Critique my boy names

[ABCFamily]

As per my other thread, I've just found out that I'm pregnant, and am having fun thinking of names.

Although I'm a Brit, I've been living abroad for a while, but intend to move back to the UK in the next year or so. How would these boy names be perceived back home?

Which of these names do you like/dislike, & why?

Andrew
Benjamin
David
Edmund
Elliot
Eugene
Hamish (is it weird to use Hamish if you're not at all Scottish?)
Jasper
Martin
Peter
Robin
Rowan
Simon
William

[bittapitta]

All seem perfectly inoffensive and "of the moment" to me. Choose any.

[ABCFamily]

And one more:

Irving

[JellyMouldJnr]

I don't like Eugene or Irving - both sound very American. Jasper and martin are a bit old fashioned - I haven't met any kids called Martin. Otherwise all are fine and I love Hamish, Robin and Edmund.

[ktmummy1]

Rowan is my favourite from your list!
Also like Elliot and Benjamin. The rest sound a bit old fashioned.

Edmond- an elephant in Peppa pig

[CakeRattleandRoll]

Love Peter - not common, easy nn, everyone can pronounce/spell it, good meaning, historical, travels well, suits baby/child/adult. Ticks all the boxes!

Also really like Andrew, Edmund and Hamish. (And Elliot, but can't see a good nn - Elli is too girly.)

Less keen on Eugene (looks a bit like eugenics) and Irving (sounds like a verb).

The rest are fine.

[Gruach]

Do you live in an ex-pat community OP?

Each of those names is perfectly nice in itself but as a group they do strongly suggest a gathering of middle aged men - quite late middle aged - in their 60's perhaps. So they could be seen as rather dated.

But all perfectly acceptable.

[shitebag]

Personally I really dislike Eugene, Edmond, Irving because they just sound very dated and clumsy to my ears.

I know lots of Hamish's (although I am Scottish) and although its a name I dislike anyway it does always strike me as odd when I hear it called out by an English accent which happens alot in our area due to a strong RAF presence.

Andrew, Benjamin, David, Martin, Peter, Simon and William are fine as names but again personally I find them a bit 'meh'.

Jasper doesn't really stir anything up either way.

I'd use Elliot, Rowan and Robin as I think these are quite nice :)

[helentheheron]

My personal opinions on your list:

Andrew - old fashioned & therefore unusual. Nice name though.
Benjamin - very popular name. Not a bad thing (it's one of my favourites)
David - very classic but not too common. Only problem is he might get "Dave" which is awful.
Edmund - I dislike, sounds stuffy. much prefer Edward.
Elliot - I personally don't like it. Seems dated but not classic like your others.
Eugene - dislike. I think it's ugly.
Hamish (is it weird to use Hamish if you're not at all Scottish?) - I would think it was a bit weird, yes
Jasper - I dislike this. Would suit a ginger cat imo.
Martin - as Elliot
Peter - Best Name Ever . Classic but unusual, easy to pronounce and spell. Sounds strong yet kind and friendly.
Robin - I like it but my dp has suggested it sounds a bit wimpy.
Rowan - really like this especially if child is ginger (means little red one I believe)
Simon - as Andrew except I don't really like the sound of this.
William - I'm not keen on the Royal connection.

[Bloomsberry]

All entirely inoffensive as a pp said. To me they're all slightly on the beige side, though, I have to say. Are you approaching this from the pov of someone wanting to blend in to a culture you left behind a while back?

[Gruach]

Are you approaching this from the pov of someone wanting to blend in to a culture you left behind a while back?

I'm seeing an early evening gathering at the Country Club - regimental blazers and faded print frocks, in some far flung outpost of the British Empire ...

[helentheheron]

I have to say I disagree with Bloomsbury and Grauch. The names aren't exactly trendy but imo that's a good thing. And (presumably?) you'll only be using the one so don't have to worry about the impression given by the group as a whole

[foragogo]

I find some of these names very bla d and boring and remind me of the middle aged men I work with (Simon, David, William, Andrew, Martin, Peter). If you walk into any City office you are literally surrounded by Daves and Andys and Petes and Chris'. Having said that it would be a lot more unusual for someone born now I suppose.

