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Baby names

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Original poster

Girls middle name for a little boy??!

33 replies

Emlyric · 06/05/2013 08:02

So, our third little boy is due in 8 weeks and I have a middle-name dilema! I am very close to my mum and keen to use her name as a second middle name for one of our children - she is the most amazing lady - however, given we are blessed with boys it makes it a bit more tricky! Her name is Carol, which traditionally is a male name, and also has a dutch spelling Karel which is still used for boys over there - my husband is dutch so we have a tenous claim to use it 'legitimately' but I wanted to know thoughts! Am I condemning this wee one to a lifetime of friends sniggering at his passport?! Should we amend it to Karel or brazen it out with Carol?! xx

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GibberTheMonkey · 12/05/2013 23:25

Another vote for Karel Smile

Likesshinythings · 12/05/2013 22:10

There was a famous male Carol - Carol Reed, film director and uncle of Oliver Reed. He directed the film Oliver.

olivertheoctopus · 12/05/2013 22:07

Karel works just fine. Link proven no probs if your DH is Dutch.

jkklpu · 12/05/2013 22:01

What's your Mum's maiden name - have you thought of using that?

bingeddybongo · 12/05/2013 14:07

Just like Bowlersarm, I've got a boy's name as my middle name and it's done my head in my whole life. It's caused all my friends endless amusement though. Just so you know ;)

LynetteScavo · 12/05/2013 13:53

Now I was all set to say don't be ridiculous you can't give a boy a girls name but Carols not so bad. Hillary, Lesley, Carol.....

Limelight · 12/05/2013 13:49

I think it's fine but then I am named after my DGF - his middle name is my first name. And it's def a girl's name!

He was the youngest of lots and lots of boys, so the family story is that my great Grandparents had run out of boy's names by the time they got to him. Grin

Wouldntyouliketoknow · 12/05/2013 13:43

I would use Karel. Or what about letting your mother choose a middle name, so even though it's not after her she is still 'part' of it?

rambososcar · 06/05/2013 21:07

I had an Uncle Carol so I never think of it as anything other than a man's name but kids with a tendency to bully might not see it that way. I'd be wary of using it and would prefer to use a maiden surname or the name of my maternal grandfather or uncle instead.

YouDontWinFriendsWithSalad · 06/05/2013 20:35

I don't think there's anything wrong with using Carol, I've heard it as a boys' name before.

KittenofDoom · 06/05/2013 16:33

Even in English, Carol can also be a man's name. (eg film director Sir Carol Reed).

However I think you're on dodgy ground naming a boy Carol after a woman. Different if it was after your father or uncle, say.

I'd go for one of the indisputably masculine variants. Save Carol in case you have a girl some day.

ryanboy · 06/05/2013 10:18

Is using her maiden name a possibility?

lastnightidreamt · 06/05/2013 10:18

I would go with Karel - lovely.

JacqueslePeacock · 06/05/2013 10:16

I know a man called Carol. Never considered it odd, really - it is a man's name in several languages.

KateBeckett · 06/05/2013 10:12

Karel is fine :) reminds me of Karel Abram the moto gp rider!

TheHerringScreams · 06/05/2013 09:55

I would go with Karel. It's a handsome name and isn't a girl's name either.

ShipwreckedAndComatose · 06/05/2013 09:54

Another vote for the surname here...you are setting him up as bullying fodder

Bowlersarm · 06/05/2013 09:50

Don't do it.

I have a boys name as my middle name (an old family surname which happens to be a boys name as well). I hate it, and just don't use it at all. I'm baffled as to why my parents thought i would like having it as part of my name.

ClaraOswald · 06/05/2013 09:50

I would go with the Dutch link and use Karel.

almapudden · 06/05/2013 09:47

Carol is a boys' name. Pope John Paul II's real name was Carol; he was Polish.

It's just an alternative to Charles.

Purplehulk · 06/05/2013 09:45

I know a man with the mn Carroll. He uses it in his email addy so it has obviously never caused him embarrassment.

EssieW · 06/05/2013 09:09

I think using carol would be fine. I've heard it as male name before

HongkongDreamer · 06/05/2013 09:02

What about carlos

katkoala · 06/05/2013 08:54

I would suggest Carl or Karl...my uncles have the name Maria as a mn (my grandparents used the name Mary in some form for their 3 dd and twin sons)...we still take the pi$$ 55 years later!

cheekbyjowl · 06/05/2013 08:45

I think you can get away with karel. Its unusual enough that I wouldnt think of carol. But, you need a macho first name and strong surname ...i.e if your surname is lily and your chosen first name is Vivian...then perhaps re think it.