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Baby names

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Original poster

Is this utterly ridiculous and/or pretentious?

57 replies

Jooni · 16/04/2017 09:59

Prosper (for a boy)?

DH's suggestion, I love it but am concerned it is at least one of the above...

Thoughts?

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ShoutOutToMyEx · 17/04/2017 13:36

Wouldn't think twice about it on a W.African child. Might take notice of it a bit more on a child not obviously from that culture, but I'd still think it was nice.

usernjdhkvdgkb · 17/04/2017 09:12

Makes me think prostate Confused

RustyBear · 17/04/2017 09:08

Prosper Mérimée was a 19th century French author who wrote the short story Carmen that Bizet based his opera on.

HowSmug · 17/04/2017 09:01

I think it's ok and the fact that your DH is half French makes it not pretentious. In fact I quite like it. I would think it was possibly a black African if I heard the name .
I used to work in a township school in South Africa and lots of the kids had English names in a similar vein. There were lots of virtue names and names that sounded very North London. There were also lots of kids who only used their African names which was quite challenging Wink

Goodiegumdrops · 17/04/2017 08:29

I'm a teacher and actually, in our school (deprived area), we don't chn bullying each other over names.

You will find it may suit him - he is your child afterall. Don't be swayed by negative comments just because it isn't their taste. We named our son, Buddy, before it seemed to get popular by celebs. My parents/friends/family thought it was odd but now they can't imagine him being called anything else as it suits him. He does have two 'traditional' middle names if he should ever want to be known as something else. I do get people say, oh isn't that strange. I explain why we named him that way and they nod.

It's your choice sweet at the end of the day. You may look at him at first sight and think differently. Xx

TheElephantofSurprise · 17/04/2017 08:19

Although some people might shorten it to 'Prossie'.

TheElephantofSurprise · 17/04/2017 08:18

I like it.

user1471547428 · 17/04/2017 08:17

I met an upper class English guy called Prosper once and assumed it must be a name used by that section of society.

rumblingDMexploitingbstds · 16/04/2017 21:30

Youwhat definitely not aimed at you! Just love that naming tradition.

floraeasy · 16/04/2017 15:17

Live long and prosper! Grin

DavidPuddy · 16/04/2017 15:03

I like it

Harvestwidow · 16/04/2017 14:40

I love it, one on the main characters in The Thief Lord is called Prosper and he's not African xx

YouWhatMate · 16/04/2017 14:40

rumblingDMexploitingbstds not sure if that was aimed at me, but if it was, I wouldn't classify those as "the usual virtue names". (Plus tenacious isn't a verb).

If it wasn't aimed at me then please ignore this post!

rumblingDMexploitingbstds · 16/04/2017 14:34

Post Reformation names on record include Increase, Tenacious, Preserve and Restore Wink

YouWhatMate · 16/04/2017 13:55

But the usual virtue names are all nouns, at least. Prosper is a verb! Sounds bizarre.

rumblingDMexploitingbstds · 16/04/2017 12:48

It is a name though, in the WAfrican tradition and in the Quaker/ Puritan type tradition and in the lines of Grace, Charity, Prudence etc. And the Shakespeare aspect too.

Didn't strike me as pretentious at all, nowhere near the whole DolphinWarrior, Daahnyol, Mykyyynzhi, Princess Random Noun type toe curlers.

PovertyPain · 16/04/2017 12:40

I mentioned it to my 21yr old. He says it sounds like a African name, which is fine, however if used for a white person he immediately thought of one of his Queen friends.

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 16/04/2017 12:39

Diane in the Goid Wife had a dog called Justice.

He wore it well.

histinyhandsarefrozen · 16/04/2017 12:33

Is it a Vulcan name?

Sophronia · 16/04/2017 12:31

I think it's fine! It would make a nice middle name

Original poster
Jooni · 16/04/2017 11:52

Thank you for being the voice of reason MN 😂

We are not West African! Just a bit pretentious, apparently Grin No special significance for DH as far as I know but he's half-French and apparently it's an unusual but not weird name over there. I quite like the Shakespearean vibe of it but I think it is a bit much! Maybe as a middle...

OP posts:
KoalaDownUnder · 16/04/2017 11:35

Yes, it is both.

ChocChocPorridge · 16/04/2017 11:14

I think it's fine.

I don't think that people are bullied for names much these days - there're plenty of unusual and non-british names about - and if they are bullied, it's the school with a problem, not the kid.

I may be biased because my kids go to an international school abroad, where there are barely 2 kids from the same country in a class, so names which are new to me are the norm (and none of the kids care at all), but really, if you like it, go for it.

itssquidstella · 16/04/2017 11:06

I like it, and/but would assume west African heritage if I heard it.

TalkingofMichaelAngel0 · 16/04/2017 10:56

I also have taught a lot of african heritage children with virtue names, so it wouldnt stand out to me.

The other thing really is people accept and get used to names. If you love it go for it.

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