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Baby names

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Original poster

Any old WW1 soldier type names for boys that haven't been used much?

60 replies

NatureAbhorsAHoover · 04/02/2012 10:54

I love Archibald/Archie and Alfred/Alfie, etc., but they're a bit overused in my neck of the woods now and any child would be one of three in the class.

Any less commonly used ones you that you like?

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Purplelooby · 10/02/2012 21:24

Poor OP - I love those types of names too, I totally understand that your sentiment was not to evoke the politics of that era.

Try researching your family tree - that's where loads of my name choices come from.

Love Arthur, Sidney, Henry, Albert, Stanley.

SlinkingOutsideInFrocks · 07/02/2012 01:07

Ronald.

It has been tainted by the McDonald association, but is a good, solid name, with Ron a great shortened version.

My great uncle was Rex, short for Reginald.

1944girl · 07/02/2012 00:49

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mathanxiety · 05/02/2012 19:12

Bernard
Arnold
Dominic

nkf · 05/02/2012 18:40

Tommy. There's a great poem about, "oh it's Tommy this and Tommy that." All about soldiers.

muffinino82 · 05/02/2012 18:38

Ignatius is fabulous, as is Hector.

Ah, I've always liked Poppy, not sure I'd be brave enough to use it now as there are a lot of cutesey names around but it fits your idea :o

Coconutty · 05/02/2012 16:53

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Original poster
NatureAbhorsAHoover · 05/02/2012 16:52

muffin Poppy is lovely for a girl Thanks

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I love how names that were completely rejected a generation ago are v v big right now. think that's so amazing how it all comes around... Our granddaughters will be all what's wrong with Sharon for a girl anyway?? Smile

Those who gave bossy lectures can sod off I thank you too for your contributions

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 05/02/2012 07:24

Ignatius (my grandfather)

Lots of popular names from the time among the Irish soldiers too:
Patrick
Michael
James
Martin
John
Leo
Robert
Cornelius
William
Joseph
Austin
Albert
Daniel
Edmund
Hugh
Donald

muffinino82 · 04/02/2012 23:27

Sorry, just seen your post lol.

I don't think there's a need to attack the OP about her sentiments. Yes, it was a racist, sexist, homophobic (as Owen and Sassoon knew well) world. Yes it was foolish of them to think it would be easy, only to be slaughtered in their hundreds of thousands. Yes it's naiive to think the men had a noble and dignified death, but I like the gesture. They were very brave; Sassoon certainly was, probably driven by PTSD some of the time. Maybe a gentle lecture would have been more appropriate? Wink

If you have a girl, Poppy? That's a whole other can of worms Hmm but I stand firm in believing in their goodness.

muffinino82 · 04/02/2012 23:15

Was also going to say Wilfred. I don't like it but it's very WWI

So are Rupert and Siegfried!

I was going to say those :p Sassoon in particular is a favourite of mine, marvelous poet and prose writer.

manicinsomniac - er, perhaps I should have said, names of soldiers who fought on our side

?

staylucky · 04/02/2012 20:29

Would highly recommend you visit your local war memorial, great inspiration for these types of names Smile

MelodyPondering · 04/02/2012 19:13

Gerald. My lovely Grandad Smile

gazzalw · 04/02/2012 18:53

My MIL knew Siegfried Sassoon's son George!

Like Rupert, Edward, Laurence and David myself - David could have been DS's name but for the diminutive being Dave!

Rhubarbgarden · 04/02/2012 18:49

I love Tristan.

Kytti · 04/02/2012 16:57

Mine are Alfred and Stanley. NEVER Alfie, sometimes Stan. I've met one other Stanley, but I've yet to find an Alfred.

I like the idea of Percy though.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 04/02/2012 16:54

Siegfried

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 04/02/2012 16:54

Some great names here -

Wilfred
Roland
Rupert
Tristan
Edmund
Laurence
Vincent
Maurice
Ernest
David

I do worry about somebody claiming to want a WW1 type name not knowing about Sigfried Sassoon though. Shock

AgathaPinchBottom · 04/02/2012 16:53

What were the girls called?

CecilyP · 04/02/2012 16:43

Many of the popular names of that time, like George, Arthur, Henry and Albert have now come back into fashion, while others like, John, William, Robert and James have never really been out of fashion.

However, the top 50 boys names in England and Wales in 1900 were:

William, John, George, Thomas, Charles, Frederick, Arthur, James, Albert, Ernest,
Robert, Henry, Alfred, Sidney, Joseph, Harold, Harry, Frank, Walter, Herbert,
Edward, Percy, Richard, Samuel, Leonard, Stanley, Reginald, Francis, Fred, Cecil,
Wilfred, Horace, Cyril, David, Norman, Eric, Victor, Edgar, Leslie, Bertie,
Edwin, Donald, Benjamin, Hector, Jack, Percival, Clifford, Alexander, Baden, Bernard, Redvers

With the exception of Baden and Redvers, all these names would have been popular through the 1890s.

gazzalw · 04/02/2012 14:17

I know - get hold of a copy of Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain and you will probably have all the appropriate names of that lost generation listed therein. Seem to recall her fiance (who died and was friend of her brother) was called Roland....

startail · 04/02/2012 13:39

Thomas, not a rare name, but my Grandfather who joined up at 16. Not brave, they hadn't a clue what they were going to.
The bravery came after, he returned semi paralysed by a snipers bullet. However, he worked, raised two children and never complained.
I have only DDs or I would have remembered him.

jaffacakehips · 04/02/2012 13:28

Roland!

notfluffyatall · 04/02/2012 12:12

Sorry OP, I wasn't being political, I was just teasing, i know what you meant ;-)

Original poster
NatureAbhorsAHoover · 04/02/2012 12:11

Rilla - Oh yes, and Rupert Brookes's "The Great Lover"! DH cannot hear the line about 'the rough male kiss of blankets' without weeping. But he did go to boarding school and probably has ishoos.

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