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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Opinions/suggestions on names please :)

51 replies

Foggymist · 17/11/2014 13:26

Looking to get opinions and ideas based off the names we have so far and like. We have a very short last name, one syllable, so I tend to like 2-3 syllable first names with it. Classical type names go best with our surname, or it's more that very modern names don't go with it, it has particular local (we're in Ireland) connotations that are hard to explain without giving massive background and being really identifiable! But I don't want it to be something that is too popular, as our surname is not unusual so if we went with John or something there would be just tonnes of others with the same name.

So far for a boy we like:

Alex
Dara/Daragh (hubby not convinced on this one)
...that's it. I love Ethan, Nathan and Evan, but can't use them for a couple of reasons. We're struggling with boys names.

For a girl:

Alison
Vivien/Vivian (which is the girl one??)
Olivia
Gillian

Work your magic mumsnet! :)

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sjovt · 18/11/2014 17:23

Duncan sounds like he is a leinster rugby fan. V ross o'carroll-kelly. That would work. I like it! Good strong name. Not pretentious tho

Original poster

Foggymist · 18/11/2014 12:47

Yeah I realised last night that Duncan is a version of Donnacha/Donnchadh, interesting! I prefer the Irish version though.

One of my friends has a perfect surname, everything goes with it, it's easy to spell, she's also pregnant and I am highly jealous of her naming process!!

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acharmofgoldfinches · 18/11/2014 11:54

Duncan - the anglicised version of the Gaelic name Donnchadh according to Behind the Name...but possibly it falls into several of the traps you need/want to avoid but I don't know about

I also know a woman called Danica...

Tricky surnames are a pain aren't they, we are having the same problem finding a lovely name that fits with ours...

Original poster

Foggymist · 18/11/2014 11:22

I like Shakespearean names but they are just too dramatic, anything dramatic or quite unusual is out.

I don't think Austin has any strong feelings either way over here, just reminds me of Austin Powers :D

I really dislike Tobias/Toby, and Toby does sound like what I'm trying to avoid with our last name.

OP posts:

batmanandrobin · 18/11/2014 07:48

do you like Shakespearean names? i like Ophelia but some of my friends have suggested may be a bit 'flashy'?

does Austin have the traveller 'label' in Ireland? where i am it's a lovely unusual name that is perhaps on the up!!

or Tobias? (i think Toby is lovely and wouldn't associate with travellers!)

Original poster

Foggymist · 17/11/2014 23:09

I don't like Marcus (not big on "us" ending, like Fergus, ugh). Juliet is beautiful but with the last name it's not great. That's what I want though, not traditional not but not flashy. Best description of it! :)

OP posts:

klog · 17/11/2014 22:52

Outing myself here, but I did social studies and now part of my work overlaps sometimes with a body that is a type of advocacy service for travellers. But I totally totally get why it would be inappropriate to give your child a name that would label him/her with the wrong tribe. That might be a sad indictment of Irish society but there you go.

What about Marcus or Juliet? not flashy but it's not traditional either.
Tell me if either of those are in throwing distance of your taste. I like a challenge.

Original poster

Foggymist · 17/11/2014 22:43

I hadn't even thought of it being shortened to Christy, imagine! Ha. Yeah I know you shouldn't ask opinions but it was someone super close to me so wanted their ideas on it.

This is great, you're all helping me so much. Klog its great to have someone who gets where I'm coming from with the problems we're running into.

We have some good options here now. Getting somewhere!

OP posts:

klog · 17/11/2014 22:43

Totally get what you're saying btw. I am not anti-traveller but a lot of people don't judge individuals, they judge and I wouldn't want to offer up my child to push back a boundary.

What about Clodagh? or Diarmuid? Oisin? Orla, can't imagine those appealing to traveller families.

klog · 17/11/2014 22:36

Don't ask people's opinions foggy! you cant please everybody. And people arent thinking it through from all angles like you are. eg somebody could suggest Christopher as ordinarily that'd flow really well with a one syllable sur name and christy is "old man chic" with a non-traveller sur name but Christy with a traveller sur name, that wouldn't reflect a settled child's background. So, don't worry if the odd person doesn't like your chosen name.

batmanandrobin · 17/11/2014 22:30

okay, i see what you mean with traveller suggestibility with names such as Scarlett and a surname of the sort.

my other thoughts (sorry i love thinking of names as desp for more dc's myself!!!) :

Robin
Cameron
Calvin
Douglas
Joel (perhaps too short for you though?)
Jacob

Polly ( or Pollyanna to make longer?)
Camilla
Kierah
Danielle
Yasmin
Daisy

Original poster

Foggymist · 17/11/2014 22:29

Klog you are spot on there with that, they don't really use Irish names which is why I do like them, but I don't want an awkward one to burden a kid with.

It's all true though about having a name that could be a traveller name, I have absolutely no problem saying it, because we have put up with enough crap, insults and "jokes" about our/my husband's name. I wouldn't put a child through it. My husband uses my maiden name to book things in certain counties because he hates the hassle so much.

