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Baby names

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

Original poster

Alexander

42 replies

CruCru · 20/07/2013 19:54

Hi all

What do you think of Alexander (Alec or Alex for short)? I asked my brother and he thought it was boring (we do have quite conventional taste in boys names though).

DH has a cousin called Alex (haven't seen him for years). Is that weird?

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soontobeslendergirl · 22/07/2013 09:56

No1 son had Alec (Alexander) on the final choice list (only choice :o ) but when he was born it just didn't suit so he ended up with a choice of Craig or Gregor.

I still like it and No2 son has Alastair as a middle name instead :)

Sunnysummer · 22/07/2013 08:50

I like it! Or could you do Alastair/Alistair, as the Scottish version?

MrsTumble123 · 21/07/2013 22:23

My little boy is called Alexander and I am so happy we chose this name. Everyone always says how nice it is, and I have not known that many in my area. We call him Alex at home, but I always introduce him as Alexander at places. Sometimes he is called Zander by his Godmother, and Ali by his Grandparents too.

DomesticCEO · 21/07/2013 22:22

My 5 yr old DS is an Alex(ander) - it was dh's choice and tbh I don't like how popular it is Blush.

We had a recent count up and came up with 11 Alex's in our extended friendship group and school friends Hmm.

I remember his first day at nursery when the nursery worker welcomed him as Alex D - having been called [first name] S my whole childhood I was gutted.

DS2 has an equally classic but much more unusual name and I love it.

nelly83 · 21/07/2013 22:18

LOVE it. Its my gorgeous DS name though so I am a bit bias!!

Bearcrumble · 21/07/2013 18:41

I have a three year old Alexander too. Lots of them about. I didn't research how popular names were with him, didn't make that mistake second time round (although still love the name). Depends if you mind him being one of hundreds.

Original poster
CruCru · 21/07/2013 18:40

Sandy isn't very us, if you know what I mean. I haven't met any small children called Alex round here so far but to be honest, I thought we were being original with Henry and there are lots.

OP posts:
savoirfaire · 20/07/2013 23:35

Lovely name. I know 4 born in the last 18 months though, and know about another dozen who I see regularly. I would put money on there being more than one Alex in many primary school classes, although this may not bother you. What about Sandy as a nick name? I used to work with a lovely Sandy and met a baby Alexander/Sandy just last week. Plenty of Xanders round my way too.

SurroundedByGiraffes · 20/07/2013 23:32

My son Alexander known as Alex thinks he has two middle names, Ander and Philip. Sometimes he gets them the wrong way round - "I am Alex Philip Ander Giraffes".

BistoBear · 20/07/2013 23:27

When I have children in the future this shall be the name of our son. It's my grandfather's name, my DF's father's name and DF's middle name. I love Sandy for a nick name :)

chesticles · 20/07/2013 23:21

Alexander is a lovely name but definitely becoming more popular. Not that it makes it any less nice. And bikeskirun I know loads of Alexanders known as Alec

BikeRunSki · 20/07/2013 22:55

Alec is a different name though. It's a name if its own, not an abbreviation of Alexander.

merr · 20/07/2013 22:53

I love Alexander as a name, and was thinking bout it for DS2 but it seems to be really popular at the moment.
At DS1's school there are 2 in his class one who goes by Alex and one by Alexander and I have two friends with little Alex's!

OhOneOhTwoOhThree · 20/07/2013 22:51

It's a marvellous name for the best boys

mikkii · 20/07/2013 22:47

I love it. DH is half Spanish/half Italian. DS's first name is Alessandro (Italian version) although we use his second name, Valentino.

SageBush · 20/07/2013 22:40

The best name you can give a boy!

shockedballoon · 20/07/2013 21:57

Awesome name.

afrikat · 20/07/2013 21:53

Great name. We will be using it if we end up on team blue!

absentmindeddooooodles · 20/07/2013 21:51

Love it! Was on my list for ds but dp knew a guy he didn't like with the name etc..... Really lovely IMO.

Thurlow · 20/07/2013 21:48

Lovely, though I am biased as I have a female version. Absolutely ageless, and goes so well with Henry too. I quite like Alec though!

Shodan · 20/07/2013 21:44

Agree with AberdeenAngusina, especially point g Wink.

Alexander is a most excellent name.

AberdeenAngusina · 20/07/2013 21:29

It's a brilliant name because
a) It doesn't get misheard for anything else.
b) You don't often have to spell it.
c) It has a variety of NNs, so built-in future flexibility.
d) It sounds as though it should have "the Great" after it.
e) It's been steadily popular so it won't date.
f) It's international.
g) naming your DS Alexander is a well-known sign of highly intelligent parents ;)

MaMaPo · 20/07/2013 21:11

Lovely name. My husband is Alexander (aka Alex, Big Al - he's very tall - Xander, Xan, Xanzi) and I often think how much I love his name.

My nephew is also Alexander. We just call them Big Alex and Little Alex. Once Big Alex had the little one on his shoulders, and Little Alex proclaimed to everyone 'Look! It's the Tower of Alex!'

So basically, go for it.

SurroundedByGiraffes · 20/07/2013 21:05

I have a three year old Alexander so I think it is a lovely name. It is very popular here though. Shout Alex in the park and half the boys turn around.

vix206 · 20/07/2013 20:58

I have a 3 yo Alexander (Alex). He's the only one I know of in my group of friends

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