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Original poster

To be surprised by the names of the “posh kids” at DDs school

368 replies

marilee · 31/08/2025 02:55

Hi all, my DD just started primary 1. The catchment area for her new school is super mixed with all the nicest houses in the town but also 2 council areas so a real mix. We live in a council flat, I can’t say I’ve rubbed shoulders with the more middle class half of the town and I grew up in a firmly working class area so this is the first time in my life I’m properly mixing with this group (I know that’s awful but it’s just how life has been for me so far).

I don’t know why but I was expecting all the posh kids to have more extravagant names but almost every single one of them is just a very basic name (James, Harry, Anna, Clara, Emily, Emma etc.). While the names I’d normally have associated as being more “posh” are actually the names of the kids from my area (Rafferty, Arabella, Florence, Theodore).

AIBU to be shocked by this? Is this normal or a little regional quirk?

OP posts:
Moresettingspuzzles · 31/08/2025 12:11

Bambamhoohoo · 31/08/2025 11:48

“A crumb of class” is hilarious 😂😂 you’re trolling us now 😭

I am trolling no one just laughing my ass off at the idea "Rafferty" is considered posh on here and names like "Alfie" and "Amelia"are apparently peasant names. Have these posters never heard of Alfred the great? Or princess Amelia?

Clawdes · 31/08/2025 12:10

Bubblesgun · 31/08/2025 10:25

🤣🤣🤣 what a stupid thing to say. Clara is a french name originally.

show me your lack of class without telling me

@marilee i think names goes in fashion. There was a time where Bear, Poppy, Apple and Moise, etc were the hype for the celebs,
maybe the classical names are coming back. I can see more regal names (Theodore) becoming trendier.

i personally love the classical names coming back and being used wider.

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It’s Latin, not French. Claire is French. And so what? Chantelle is derived from a French name and nobody would argue that’s classy.

Cloanie · 31/08/2025 12:10

I think the working class names where we live are Taylor, Sophie, Harrison, Chloe, Dylan, Stanley, Blake, Oliver/Olivia, tons of Harry’s.

Arty names like Lucas, Nathaniel, and Jake and Theo are classless, more boho.

I think solid middle class is Madeline, Tom, Jack, Isobel, Leo.

I don’t think there are any posh people were I live though unfortunately there is a child saddled with the name Allegra, which of course sounds like a car.

Moresettingspuzzles · 31/08/2025 12:03

Bambamhoohoo · 31/08/2025 11:48

“A crumb of class” is hilarious 😂😂 you’re trolling us now 😭

Deadly serious here. Go through the royals family tree. You see any "Raffertys"?
Makes me think of raggedy scraggedy old baggedy.

Sorry to anyone with that name. You can shorten it to rafe which does sound nice although like I said the only rafe I know is a heroin addict

N00dleStrudel · 31/08/2025 12:01

Plastictreees · 31/08/2025 08:29

I know a wonderful Rafferty. He really suits his name.

He is an Irish Terrier!

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Absolutely howling at some of these comments!

Moresettingspuzzles · 31/08/2025 12:00

Daygloboo · 31/08/2025 11:45

Lots of upper class people are drug addicts

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Of course but this one definitely wasn't

Bambamhoohoo · 31/08/2025 11:59

TeenLifeMum · 31/08/2025 11:56

It is and humans make judgments so pretending to see everyone as equals and never stereotype people is naive and a lie.

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That’s not a good comparator for this thread. Just because everyone judges doesn’t mean all judging is ok and you shouldn’t be aware of it and try and reduce it.

TeenLifeMum · 31/08/2025 11:56

Tartantotty · 31/08/2025 11:47

FFS - the class system is definately alive in the UK if you judge kids' backgrounds by their names....

It is and humans make judgments so pretending to see everyone as equals and never stereotype people is naive and a lie.

Bambamhoohoo · 31/08/2025 11:48

“A crumb of class” is hilarious 😂😂 you’re trolling us now 😭

Tartantotty · 31/08/2025 11:47

FFS - the class system is definately alive in the UK if you judge kids' backgrounds by their names....

