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Baby names

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

Original poster

Stephen - am I crazy to love this name?

36 replies

slothlike · 14/10/2013 15:11

As the title says, I really like the name Stephen, possibly in part because of a really lovely person I used to know with that name. Not crazy about the nickname Steve, but I could cope with it - just wouldn't use it myself! DH is on board as well.

I haven't asked for anyone else's opinions on it (until now), but I just have this hunch that other people will react in a bit of a 'meh' way, as it's simultaneously fairly unoriginal and declining in popularity. What would you think if you heard the name Stephen being shouted across the playground? Too middle-aged-man sounding? (I don't really buy into the "It only matters if YOU love the name" line, because it's not ME who has to have the name for the rest of my life...!)

FWIW, other potential name candidates are Toby and Theodore.

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Chubfuddler · 14/10/2013 17:11

It's a perfectly normal name. I know several, of all ages. The youngest is six. I find NNs are fairly easy to shut down if people don't want to be called by them, so just don't call him Steve.

It's a Paul/James/andrew/David kind of name. Timeless, completely inoffensive.

heronsfly · 14/10/2013 17:10

Ive got a Stephen, obviously i think its a lovely name Grin he has never been a 'Steve' but often gets called 'Steph'.
He is a grown up London Firefighter now and I think the name suits him well.

Bowlersarm · 14/10/2013 17:09

I really like Stephen.

Although I am really drawn to short names normally i really don't like Steve. It must be the 'v' because I don't like Dave either. Stevie is quite cute for a little boy though.

PatoBanton · 14/10/2013 17:06

It's my Dad's name, and ds2's middle name. I actually love it Smile

It's better with the ph imo, not the v.

cariadmawr · 14/10/2013 17:02

Ds1 is Steffan welsh for Stephen . We love his name it really suits him

Mim78 · 14/10/2013 16:34

I don't think anyone could object to Stephen or grow up hating it as their name. A lot of people growing up in the 80s did have this name, but so have people for hundreds even thousands of years.

It's not one of my favourites, but I don't think your question is about whether Mumsnetters would have it on their own list. It's not a name that makes you think "cute baby" but then that is probably good because he won't be a baby for ever- it is a much more suitable name for a grown man than a lot of the fashionable names!

Of your other two choices, I prefer Theodore to Toby - probably is more of a classic name. However, neither of these names was thought of yesterday either! Toby is quite trendy but that shouldn't be a problem in itself.

BackforGood · 14/10/2013 16:25

Lovely, timeless name.
Think hard if him being called Steve would bother you though, as it WILL happen.
Far nicer and less "of an era" that the other 2 you are thinking of.

Ragwort · 14/10/2013 16:16

I think it is a really nice name, a lot of names like that are considered 'old fashioned' but not in the same way as Bertie/William/Charlie which are so much more popular.

I grew up with lots of people called Stephen/Kevin/David/Richard etc but you hardly ever hear of babies being given those sort of names Grin.

elcranko · 14/10/2013 16:13

I know a little Stephen, his nursery friends call him Stevie Smile

PsammeadPaintedTheLion · 14/10/2013 15:17

I like it a lot, I know a lot of Stephens of my age, but I can imagine it on a small child too.

We considered Stefan for a boy, too.

ZZZenagain · 14/10/2013 15:16

don't see anything wrong with the name. I don't think I would have used it but not because I have anything against it, it just would not have occurred to me. I'd be surprised if it is a name people really hate tbh. I think I would group it together with names like Richard, Michael and John

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