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Baby names

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

Original poster

What assumptions would you make about a family

60 replies

helentheheron · 17/10/2015 15:17

Who used these names?

Arthur
Samuel
John
Jack
Jake
Robin
Benjamin
Robert
Rowan
Harry

Please be honest and feel free to stereotype and be as unPC as you like (as that is kind of the point..)

Thank you

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megletthesecond · 17/10/2015 18:37

Sensible names. Could be other kids with the same name in their class (I grew up with a popular name and it can be a PITA).

dotdotdotmustdash · 17/10/2015 18:32

My two first choices for boys were Owen or Keir but my DH didn't go for them. We chose Ben instead, and have never regretted it - it's a nice solid name.

LumelaMme · 17/10/2015 16:40

I like the name Robert - it's a bit untrendy for quite a while now.

As for the list in general, all fairly 'normal', pleasant names, respectable and solid.

bolleauxnouveau · 17/10/2015 16:38

I like Bert, could also apply to Albert, though again I don't like the Bertie diminuitive for a grown man. But that's what's so nice about a name with lots of different options, the one you choose says a lot about you.

mrsschu · 17/10/2015 16:37

Very ordinary, middle class names, slightly dull but fine.

DurhamDurham · 17/10/2015 16:36

If it's good enough for Downey Jr it's good enough for me Grin

Original poster
helentheheron · 17/10/2015 16:35

Ah, I'm sorry to hear about your brother poocatcher Flowers

OP posts:
poocatcherchampion · 17/10/2015 16:29

My late brother was called Robert. I'm not going to use it for that reason although we did consider it.

I really like it. We used to call him Robby as children, my dad called him Bert.

bolleauxnouveau · 17/10/2015 16:24

Well Bobby is a bit of a cutesy nickname according to the ('call me Rob') Roberts that I know, I like Bert though,it makes me think: 'salt of the earth' or possibly 'fan of the muppets'.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 17/10/2015 16:22

I love Robert, now there's a name that could be any class at all

Bob - wc
Robbie/Rob - mc
Bobby - uc

There you go, all names to fit a stereotype on one!

cece · 17/10/2015 16:20

As a whole it is hard to comment as some of them are sensible and some of them are a bit more out there.
Arthur - bit hipster
Samuel - normal sort of family
John - sensible sort of family
Jack - follow the crowd
Jake - follow the crowd
Robin - trying a little bit too hard to be different, born at Christmas
Benjamin - normal everyday sort of people
Robert - a bit old fashioned
Rowan - trying to be unique but failing as everyone else has had the same idea
Harry - follow the crowd

Original poster
helentheheron · 17/10/2015 16:18

Thanks all. Any thoughts on Robert in particular? It is probably dp's favourite option but I'm a bit Hmm about it and can't quite put my finger on why.

OP posts:
bolleauxnouveau · 17/10/2015 16:16

There's an upper working class? Who knew?

SisterMoonshine · 17/10/2015 16:15

Sensible
(but I don't mean boring)

iwouldgoouttonight · 17/10/2015 16:15

They all seem nice, quite popular, names. John and Robert seem to me to be quite unusual for our children's generation (although I do know a baby Robert). The only one I'm not keen on is Rowan, but that is entirely based on the fact that I know one who is a PITA.

scatterthenuns · 17/10/2015 16:12

Upper working class.

All 'nice' names, by which I mean very normal.

BondJayneBond · 17/10/2015 16:10

Most of those are good solid traditional names that seem to be used across all social classes and wouldn't mark out a child as belonging to any particular background.

Rowan and Robin are the two that stand out as different to me - they're both a bit more unusual and both ones that I've seen used for both boys and girls, but neither carry any particular associations for me as far as type of family go.

NorbertDentressangle · 17/10/2015 16:06

All very "safe" names with the exception of Rowan and maybe Robin which are ever so slightly different (but still not getting into the territory of "ooh that's different")

DurhamDurham · 17/10/2015 16:00

I'd say they were quite a traditional family, probably middle class but without the penchant for naff names like Cosmo etc.

All very nice names Smile

MitziKinsky · 17/10/2015 15:57

I'd assume they were very "ordinary" and and their first language was English.

With Harry I'd think maybe they lacked imagination, but then that's only because I know about 100 small boys called Harry.

poocatcherchampion · 17/10/2015 15:57

Peter is a lovely name! It is also the name of dd2s special rabbit so would be very weird to use currently!

bolleauxnouveau · 17/10/2015 15:53

The only two that are a little rarer are Rowan and Robin, but I still know a few of those, and one of the Robins is a girl.

Peter is a good name, rock solid in fact.

reuset · 17/10/2015 15:41

None. They're nice ordinary, fine names.

Original poster
helentheheron · 17/10/2015 15:39

poocatcher my favourite name (not on the list as already used in the family) is Peter. Best name ever imo.

Thanks for the responses all. I guess I was more wondering if any stood out as different from the rest and of so why. Maybe they don't though - we are obviously a very boring couple (and I have no problem with that!) Smile

OP posts:
AnnaMarlowe · 17/10/2015 15:38

They all seem very middle of the road to me. I wouldn't make any judgement at all.

I don't know any little Johns or Arthur's currently but they are still pretty normal names.