Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

I will not call my son Carol, I will not call my son Carol [and repeat]

41 replies

sethkillsyou · 16/01/2012 14:04

Carol is a male family name.
I would love to use it.
But in 2012 I just couldn't do that to a boy

We can't Charles/Charlie and Carl is a bit too much neighbourse for me

So we have just got Cary to play with.
But does it sound to girly. But then Cary Grant was a bit manly.

Opinions please?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Jux · 22/01/2012 21:21

Can you just make it his middle name? Or you could shorten it to Car, which will make him the envy of little boys everywhere.

ScoutJemAndBoo · 22/01/2012 21:06

carrick is the answer

Onion1968 · 22/01/2012 19:45

I agree with JestersHat about the "what's your middle name?" conversation.

If you must then use Carroll as a middle name or go for one of the other options. OR just choose whatever you fancy. Times change, give your son his own identity.

1sttimetryer · 22/01/2012 11:10

My mates brother is called Karol and he is polish, dont think i would use it in the uk though! You could you Corey, my fave is Caleb! love it!! Good luck

FaithHopeAndKevin · 19/01/2012 02:33

I dunno, I know a bloke with the middle name Nolan Smile

NewYearEverything · 18/01/2012 19:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

nooka · 18/01/2012 17:58

My mother's middle name is Anthony after her father. A bit weird and egocentric in my mind, but I suspect it might be easier for a girl to carry a boys name than the other way around. There are quite a few names that were originally boys names now used by girls (Lesley, Hilary, Evelyn etc) but I can't think of any that have gone the other way around.

PoultryInMotion · 17/01/2012 21:35

Cal?

ProPerformer · 17/01/2012 19:46

My form tutor (female) at school had the middle name Rolf as it was a family name. Could you not give a DS Carol as a middle name instead?

Harecare · 17/01/2012 19:46

My Dad's middle name is Carol - we think it's ridiculous!
His first name is Charles, but his siblings call him Carol.

TheWisdomOfSolomum · 17/01/2012 19:42

I'm Scottish and pronounce Karl/Carl as Carol. That's no help to you at all, I just wanted to tell you. Sorry.

mathanxiety · 17/01/2012 19:16

There was an Irish president named Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh. Cearbhall is pronounced Kya-rule (west of Ireland pronunciation) or Kyar-vule (south west pronunciation). A spelling variations is Cearúil (west of Ireland pronunciation).

NewYearEverything · 17/01/2012 18:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mathanxiety · 17/01/2012 18:56

I have an Irish second cousin Karol (named after John Paul II who was Karol Wojtyla until he adopted the name John Paul).

There is Cathal? pr Ko-hull
Tearlach (Scottish Gaelic)
Karoly (Hingarian)
Carolus (Latin)
Charlemagne (maybe a bit ott)
Siarl (Welsh)

OhFraktiousTree · 17/01/2012 17:27

I wouldn't use Carol but would have Karel which is more like Car^l

dontcallmedeliah · 17/01/2012 16:23

Well I like Cary.
(and I love Cary Grant)
I wouldn't say it is used a lot for girls now (well maybe as Carrie). So I would say it is fine for a boy.

StrandedBear · 17/01/2012 16:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BlueChampagne · 17/01/2012 15:49

Conrad is the answer then

TinkerMaloo · 17/01/2012 10:58

Charlie is the best out of all the names on this thread! I would never call a boy carol or cary... or lucy or amanda for that matter ;)

SilentBoob · 17/01/2012 10:35

Life ain't easy for a boy named Carol.

Louplet · 17/01/2012 10:33

I would use Cary pronounced to rhyme with Gary like Cary Grant. A great name. Carey rhyming with fairy is IMO a girl's name and so just as bad as using Carol.

BlastOff · 17/01/2012 09:38

He will not thank you for Carol (isn't it Carroll for male version?) anywhere in his name. Seriously. I agree that a variation like Cary is your best option. If you can't have Charles/ charlie as a first name, could you have it as a middle name?

JestersHat · 17/01/2012 09:32

I woudn't use Carol as middle name. There's always the "what's your middle name?" conversation at school and everyone remembers the "unusual" ones...! There will also be form-filling throughout life and there will be jobsworths who say "that's a female name, stop messing around, what's your real middle name?"

nooka · 17/01/2012 06:49

I know that Cary Grant was a guy, but I've never met anyone called Cary, just girls/women called Carey. I'd opt for Carol as a middle name to be honest.

Dontbugmemalone · 16/01/2012 22:04

Karol is Polish boys name meaning Charles. If that helps at all.

Swipe left for the next trending thread