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Baby names

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Original poster

Is the middle name Barry too cruel?

55 replies

PrettyInDecadence · 20/06/2012 22:36

DH has just announced that he would like this DC to have his father's name as a middle name if a boy. It is Barry. Would we be too cruel to burden bestow a child with this name?

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evamummy · 22/06/2012 11:06

Do you really think our kids know who Barry Manilow is?! I even had to google him Blush

Igo2work4Arest · 22/06/2012 10:50

I'd be hoping it will be a girl then you don't need to have that argument. Barry is not too bad, actually maybe it is! Imagine if you do have a boy and he has a big nose, the Manilow jokes will be coming think and fast.

evamummy · 22/06/2012 10:40

I would value the love of my family (in this case father in law) more than worry about teasing. Children will accept pretty much any name (unless it is Dick or Willy Grin), and I honestly don't think Barry is that awful as some of you suggest.

PercyFilth · 21/06/2012 23:56

Exactly! How ridiculous for Barry to be shunned and derided when Harry is so popular! Where do the sneerers stand on Larry, I wonder? Which side does that fall on?

In any case, Barry as a middle name is going to have an ambiguous status given that it's a fairly common surname as well.

As for Marjorie, I think that's a pretty name, very medieval. It probably won't be very long before it's rediscovered and becomes all the rage.

LynetteScavo · 21/06/2012 23:45

Harry
Larry
Barry
Gary

My point is, Barry isn't that different to Harry, which is obviously a fine, and popular name.

And used as a middle name, it will be fine. (All boys hate their middle names anyway*)

*Research done on two boys, concluded 100% thought their middle name was stupid.

stleger · 21/06/2012 23:40

(DD2's boyfriend is Keith, they are 15. She knows another Keith as well. Two Keiths! But no Barry).

SPsFanjoHarboursDeadCats · 21/06/2012 01:07

It's fine as a middle name.

My sister has the name Marjorie as one if her middle names. My Nanna died while my mum was pregnant so my sister got a name from her. It's an old nam but so is her 1st and 2nd then its Marjorie

mathanxiety · 21/06/2012 00:55

It's not that bad, and it's actually an Irish surname so it might pass for a surnamey middle name.

You could maybe consider using the name Barra instead -- Barry is the English version; afaik the name originated in Ireland.

I bet there are lots of babies with middle names like Keith, Roger, Graham, etc, that would never be used as first names. DD1 has a friend whose mn is Lorraine after her granny. That's a name you would never use as a first name but it's fine for a mn.

Staceisace · 21/06/2012 00:47

Yes. Isn't there another nice family name you can use?

One of my grandparents has a name she refused to allow any of her grandchildren to have so her mum's names were used instead.

ParkbenchSociety · 21/06/2012 00:11

As a middle name it's quite cute

gingerpig · 20/06/2012 23:44

popular name in Ireland!

misslinnet · 20/06/2012 23:41

Not cruel at all as a middle name, especially as it's a family name.

Most people don't know each other's middle names anyway.

WithACherryOnTop · 20/06/2012 23:18

It's fine as a middle name.

I went to primary school with two boys called Barry,this was in the 90s,and I don't think they were ever teased about it. I didn't think anything of it anyway.

stleger · 20/06/2012 23:15

Is FIL from Cork? Barry is short for Finbarr in a lot of Cork Barrys - Finbarr is the local saint. Also a common surname here. I am fairly sure nobody knows two of my teenager's middle names, the other one has decided to use both forenames but she is fairly unusual!

FizzyLaces · 20/06/2012 23:15

In Edinburgh, Barry is a slang word for brilliant/great. ie 'that's pure barry'

Pooka · 20/06/2012 23:14

It's actually a really nice sounding name. Just suffers from the Gary/Barry/Sharon/Tracey connotations.

Ignore that. Go with it as middle name. Imagine tht you're naming him after j m Barrie. Wink

Sarcalogos · 20/06/2012 23:12

I knew a boy at uni called Barry he seemed popular enough, hadn't held him back until we all realised he was a raging racist, which did make him deeply unpopular

Pooka · 20/06/2012 23:10

Is a middle name.

Is fine.

MrsRhettButler · 20/06/2012 23:09

What's wrong with Barry? I know loads of Barrys, genuinely Confused why everyone thinks it's so bad?

Middle names don't matter much anyway do they?

PorkyandBess · 20/06/2012 23:04

3 year old Barry?

Cruel.

cate16 · 20/06/2012 23:03

I know a three year old Barry named after his dad, he's a lovely little boy.

VoldemortsNipple · 20/06/2012 22:56

I don't think its that bad. Maybe because I knew a Barry as a child. Its not like its Dick or something.

Anyway, if you agree to this as a middle name, that gives you the deciding vote on the first name :o

Original poster
PrettyInDecadence · 20/06/2012 22:47

He doesn't have a middle name :(

See I know FIL would be chuffed to bits if his name was in one of the DC's, but it's a truly awful name! I suggested to DH that we use his middle name as FIL chose that but he was having none of it.

OP posts:
ScooseLooseAbootThisHoose · 20/06/2012 22:47

My dh is called Barry I don't find it awful at all!

HMQueenElizabeth · 20/06/2012 22:46

It's a family name! Loads of people have embarrassing family names that they're not especially keen on, but I think it's a very nice thing to do, to honour a child with the name of a family member.