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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Thoughts on Xander - not Alexander.

78 replies

WishYouWereMine · 12/02/2014 15:00

DP and I both love Xander for our imaginary son.

We have a Persephone who is never ever called by her full name, but I like to see a proper name on birth certificate for some reason.

I wouldn't want to use Alexander as really dislike the nn Alex.

Thoughts please ;) Would you think 'yuck'?

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Pinkandwhite · 12/02/2014 17:04

My friend has a Lysander who everyone calls Xander so that's another option... Xander is an awesome name.

LadyPersephonefernella · 12/02/2014 16:56

I love it. My Son is called Alexander and so far most people ask if it OK to shorten to Alex, so you may not want to use Alexander on his birth certificate.

PS. I didn't name change, also love the name Persephone : )

Original poster

WishYouWereMine · 12/02/2014 16:48

I like Hector, but not keen on the meaning. I knew a middle aged quite eccentric Hector once so I am fond of it. Maybe a bit posh for around these parts though.

Disneyaddict That's what we do with DD to be honest.. people always say they like the NN if they hear it correctly, but go a bit quiet when I tell them what it's short for.

I thought Alexander was a fairly normal name though. I'm not even pg, don't know why I'm thinking about this so much haha.

OP posts:

lastnightopenedmyeyes · 12/02/2014 16:33

I have an Alexander. I personally don't like Xander.

DisneyAddict88 · 12/02/2014 16:27

I like it alone and also as a nn for Alexander

and if its on birtb cert as Alexander u can always introduce him as xander so u dont get the 'alex' nn

Paintyfingers · 12/02/2014 16:26

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

WishYouWereMine · 12/02/2014 16:20

bridgetsmum Think that may be why I love it so much too ;)

Thank you everyone for your thoughts good and bad.

OP posts:

bridgetsmum · 12/02/2014 16:17

I don't like it as a name on its own,
But I quite like it a a nn for Alexander, esp Alexander Armstrong on pointless who I think I have a little crush on

RighteousSausage · 12/02/2014 16:15

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Leeds2 · 12/02/2014 16:14

I think Xander is lovely. Only ever met one, and he would be in his forties now.

TheSurgeonsMate · 12/02/2014 16:12

That's interesting, demented, it's my grandfather's name and I'm Scottish.

dementedma · 12/02/2014 16:00

Xander fairly common here in Central Scotland along with Sandy as diminutives of Alexander.

Paintyfingers · 12/02/2014 15:56

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GreenShadow · 12/02/2014 15:35

I have an Alexander. I also dislike 'Alex' and he's never called that at home, but I'm afraid once they get to secondary school level, it becomes standard - no one ( and there are 6 in his year) is called Alexander.

I quite like Zander (for some reason I think of it with a Z not an X), and do occasionally call him either that or similar (Zandy), but it is more like a cutesy, pet name.

Much as I prefer it to Alex/Alexander (DH's choice), I wouldn't have put it on his birth certificate as it doesn't give him the flexibility later in life.

DawnOfTheDee · 12/02/2014 15:28

I think Xander is fine and not pretentious. I have a friend called Xander - always thought it was a cool name. Goes well with Persephone too.

Only1scoop · 12/02/2014 15:27

Have relative Alexander always 'xan' or 'xander'
I always think it sounds a little feminine

noodlebum · 12/02/2014 15:27

Wow what's everyone's problem with the name Xander? Well I think it's fine as a stand-alone name and not pretentious

Beachballfamily · 12/02/2014 15:26

Alexander is a nice, serious name for a birth certificate. Xander is a lovely, cool, relatively unusual nickname. Maybe I'm showing my age, but I have never seen Buffy (although I've heard of it) and wouldn't let some teen fantasy crap put me off a name.

UriGeller · 12/02/2014 15:25

Its short for Alexander.

nethunsreject · 12/02/2014 15:21

Xander is pretentious, Alexander is lovely.

Rainingmenandrain · 12/02/2014 15:18

Alexander is lovely but Xander is really really pretentious and horrible, sorry.

As an aside, one of my colleagues called her kid Xander but spells it Zander. She's a bit thick, I don't think she realised it's meant to be with an 'X'. concerns me that shes a teacher

Original poster

WishYouWereMine · 12/02/2014 15:13

So is Alexander and then just use Xander less pretentious?

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Original poster

WishYouWereMine · 12/02/2014 15:12

dappydongle I have a Persephone already so not bothered about pretentiousness

I was never in to Buffy... although DP was. Maybe that's why he likes it? He also likes the thought of 'Professor X' in the future.

Don't think there's too many around here - every baby boy born seems to be called Thomas!

OP posts:

DrankSangriaInThePark · 12/02/2014 15:10

Pretentious.

And yes, everyone will assume it's Alexander anyway.

TheRaniOfYawn · 12/02/2014 15:08

Lovely name. It's very popular where I am. There are 2 Xanders in her class and one in her swimming class. I'd go for Alexander though. Or even Iskander although that doesn't shorten to Xander as easily.

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