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Baby names

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

Original poster

Need some advice on Jack, James or Laurie

36 replies

Eddie123 · 01/02/2011 21:24

I have shortlisted 3 boys names but have niggling doubts about all of them! Let me know what you think....

Jack .... too popular?
James (Jimmy).....another popular one
Laurence (Laurie).....???

Girls names are Alice or Elsa, both of which I'm pretty happy with!

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smashingtime · 17/02/2011 13:24

My ds is Laurie (Laurence) and we get lots of positive comments about his name. I like the fact that he is the only Laurie in his school but it is not too weird that no-one has ever heard of it!

I like Jack too - it is popular around here but is timeless and a nice, safe choice!

Hedwig3 · 17/02/2011 11:24

A lovely list!

rachel1970 · 17/02/2011 10:07

"I think people have been put off by popularity and steered clear"

Despite that over 7,090 baby boys were still named Jack in 2009 Shock.

I prefer Lawrence.

Deciduousblonde · 17/02/2011 10:01

I love Jack!

Doesn't appear to be very popular around here as I don't know any 'little' Jacks. I think people have been put off by popularity and steered clear. It was on my boy list Smile

pilates · 17/02/2011 09:50

Jack and James for me, not keen on Laurence (Laurie).

mandy1978 · 16/02/2011 21:22

i love james and jack and would be considering them for my dc2 but my dc1s best friends are james and jack.. lovely classc names though.

not so keen on laurence but i am really safe when it comes to names so might not be the best person!

i love the name alice!!

xx

BelligerentGhoul · 16/02/2011 21:17

Love, love, love Laurie - dd1 would have been it (instead she was a dd and has an Alice in her name!).

Original poster
Eddie123 · 16/02/2011 21:15

Thanks so much for all your comments. I'm starting to think that 'Laurie' has the edge. Though Jack is lovely too. Only two weeks to go so may just make my mind up when I see him (or her!!)

OP posts:
oooggs · 03/02/2011 19:58

I have a James and a Jack. Only a handful of each in the school.

Down here Finlay/Finley is the most popular name.

jellybeans · 03/02/2011 19:53

Jack is the nicest although abit popular it's getting less so i think.

kerala · 03/02/2011 18:53

Definitely Laurence. Other two are decent names but their popularity has rendered them dull.

allbie · 03/02/2011 18:47

Go with Laurence/ Laurie...my fav.

poppydaisy · 03/02/2011 11:51

Love Alice and Elsa.

I prefer Lawrence from your boys' list.

ThatllDoPig · 03/02/2011 10:48

I think they are all gorgeous gorgeous names. Laurie has the edge as it is more unusual. Just lovely.

BarbieLovesKen · 03/02/2011 10:46

All your names are really, really lovely. Laurie immediately reminds me of Little Women Smile

I adore the name Jack and normally popularity wouldnt bother me but am expecting dc3 and at the beginning we were definate on Jack but the level of popularity of this name has gotton to me, if Im honest and because of this we've decided against it Sad.

That said, You have a lovely sentiment attached to the name, in that its after your grandad, which is really special and lovely (I dont have anyone to connect it with) and that makes it different, IMO.

tammy234 · 03/02/2011 09:21

I like Laurence although that spelling looks feminine. I'd use Lawrence.

James is nice but Jack is indeed very popular already.

bigbluebump · 02/02/2011 14:19

I prefer Laurence/Lawrence - lovely classic name! Laurie is a lovely nickname.

Jack is overused imo. No one is implying that a child is less unique or special because it shares a name with thousands of others. But some of us feel that your ds may not like to have to add an adjective or surname letter to his name to differentiate himself from all the other Jacks.

JamieLeeCurtis · 02/02/2011 12:29

I love Jack, and funnily enough, I wouldn't choose some other v popular names (Tom , for example), but as you say Jack is just really nice and if it means something to you that's even more reason to choose it.

Having said that, there is only one Jack in my DSs school, so maybe it's not popular everywhere (I'm in London, so maybe there are a greater variety of names than in a smaller place)

Original poster
Eddie123 · 02/02/2011 12:22

Thanks for your opinions. I'm starting to think that I will select a name despite it's popularity. Every child is it's own little unique person, and that isn't lessened just because they have a name that is liked by lots of people!

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LifeInTheSlowLane · 02/02/2011 11:23

I have a Jack too - see how popular it is! I had no idea when we named him, we didn't look at lists etc, just liked the name. James is also v.popular, but then again you shouldn't let that put you off, because once they grow up and go into the wider world they will be mixing with other ages and cultures etc and it probably won't seem so common then IYSWIM. When I think of all the Sharons and Traceys at school when I grew up in the 70s, I don't know any now Grin

ditzymare · 02/02/2011 11:20

I like Jack but it is very popular.

I have a James so love it. He is the only one in his school. It is a very safe name though.

Lawrence I think is a bit girly. I don't know why because it is obviously a boys name.

TitsalinaBumSquash · 02/02/2011 11:19

I have a Jack and yes there is another in his class, so at school he is known ans Jack.S, but that is school, no one else calls him Jack.S. the call him Jack. He is lovely and as individual as the next person.

I don't get people who don't want a 'popular' name. If you like it, use it. Jack was named after my Grandfather as well.

othersideofchannel · 02/02/2011 11:16

Of course you have to like the name you choose for your children Smile. But naming someone is about uniquely identifying them and differentiating them from others. Personally I wouldn't give my son the same names as his father or grandfather because they are different people, but I would honour the relative by using their name as a middle name (which is what both of my children have).

If Jack's popularity doesn't bother you, then go for it. But you did ask for our opinions Smile.

Original poster
Eddie123 · 02/02/2011 10:05

Not sure othersideofchannel....I'm starting to think that it's best to go for a name we simply like or has meaning to us, no matter how popular it is! I love 'Jack' because it was my grandad's name, who I was very close to. But should I be put off just because it's so bloody popular?!

OP posts:
othersideofchannel · 02/02/2011 10:00

Does choosing a less common name (Lawrence) really require 'bravery' Hmm. Imo the whole point of naming someone or something is to identify him/her/it (as uniquely as possible).