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Baby names

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Original poster

A replacement name urgently needed for a horrid name - help!

63 replies

glidingthrough · 12/12/2011 09:37

If DC is a DS then DH would like to name him after his elderly great -uncle (who has no children).

Lovely ,wonderful and only fair as DC is getting my family middle name.

Except he was Uncle Algernon (after the character - his mother was a big oscar wilde fan apparently)

And no.

DH agrees it is a bit unorthodox but sees it as a loved uncles name so thinks it will be fine.
No it won't - it is awful, a horid name (no offensive to anyone meant of course)

So I really need a replacement name that I can suggest to DH without getting my head bitten off.

Help

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sashh · 22/12/2011 04:06

I actually love it

rhetorician · 18/12/2011 14:43

quite like aubrey too

TheSecondComing · 18/12/2011 14:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CecilyP · 18/12/2011 13:44

Oh well, at least he won't be in a class full of other Algernons. There is unlikely to be another in the whole school. However, the name would definitely already have gone out of fashion by the time Great Uncle Algernon was born and would almost certainly have been an embarrassment to him. Notice no-one of your DH's generation has been given this name.

If you are asking for suggestions I would go with a name you actually like. Or if you want to please DH, what is his dad's name?

MCos · 16/12/2011 20:50

Yikes - how would his classmates react to that name? Where I'm from, kids would take the piss out of that name.

Even if you shorten the name, what name would be on school registers, etc?

nooka · 14/12/2011 04:51

I think that Algernon is slightly fabulous, but no I wouldn't really want to use it.

If you dh agrees to use your family middle name and really wants to use a family name too then two middle names woudl seem the obvious way ahead. Two middle names is quite mainstream in a way that four (possibly five) is not.

Otherwise I think you'll need to start again and chose two names you both like.

jingleyells · 13/12/2011 16:29

Could you call him AJ?

lottiegb · 13/12/2011 08:56

How about Dorian? I really quite like it.

Otherwise something else starting with Al?

stealthsquiggle · 13/12/2011 08:32

I know, Bluestocking - it is exceptionally cool, and only recently occurred to me - DM has a special fondness for Bert and Ernie as a result Grin

NorkyPiesWithJingleBellsOn · 13/12/2011 02:07

You probably know this already OP, but the meaning of Algernon is 'wearing a mustache'. No other first names appear to have this meaning. If you wanted to be a bit naughty, you could follow this line of reasoning:

"Why do Amish men have beards, but not mustaches?

There are quite a few scriptures that mention beards in the Bible. An example would be Psalm 133:1,2. An Amishman does not shave his beard after he becomes married. A long beard is the mark of an adult Amishman. Mustaches, on the other hand, have a long history of being associated with the military, and therefore are forbidden among the Amish people."

Amish names are: John, Amos, Samuel, Daniel, and David. (I like Amos and Daniel.)

ABumDance · 12/12/2011 23:46

Personally I think Algy is an awful nickname just because it instantly makes me think of algae. What about Sebastian if you want to keep it Oscar Wilde themed? He renamed himself Sebastian Melmoth for a while. That would go with Hoskins/Hosking P...? It's a lovely name aswell :o
I hope you can both agree on something that you both love.

chocablock · 12/12/2011 23:42

Yes - Algie, Ali, Al or Gerry are good shortenings. But if you really dislike the name then just tell your dh no!!!

kickassangel · 12/12/2011 23:21

I quite like Algernon, although that's not really important.

be careful he doesn't go off bunburying

SweetTheSting · 12/12/2011 23:19

Can you name him Frederick but call him Rick or Ricky?

mumzy · 12/12/2011 23:16

You better put his name down for Eton. No seriously I'd put use both family names as Middle names and choose a first name you both like. What names do you have in mind as a first name?

NorkyPiesWithJingleBellsOn · 12/12/2011 23:09

Alan?

AnotherMincepie · 12/12/2011 23:04

Bunbury :o
Actually Haaaaaaaandbaaaaaaaag would be quite a good name to shout across playgrounds :o

Original poster
glidingthrough · 12/12/2011 23:01

Well still not having it as a first name - sorry not convinced.
I have 4 (kind of 5) middle names and DC is definatly only getting one.

Norky unfortunatly is is a very surname-y surname and not even (american) me could be persuaded to use it as a first name
redruby what?
Another Algernon Frederick Aubrey - can't have frederick and don't like Aubrey.

if it was a first name DS would be Algernon Hoskins/Hosking P-(3 syl surname) which isn't us at all and actually fn Algernon Hoskins/Hosking P-(3 syl surname) sounds even worse. To me.

Bunbury - to definatly pica

OP posts:
JinglePosyPerkin · 12/12/2011 22:48

OMG - typos galore! Sorry, must be time for bed!

picalooo · 12/12/2011 22:48

Algernon is horrible i agree but depends on where you live, who you are and other names you could get away with it but Algy is slippery and slimey
Aubrey I really don't like (once heard of someone called Aubrey but called Obi)

But yeah

Ernest
Bunbury (please don't)
John/Jack
from importance of being ernest or you could do an ideal husband
Arthur
Robert
or another wilde character
Or Oscar or Fingal or even Alfred

JinglePosyPerkin · 12/12/2011 22:47

Algernon actually isn't the worst name I've heard on here tonight (that award generally goes to Quentin but I digress...).

Nicknams Al, Ali, Algy are all quite nice. If you really don't like though, you shouldn't choose it just to be nice as you (and you DS) will be stuck with it for life.

Personally, I'd probably add Algernon as another middle name & pick something neutral that you both love for a first name.

hohohoshedittant · 12/12/2011 22:36

or AJ (Algernon Junior) but never tell anyone what AJ stands for/make up a name when they ask

hohohoshedittant · 12/12/2011 22:35

I quite like Algernon, it could be a lot worse.

I also quite like Aubry.

Could you pick another name starting with 'Al', so it kind of reminds you of Uncle Algernon and you can tell your DS when he's older 'you're called Alexander because of Uncle Algernon, so he can still be remembered in that way.

NorkyPiesWithJingleBellsOn · 12/12/2011 22:33

Does Uncle Algernon have a different surname to yours, that could serve as a first name?

Bluestocking · 12/12/2011 22:26

Stealthsquiggle, that means that your grandfather and great uncle were Bert and Ernie - how cool is that?!

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