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Baby names

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

Original poster

Final two, decision needed - please help!

33 replies

LLJ4 · 22/12/2010 12:35

After a bit of a hormonal cry yesterday DH and I have decided that we do need to narrow it down to one name. I am having big problems bonding (for which read "realising I'm actually pregnant") and we think that having The Name will help.

So we have narrowed it down to two. Popularity isn't a big problem - I used to get hung up on it until I read a very calm blog post about it - although trendiness would be.

So:

Charles Andrew
or
Oliver Andrew
?

Middle name fixed and not negotiable; child hugely likely to be known as Charlie/Olly respectively; DS1 is Adam Matthew.

TIA!

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Whelk · 23/12/2010 12:52

Oliver!
Irrational dislike of Charles

AnonEnormousStuffedBird · 23/12/2010 12:30

Well done, OJ to be avoided for a whole host of reasons, so there you go, job done. And........ relax.

Original poster
LLJ4 · 23/12/2010 10:28

Thanks all!

We binned Oliver last night after realising that with our J- surname that would make him OJ...

Very happy with Charles/Charlie now so fingers crossed we're actually there!

OP posts:
AnonEnormousStuffedBird · 23/12/2010 08:31

Charles Andrew. Rings much better. And Charles is a corker anyway.

Nothing wrong with Oliver Andrew, but when you say it, it gets a bit lost in itself.

That said, what your surname begins with is also very important in terms what "hangs together" best. Think about the initials and how they combine too (sorry, I am sure you have done all that, but sometimes it can be the clincher when deciding between a couple of names you cannot otherwise separate!)

If it helps, in my DS's year, there are 2 Olly's, 4 in the year above. Very popular, too popular.

Only one Charles (known as Charlie) in 3 years of school. It's a classy name.

MissMiniEggs · 23/12/2010 08:22

i like both although think Charles/Charlie has the edge for me

LittleYellowTeapot · 22/12/2010 21:24

I like both names.
I'm not keen on Charles Andrew though - but only because it makes me think of the royals.

MerryMarigold · 22/12/2010 20:28

Charles/ Charlie has a very royal ring to it.

Oliver cut off the king's head!

I vote Oliver. I have one, it is my ds1's name and I prefer it to my ds2 and dd's names. And there is no-one else in his class, only 1 other in the school (until year 2 that is, it's only infants!).

whoknowswhatthefutureholds · 22/12/2010 19:51

charlie (only coz of oliver being no.1)

SandStorm · 22/12/2010 19:45

Charlie

Firawla · 22/12/2010 19:41

I like Oliver, both are nice though

Holidaydreams · 22/12/2010 18:56

Both are lovely classic names.

I'm with you on the popularity front. We chose and named our son a lovely uncommon name but I quickly felt it just wasn't the name for him. We ended up calling him by his middle name Oliver/Oli. I will be switching the names on his bc before he turns one.

Like you say, the actual percentage of boys with that name is quite low.
People make names their own. For example, i know several Caths but their names seem as different as the people (if that makes sense!)

All the very best with your decision. You can't go wrong Smile

JustinCaseyHowls · 22/12/2010 16:50

Charles. Make sure your surname doesn't make it into something teaseable.

Friends of mine have a surname beginning with K.
First child Nicholas Ian
Second Nathaniel Andrew
Next child was to be called Patrick/ Patricia. This was when the wife realised that she was going to end up with a Nik, Nak, Paddy.... which was the husband's idea all along, for fun.

Charles Andrew Kelly = Cak

Oliver Andrew Kelly = Oak (quite sweet)

The dangers of having a vowel in the middle.

AnnOnimous · 22/12/2010 16:44

charlie for me

JojoMags · 22/12/2010 15:53

Charlie is lovely. Much nicer than Olly.

Heifer · 22/12/2010 15:48

Even if you pick a name now, it doesn't mean you have to stick with it..

I called DD Megan for months whilst pregnant, then just before she was born realised I didn't like it anymore..

We called her Jessica.. and I still love it, luckily as she is now 7 Grin

NorthernerAtHeart · 22/12/2010 15:31

I'd go for Oliver/Ollie (my daughter would have been an Oliver 15 months ago had she not ended up being a girl, love the name).
It has been popular for a long time and I can't see it dating particularly.
On the popularity thing - DS aged 6 is Thomas - which was either the 1st or 2nd in the lists when he was born. Didn't realise that was the case at the time, and don't care. There are 3 in his class - Tom, Tommy and him (still Thomas). And it really doesn't matter. There are also 3 James' and they quickly were nicknames James X, James Y and James Z. Not an issue in the slightest (amusing to see birthday cards to a James, being addressed to James X even when he is the only birthday child!)
Good luck with it all.

BornToFolk · 22/12/2010 15:19

Oh, I see. Well, I don't think you'll go wrong with either choice, both good solid names!
I hope all goes well with the rest of your pregnancy.

CharlieBoo · 22/12/2010 15:19

Love Charles/Charlie! I also love Oliver/olly... They're both classic. FWIW I have an almost 6 year old Charlie and he is the only one in his class and he's only one of two in the whole school. Only know of one Oliver in his school too. But there are millions of Noah's and Jacobs.

wahwahwah · 22/12/2010 15:03

Andrew Charles

orangepoo · 22/12/2010 15:02

Both names are nice.

On balance I'd go with Oliver/Oli.

However, would point out that your middle name - Andrew - is actaully a lovely lovely name - could use as first name?

Charles/charlie - it is a nice name, but I slightly don't like the association with Prince Charles as he is a bit of a ninny. I think I would actually go for charlie.

Original poster
LLJ4 · 22/12/2010 14:50

Thanks everyone for your messages.

nightstar re: popularity, I take your point. But where we live there aren't that many (unlike James, of which I know four born in the last thirteen months to the same toddler group). Additionally, since only around 1% of boys are taking the top choice name each year that still leaves very high odds of his being the only one in his class. Not like the 1960s where the top ten names for each sex accounted for nearly 50% of births.

My only horror for popularity is being thought an obvious choice Xmas Blush

ChessyEvans I am 24+3 and being kicked a lot. I think it's largely because I already have a DS, tried not to get too attached to this bump too early after an April m/c, and find it hard to associate an identity with a baby without a name.

BornToFolk this is also why we can't just wait. I need a name soon in the hopes it will stave off another crippling dose of antenatal depression.

Thanks all, food for thought.

OP posts:
fel1x · 22/12/2010 14:47

Oliver!

tammytoby · 22/12/2010 14:44

How about Andrew as a first name?

tammytoby · 22/12/2010 14:43

Oliver is indeed THE most popular boys' name and so 1) your ds will most likely have at least another in his class/school and 2) the name will date as it falls out of favour again.

Charles is a litte more 'classic' although Charlie is quite trendy, along with all the other -ie names (Alfie, Archie etc).

Komondor · 22/12/2010 13:46

Charles

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