Valentine for a boy

[HolyMusicalBman]

First off, no he wouldn't be born in February, more like July. I just want to see your opinions on the name. Maybe some nicknames you'd use for a little boy called Valentine. We're thinking Tino or Vali so far. Thanks.

[Laila747]

I think it’s lovely!
Different but not crazy different....

[MrsCaptainJakeBallard]

It's not something I would chose. I know a little boy called Valentino who has the nickname Tino but not sure I would go for Tino with Valentine?

[BrownEyedGirl80]

Lee Stafford and his wife have just called their youngest valentine I think its quite nice but prepare yourself for Valentines day jokes in the future

[Ihopeyourcakeisshit]

I'm a fan of unusual names but I think this ones just asking for trouble.

[GertiMJN]

Personally not keen. Too closely linked with Valentine's day, romance etc.

[SmileyClare]

Sorry I think it's a burden of a name and he'll be sick to the back teeth of Valentine's day references when he's older.

The obvious shortened version which I would expect his friends to use is Val.

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

Val Doonican's (he of the jumpers and rocking chair) full name was Valentine. I think the issue is that a three-syllable name is always going to get shortened and the logical abbreviation is Val - which everybody assumes is a female name. Then again, you don't get all that many Vals/Valeries these days - it's quite a 'middle-aged' name.

How are you pronouncing Tino? Presumably to rhyme with Beano? Problem is it doesn't naturally sound to come from the original name, so I don't think people would connect the two or 'take to' it.

Why don't you just go for Valentino (and then obviously Tino for short)? I think that sounds funkier and a bit less old-fashioned.

If you're set on Valentine, I suppose 'Len' could be another abbreviation might make Father Ted fans want to say "Don't call me Len!" though

[MaverickDanger]

I know a Valentin & really like it for a non Feb baby.

[TheVanguardSix]

I love it! One of the nicest parents at DD's former primary school was named Valentine. I had a second cousin too named Valentine Lamb - great name. Val for short. Our neighbour's 7-year-old boy is Valentine.

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

x-posted with Jake

[Beetlewing]

Dawn o'Porter has a Valentine. I love it. Vally, Lenny all good

[bananamonkey]

Valentino is nicer imo

[Branleuse]

I have only heard it as Valentin for a boy.

[toomanycremeeggs]

Oh goodness awful. Poor child- don't do it!!

[PurBal]

I like it, but I wouldn't do it personally. Too many jokes to be made unfortunately.

[EssentialHummus]

Perfectly ordinary name in the Russian community. I know several, all shortened to Val.

[KindleAndCake]

I really like it.

[DarcyJack]

Ds 26 best friend is Valentin (eastern European) nn Val No problems at all no one thinks anything of it - great name.

[alsodetoxing]

No!!!

He would be called Tintin.

[golddustwomen]

I really like it!

[partyatthepalace]

I like it, but I suspect he might find it annoying so I wouldn’t

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

Fair enough if you have a nationality/ethnicity/heritage/a family link to a specific culture where something is a common name, but they can otherwise sound very incongruous.

We're boringly white British for several generations back, so it would seem extremely odd if we were to call a baby Gurminder or Kwame, even though these are far from uncommonly-given names to babies in Britain.

[BastardAnts]

It’s a Saint’s name, a perfectly proper name
I think it’s fantastic. Don’t have boys but definitely on the list if I did.

[Ismellphantoms]

Valentine is a family name of my DH. His grandfather and all generations going back to the 18th century have had this name. Usually nicknamed Val. It's a historic British name and was prevalent in Kent. Time to bring it back!

[IamnotwhouthinkIam]

Nice but sounds quite exotic/European to me - I think I'd struggle to imagine it on an ordinary British bloke (are you in the UK?). Maybe that means I need more imagination...

I imagine he'd get called Val though, unless you stick to Vali/Tino from day 1 - would that both you? (Doesn't seem to have mattered for Val Kilmer).