Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Thoughts on Foster as a boy's name

83 replies

Amiasmummy · 13/01/2014 20:29

I know it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea and to be honest, when my OH first suggested it I wasn't a fan. I thought people would think he was named after the beer. BUT it's really grown on me and now out of the few names we have agreed on it has become my favourite. (The beer thing obviously no longer bothers me). What are people's thoughts on the name? (Without being plain rude please) Grin

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
lljkk · 30/01/2014 18:01

I went to school with a Forest nn = Frosty.
I share MN conservatives tastes, so of your alternatives, I like best Liam & Joel.
Good luck. Forget what other people think, I would NEVER ask people online for advice on names but it's a guilty pleasure to reply to these threads.

PenguinsDontEatKale · 30/01/2014 18:00

Sorry to hear about the loss of your daughter. Is Amia the name of your daughter? It is a really beautiful name. x

Original poster
Amiasmummy · 30/01/2014 17:52

Thank you writer. I have been watched very closely since 20 weeks which has helped to reassure me. And although I'm nervous I've still cherished every moment of this pregnancy. Hoping the next 6 weeks go quickly! Smile And darn those friends and family with awesome boys names. There are a fair few that I like but can't use for those reasons.

Lots of lager lovers on this thread! Wink

OP posts:
chipsandpeas · 30/01/2014 17:32

im another one who would associate it with the lager

Writerwannabe83 · 30/01/2014 17:32

Thankfully DH was adamant not have the spelling Aaron as he doesn't like the air-on pronunciation, neither do I - so I completely understand your reluctance. We had to rule out Liam as my sister has got a little boy called William and we thought it was just too similar.

I'm very sorry to hear about your daughter, how awful. The very best of luck with your induction, I hope everything turns out as it should and that your nerves don't taint the experience too much Thanks

Locketjuice · 30/01/2014 17:25

I would think his parents loved beer and thought it was funny sorry!

Original poster
Amiasmummy · 30/01/2014 17:23

My EDD is 20th March, but being induced on 13th. Mainly to preserve my sanity as dd was sadly stillborn in 2010 so I've been a bag of nerves with this pregnancy Confused

I love the names Liam and Harrison but a v. close friend has a Liam and I have a cousin called Harry. I love Arran, but oh was intent on the Aaron spelling with I'm not overly keen on as people would pronounce it air-on. We found out the sex at 21 weeks, so have had a good 12 weeks of disagreeing on names Grin

Wishing you all the best with your CS Thanks

OP posts:
Writerwannabe83 · 30/01/2014 17:09

I'm having an ELCS at 39+3. EDD is officially the 28th March but he's coming on the 24th Smile

We initially had lots of girls names planned (I was convinced it was going to be a girl) so when we found out at 16 weeks it was a boy me and DH were stumped!!! We really, really struggled.

Initially we really liked Liam and then for a very long time we were very keen on Harrison. However, about 3 weeks ago my husband suggested Arran (pronounced A-run, to rhyme with barren) and now we are pretty much settled on that. So between finding out the sex and actually deciding upon the name it still took us 14 weeks Smile

Original poster
Amiasmummy · 30/01/2014 17:03

Writer, we're due really close together! My due date is 7 weeks from today, although I'm being induced at 39 weeks. We're not definite on the name yet. I'm incredibly jealous that you and your oh have decided already. I find boys names a lot harder than girls names Confused

OP posts:
Original poster
Amiasmummy · 30/01/2014 16:58

Haha!! Penguin, I do solemnly swear never to call my future-maybe-daughter Stella Grin
Williamina, I'd never heard of banana foster (sheltered life). Just googled and it looks and sounds delicious!

OP posts:
Writerwannabe83 · 30/01/2014 16:57

as soon as I saw the thread title I immediately thought of the beer - as will most other people. My second thought process was one involving my sisters ex-partner who was really chavvy and called his pet dog after a beer.

Weirdly enough, three of your other 'possible' names were also on mine and DH's list for our son Smile - including the one we have finally opted for (baby due in 7 weeks). Smile

williaminajetfighter · 30/01/2014 16:48

I like but it does make me think of bananas foster -mmmmm

PenguinsDontEatKale · 30/01/2014 16:43

The thing is, 99.9% of baby naming is just personal taste isn't it? I don't expect people to like the same cake/music/films/holidays as me, so why should they like the same names? If someone asks my opinion I will say, but only in the same vein as if they asked if I liked a new band or something.

