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Baby names

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

Original poster

William or Henry?

41 replies

Autumnsunshinebaby · 13/03/2017 20:21

What would you choose and which one is less popular in RL? Thank you

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grufallosfriend · 14/03/2017 15:02

With Will, you could end up saying "Will, will you..." Smile

MakeItStopNeville · 14/03/2017 14:49

I have a Will. No iam at the end as we loved Will but were less keen on William. Never regretted for a second calling him that.

heateallthebuns · 14/03/2017 14:46

No trouble with nicknames people just call him Will. You mean like Willy? No not a problem!

heateallthebuns · 14/03/2017 14:45

I have a William called Will, I love it. It's perfect everywhere we go.

HeyRoly · 14/03/2017 14:38

William is definitely more popular. I know a handful of them, but only one Henry.

grufallosfriend · 14/03/2017 14:35

I think the Willy sound of William is just too obvious imo and little boys may well use it to tease. And will is a verb...?!

Henry is nicer imo.

TheMrs04 · 14/03/2017 13:38

My ds is a William. We have also decided if we have another boy he would be a Henry! I love the "old" names!

BasicBetty · 14/03/2017 13:35

Henry for me.

SuperBeagle · 14/03/2017 09:54

I prefer Henry.

But I might be biased as we have a little Henry in the family and he's the sweetest, smiliest, cheekiest little thing ever.

William is also lovely, but has been and will be eternally popular.

Eminybob · 14/03/2017 09:51

Sugar my William gets called Wilbur so much by dh and me that I sometimes think we should have named him that. No idea why we do but it has stuck!

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 14/03/2017 09:27

Wilbur ?

Wishfulmakeupping · 14/03/2017 04:14

Both great classic names.
I have a Henry not met any other baby Henry's yet where we are but there's lots of Harry's which like Joff said upthread people can get mixed up with (dr are forever calling my Henry -Harry too!) 🙄 it annoys me greatly.
Our Henry is sometimes Henners which we think is very cute too.
William is also very nice I think the nn Bill is very cool but don't like Will and I suppose with any name you don't get control of what the nn will be when they start school etc so that would put me off.
Henry William would be a good pick!

RuthB4 · 14/03/2017 03:29

I know a little boy at school who is only known as Will. No mean nn as far as I know.
I prefer William (and Will/Billy) but Henry is nice too.

Bedsheets4knickers · 13/03/2017 23:04

I'd have Henry William

teentraumas · 13/03/2017 23:01

I have ds who is William Henry. He's been shortened to will since about age 10. He's 15 now and only one person ever called him
Willie and he's was one of his rugby coaches who thought he was funnier than he was!

ChippieBeanAndHorro · 13/03/2017 22:47

William Henrik?

Henrik William? Idk. makes me think of a blond and bearded Viking/Scandinavian man but would also be super cute for a boy. Plus, there are so many nn possibilities...

Original poster
Autumnsunshinebaby · 13/03/2017 22:45

gummibears yes! All of those things! Will, will you have time to... Too many Wills!

Orlanda GrinGrinGrin didn't think i could do both Henry and William otherwise it really will turn into a royal fest...

OP posts:
OrlandaFuriosa · 13/03/2017 22:39

Charles.

( sorry. Actually, I like both. Why not both?)

wobblywonderwoman · 13/03/2017 22:37

I know one baby Henry and no William

I prefer Henry I think

Gummibears · 13/03/2017 22:33

I don't like the Willi part of William. Also, Will sounds like a verb: Will, will you...Confused

So I'd choose Henry

ChippieBeanAndHorro · 13/03/2017 22:17

I prefer Henry, tbh.

But both are really nice :)

Mrsknackered · 13/03/2017 22:12

William! I like Henry too but know a lot of little Henry's.
William is also cute shortened to Will and Billy.

MesmereldaM · 13/03/2017 22:10

I've noticed every baby boy now is henry. Literally. It's the new jack and I predict will be number one at some point.

Sophronia · 13/03/2017 22:00

William. I agree that Henry is more "of the moment", although it is a classic too.

Daytona79 · 13/03/2017 21:48

I've a 7 month old William, named after my father who gets called Bill / Billy

Not met any other baby Williams as of yet