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Baby names

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

Original poster

Bonkers name?

89 replies

Stangirl · 20/06/2011 22:34

I like very unusual names and am considering calling my soon to be born son Atticus - after the noble lawyer character in To Kill A Mockingbird. Any views? The other front runners have been Phoenix (like the hippyness) and Lydon (after lead singer of Sex Pistols).

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kerala · 21/06/2011 14:58

Ooh I love Digby thats a great name. Atticus fine too but not Phoenix and Lydon not strong or positive sounding enough for me.

tammytoby · 21/06/2011 13:44

Also the meaning of Hector (Bully, tormentor) is pretty bad - I think that would put a lot of people off.

swanker · 21/06/2011 13:39

Grin I didn't mention Hector as it is quite popular these days!

lockets · 21/06/2011 13:34

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Original poster
Stangirl · 21/06/2011 13:06

Thank you all very much for your replies - and for your offer awomancalled horse.

swanker we both love Horatio but DP's boss' eldest son is called it, his second son is called Hector - another favourite of ours. DP has even volunteered to leave the company so we can name DS Horatio - but I said he can't give up working to take care of the kids that easily (which is what he wants to do).

OP posts:
Pictish · 21/06/2011 10:20

Cosmo?

swanker · 21/06/2011 10:19

What about Ludo? Still fairly unusual despite being a very old name.

To be honest if you want something really unusual you're better off going for something like Nigel or Clive.

Ambrose is nice.
and Linus.
Inigo?
Horatio/Horace

I needed unusual names for a slightly different reason, and I'm very glad we chose what we did, and we gave them each a very traditional British second name too. Their third name reflects their cultural heritage, which is very mixed.

Chandon · 21/06/2011 10:13

why not name him "Boo" ? He was ultimately a great character in the same book!

Quite cool and unusual.

I have an unusual name, never met someone with the same name, but still not too keen on it. Unusual doesn't mean nice.

CheerfulYank · 21/06/2011 10:05

You could go with John Tiberius and call him Johnny?

eyethangyou · 21/06/2011 10:00

Lydon = Lie Down. Which as you will be saying it quite a lot to a small boy anyway, is quite apt.

CheerfulYank · 21/06/2011 09:51

I really like Atticus. Lydon is okay. I think Lydon Tiberius is really cool, actually! I have no reference point re the Sex Pistols though. :)

tammytoby · 21/06/2011 09:50

Also, the whole point of naming something/someone is to identify it/him/her, so giving your child a name already used by thousands others will not really identify him/her (without having to add an initial or other adjective).

Awomancalledhorse · 21/06/2011 09:45

Stangirl, you leave your DP, I'll leave my DH & we'll just raise our kids together. Grin My DH has disliked the name Cosmo ever since I mentioned it, so we've settled on it being a middle name.

I've got a very unusual first name (only ever 'met' seven other people on facebook with it, we've got an exclusive group and everythunk)...so I'm all for giving kids the most unusual name you can!

tammytoby · 21/06/2011 09:42

Not sure what is bonkers about Atticus, Phoenix or Lydon Hmm. My favourite would be Atticus but I also quite like Lydon. Perhaps you could look at last years' (or 2009) list of all baby names to get an idea as to how common they are.

bagelmonkey · 21/06/2011 09:39

The normal name could be John instead of Lydon

bagelmonkey · 21/06/2011 09:38

You could use: Atticus (insert "normal" name) Tiberius Surname?
Gives a "normal" name plus avoids the double "us" endings.

Idreamofsunshine · 21/06/2011 09:27

Atticus is nice but dont like the other names you mentioned sorry.

ithaka · 21/06/2011 09:24

What about James Tiberius if you are keen on the Star Trek thing? Gives your child a bit of choice between traditional and unusual.

I agree that Lyden is a pet's name - you are naming a child.

SootySweepandSue · 21/06/2011 09:23

Sorry I think Atticus is awful. Sounds like a character from Harry Potter.

missmiss · 21/06/2011 09:18

Atticus is great. Lydon is shit. It sounds ugly and looks like you've misspelt Lindon.

Original poster
Stangirl · 21/06/2011 08:58

Ooh, thanks everyone - really interesting feedback.

My DD has an unusual first name and 2 "normal" middle names so she has a choice when she's older - so I should probably stick to the same pattern.

I also really like Digby (people say it's a dog's name though), Cosmo (too common in posh circles apparently), Jethro (DP won't have Biblical or Southern preacher names) and Caleb (ditto Jethro and also too Kings of Leon).

The only feedback that worries me is the number of people who say they already know an Atticus - I would ideally like a really unusual name. Any suggestions?

OP posts:
flopsy1974 · 21/06/2011 08:49

Atticus is a great name. Don't like the other two though.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 21/06/2011 07:47

Apart from the book being a big pile of poo, the name itself is fine and anyone who has done an English Lit GCSE will know where it's from :)

Lydon is ok too. Not much different to Lynden and that's an accepted name.

BikeRunSki · 21/06/2011 07:41

I work in a building called Phoenix House, and it is amazing how often "Phoenix" is mispelt, even when people think they are getting it right.

Rhubarbgarden · 20/06/2011 23:19

I know one baby Atticus and two baby Phoenixs. Neither is all that unusual these days. I don't like Lydon personally, I don't think it has a very nice sound.