Ok, so there are some names that are just wrong. If you said "my surname is Bond, can I name my son James?" or "I think Adolf is due a revival" or "My daughter is called Paula, can I call my son Paul?" I would be a bit more forthright Grin. But other than that, I really don't see that it's black and white.

Although Foster still wouldn't be my choice, I have to admit Fozzy is growing on me as a cute childhood nickname. Just don't go on to have a daughter called Stella Wink

Original poster
Amiasmummy · 30/01/2014 16:13

Thanks penguin for your input. Your post is the perfect example of how to disagree with someone's opinion in the politest possible way Smile

OP posts:
PenguinsDontEatKale · 30/01/2014 14:24

Personally I am not keen. For me, I don't associate it with a first name, so the 'real word' associations of fostering or Fosters the beer would be strongest in my mind.

I am also not, at a personal taste level, that keen on 'surname as first name' as a trend, so I was never a likely candidate to love it.

I don't think that there's anything inherently 'wrong' with it though. Objectively it is no different from Harrison or whatever. I like loads of names on your other shortlist though Smile

Original poster
Amiasmummy · 30/01/2014 13:06

Thanks notso. I'm not phased by it tbh. I kind of expected a mixed review and posted more to see if the negativity bothers me/ changes my mind rather than anything else. My thought being that if I can deal with MN negativity then any RL negativity won't be an issue either Wink

I hold my hands up. I DID ask for people's opinions, and the majority of the responses (negative or not) I don't find rude at all. However a couple of comments I feel are a bit 'snorty', but then again nowhere near as rude as comments I've seen on other threads - so I probably shouldn't complain Grin

OP posts:
Needadvice5 · 30/01/2014 12:38

I immediately thought of Dr Foster went to Gloucester...

GiniCooper · 30/01/2014 12:36

If you ask for an opinion that's what you're going to get.
I don't find the replies on here rude TBH but then I don't have fuzzy (or fozzy) feelings about the name. You've invested emotion into it.

We are the outsiders who will have a different view, not the hormonal, 'why can't you all agree with me and think it's the most fabulous unique name ever' view.

notso · 30/01/2014 12:29

Sorry I added an extra i in your name then!

notso · 30/01/2014 12:27

Don't get sucked in to it Amiiasmummy my DC names have been described as chav, posh, try hard, hipster, easily dated, cutesy, boring, terrible on here.
Only one stands any hope apparently of being a high court judge, Prime Minister or news reader, their CV's will be binned as they don't have proper names.
Almost everyone in RL says "oh what lovely names your DC have"!
In fact the only bad comments I have had are about the only one who has an acceptable high court judge name!

Original poster
Amiasmummy · 30/01/2014 12:22

Thank you cobwebby Grin it's like people dismissing the (perfectly lovely) name Felix just because it's a brand of cat food. Or Hunter, because they're welly boots... I don't think you can ever 'win' on MN anyway. People either think a name is too posh/common/chavvy/unusual, or have negative connotations for various (often vague) reasons.

OP posts:
Oldandcobwebby · 30/01/2014 12:12

I'm amazed how negative this thread is! I don't know any Fosters IRL, but I like the idea of it.

Original poster
Amiasmummy · 30/01/2014 12:05

And go to Gloucester, right Uri? (Because all doctors go by their first names) lol
To be fair you can pick holes in any name if you try hard enough, and MNers will certainly do that. What's wrong with a simple 'not to my taste' if you dislike a name, and perhaps offering other ideas. I'll never understand why people feel the need to be so blunt (rude) just because they're hiding behind a keyboard. 99% of people aren't so openly rude in RL I'm sure.

OP posts:
UriGeller · 30/01/2014 11:25

If those are your alternatives then I think you'd better go with Foster.

Hopefully he'll become a doctor.

GiniCooper · 30/01/2014 11:18

Ya, fozzy is cute. Hmm

Foster wouldn't register as a name for me.
Fester out of the Addams family does.

If I saw the name Foster Smith written down I would assume the parents drank a lot of cheap Lager.