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Baby names

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

Original poster

Orlando?

43 replies

thing1andthing2 · 10/05/2012 15:42

Me again!
Expecting DS in 7 weeks. DH and I still can't agree a name. Current front runners are Nicolas and Alexander which tick the boxes but don't thrill or excite us.
DH has suddenly decided he really likes Orlando.
DD's name is Eva.
I kind of feel if we'd called her Xanthe, or Anais, or Venus Electra (like we considered Wink) we could get away with Orlando.
I like it but I'm not sure I could brazen it out (not very brave with name choices). What do you think?

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FrauGrau · 16/05/2012 19:40

I love it! Didnt even think of the Florida connection - or the Orlando Bloom one come to that! It is very Shakespearean!!

Original poster
thing1andthing2 · 16/05/2012 19:32

Although now after reading him the classical names thread, DH has decided he loves Orpheus. What do you think?

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Original poster
thing1andthing2 · 16/05/2012 19:13

Thanks for the feedback. We've decided against Orlando as it doesn't really pass the "yelling it out in tesco" test for us.
Nico(las) is still top contender. DH speaks French with the kidlets so a French name works well for us.

OP posts:
Takver · 11/05/2012 16:34

Now to me Nico sounds much more North-London than Orlando - but as I say just because the two Orlando's I've known have both been farm kids . . .

Lannie33 · 11/05/2012 16:34

Orlando is not too weird AT ALL. I wouldn't name my kid it, but wouldn't be fazed in the least if my friends did, although my friends have all named their kids unusual names such as Soren, Kaiya, Navi, Vienna and Alora. I am biased by an irrational love of both Nicholas and Alexander (my DS's middle name) which i don't think are boring AT ALL.

Tessa617 · 11/05/2012 16:19

Well my litmus test for names it to imagine myself yelling it across the playpark when my kid is doing something naughty. Sorry, but Orlando does not make the grade for me.

PercyFilth · 11/05/2012 16:13

Nah, Roland of Gilead. Those kids at Grange Hill were not aware of 'The Dark Tower'. :)

redrubyshoes · 11/05/2012 14:24

I just want to be your friend Rolaaaaaand.

(Very bad acting from a character in Grange Hill in the 80's)

Guess you had to be there.

millpond · 11/05/2012 14:23

I like it.
There are too many Alex's at the moment

squoosh · 11/05/2012 14:18

Oh Rolaaaaaaand

PercyFilth · 11/05/2012 13:27

Oh, Nico is much better choice of the two.

(Still liking Roland though)

SoftSheen · 11/05/2012 13:20

Orlando's a great name, but needs a big personality to live up to it!

smee · 11/05/2012 13:17

I have a friend called Orlando. He tells everyone he's called 'Olly' as he hates his name so much. Sorry to be a damp squid.

BBQJuly · 11/05/2012 13:11

Nicolas and Alexander are both really nice.

Orlando... sorry but it sounds pretentious to me. You could probably get away with it in North London.

squoosh · 11/05/2012 12:23

Oooh I really like Nico. Very crisp and European. He'd be handsome too, and he'd be in a band.

Original poster
thing1andthing2 · 11/05/2012 12:19

Thanks again ladies. Our other first choice is Nico (full name Nicolas, french spelling, not keen on Nick as a nn). Still can't decide which I like more. Hopefully we'll get a feel for which is right when we see our little boy.

OP posts:
Takver · 10/05/2012 21:44

I like it - I've known two, one when I was at primary school, the other is in dd's class and both were/are very ordinary boys for want of a better word (not in a bad way, but not posh or anything). So for me its just a nice normal name for a nice normal boy.

I think if you want a name where you won't have six in a class, but everyone can spell/pronounce it, then it would tick those boxes. And it goes just fine with Eva IMO

welovesausagedogs · 10/05/2012 21:36

LOVE orlando.

Eva and Orlando sound so nice together. Go for it.

So much nicer than Nicholas and Alexander

jadziadax · 10/05/2012 21:27

I know an Orlando, nn Lando. Am a star wars fan, so I think it's pretty cool.

AhsokaTano · 10/05/2012 21:01

I like it, wouldn't use it myself as have epic surname and tend to go for short first names.

I think it would probably be one of those that people double take at on first hearing it but get used to pretty quickly.

Belchica · 10/05/2012 18:34

Love it. Go for it! It's my OH's name and I would love to steal it for our baby but we'll give him/her their own name. He gets Ollie as a nn.

jaffacakehips · 10/05/2012 18:11

Love the name, suggested it to DH this morning. Would use it however it doesn't go with our surname.

mopsyflopsy · 10/05/2012 18:01

I like it. Different but not unusual.

poppydaisy · 10/05/2012 17:59

Orlando is great - love it! Agree that Nick and Alex are dull in comparison.

tammytoby · 10/05/2012 17:54

Yes, I would give it to my son. But then we seem to like unusual names as our ds's name was only used 11 times last year Smile.

What is NOT to like about Orlando?