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Baby names

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

Original poster

Billy or Alfie?

79 replies

Boy12345 · 27/06/2016 13:22

Thanks!

OP posts:
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user1466260191 · 03/07/2016 21:28

Why are people so rude?! My little boy is Alfie and not that it matters but he is not from the background that has been described in the slightest. Quite the opposite in fact! It just happened to be the name of my much loved grandad and I always wanted my own little Alfie. In a few years to come there will be hundreds of Alfies everywhere from all different backgrounds - it's no different to Charlie / Freddie and I happen to know a few of them that are studying masters degrees!

OP - both names are lovely, don't listen to shallow minded people on the Internet, just go with your heart.

Ps - obviously Alfie gets my vote!

IoraRua · 02/07/2016 20:34

Neither tbqh. William just edges it for me though. Can't stand Alfred.

Mrsraypurchase · 02/07/2016 19:54

William. Alfie is a pet's name.

cupofrooibos · 02/07/2016 19:25

Alfred is lovely.

WasDat · 02/07/2016 19:24

Billy. Much nicer and not as common as Alfie these days.

mellmumma · 02/07/2016 19:19

I like both! Don't be disheartened!

I prefer Alfie but feel it is more predictable and overused at the moment than Billy so would probably choose Billy 😊 X

EmmaWoodlouse · 02/07/2016 18:39

This one's hard for me. I don't actually like either of the short forms very much, but I like Alfie slightly better than Billy - but I love William (with Will as a short form if one is needed) and think Alfred sounds like someone really old.

I don't get it when people think Billy only sounds right on a little boy - to me it's rather dated and I think of it as belonging more to fairly old men!

Greenteandchives · 02/07/2016 16:53

I have a grown up William. He is mostly known as Will. I call him William. Billy would be ridiculous on a strapping man him.

CPtart · 02/07/2016 16:50

Awful names. The Alfie in DS class is a troublemaker.

crayfish · 02/07/2016 16:43

Alfie is to cutesy to be a proper adults name and Alfred is too old-man for a baby (or anyone if you ask me...).

William is lovely, it gives him lots of options for nicknames too - Billy, Liam, Will etc. Bear in mind that if you plan to use a nn from birth it might not stick, my brother was meant to be Jamie (James on the birth cert) but he didn't like it and never called himself anything other than James.

ThePigeon314 · 02/07/2016 16:39

Billy

But I don't think 'alfie' will tell an employer anything in 21 years time.

KoalaDownUnder · 02/07/2016 16:37

Alfie is overused and twee.

Billy is better - preferably as a nickname for William.

insancerre · 28/06/2016 20:08

Alfie is just a bit too cutesy
William is much better but I don't like billy

RamonaTheGreat · 28/06/2016 20:00

I've never met a Billy or an Alfie I didn't like Smile As a teacher I've always found Alfies to be cool and Billys to be very sweet...

Daytona79 · 28/06/2016 19:40

William then shorten to Billy if you want to

Don't like Alfie at all

scottsporridgeoats · 28/06/2016 19:36

Billy definitely.

MitzyLeFrouf · 28/06/2016 14:28

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the name Ethan Blues so do not worry. I know three of them and they all come from very different backgrounds.

Sophronia · 28/06/2016 14:24

William nn Billy

Bluesand1 · 28/06/2016 14:17

Posts like that from username worry me as my son Ethan has what some have said is a 'trendy' name but I had not come across the views of some on this forum when I named him. We liked the name and Ethan Allen is a famous American War Hero (American family). I would pick a name you like perhaps put the full name on the birth certificate if comments like those above would worry you.

MitzyLeFrouf · 28/06/2016 14:01

Unless you're going for a job at The Lady magazine or the Tory front bench I think working class people should be just fine.

LaurieLemons · 28/06/2016 13:59

I would go for Billy, I think Alfie is quite overused and I don't like Alfred.

Always baffled by this what about when he gets a job argument. I don't want my DS working for anyone who gives a shit about his class or parents taste in names thanks.

Gummibaers · 28/06/2016 13:47

For me it has nothing at all to do with 'class'. I just find names like Alfie, Archie, Billy etc. too cutesy and somehow lacking in substance. I also find them very overdone and likely to sound dated soon.

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 28/06/2016 09:12

They would just put William or Alfred on a job application anyway. Classic English names.
I hate all this class discrimination.

ThoraGruntwhistle · 28/06/2016 09:07

What a revolting thing to say, userwhateverthenumberis. I really hope that the majority of employers out there wouldn't immediately judge people as being unworthy of employment purely because they might be poor or have a 'common' first name.

MitzyLeFrouf · 28/06/2016 01:57

So what are your thoughts exactly when you think someone might be working class? You automatically see this as a disadvantage?

Interesting. Says a lot about you.