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Baby names

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

Original poster

Long boys' names with fab nicknames

92 replies

ginzillas · 30/05/2015 08:49

We've found out that our bump is blue so I'm looking for boys' names.

Here's a list of my current faves. I like a long name with a short, cool nickname. DD (Marianne) is mainly known by a nickname.

Nathaniel (Nate) - but we can't use this as nephew has a very similar name, which is a shame as it's my fave
Zachary (Zac) - DH's favourite
Rafferty (Rafe/Raff) - I love this but is it getting very popular?
Jared (Jed) - wildcard
Gabriel (Gabe) - I like it but DH will never go for it

I also love Jude - just as it is.

Middle name will be Albert. Our surname is very common so I'd like a more unusual first name, which I think rules out Zachary.

Any inspiration much appreciated!

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Raahh · 30/05/2015 18:20

I love Isaac, nn Ike.

Ike is now the dog's name, since dc3 was a girlGrin

DharmaBumpkin · 30/05/2015 18:20

Jebediah (Jeb) is also quite fabulous.

EsioTrot · 30/05/2015 18:17

Also like Angus (can go for Irish spelling or other variation for interest) with Gus as nn.

EsioTrot · 30/05/2015 18:13

Jeremy (Jem) or Corentine (Coren or Con) spring to mind?

tormentil · 30/05/2015 18:13

Montgomery, Monty
Benedict, Ben

Strokethefurrywall · 30/05/2015 18:11

I have a Sullivan - Sully or Van (unimaginative!)

MirandaGoshawk · 30/05/2015 18:09

Jedediah (Jed) is fabulous

Ha ha - Me too. but don't tell Jude Law

MirandaGoshawk · 30/05/2015 18:08

Jedediah (Jed) is fabulous

TongueBiter · 30/05/2015 18:05

He has a point Grin

Rafferty is good (when not mangled by autocorrect!)

Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 17:48

DH has just pissed all over my Jared/Jed bonfire by saying 'No way, it sounds like Jedward'. Hmm....

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Marisola · 30/05/2015 14:55

Raphael is not Italian, it's a fairly international name (with variations of spelling) since it's the name of a Biblical archangel. So feel free.

Rafferty otoh is awful, a mash-up of riff-raff and rackety to my ears.

Jared I like a lot. It certainly is a "proper name", also Biblical I believe. I know a Jared who goes by 'Jazz'.

Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 10:47

Interesting pieceofpurple! Thanks. Perhaps my perception is skewed from reading the threads on here and always hearing it described as being popular.

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ishallnamehimsquishy · 30/05/2015 10:42

I wanted Nicholas as I thought Nick/Nicky might be quite nice. DH didn't fancy it.

I also like Roderick for Roddy, but don't think I could quite carry it off. :)

pieceofpurplesky · 30/05/2015 10:34

I have a Zach. Only one at his primary school. I teach in an average sized high school (1000 pupils) and currently we have one Zach, have taught 3 in 15 years. Very naice area, good schools (not that that matters).
Nathan/Nathaniel much more common, at least one in each year at my high school and three in DSs primary and there are three Raf/Rafa's currently at my school! (Could be football linked here though).
Love Seb, Gabe and Ned as nn.

Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 10:24

Cam is a lovely nickname archer

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Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 10:23

True musicinspring1 but I seem to hear it a lot where we are (Herts). Maybe it's just because I love it so notice it more.

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musicinspring1 · 30/05/2015 10:18

I live in a bit of London with popular names and only know one Zachary. I wouldn't let the fear of it maybe being popular put you off - you would be gutted if you didn't choose it for that reason and then never came across another one! Grin

Archer26 · 30/05/2015 10:09

DS1 is Cameron but we often shorten it to Cam. We named him this knowing he'd be called Cam more than Cameron.

Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 09:58

DH likes both Zachary and Rafferty and I think he'd let me choose once DS is here.

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Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 09:56

I like Raphael too but we don't have any sort of Italian heritage at all so I think it may seem a bit pretentious. Although we don't have French heritage either and that didn't stop us choosing Marianne. We do however have Irish links so, in a way, Rafferty is the most apt!

I just think that Rafferty sounds like a happy name and I really like the nicknames Raff and Rafe. I would probably go for Zachary as I've liked it a long time but for the fact that it seems very very popular.

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doublepotions · 30/05/2015 09:34

I don't think rafferty is that popular, I personally don't know any, if you love it you should go for it.

singersgirl · 30/05/2015 09:34

I much prefer Raphael/Rafael/Rafaello as a long form of Raff or Rafe. Rafferty is one of those not quite names - a surname that has recently become popular and I'm more of a traditionalist. It also sounds a bit twee - like raffia and taffeta and raffish and tufty and Arrietty and made up adjectives like hoppity.

Smallandboneyat42 · 30/05/2015 09:31

I have an irrational hatred of Zachery, so I'd be suggesting Rafferty. Have to say I rather like it and have never met one. I also love the NN Rafe if it was me I'd just call him that, it's a name in its own right

Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 09:28

seriously...Nacho? Ha! But I do love, love, love Nate.
Nephew is Nathan. It's too close isn't it? (sob)

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Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 09:27

*those two, not too. Argh, baby brain.

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