Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Unflip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Baby names

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

Unflip

1 2

Original poster

Bertie - Bertram

32 replies

Nightstar · 28/12/2010 14:03

My husband and I had chosen this name. I'm a massive fan of PG Wodehouse (Bertie Wooster) but we made the mistake of telling the parents who pulled faces.

They suggested Robert, Albert or Gilbert, so that it could be shortened to something other than Bertie, but Bertie was the name we wanted. We even considered putting that on the birth certificate instead of Bertram so as to avoid him having any other name. But i am a traditionalist and wanted him to have a 'real' name and not a 'made up for convenience name'.

Since we stupidly told the parents, their reaction has made us question whether its the right name.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

silverfrog · 29/12/2010 19:54

from the rest of your list, I like Leo, Edmund and Hugo (although probably wouldn't use Hugo myself)

don't really like the rest, sorry.

Leo and Edmund were on our name list too, but Bertram came out top overall.

What about Thurston?

allbie · 29/12/2010 19:51

Bertie is brilliant. He'll be sooo cool. Don't listen to all the riff raff, what do they know? Our parents did 'the face' when we named our son....now he's 4 and they couldn't imagine him called anything else. I know a baby Gilbert and he is gorgeous enough to carry his name too!

cumbria81 · 29/12/2010 18:48

he'll never get laid with a name like that

usualsuspect · 29/12/2010 18:14

I don't think a teenager would be very happy being called Bert or Ernie

catinthehat2 · 29/12/2010 18:12

I think you have to have a 'Just William' vibe in your house to really make Bertie or Ern work.

mathanxiety · 29/12/2010 18:07

Leo -- lovely
Edmund -- lovely
Tyvian -- American trailer trash or inner city
Byron -- middle aged American (I have an image of terrible golfing trews c. 1975)
Hugo -- lovely
Jasper -- nice but associate it with pets
Tristan -- wet
Ernest -- 'he drove the fastest milk cart in the West'

catinthehat2 · 29/12/2010 17:48

I reely reely do like Bertie/Bertram though as well.

catinthehat2 · 29/12/2010 17:47

Leo bored with this
Edmund Like this
Tyvian Whaaa...?? No
Byron probably not
Hugo bored with this
Jasper bored with this
Tristan bored with this
Ernest Like this a lot. Ern is good. Ern has a character. Ern is cool.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 29/12/2010 17:38

Like them all except Tyvian, Byron and Tristan. Don't know a Tyvian but have been put off Byron and Tristan.

All nice, but not as nice as Bertie

FoxyRevenger · 29/12/2010 17:32

I love Tristan

Please please please choose it over Bertram!

Original poster

Nightstar · 29/12/2010 13:34

Thanks girls, that's quite reassuring.

Mrsvwoolf - I love the name Bram as well, what a good idea for another nn.

I've never heard of the AMS books, so it doesnt worry me.

LOL Singingcat, if he does come out saying 'what ho' then he'll fit right in ;-)

I would like all your opinions on how it stacks up to the rest on our list:

Leo
Edmund
Tyvian
Byron
Hugo
Jasper
Tristan
Ernest

OP posts:

JiltedJohnsJulie · 29/12/2010 11:14

singingcat, must remember to ask Bertie's Mum about that next time I see her

FoxyRevenger · 29/12/2010 10:28

Personally, I think it's hideous.

BUT

I wouldn't not use it because your parents don't like it.

It's your choice, not theirs. Just be aware that you are choosing a name that will make some people go and if you're happy for your son to live with that, then go for it.

LittleYellowTeapot · 29/12/2010 10:27

I love the name Bertie

badgerhead · 29/12/2010 07:45

My maternal grandfather was Bertram , unfortunately I never met him as he died before I arrived But I still thinks it's a great name

floozietoozie · 29/12/2010 07:44

Your child, your choice. As others have said, once he is here then they will associate tge name with him and love it. Liking a name or not is often influenced by the people you know with it.

Btw, I associate the name with a small child now after an Internet forum mate named her child it. Before that i would have found it very old-fashioned and upper class.

mangoandlime · 29/12/2010 06:49

Kate Bush's son is called Bertie. That would be good enough for me!

mathanxiety · 29/12/2010 05:19

Great name, really nice. Who says Bertie is the only nn for it either?

I have a cousin who thought one of the DDs has a horrible name and wasn't at all shy about saying it, but we've all survived.

taffetazatyousantaclaus · 28/12/2010 20:08

northernrose - take your point, but then for those that have read the novels, one would start to look at the mother, would they not?

fel1x · 28/12/2010 20:05

Bertram is fab. I had it on my list but DH vetoed

Northernrose · 28/12/2010 20:04

Go with it! Because you love it - as jilted said your parents will love him when he arrives and should love his name because it's his! And don't worry about Bertie from the Alexander McCall Smith books...that's who I thought of too but Bertie is actually a sweet, thoughtful boy who has an awful mother...so if anything it should put you off the name Irene not Bertie!!

My advice fwiw is go with the name you love - Bertie - and don't tell anyone else in RL!!

catinthehat2 · 28/12/2010 20:04

It's probably almost exactly a century ago that my grandpa was called Bertram aka Bertie! So go for it

taffetazatyousantaclaus · 28/12/2010 19:42

I immediately thought of Irene's Bertie in the Alexander McCall Smith Scotland Street novels - he's a 6 yo boy with an overbearing mother who forces him to attend psychotherapy, yoga and Italian lessons as well as wear raspberry corduroys.

The only other Bertie I know is my friend's dog.

FAOnTelly · 28/12/2010 19:39

Gilbert is fabulous.

Not keen on Bertram at all, but if you like it, you should use it.

Robert/Albert = meh.

singingcat · 28/12/2010 19:35

Immediately thought of Wooster.

If you call him this he will shoot out the womb going 'What ho!'.

True fact.

Unflip

1 2