Paul - views please

[Playdough]

Six weeks to go until due date and DH and I really struggling for a boy's name. Our short list is all over the place but one that I keep coming back to is Paul. But is it too 60s/70s? Or is it due for a revival, perhaps? We like short, classic names as we have an unusual and quite difficult to spell surname. So what do MNetters think?

[anorak]

I think it's lovely and high time it was used again.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

yes, actually is v nice

[Cappuccino]

oh I love Paul

I had a lovely friend called Paul

[LadyOfWaffle]

DS2s midle name, I like it

[singersgirl]

I think it's lovely too and I was seriously considering it for DS2. I think it's due for a revival. There were loads of them at primary school in the 70s, but I only know of one child Paul now.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

yes, actually is v nice - like it lengthened to Pauly which sounds like Goodfellas

[MaryAnnSingleton]

yes, actually is v nice - like it lengthened to Pauly which sounds like Goodfellas

[JuneBugJen]

Its great in a retro fabulous way. A bit like calling your dd Anne or Mary. I like it and it bizarrely will be unusual compared to all the 'unusual' names!

[belgo]

It's lovely.

[DarrellRivers]

Don't use it, I don't want it to become popular again as I want it stay all for my use
[like it[

[TheBlonde]

I like it

[JuneBugJen]

Is that you darrell...from Malory Towers? Is Alicia doing well?

[belgo]

at DarrellRivers - that's why I never suggest the names we have picked out for dc3 (due in two weeks!)

[DarrellRivers]

[donnie]

I love the name Paul. It was on my list of names if we'd had boys!

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

Oooooh I went out with two lovely Pauls many moons ago, use it.

[KnickersOnMaHead]

Message withdrawn

[jellybeans]

I really don't like it. Too 20 years ago.

[elliepants]

I'd go with your gut instinct and if you like Paul and you keep coming back to it then it's probably right for your little one.

[Playdough]

Wow, thanks so much for the responses. The name fits well with my other two children's names and so, newly confident with MN approval, I think we'll definitely use it as either the little one's first or middle name, perhaps with a more contemporary alternative name so he can use that if he prefers.

Jellybeans, how about Gary then ? Actually, our other children have quite '20 or even 30 or 40 years ago' names too! I think they really suit them now, alhough I had wobbles about both names in the months/years following birth. I do find choosing names difficult.

Thanks again everyone.

[jellybeans]

I actually really like Gary! I hope I didn't offend you about disliking Paul, it isn't an awful name and at least it is normal and traditional. It's purely individual choice, after all otherwise all our kids would have the same names!

[loobylu3]

Paul is a lovely, classic name. It is my father's name (born 1940s) and it is also my son's middle name after his g/father. I think it may come back into fashion. There is actually a little boy at my son's pre school called Paul.

[Playdough]

... and I know two gorgeous Garys! Jellybean, no, I'm not offended at all -- plain and traditional tends to be our family style in a lot of things but I actually think it's lovely that there are so many different choices for names these days and I am glad that there is such variation in today's classrooms. (There were eleven people with my name in my year at secondary school.)