Thoughts on the name Vincent

[FLTN]

Hello everyone,

I’m due later this year with my first child, a baby boy. The inevitable name discussion has begun. DH has a long Dutch surname and we want to pick a first name that is international & would work well in both countries. The forerunner is Vincent (nn Vince, not Vinny) but I’ve made the mistake of sharing this with friends who hate it! Casting the net a bit further to see what the general opinion is?

Thanks!

[halcyondays]

I like it. But what if he decides to shorten it to Vinny himself?

[puds11]

I love it. I also love Vinny though. I know a little Vinny and he’s a cutie!

[Crabonastick]

I love it, but you can not police what a child and his friends will ultimate call him. My DS has a name that we shorten to the first syllable, but his friends call him by the first syllable with an I on the end with no prompting from anyone else!

[Whatsyourflava]

I think it’s a good choice

[FLTN]

Thanks for your reply. I’d be interested to know what connotations you associate with the name?

Re Vinny, it’s not my favourite but I suppose there’s a risk with any name that people will create nicknames you’re not fond of. We’d go with Vince ourselves at the start but of course be happy with however he decides to refer to himself when he’s old enough!

[kenandbarbie]

To me it's an older mans name, but that might just be because I don't know any young ones. It's a bit east end gangstery.

[Motacilla]

I like it. You can't control an nickname when he is older but you can certainly decide what he is called when he is little.

Does the dutch surname start 'van'? People might think painters if it does, not that that would matter.

[ColourMeGreen]

I have a 3yo Vince, wish I'd gone with Vincent. PPs are right though, everyone calls him Vinny. I also have an Ollie who is regularly called Oliver so I don't think it matters what you hope they'll be called. The name Vince did seem a bit too 'old' on a tiny baby, but now he has some active personality his name suits him perfectly.

[puds11]

I get the nickname thing. I purposely named my daughters things that could be shortened and thought I’d thought of every possible version but missed one for my most recent DD and this is what her grandmother calls her and I hate it 😱

Vince makes me think of Vincent Vega from Pulp Fiction and I love that film!

[OnABeachSomewhere]

I like Vincent, it reminds me of Van Gogh. Vinny is OK, but Vince sounds like mince and reminds me of the whiny Vince Cable.

[FLTN]

Good point! It’s not a ‘van’ name, though it’s still 2 words and 6 syllables! Other names I like are very British & I think would sound odd with such a unique surname.

[Chimchar]

Love it. It's a great name!

[SugarStealer]

Its awful sorry

[Lailaha]

As pp said, Vince is a wannabe hard man name: a low level Liverpool gangster who's not as hard as he thinks he is.

As you can tell, I utterly loathe it, though I do know it's popular with very Catholic Catholics (rather than cultural ones) and really, it's whether you like it that matters.

[Bigearringsbigsmile]

Really dont like it.
It always seems like a ' tough boy's name to me.

[glitterbiscuits]

I'm surprised so many posters like it. I think it's awful.
Do you have a back up?

[Satsuma2]

I like it. It might seem a bit grown up while he is very young but they don't stay that way for long.

[fairydustandpixies]

No. Just no. Only because the two Vincents I've met in my life have been vile people, utter scum!

[Whatsyourflava]

I thought it was a unusual choice until I met a Vincent (4yo) locally. After a couple times of hearing it, it just sounded right. I just think you need to hear it a couple of times to adjust and then it just sounds great @FLTN
I imagine your friends will agree and be like “I’m pleased I never put you off. Great name”
What are your other choices though

[Awwlookatmybabyspider]

Gorgeous. I don't like the abriviations though.

[MikeUniformMike]

Not keen, sorry.

[ittooshallpass]

I love it, but am biased as I have a family member with the name. It's very rarely shortened, but if it is it's Vince not Vinny.

It's great because it's easy to spell but it's different and there are never any others in the same class at school!

[Rachelhaydenberk1]

I like Vincent. It's a timeless classic that works in multiple cultures! I like the nickname Vin personally. So if Vinny doesn't sit well maybe Vin is better? Like other posters pointed out, common nicknames are inevitable at a certain point.

My best friend is named Jennifer and hated being called Jen but everyone just automatically calls her that so eventually she gave up and just accepts it.

[SophiaLarsen]

It's a nice name. I love the French pronunciation for it.

[SophiaLarsen]

If you don't go for it, an international alternative could be Lawrence