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Baby names

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

Original poster

Why do people say "Ergh... that's a dog's name!"?

81 replies

NatureAbhorsAHoover · 05/02/2012 15:03

First it was Lily and Molly - people would say they knew a dog with that name, like that's a reason it should never be used on a human Hmm

Now I see the same for some boys names - Toby and Monty, I'm looking at you Smile

This makes no sense to me. Names take a few years to filter into the public consciousness. I always thought we 'try out' names on our dolls and our pets as children ... and then when we're grown up we get to use the ones we like the most on real live babies! Grin

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JasperJohns · 05/02/2012 22:44

Excellent - after the Monster's Inc character?

My ds has always wanted an axoltl!

lockets · 05/02/2012 22:38

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JasperJohns · 05/02/2012 22:38

I did once blurt out 'ooh, that's my dog's name!' to a new mum on asking the baby's name in the playground once.

Thought better of it later!

Stars22 · 05/02/2012 22:36

We've had a dog called Mollie, turtle called Alfie, hamsters called Kiara and Honey and birds called Ruby and Zac. I dont think of any of these names as animal names.

phlossie · 05/02/2012 22:18

Kaekae - my MIL has a dog called Poppy! She is barking (boom, boom).

usingapseudonym - totally doesn't bother me, (though I had no idea that Rufus was 'a dog's name').

Names like Fluffy or Mitzy or Patch are animal names, otherwise any name is fair game for either child or pet, surely?

Kaekae · 05/02/2012 21:34

Who on earth would call their dog Poppy? Confused Nah, so not a dogs name. My parents dog is called Ben and I really want a sausage dog called Humphrey.

lockets · 05/02/2012 21:09

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usingapseudonym · 05/02/2012 21:06

I think that a lot of people would associate Rex or Rufus with a dogs name and if you're a mum choosing those names surely you would be expecting that a little bit?

Of course I wouldn't say anything to someone's face that had chosen the name!

phlossie · 05/02/2012 20:10

My ds is called Rufus. The man in my parents' local shop thought this was hilarious because his dog's called Rufus - he actually said 'Rufus isn't a name' Hmm. My poor dad was indignant.

lockets · 05/02/2012 19:24

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Vulgar · 05/02/2012 19:23

Roland is a fat boy name

MandyT68 · 05/02/2012 18:44

Fat boy names must remain a secret as I have one or two friends who have, unwittingly, picked them. Bad boys always have one syllable, bad girls usually have pop or tv namesakes.

HolyNoSheDittantBatman · 05/02/2012 18:26

Grin it was a collie

AsdaFudgeyCal · 05/02/2012 18:24

x post holy ! Was it a labrador? Grin

AsdaFudgeyCal · 05/02/2012 18:21

My cat is Woolly-Bastard-The-First.

World, you may have that for your children.

Am pg and I really like Jasper and Monty but have had the screwed up faces and shouts of 'Labrador' from most people Hmm

Well, I really like labradors. I like them more than the vast majority of humans I've met so I'm definately not ashamed of ds name being associated with dogs. Grin

HolyNoSheDittantBatman · 05/02/2012 18:19

Is it once though? I know a dog called Stephen, but I wouldn't think 'that's a dogs name' because it's 1 dog vs many people. I know at least 4 people with dogs called Monty though. My Grandmother's dog was called Monty when I was little so to me it's just a dogs name.

Original poster
NatureAbhorsAHoover · 05/02/2012 18:15

EDR I know... just wonder why they cannot get beyond the fact that they once heard of a pet with that name Hmm.

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HolyNoSheDittantBatman · 05/02/2012 17:33

This is the baby names section, where people ask 'what do you think of the name Fido?'. If you don't want to be told it's a dogs name don't ask!

To tell someone who hasn't asked your opinion on their baby's name that you don't like it, is rude.

EDRefugee · 05/02/2012 17:25

Even if you had named your child Fido, only a rude fecker would call you on it to your face. The name's not the problem, the idiot asking you about it is.

lockets · 05/02/2012 17:15

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Doilooklikeatourist · 05/02/2012 17:10

My sons called George and he was 8 lb 13 .
He's very tall and slim now hollow legged teenager

My sisters cat is called Graham , that's a human name , I like animals with human names , people with animal names , that's just strange .

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 05/02/2012 17:10

I got a bit Hmm when some posters on NM said the dog name thing about Marley.

One crappy rom-com wipes out Bob Marley in a stroke does it?

My dog is called Atticus. I love the name and only used it on a dog because I thought I wasnt going to have anymore DCs.

My dear old dog was called Giro and I think I would draw the line at using that for a chile Grin

1944girl · 05/02/2012 17:06

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Original poster
NatureAbhorsAHoover · 05/02/2012 16:59

BackforGood yes I agree totally that we all respond with our own associations.

It's just that this thread was complaining about saying it's a dog's name... so Pavlov. Pavlov's dog. People automatically responding without thinking. geddit?

Hello?

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BreeVanDerTramp · 05/02/2012 16:44

I think George is a fat boys name, it was on our list if either DS weighed over 8lb but neither did so we haven't used it yet

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