Saul?

[fionadal]

Right, narrowing down names for DS2. Have finally laid "Oscar" to rest due to extreme popularity and a certain Pistorius character (thank you for everyone who helped me make that decision - see threads below!)

Am now considering more unusual names:

What do people think of Saul? I've heard it recently and rather like it. A soft -sounding name ,with interesting associations (Biblical but also a cool character in Breaking Bad!)

Cool or weird?

[LadyWithLapdog]

Cool in Breaking Bad? Sleazy, corrupt, not cool.

[Mouthfulofquiz]

BUT very very cool character in Homeland. I really like it.

[DanceToJoyDivision]

I don't like it I'm afraid.

[Tauriel1]

I love it

[InfinitySeven]

Better Call Saul would stop me, I think. That's going to be big, and around for a few years. It'd look like he was named after a sleazy, corrupt drug lawyer.

[fionadal]

Yes, LadyWithLap Dog, I agree with the sleazy and corrupt but still (to me!) kinda cool! A character anyway!

Saul in Homeland definitely cool. Hadn't even thought of him.

I suppose there's Saul Bellow (sp?) too, so good literary associations.

[dementedma]

I love it.

[Islagiatt]

Better call Saul!

[ArsenicSoup]

Biblically, Saul was a bad guy, who changed his name to Paul when he was saved and became a reformed character. So like Cain and Abel, Saul and Paul is a bit of a Evil/Lovely name pair.

[ArsenicSoup]

(just in case you weren't aware)

[ReadyForDinner]

Lovely name, gentle but strong sounding. Go for it!

[looki]

It's my favourite boy's name. I absolutely adore it. I think it may get a little more popular due to tv programmes but I doubt it will get very or over popular. It's quirky, interesting, underused and it's a very cool name.

Wasn't there a biblical King Saul too?

If I have a boy, his name will absolutely be Saul. I love it. Go for it!!!!

[MetallicInk]

Very cool. Guns n roses' Slash's real name

[thecaroline]

It was my grandfather's name. He was about the most adorable, lovely man I can imagine, and so the name is nice because of him. However, without that association I'm not crazy about it.

Anyway, while my grandfather was on his deathbed and we thought no lucid, my sister said she was going to name her son after him, and my grandfather all the sudden opened his eyes and looked at her and gave her the sweetest smile. It was amazing. I guess I might have a nephew named Saul someday.

I don't know about there, but here it is almost exclusively a Jewish name.

[TsukuruTazaki]

Homeland is my first thought and gets a thumbs up as I love Saul berenson

I think it's a good name

[DramaAlpaca]

Not keen on it at all, sorry.

Too biblical for me.

[Castlemilk]

Hmm, should be nice, but the biblical associations are so negative. It's a bit evil!

[Shlep]

Love it. Makes me think of my grandfather and my great grandfather (on the other side of the family to my granddad) who were both called Saul. But they were both lovely and funny and painfully clever, so not a bad association for me. I would automatically assume you were Jewish though, if you aren't, would that be a problem for you?

[TondelayoSchwarzkopf]

Love it but I'm slightly biased as it is DS2's name

I've never seen Breaking Bad btw. And I'm not Jewish. There are two biblical Sauls - the OT one is the FIL of King David. Saul Bass and Slash were the associations we liked but we like the name more than any references IYSWIM.

[squoosh]

I really like it. Don't think it's that unusual.

Wasn't Saul the one who had the conversion on the road to Damascus and left his baddie ways behind?

[GreenKay]

Biblical with sinister connotations. Not a fan at all.

[ArsenicSoup]

That's him squoosh, but he became Paul.

I forgot the OT King Saul though. That explains why it is a popular name in the Jewish community.

[MrsBloodCurdlingscrEames]

My thoughts were exactly like you said...

Bible
Breaking bad.

Neither things I'd like to associate with a baby .

[LadyWithLapdog]

I had a friend with a Sal (for Salvatore). Similarish sound.

[birdofthenorth]

I've always liked it. He may have been a baddie in the Bible (until he was Paul!) but I just love the sound of it. Unusual but simple.