Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

How would these somewhat rare boys' names go over in the UK?

61 replies

eversomuch · 11/07/2012 10:22

We're trying to decide on a boy's name. We want it to be not extremely common, but not OTT or pretentious. We're not originally British, so would appreciate thoughts on the following names, esp with regard to any possible UK cultural perceptions (if any):

Cedric
Chester
Ivan
Kieran (not really rare, I know)
Laszlo
Malcolm
Marshall
Maurice
Munro
Rye
Trevor

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
littlemissbroody26 · 11/07/2012 12:05

I like cedric too... maybe a bit too much of a harry potter link..

Ivan.. then engine?

kieran, lots of 20's/30's men called this.

trevor and malcolm make me think of middle aged men.

not sure about the others

lagartija · 11/07/2012 10:49

Cedric: v old fashioned
Chester: American
Ivan: the terrible
Kieran (not really rare, I know) : not at all unusual
Laszlo : Uusual, would think mabe the parents had some e european connection
Malcolm: middle aged
Marshall: v american
Maurice: middle aged man with a moustache
Munro: American
Rye: makes me think of bread
Trevor: middle aged and a bit weedy

MildredIsMyAlterEgo · 11/07/2012 10:47

Cedric - please don't

Chester - sounds ok if said with an american accent Smile

Ivan - quite nice, not too outlandish

Kieran - v v popular

Laszlo - pronounced Lash-loh? (EEuropean) or Laz-low? Prepare him for a lifetime of explaining how to pronounce it. Wink

Malcolm - good solid Scottish name. also nice in it's shortened form.

Marshall - makes me think of an amplifier. Sounds American as a name. Also reminds me of AbFab

Maurice - Bee Gees

Munro - Mariah Carey. No no no no.

Rye - again no

Trevor - too fuddy duddy.

AnnaNimitty · 11/07/2012 10:46

I like Cedric!

CherryBlossom27 · 11/07/2012 10:33

Hi OP,

Cedric - to me sounds old fashioned, but old fashioned names seem to be making a comeback in the UK!

Chester - there's a place called Chester in the north, but I don't particularly associate the name Chester with the place. I think it sounds quite modern.

Ivan - I'm not too keen on this, also I think people could make jokes on the name take the MN user name ivanapoo!

Kieran - I like this name best :)

Laszlo - I like this too, sounds Italian to me?

Malcolm - reminds me of the American show Malcolm in the Middle, the only two Malcolm's I know in real life are middle aged, but again, old fashioned names seem to be rising in popularity.

Marshall - this has a similar ring to Chester to my mind, nice, sounds modern.

Maurice - I asked my DH if he'd like this name if we have another boy! I prefer the spelling Morris, but that's more of a surname spelling I think. I like it!

Munro - this sounds modern to me, I've not heard it as a name before, but I think it must belong to some people!

Rye - I'm not keen on as a name on it's own, maybe as a nickname for Ryan, but otherwise it makes me think of rye bread - sorry.

Trevor - sorry but this reminds me of evil Trevor on Eastenders! I do know a very nice Trevor in real life though :)

Quite an interesting mix of names! Go for what you like best, other people will learn to like the name you choose and they will associate the name with your baby, so don't worry what other people think!

Congratulations by the way :)

ripsishere · 11/07/2012 10:29

That's a proper mixture. I'd say Cedric, Maurice and Trevor were men aged around 70, Chester and Rye were American, Munroe and Malcolm were Scots, Laszlo and Ivan were Eastern European and Kieran was Irish.
Personally I like Laszlo and Kieran although I wouldn't choose them.

squoosh · 11/07/2012 10:29

Cedric - very pre WW2 retro, a bit weedy
Chester - have heard of a couple of baby Chesters, also quite old fashioned but enjoying resurgence
Ivan - not that rare
Kieran (not really rare, I know) - extremely popular in 70's, 80's, maybe 90's too. Lots of them around although not too many born these days
Laszlo - never met or heard of one
Malcolm - very common in Scotland amongst all age groups. Has old man vibe in England
Marshall - very American, reminds me of Eminem
Maurice - old fashioned, 60 something member of the Rotary Club.
Munro - Scottish, never met a person called this, more common as a surname, also the name for type of hill in Scotland
Rye - bread or Scotch
Trevor - NO NO NO extremely dated and is just awful. Is almost a comedy name at this stage due to its 1970's, 1980's image. Trevors and Waynes are best friends, wear shell suits and try and grow a wispy little moustache when they're 15. NO!

PedanticPanda · 11/07/2012 10:29

Oh and my sisters surname is Munro so I couldn't ever use it as a first name, it would always sound strange to me.

PedanticPanda · 11/07/2012 10:27

I have a friend called Malcolm, and a cat called Chester :)

I like most of those names, I hate Cedric though.

ladyinthelibrary · 11/07/2012 10:26

I think Malcolm and Trevor are a bit middle-aged man-ish; the others are certainly not common (in terms of usage!) - some nice names in there! :)

overthemill · 11/07/2012 10:26

Cedric - very old fashioned and in my mind linked to bespectacled accountants
Chester - sounds american
Ivan - common islington type name
Kieran, very common
Laszlo - unusual
Malcolm - old fashioned though we have a beloved one in our family!
Marshall - american
Maurice - old fashioned
Munro - scottish, common
Rye - unusual
Trevor - old fashioned

i teach and all these names except kieran sound like the sort of names boys would love to tease