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Baby names

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

Original poster

Middle name Clair for a boy

41 replies

fredandginger · 06/03/2012 10:13

Is this cruel?

It's a female family name, but would it be mean to use the masculine version as middle name for a boy?

It would be the second of two middle names...

What do you think?

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fedupofnamechanging · 06/03/2012 18:25

My dd's middle name is Clair. I wouldn't use it for a boy tbh.

NarkedPuffin · 06/03/2012 15:06

If you are sure about wanting to use a family name as a middle name, how about using Claro. It's different but not feminine, and comes from the same latin root as Claire, also meaning clear.

notso · 06/03/2012 14:58

Is this going to be your first and only baby?

themildmanneredjanitor · 06/03/2012 14:55

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TheSecondComing · 06/03/2012 14:52

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abbypumpkin · 06/03/2012 14:47

He will be embarassed about it. Although not used at school middle names are used at people's weddings. James and John are both lovely middle names and I don't think it has to be that 'special' when you're using a few names. You could vary the other names so have Frank or Joe or may use something that means the same as clair such as Luke.

CecilyP · 06/03/2012 12:37

I have never met, or even heard of, an Irishman called Clair. It is just a less common spelling of the popular girl's name Claire/Clare.

grubbalo · 06/03/2012 12:02

Being someone who has an unusual middle name, it's all fine to say that only the initial will appear on forms etc but it's simply not true. Any foreign school trip will need his passport, exam entries and certificates will show his full name. Not to mention all the "so what does the C stand for?" questions he will get (believe me, when you don't want people to know what it stands for, you seem to get asked it a lot. I hated it, and once everyone knew (it would always leak out), I then had loads of teasing about it.

Please don't do it on the basis noone will necessarily know - they will!

maxcliffordslovechild · 06/03/2012 11:03

my sisters name is Clair and i have never considered that it was the male version of the name, btw she was named after this song

Original poster
fredandginger · 06/03/2012 10:59

You're probably all right - just looking for something a little different from James/John. Sigh. I suppose it would be mean.

But everlong, it is actually a boy's name in its own right - as I said, more common in Ireland, but it's not just Claire without the -e.

OP posts:
Kindling · 06/03/2012 10:58

Would not use it.

I knew a femalr Clair, amongst all the Claires and Clares at my school, so to me it's definitely a female name however you spell it.

everlong · 06/03/2012 10:56

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FilterCoffee · 06/03/2012 10:50

I wouldn't use Clair - it's so similar to the girls' name. How about Clarence or Sinclair instead? (to be fair I wouldn't pick those but at least they are obviously boys' names).

James or John are good solid names and I think either would be a great choice - preferably John as James is so popular as a middle name now.

Original poster
fredandginger · 06/03/2012 10:18

more common in Ireland I believe - same meaning, 'bright'

I was thinking that it would just appear on official docs, and for school he would just have the first middle initial on register...

I need to include a family name as the second middle name - but the first two names are 2-syllable so I'm searching for a shorter option.

Could use James or John but they are only used once or twice in a very large family.
If length wasn't an issue I would choose Francis or Matthew or possibly Joseph but it just makes the name too long IMO.

OP posts:
iseenodust · 06/03/2012 10:18

You say it's a female family name - that' s your answer IMO.

MollieO · 06/03/2012 10:14

I didn't know there was a masculine version of Claire. Sounds a bit odd and guaranteed to get him teased at school.

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