

That's kind of how it seems to me

My Bertie is very northern-I do call him Bert though. I thought I wouldn't but I do

I just think of Bert from Sesame Street when I hear the name. Do you know any real life Berts?!

I don't dislike it, but around here it seems to become a Dogs name - I know of 4

I think Bertie sounds too childish/cutesy and Bert too comical - I too think of Bert from Sesame Street .

I like Bertie, but the one we know in RL is called Bertie short for Albert. He is Albanian and is a bit of a Peter Pan (but popular).

mayanna yes, my grandad was Bert. When I think of Bert I also think of Bert and Ernie but don't think that's a bad thing. In fact my other grandad was Ernest so they kinda were Bert and Ernie

DH calls ours Bert too sometimes

That always gets a double take in the street!