Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Colin?

67 replies

wonderingaboutnames · 16/01/2012 21:26

Pregnant with DS2.

My DFather passed away tragically just after we found out I was pg. V sudden. He did know about the pregnancy and was delighted though.

I'd really like to name DS2 after my dad. But my dad's name was Colin.

What do you think? He didn't have a middle name and we already double barrel (or I'd use his surname as a middle).

I can't think of any other names, whenever I try I keep coming back to Colin. But... it's what all the idiots on TV are called and nobody uses it now do they? I don't want DS2 to be mocked.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
AfternoonNap · 16/01/2012 21:46

Oops - cross post!

Original poster
wonderingaboutnames · 16/01/2012 21:44

Thanks for the name-meaning link. It'd be the Scottish one as my dad's family were from scotland originally. Cailean doesn't do much for me though - it's okay but we are not very scottish at all and it sounds more like a girl's name to me (sorry).

Plus it's not my dad's name. I think, typing this out, that's the sticking point for me. I want to use my dad's name :(

OP posts:
AfternoonNap · 16/01/2012 21:44

Middle name definitely. I gave my DS my late father's name as a middle name and am always so pleased I did. It provides a bridge and means my father is a part of my son's life without being too big a presence. (funnily enough, although I am very traditional and gave my son 2 middle names - meaningful ones from either side of his family, I was very clear that I wanted him to have his own name - to be his own person.)
Just an opinion I know and my advice would be to trust your instincts and do what you feel is right.

Original poster
wonderingaboutnames · 16/01/2012 21:42

I wouldn't've used it if my dad was still with us. I probably had quite negative thoughts about it as a name because I remember this advert from when I was a kid "Colin has no common sense", and lots of 'stupid' characters were called Colin on TV etc.

I don't know if DH hate-hates it. He thinks I am not thinking clearly and it also taps into difficult feelings about his own father.

Our surname is my unmarried name (my dad's surname), and DH's surname.

Thanks. I'm very sad about my DF of course. It is such a shock and still doesn't feel real. But the last thing he said to me was how happy he was about the baby, and DS1 is older so got a lovely few years with his grandad. I feel like I want my dad and DS2 have a 'link' and I want to name him after my dad :(

I don't know what my dad would think! Probably that I was being silly.

Another option which my mum suggested is using the name my dad chose for me if I'd been a boy (so a boy's name we know he liked) - but it was Matthew and I don't like that at all.

OP posts:
Bluestocking · 16/01/2012 21:39

Sorry, didn't read your post about your husband hating the name. Sad

LynetteScavo · 16/01/2012 21:38

It's good as a middle name.

Bluestocking · 16/01/2012 21:38

I think this is a lovely idea and obviously means a lot to you. I can't imagine a boy being mocked for being called Colin. There's such a variety of names out there, from the dad/grandad names to the really wacky made-up names!

Figgyrolls · 16/01/2012 21:36

So your name is double barrelled? did you use your maiden name and his surname to double it? or was it already double barelled?

If its a mix of your name/his name then I would rethink the colin aspect. But that is just me.

So sorry to hear about your df, hope you are all ok

GeriManda · 16/01/2012 21:36

Well, you can't use it if your dh hates it, you just can't.

I don't think it's a very nice name (it's a Nigel name for me) but can understand why you want to use it. Do you actually like it?

YourNeighbourTotoro · 16/01/2012 21:36

Some other ideas around the name Colin: www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/1/Colin

YourNeighbourTotoro · 16/01/2012 21:34

I know a really lovely Colin so have a positive impression of it :)

Original poster
wonderingaboutnames · 16/01/2012 21:33

DH is very anti Colin as a first name (though he is sensitive to my reasons), and suggested it as a middle but that feels 'wrong' to me somehow. Can't really put my finger on why.

But if DFather was still with us I wouldn't be considering naming DS2 after him, so it's difficult.

Another issue with DH is that his own father's name (his father also passed away though many years ago and they didn't have much of a relationship as he left when DH was very small), hasn't been used and he's sort of said that if we're using Colin we should use that name too - but that feels wrong as well because it makes DS2's name doubly significant in terms of dead grandfathers and DS1 doesn't have a name with any family links like that.

I did ask DH if he wanted DS to be named after his father but he said absolutely not. I think he just hates colin :(

OP posts:
PuggyMum · 16/01/2012 21:33

I agree. It's quite cool! Go for it :)

TheAvocadoOfWisdom · 16/01/2012 21:31

I like it. I think it was outdated, but isn't any more iykwim. I think it's really cute for a boy, and a bit cool.

rufusnine · 16/01/2012 21:30

Use as middle name??

PutThatCatOutNow · 16/01/2012 21:29

It's the name we've chosen as a middle name for this DC if they turn out to be a boy. As well as having special meaning to us (like it does to you) I also thinks it's a lovely, solid name.

hellymelly · 16/01/2012 21:27

I like Colin.

Swipe left for the next trending thread