Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Robin - would you immediately assume boy or girl?

60 replies

London2013 · 24/03/2013 21:07

And what do you think of it?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
badtime · 27/03/2013 17:09

The 'i' and 'y' used to be interchangeable. The many early records of a certain forest-dwelling outlaw referred to 'Robyn Hode'.

So it's not as simple as 'Robin' for boys, 'Robyn' for girls; or Robyn being American; or Robyn being modern.
(sorry about Wikipedia link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Gest_of_Robyn_Hode )

I prefer 'Robin' for boys or girls, and I like it for both. For boys, it is a traditional diminutive of Robert, and for girls a nature name.

SecretLindtBunny · 27/03/2013 16:53

Boy.

QuanticoVirginia · 27/03/2013 16:53

I have a boy Robin and apparently there were only a 100 boys named Robin in the year he was born. Absolutely hate 'Rob' as a nickname although he had a teacher who bizarrely insisted on reffering to him as 'Robbie'.

He gets very cross with anyone who spells t with a 'y' as he says that's the girls spelling.

I am now wondering if I know any of you in RL and you're talking about my Robin!

rockinhippy · 27/03/2013 16:39

I agree Robin = boy
Robyn = girl

Though I much prefer Rodin for a boy - Robin is a bit dated IMHO, but not really in a good way - though that might be because I'm married to one[ grin]

MoelFammau · 27/03/2013 16:31

Robin with an I for a girl is hardly recent though. Robin Wright Penn being the other side of 40.

I wanted a nature name but not a flower. Robyn is just a name (pretty though it is!), Robin is the bird and I wanted the bird for personal reasons. Wren and Raven are girl names so why not Robin?

MiaowTheCat · 26/03/2013 18:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KatoPotato · 26/03/2013 16:21

My DS 3yo is Robin. I hate it when someones asks 'I or Y?' when they know he's a boy!

Aww, my wee Robin.

MyMamaToldMe · 26/03/2013 16:19

Robin for boy / Robyn for girl

MoelFammau · 26/03/2013 16:17

2yo DD is Robin, like the bird. Her 2yo friend is also Robin, he's a boy. It seems a popular boys name here in Scotland!

Welovegrapes · 25/03/2013 14:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PurpleStorm · 25/03/2013 14:07

I know a male Robin and a female Robyn.

I'd think it more likely that a Robin would be a boy, but not sure enough to rule out a Robin being a girl if the name was all I had to go on.

Lucyellensmum95 · 25/03/2013 11:16

Its funny, i used to think Boy and was Hmm when my friend called their DD Robyn - but now i love and and do tend to think girl.

ZZZenAgain · 25/03/2013 11:13

I would assume it is a boy. It is not a name I would have used though

FreedomOfTheTess · 25/03/2013 11:11

I think boy, as the only Robin I know is a boy.

sjupes · 25/03/2013 10:58

Pants! I seem to have a thing for the girl spelling Blush i suppose it's a good job we didn't go with it he would most likely have ended up with girl frances Blush poor boy Grin

TheSecondComing · 25/03/2013 10:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sjupes · 24/03/2013 23:26

i wanted frances for ds but dp said no :( i still love it it's so classic.

Original poster
London2013 · 24/03/2013 23:22

I met first one ever the other day. In nearly five years!

Other people delight in telling me when they've met one though Hmm.

OP posts:
Moominsarehippos · 24/03/2013 23:18

Boy - never met a female one!
I like it - I've known a few.

TheSecondComing · 24/03/2013 23:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
London2013 · 24/03/2013 23:09

Clara. A fine name if I say so myself.....

I'm not (that I'm aware of) but hoping soon :).

We had Henry / Hal last time too.

OP posts:
TheSecondComing · 24/03/2013 23:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ladymia · 24/03/2013 22:55

I assume boy. Quite like it as a boy's name but wouldn't use it myself.

Dislike Robyn for a girl (dislike any name that replaces the i with a y, it's just so America) and know a lovely Robin that is a very successful young man.

Original poster
London2013 · 24/03/2013 22:52

I love Francis and Frances but doesn't go with our surname otherwise I'd use either. We have DD's name in common.

I'm not stalking you I promise I just searched to check was actually you with the same name!

OP posts:
OddBoots · 24/03/2013 22:52

The fewer presumptions people can make based on a name the better, in my opinion.

A name is a boy's name in any case it is given to a boy and a girl's name in any case where it is given to a girl, when it is not identified with a specific person then it is simply a name.