Daygloboo · 31/08/2025 11:45

Moresettingspuzzles · 31/08/2025 11:42

Rafferty is NOT posh. It literally sounds like scrufferty. Apparently rafe is short for Rafferty well the only rafe I know is a raging heroin addict.
No one with a crumb of class would consider Rafferty a classy name

Lots of upper class people are drug addicts

Chompingatthebeat · 31/08/2025 11:45

Moresettingspuzzles · 31/08/2025 11:42

Rafferty is NOT posh. It literally sounds like scrufferty. Apparently rafe is short for Rafferty well the only rafe I know is a raging heroin addict.
No one with a crumb of class would consider Rafferty a classy name

What a horrible attitude

Moresettingspuzzles · 31/08/2025 11:42

Rafferty is NOT posh. It literally sounds like scrufferty. Apparently rafe is short for Rafferty well the only rafe I know is a raging heroin addict.
No one with a crumb of class would consider Rafferty a classy name

Dundonia · 31/08/2025 11:39

I’m sure that Martine McCutcheon’s son is called Rafferty. She was talking about him on some programme years ago and I remember thinking then what an odd name. But celebrities, innit? I mean it’s still better than Apple.

the5thgoldengirl · 31/08/2025 11:34

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Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 31/08/2025 11:33

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Isn't it just, its actually still a big thing here. Its like a cancer that won't go away. Depressing eh

Devonshiregal · 31/08/2025 11:31

SemiRetiredLoveGoddeess · 31/08/2025 04:49

I think some names we are given as children, can be loaded with meaning, expectation and even fantasy by our parents

Also names follow music,fashion, films, celebs etc and soon sink without trace.
They are also a way, for so called posth people to reinvent themselves and their children

I live in a bit of an arty, farty area full.of would me media types, wokes and the upwardly mobile..Very cash strapped but really prentious and they only buy cheese from the Deli or Cheese Monger.

We also have many original local residents, everyday people who have been here for years.

I include.myself in this last group.

So we have a bit of fun and assign mythological names to a family we know. The Queen is Persphone or Percyfone and her husband Dionysus or Den.

Two kids names Harmonia an Icarus.
Or Mona and Russ.

We are still.working on names for their cat and dog.

A name is a name is a name.

But try and give a child a name people can easily pronounce. Makes life easy for everyone.

you no doubt also bitch about how the people who arent “originals” of the town don’t join in with the locals - maybe you might want to do some self reflection because I can be sure your behaviour causes them to feel unwelcome

Heggettypeg · 31/08/2025 11:26

Fashions in names are interesting. I know a bit about my family tree back to the eighteenth century. Ordinary sort of people - miners, iron workers, various crafts, postal workers etc. Up until the late 19th century they mostly had the sort of plain traditional names like Henry, William, Thomas, Jane, Elizabeth, Sarah.
Then suddenly they broke the pattern. It happened on both sides of my ancestors, in different parts of the country, which suggests a fashion rather than something particular to one family.
The general theme of the new names seemed to be romantically historical - surnames of noble families, like Stanley, Scottish names like Donald, Anglo-Saxon names like Edith. I don't know what the influences were - Tennyson? Scott? or things of that sort. It was very noticeable.

Gallowayan · 31/08/2025 11:21

This conversation is definitely symptomatic of the obsession with class and class markers on Mumsnet.

I know a couple who named their daughter Sienna. Guess what it was nothing to do with being WC or MC. Dad's family came from Sienna that why the name was chosen.

Goatinthegarden · 31/08/2025 11:20

Well yes, I can tell that Mohammed will likely be a boy and likely from a family with some connection to Islam. But that’s not really what this thread was about. It was classist and making assumptions about people’s wealth and status based on a name.

Mohammed is an incredibly common name and I have met Mohammed’s who are very devout Muslims and Mohammed’s who never go to Mosque. I’ve met Mohammed’s from the UK, Sudan, Indonesia, UAE, and even the Netherlands. Some have lived in the UK all their lives and are third or fourth generation immigrants who are very successful. One was a refugee straight off a plane. They all had very different families.

My point really was just, don’t make assumptions about a child and what they and their family are like, based on the name that they have.

PigletSanders · 31/08/2025 11:19

Why on earth do you have this ‘them and us’ mentality, OP? Do you think they’re your ‘betters’? It’s so archaic.

IheartMCR · 31/08/2025 11:16

SchnizelVonKrumm · 31/08/2025 07:10

It's almost as though lazy stereotypes are just that. The children in the council estate down the road aren't all called Milleigh-Maie and Konna either...

Most of the ones here are though.

If I gave a list of the names in my daughter’s class, you would instantly be able to tell their school is on a rough estate.

Moresettingspuzzles · 31/08/2025 11:12

teaandmarmalade · 31/08/2025 08:27

As someone with a more unusual ‘niche’ name I made sure my kids had ‘boring’ names that could take them anywhere. They will always find their names on gift shop pens!

My name has been the bane of my life since I could talk, so I sympathise!

Same here known as the "posh one" at school because of my name.
There's a reason most wealthy people give their kids basic names like George and Harry.

Kurkara · 31/08/2025 11:10

Crategate · 31/08/2025 06:56

We call everyone Dave.

"Is your name not Bruce, then?" "No, it's Michael." "That's going to cause a little confusion."

- YouTube

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the5thgoldengirl · 31/08/2025 11:06

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