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Baby names

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

Original poster

Names you secretly like but could never burden a child with?

163 replies

ThroughTheRoundWindow · 27/01/2013 20:17

Was talking baby names with my husband yesterday and he admitted to wanting to name a son Aubrey. When I stopped laughing he agreed that it might lead to a little bit of bullying. But then I love
Evelyn (for a boy!) which is equally bad...

Have you or your DP got a secret soft spot for a name that might not go down so well in the playground?

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Stixswhichtwizzle · 29/01/2013 22:04

Barnaby or Humphrey, I think they are gorgeous but may led to a little bullying down our way!

misfitmum · 29/01/2013 21:48

Sashenka
Anoushka
Katja
(I'm not Russian)

Storm
Echo
(I'm not a hippie)

but daydream about using those names! Blush

colleysmill · 29/01/2013 18:53

My great grandmothers half sister (who officially was an aunt - oh those skeletons in the closet!) was called Zilla.

I love it but the thought of a dd being called Godzilla through school does put me off - and dh hates it :(

lastboxoftampons · 29/01/2013 18:51

Sparkle9 - My mother's name is Felicia. It's a lot for a little girl, but it suits a woman, I think.

qumquat · 29/01/2013 18:47

Hero

It's my absolute ultimate favourite girls name but dh won't hear of it. Love that it's from Greek myths and Shakespeare; love that it sounds strong and powerful not twee and cutesy. Must think of new ways to persuade him...

Minty82 · 29/01/2013 16:45

Oh I had a mental list of posters I wanted to respond to and I can't remember who they all were now - thislittleP, was it you mentioned Forbes as a joke name? I know a Forbes of my own age, but it is pretty silly...

And someone mentioned Zebedee - I know one of about four, but am always telling people who can't quite believe it... It's kind of wonderful though.

Who was aghast that her husband's campaigning for Bartholomew? That was the name I originally joined this thread to mention - DH and I both semi-seriously want this for a theoretical future DS. We both love it, but can't see us having the nerve to actually do it somehow. Partly because Bart is so utterly indivisible from Bart Simpson now, although I know one in his 60s and I believe it's quite well-used in Holland...where we don't happen to live.

lljkk · 29/01/2013 07:27

It's no secret, I quite like Alfred. Could never use it. Besides, I do Cat's Bum Face whenever I hear Alfie.

RillaBlythe · 29/01/2013 07:07

Lots of these arr quite normal to my mind!

downtown my dd is nicknamed tatty, I think it is cute!

I love but would never use Aubrey, auberon or Evelyn for a boy.

fuckadoodledandy · 28/01/2013 21:51

A poster mentioned Etienne for a boy's name...I gave it to dd as a middle name Blush

I know it's a male name, but I loved (and still love) it...!

lovelyredwine · 28/01/2013 21:27

Montgomery. I would still call my ds that if I had one, but my friends all nearly died laughing when I told them.

marriedinwhite · 28/01/2013 21:24

Oh we both loved Hector and Madelein; Ralph, Theodore, Albert, Clarabel, Lavinia (have a very complicated surname and visions of Hector's House - we are old).

Now I love: Merlin, Gawain, Poppy, Arthur.

Our children sparkle Wink.

We had a baby who died; we gave him a name we didn't have on our short-list. I have since read there is a subconscious pattern of not using a favourite name for a child with no hope of life because subconsciously we set it aside for a child who will live. Paradoxically our dd has a name very close to the diminutive and that too is supposed to follow a similar pattern.

pettyprudence · 28/01/2013 21:23

Delilah (might use this if I ever have a dd2 but as I don't even have any dd's yet, its not likely)

Pomroy - I was given this as a piss-take when pg but it kinda stuck with me! I could use Pom or Roy as a nn Grin

Dragonwoman · 28/01/2013 21:19

Merlin isn't particularly unusual or outlandish if you live in Wales. We have 3 Merlins at work!

MitchAPalooza · 28/01/2013 21:18

Myfanwy. And I'm not even Welsh, I just like it!

blueraincoat · 28/01/2013 21:16

Krupskaya. Never would though, a cat maybe...

LilyAmaryllis · 28/01/2013 21:14

Some of these are brilliant... Ptolemy, Buzz...

I love love (but could never call a child) - Dmitri

DH suggested Caractacus and Bartholomew for our DS. He was serious!

LRDtheFeministDragon · 28/01/2013 21:14

A little bit of me wants to use Linnet (passable) and Toseland.

I like Juliana and Eleni but they are too fancy for me actually to go for it.

I could totally go for Tatiana, Svetlana or any of the Russian names and blame it on DH, though. But I'm not sure I'm made keen on any of them. I love Elizaveta, but can't use it because DN's middle name is another version of Elizabeth.

I also love Annunziata and am mega-jealous of the MNer who's called that.

saycheeeeeese · 28/01/2013 21:07

Mine would be Elora Danan....like in the film Willow, for a DD of course.

Original poster
ThroughTheRoundWindow · 28/01/2013 21:04

There are some completely awesome names coming out here guys! Impressed by the amount of love for Aubrey but I'm still not doing it!

Constance is beautiful but just sooooo old fashioned. Can't believe someone suggested Merlin. I met a boy called Merlin when I was about 15 who completely lived up to his name. Proper hippy kid. It was love at first sight.

And what's with the popularity of Thor? Forget bullying, I'd fear the nominitive determinism - who wants a toddler version of the god of war experiencing the terrible twos?!!!

OP posts:
ChutesTooNarrow · 28/01/2013 21:00

Both of my children's names are on this thread Shock

I love Gideon but would never use it thanks to George Osbourne.

Newforestpony · 28/01/2013 20:59

We thought we were having twins at one point and I was determined to name them Elsie and Isabelle until I realised they would be shortened to Els Bells!!!
Dhs cousin has just had a little girl called Aubrey - the last Aubrey I knew was an old farmer!!

NellysKnickers · 28/01/2013 20:55

I always wanted a little girl called Elsie. She would have her hair in plaits and wear stripey tights. Instead I have 2 ds's ds2 does have some Tom and Jerry tights though. Also love Etiene sp? for a boy.

NellyBluth · 28/01/2013 20:52

Spike for a boy, and Decca for a girl. I just think some names are a lot to live up to.

sparkle9 · 28/01/2013 20:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FamiliesShareGerms · 28/01/2013 20:49

I like the proper old English names like Aethelstan, but DH was (probably sensibly) not having any of it...