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carbolicsoaprocked · 17/11/2014 22:26

Jeez, that must be a nightmare Foggy! I'm not sure how these names would be seen in Ireland, so just kind of looking at the names you liked and thought of...

Simon
Arthur
Jeffrey/Jeff
Rowan

Caroline
Jennifer/Jenna
Natalie
Joanne

Original poster

Foggymist · 17/11/2014 22:26

Oh my God how did I not spot that I like Cara/Dara and Gillian/Cillian, dope! That's pretty funny. Yeah I like Gillian, I've only known 3 ever and all are 25-30 now, and Gilly/Jilly is nice.

Klog I adore Donnacha, and hubby likes it, but I would hate if anyone shortened it to Don or Donny if he was abroad! He'd have a straightforward middle name though. It's pronounced Dun-uh-ka/Dun-uh-kuh, quickly :) It just flows so beautifully...it has gotten one "Ew no" when I asked someone's opinion on it though!

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klog · 17/11/2014 22:23

Also, travellers don't use gaelic names do they? So if it were Donnachada Ward/Cash/Lynch it wouldn't have a traveller vibe.

tbh, I'll probably have to name change now after saing this but if you used Mary with Ward/Lynch/Cash then I would assume that the name was a traveller. Now of course this doesn't really matter. I'm not saying it matters.

klog · 17/11/2014 22:19

Oh I love Donachada "DUNUK". i KNEW a lovely donachada once. it was a long spelling, I think it was donachada but just pronounced dunuk. I'm biased as he was a nice man but not boring. Nice but very good company. :-p shuddup now Klog!

USE it :-|

verelab · 17/11/2014 22:18

I like Alex for a boy

Out of your girls' names I like Gillian! I've always liked the boy's name Cillian and it has a similar soft sound to that. Plus nice shortenings like Gilly/Gill. And unusual at the moment - and maybe always?

Btw What about Cillian for a boy? Fits in with the irish "theme"

ChippingInAutumnLover · 17/11/2014 22:14

Caitlin

Ruaridh

Original poster

Foggymist · 17/11/2014 22:03

But see Frederick, Vincent and Theodore would all be shortened, Fred, Vinny (cringe) and Ted would all be rotten with our last name.

I like Eleanor, that's a good one, thanks :)

Ok so basically, the deal with our last name is that in some parts of Ireland it is a traveller/gypsy surname. In other parts it's not known like that at all, but for people with common/traditional/slightly unusual first names like my husband has they have awful trouble with it.

Something like Scarlett with another last name would be lovely, with ours that would sound like a traveller name, and in all honesty she would struggle to book tables in restaurants, might affect chances of her CV being taken seriously, things like that. Members of my husband's family were refused insurance in the past because of their names and assumption that they were travellers, and we have often rudely been asked over the phone if we're "one of them" when trying to order/arrange something. So we need to avoid anything that they might use, things like really old fashioned names (Martin, Charles, Mary, Lily) or really modern names (Stacey, Jayden, or unusual like Scarlett) will automatically be deemed travellers by many, so we really want to avoid that hassle for our child :(

OP posts:

batmanandrobin · 17/11/2014 21:51

what about Scarlett for a girl? it's actually very old but hasn't been used for years (where im from) so may be seen as bringing it back?

or Eleanor? Penelope?

boys names are always harder in my opinion. what about-
Logan, Frederick, Theodor, Vincent

they're longer if you have a short surname. i have similar problem as DHs surname is Harris so we've had to steer away from common names as how many 'Daniel Harris's' does one school need?

Original poster

Foggymist · 17/11/2014 21:48

When he said Eugene I suggested he was actually picking names from the side of the tracks that I don't want going with our difficult name! I mean really, Eugene.

Cara has also been deemed worthy by hubby, Cora no, but Cara yes.

Even if we only manage to add Cillian to the list we're doing well!

OP posts:

rootypig · 17/11/2014 21:44

No need to apologise for being picky, it's why you need a MN thread :)
Er, Eugene is dire, yes.

Well I'm glad Cillian made the list, Cillian Murphy is delicious, if you need further encouragement.

Good luck!

Original poster

Foggymist · 17/11/2014 21:41

I have no problem with old fashioned, once it doesn't sound like an actual old man, like hubby's suggestion earlier of Eugene! We like Cillian, it may be a runner for now. Malachy is probably a bit off, only Malachy I ever heard of was a priest in Fair City (for anyone who has the misfortune to know it lol), so that's all I can think of.

Dara O'Briain, hmm, I must forget him now or it'll put me off it! :) Dylan's taken in very close family too...(but I don't like it anyway).

I should change my own name to Picky . Oh to have a lovely surname that lots of things went with.

OP posts:

rootypig · 17/11/2014 21:36

I like Cillian and Malachy too, but are they too old fashioned?

Gregory?

rootypig · 17/11/2014 21:35

I used to have a crush on a boy called Daragh and said I'd name my baby after him, my (English) mother was horrified

I must say Dara O'Brien (sp?) has put me right off it!

Dylan?

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