I like Rowan and don't mind Hamish.

[Gruach]

Yes it's true that the OP will only need one (first) name.

However her list suggests not that she has specifically picked her favourites from a million possibilities but that she is trying to choose an "English" name - from a situation where she isn't coming across the sort of names I'm seeing on MN lists every day, now, in 2015.

There may well be a few boys with some of those names in any given nursery class - but there will also be lots of boys with names that have become popular since the OP left the UK. It's only fair to point this out to her.

Though of course she may know this already!

[celtictoast]

Like:

Andrew, David, Peter and William are classic names.
Hamish - use if you like, but everyone will ask if there's a Scottish connection
Martin - I quite like this and think it's due a comeback

Not keen:

Simon
Benjamin
Robin
Rowan
Jasper
Edmund
Elliot
Eugene

[MrsCaecilius]

Andrew - Dull, don't like Andy
Benjamin - Good and solid, like Ben
David - no, David is a tax accountant (apologies to all tax accountants out there) with a monosyllabic voice
Edmund - Black Adder
Elliot - too unisex, don't like ot
Eugene - awful. American and whiny
Hamish - love it, but better with a Scottish connection
Jasper - love it
Martin - awful. Martin is never going to be the life and soul of the party
Peter - dull. He's another accountant with David
Robin - Hood? No. Also a bit girly
Rowan - a girl's name
Simon - coming round to this, but I don't like Si as nn
William - Love it. Totally strong and classic
Irving - dreadful.

[ABCFamily]

Grauch - I don't live in an ex-pat community, but I did used to work with retirees and soon-to-be retirees, so that might explain it! I'm also quite partial to Gregory...

Wish I could blame it on leaving in the golden age of Andrew/David/Simon et al, but I've only been out of the UK for 6 years, so I think I'm just a chronic fusty name lover. That and I know my husband wouldn't go for some of the more unusual names that I like (e.g. Griffin, Jago, Tobias).

I'm seeing an early evening gathering at the Country Club - regimental blazers and faded print frocks, in some far flung outpost of the British Empire ...
Well I live in the States, but I suppose I could always dust off the old red coat

[ABCFamily]

Thanks for the feedback, all. It's been useful.

I think my favourites are probably William, Benjamin, Peter, Edmund, Elliot, and Simon, so it's good to hear that they're (generally) perceived as OK.

Hamish is a real guilty pleasure, but I think I'd feel weird using it with no link to Scotland so I guess it's out. I also like the simplicity of David, but not Dave, so that might get relegated to middle name status.

Eugene has snuck up on me out of nowhere, but looks like I might be on my own there!

[PontyGirl]

I like Peter, though they are all fine.

Rupert is in the same vein and v lovely also.

[teabagsmummy]

Andrew I love I, bias as is my ds name also love Elliot

[EElisavetaOfBelsornia]

All nice really. I think of Eugene as an Irish name, I'm not sure if that's right - also reminds me of Flynn Rider . Peter is my favourite.

[helentheheron]

Ooh I quite like Gregory

[DeepBlueLake]

Andrew - okay but I really dislike Andy as nn
Benjamin - fine, been very popular for a long time though
David - no, very dated
Edmund - no and it reminds me of Sir Edmund Hilary (not thats an issue)
Elliot - absolutely love (its the name for this baby if it's a boy)
Eugene - please no
Hamish (is it weird to use Hamish if you're not at all Scottish?) - I know a few and I'm not British, it's a lovely name.
Jasper - really like
Martin - was my dad's name and I don't even like it, sorry
Peter - not keen
Robin - dislike
Rowan - like
Simon - no very dated
William - fine but dull

[Sophronia]

I also like Peter and Andrew the best.

Benjamin, David, Eugene, Hamish, Martin, Simon and William are nice too.

[ragged]

I like David best.
Eugene makes me cringe and Edmund not lovely.
Rest inbetween but not cringeworthy.