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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Laurie or Silas?

42 replies

Kwini · 12/10/2010 23:43

I put it to you Grin

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minipie · 13/10/2010 15:12

Laurie (nn for Laurence) definitely.

Silas I find a bit of a gloomy name.

SirBoobAlot · 13/10/2010 15:02

If I had to choose would be Silas. But neither are particularly nice - Silas is the creepy monk from Da Vinci Code, and Laurie sounds unfinished, its a nickname, surely?

cumbria81 · 13/10/2010 14:53

Silas is beyond awful and makes me think of Silas Marner.

Laurie is quite cute, but only as a nickname.

deliakate · 13/10/2010 13:07

I know one boy Laurie, but personally prefer Silas. He would have to be a bit wild and have unkempt hair, in my mind!

faverolles · 13/10/2010 12:25

Laurie is lovely - I know 2 boys called Laurie, and they're both really nice (not that their personalities have anything to do with it, but if they were little shits, I probably wouldn't like the name IYSWIM)

pooka · 13/10/2010 12:07

Laurie or Lawrie.

Silas makes me think of that weird 70s european kids tv programme, with boy called silas on a horse with a lame friend godick and a strange with-like villainess. I seem also to remember a weird wind mill. Was spooky.

Silas just sounds a bit scowly to me.

Original poster
Kwini · 13/10/2010 12:02

Thisside, it's pronounced Sigh-luss.

OP posts:
Bue · 13/10/2010 11:45

Laurie is fine if the full name is Laurence/Lawrence. It's cute as a nn, not as a full name. But I prefer Silas.

Decorhate · 13/10/2010 10:42

Silas, would always think of Silas Marner, who was pretty miserable, or the character Sylar from Heroes.

I would go for Laurence or Laurent officially and shorten it to Laurie...

Thissideofchannel · 13/10/2010 10:34

How do you pronounce Silas:
See-las
or
Sy-las?

Laurence is indeed a girls name in France, the male form of Laurent. And Laurie may be too close to Laura/Lauren?

Spidermama · 13/10/2010 10:20

Whilst I do like both names, I agree about the agricultural connotations for Silas and the girli-ness of Laurie. I guess it also depends where you live. There may well be boys called Laurie in Brighton for example, but I doubt they'd fair so well in a Newcastle school.

singersgirl · 13/10/2010 10:19

Well, in English, not French, Laurence is the male version and Laura/Lauren the female version of the name; Laurent is not an English name.

I think Laurie is lovely and know 2 boys called this (though one is spelled Lawrie).

Silas is very Cold Comfort Farm - taciturn men glumly staring at the snood of porridge. Cclose to 'silage' and 'silo' and 'silt' and to me sounds like a cross between 'silent' and 'alas'.

tammytoby · 13/10/2010 10:16

I vote for Silas - lovely, classic underused name. Great choice!

Not keen on Laurie at all, I'm afraid.

poppydaisy · 13/10/2010 10:13

Silas is lovely for a boy.

Laurence (Laurie) is a girls name to my ears. The male version is Laurent.

Original poster
Kwini · 13/10/2010 09:26

One vote for each, then. Any others?

OP posts:
Clary · 12/10/2010 23:50

Well Silas is a boy and surely Laurie is a girl?

I wouldn't call a boy Laurie, honestly, I have heard of Laurie Lee and read Little Women but it sounds waaaay too much like Lauren or Laura.
Even Joey (Friends) thought Laurie was a girl. Like Laurey in Oklahoma!

BooBooImpaledOnBrokenGlass · 12/10/2010 23:46

Silas is just a bit too close to silage for my liking.
Really like Laurie :)