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

Is this name crazy?

56 replies

Avocadosmoothie · 23/09/2017 19:05

Honest opinions please, what do you think to River for a boy? My husband and I absolutely love it. My concerns are that I can't imagine the name River on a man and that it's so 'out there' he could hate it. What do you think? Thanks for the help!!!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 25/09/2017 20:33

MrsCharlie it is about context when your dc are little and their names fit your lifestyle but when they are independent adults and maybe not tattooed and into metal like their parents, they may find being called Lemmy Motorhead a burden.

Somanythings · 25/09/2017 20:23

Lake is a good compromise and could definitely suit him as an adult

ThaliaLuxurySpa · 24/09/2017 21:23

MrsCharlieD,

I'm really intrigued now. Admit it: your kids are called "Sixx" and "Hetfield", aren't they? Grin

Music biz baby names fun fact:
The R&B singer Lil' Mo (real name: Cynthia Karen Loving) decided possibly whilst very drunk on "Heaven Love'on Stone" and "God'Iss Love Stone" for her daughters.
Sheesh.

MrsCharlieD · 24/09/2017 20:09

I do think the type of person/family you are will impact how out there the name comes across as.

For context, dh and I are heavily tattooed, big in to music, especially metal and nobody battered an eye lid with our name choices. If my my dbro had chosen our names, people would have thought he'd lost the plot! Its all about context.

milosmummy16 · 24/09/2017 12:12

I love it! For a middle name tho, wanted to use this as a middle name for my son due in Nov however our surname is green and didn't think it flowed very well. Plus my husband refused!!! 😐 I don't think I could use it for a first name but that's just me. It's a lovely name so if u like it then go for it!!!! 😄😄😄

PinkFlamingo888 · 24/09/2017 10:15

If you like it then you should use it. There are definitely wackier names out there! If you're not sure though could you use it as a middle name but he could still go by River until he chooses otherwise? Or it could be a cute nickname for Niall or something?

Tameagobairanois · 24/09/2017 09:34

I don't think it's that out there.

It depends on the family though. I know a family and they gave their children names like this but they live on the coast and surf and all look very bohemian.

If you're accountants who look like you rolled around in the next catalogue then yeh, River is going to seem out there, for you

Which is it? Be honest with yourselves.

littlecabbages · 24/09/2017 09:34

I don’t particularly like it. A friend of mine named her DD river and I just feel it sounds a bit try hard. It is better for a boy though and as PPs have said it’s growing in popularity and certainly better than bear ! Grin

2014newme · 24/09/2017 09:32

Aw, river phoenix. It suited him And his hippy dippy family.
If you're similar go for it. But with a normal surname and both standard family it does not really work

NC4now · 24/09/2017 09:30

Love it. It's a bit hippy but I am a bit hippy, so it works for me.
If you're worried about professionalism, give him a sensible middle name, like James, that he can turn to if he prefers.

Threenme · 24/09/2017 09:29

No op!!!!! I admit I'm dull with names but please just call him William or something!Grin

Ilovewillow · 24/09/2017 09:28

I think it's great! I can absolutely see it suiting an adult too whatever their profession.

MrsCharlieD · 24/09/2017 09:08

We've picked it for ds2 who is due in 2 weeks so obviously I love the name! It's underused which I like and goes well with ds1 name. We've gone for a more well known biblical middle name to balance it out.

MammieBear · 24/09/2017 08:21

It's bit like the name Fox in my opinion.

Callamia · 24/09/2017 07:27

It's great.
I'm giggling a bit at the conservativeness of some of these posts. It's not that unusual sounding, and it's a lovely sounding name - I really like nature-based names.

BrutusMcDogface · 24/09/2017 07:25

I actually quite like Meadow as well.

BrutusMcDogface · 24/09/2017 07:25

I like it! I'm sometimes a bit disappointed in myself/dp for naming our kids such "normal" names! Grin

Angel-Mae, though?! Ffs.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 24/09/2017 07:18

Love it

Notears · 24/09/2017 07:17

I don't mind it. I much prefer it to old fashioned names which are popular on here eg Quentin, Gilbert etc.

saritah · 24/09/2017 06:36

I wouldn't - it might be cute on a kid but not on a grown-up. Jamie Oliver got a fair bit of stick for choosing it. Why not go for something safer and use it as a middle name? I love nature names but can't think of any boys' ones we would dare use!

LegoHurts · 23/09/2017 23:16

Not crazy but a little quirky and 'out there'.

If you love it then use it but consider a more traditional middle name(s) as an option if he wants to be known as something else later in life.

Tealdeal747 · 23/09/2017 23:09

It's no different to other nature names.

disappearingninepatch · 23/09/2017 22:34

I think the reason that you can't imagine a middle aged man introducing himself as 'River', is that there are no middle aged men called 'River' atm. By the time your DS is middle aged, there will be... and it's better than Bear. Grin

early30smum · 23/09/2017 21:48

I wouldn't use it myself but it's definitely doable as a name that's not too crazy!

Jooni · 23/09/2017 21:41

I don't think River is particularly out there. It was mid 300s for popularity for both boys and girls last year, with over 140 Rivers born of each sex. Plus Jamie Oliver's new son will likely give it a further boost. It feels a bit "celebby" now but I do quite like it. Maybe a middle name if you're not sure?

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.