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

Can I call my baby Lief?

63 replies

Tollygunge · 12/03/2016 14:47

Just that really. Expecting boy and have no name. My choices are Fox, Cassius and Lief BUT I live in a pretty chilled out part of a city where names like these are the norm. For example, we swam with a little boy called Winter. Will my poor child suffer with such a name? I would pronounce Leaf and we have no Scandinavian roots. Quite the other side of the equator in fact...

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Damselindestress · 20/03/2016 09:32

My first thought was tea leaf, rhyming slang for thief. Sorry.

Roomba · 19/03/2016 10:52

I love it, it's DS's middle name Smile

No Scandinavia roots here either, the registrar asked and a couple of HVs/doctors have asked about it. I just loved the name and the meaning. For balance, my DM says it is a ridiculous, awful name and I have set DS up for a lifetime of being laughed at. She preferred Timothy Grin

caker · 19/03/2016 10:07

Makes me think of Leif Ove Andsnes, Norwegian pianist.

Original poster
Tollygunge · 19/03/2016 09:53

Ha, this kids daddy is Asian so if there's ginger hair we have more than the name to worry about! Smile

OP posts:
OVienna · 19/03/2016 09:11

I know a woman with a son Fox. Kid's got orange hair. I don't think bullying has been an issue but it's something that would have crossed my mind!

Original poster
Tollygunge · 19/03/2016 07:21

ipanema I like Rafe too, have considered it. It's quite popular but that doesn't really bother me. Hilarious re the vermin comment- I suspect my mother will say exactly the same (despite sneakily feeding the remains of the Sunday roast to the ones that visit her garden!
everysecond my friend called her son Jonathon at the same time our other friend had a daughter and called her Rain. Everyone was like 'Jonathon? What a strange choice' whilst nobody really mentioned the other name. I think living in London means traditional names are rarely heard- just the other day in the park I heard a little boy being called Bodhi. I also quite like this! Leif seems to be sticking. Have decided not to tell our parents until he is born and we've def decided then they'll be so besotted with him they won't feel able to criticise his name!

OP posts:
Leigh1980 · 18/03/2016 14:24

In Afrikaans Lief means love 😄

DelphiniumBlue · 18/03/2016 13:26

Leif is great, quite macho actually, sort of lumberjack- ish, whereas Leaf ..... Is bit wet and earnest.
Fox- no, not even for hippies, and Cassius, not personally keen but no negative connotations.

EverySecondCounts · 18/03/2016 13:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Solasum · 18/03/2016 13:05

How about Wolf?

Ipanema01 · 18/03/2016 13:00

I really like Leif, I had it on my last list and would probably consider it for this baby but I have a Rafe, so too similar sounding for me.
I also had Fox on my list - I think its cool! My OH said we can't name our child after vermin Blush

TheFace · 17/03/2016 11:21

I like Lief and Fox, and if they sit well in your 'circle' so to speak then go for it.

Cassius reminds me a bit of Cass Pennant who was a West Ham football hooligan. Probably just me, but that's what springs to mind.

Original poster
Tollygunge · 16/03/2016 08:09

Salmiak- that quote makes me like the name more I think. Perhaps I'll print it out on a vinyl sticker and put it over the nippers cot 😉

OP posts:
Salmiak · 15/03/2016 23:15

Lief - as someone up thread has said its a dutch word, and it's quite feminine

Cassius - always reminds me of that Shakespeare quote 'yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look. He thinks too much, such men are dangerous'

Fox - sounds too much like fucks

getyourfingeroutyournose · 15/03/2016 23:06

I know a guy called Leif, pronounced Layf and most of the time I worked with him I called him leaf because he and another friend nicknamed me Beef. He didn't have a problem. His family have scandinavian names and I ended up working with his mum later on. She was lovely too. I'd be tempted to pick Leif for the same reason I picked my DS name... new a guy who was nice and successful (sorta) and it made me like the name all the more.

Mrswinkler · 15/03/2016 22:03

I've recently met a Leif. He's lovely I like it.

FedUpWithJudgementalPeople · 15/03/2016 21:18

Cow Grin

Tuiles · 15/03/2016 07:27

Leif is cute though it did just autocorrect to Leaf on my phone.

I prefer Cassian to Cassius. How about Caspian?

Other suggestions: Torbin, Oshian, Alban or Keir?

OhShutUpThomas · 15/03/2016 07:25

What about Caspar? Lovely old name.

I really want it for mine but not allowed Sad

Olbersparadox · 15/03/2016 07:16

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Alasalas2 · 15/03/2016 00:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WelliesTheyAreWonderful · 14/03/2016 22:54

I know a Fox! I thought the parents were bonkers at first but it totally suits him and it's grown on me. Strangely I'm now more fond of it than their other name choices, which are traditional names! If you like it, go for it. Agree that Leaf would be better spelled Leaf.

MuddlePuddle · 14/03/2016 22:53

I knew a Leif when I was growing up. Makes me think of Leif Erikson just to throw another famous Leif into the works!

MamaLazarou · 14/03/2016 22:30

I like Leif a lot.

clairemum22 · 14/03/2016 21:00

I quite like leif