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Baby names

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

Original poster

Boy names - Lincoln?

31 replies

Charlie9S · 25/01/2018 17:03

Hi there,
Really struggling for names for our second son. First is Elijah. We like traditional names but they always seem too boring for us with our surname of Smith. We love Elijah, has a good mix of character and interesting without being too weird. Randomly we like the name Lincoln but I'm pretty sure everyone we meet will not like it! What are your thoughts on the name Lincoln? DH likes Elliot and I do as well but it's basically a variant of the name Elijah. I like Spencer DH doesn't. Other names are Joseph, Leo, Jacob, Joshua and Oliver (some much more common names there) We liked Riley at one point. They all seem to go on and off the list but Lincoln has kind of remained even though we know it's a bit more unusual and our parents will probably hate it! Please help with your thoughts on the name (we are UK - Elijah is also a more popular name in America like Lincoln is) and any new name ideas? We have searched and searched and searched! Many thanks xxx

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Luredbyapomegranate · 22/06/2022 21:29

Elijah Smith is great

If I had a brother Elijah and was called Lincoln or even worse Riley I would not be impressed. (Riley is a hard no OP)

Joshua or Jacob are my favourites - I'd go with Joshua as less common
Joseph Smith is a bit dull
Oliver and Leo nice but way overused
Elliot too similar

Alistair, Tobias, Zachary, Nathaniel, Dominic, Gabriel, Benedict, Jonathan, Sebastian, Maximilian, Nicholas, Gideon, Matthias, Barnaby, Julius, Cassian, Lucian, Jethro, Jerome, Nathan, Laurence, Silas, Lucus, Rufus, Jude, Guy, Joss, Seth

MumChats · 22/06/2022 21:12

I really like Lincoln! And I wouldn't expect to - I'd usually consider myself more "traditional" - James, Harry etc. Just saying as you are worried your family won't like it but perhaps they'll surprise you like I surprised myself!

JesSmith · 22/06/2022 21:06

Hello, sorry to hark back to an old post, but if you don't mind could you say whether you named your son Lincoln?
The reason I ask is that following the recent death of my last surviving parent I have started some family research and my paternal grandfather was called Lincoln and I always thought that if I had a son I would call him Lincoln. Your thread came up when I googled his name and I was intrigued by your post especially considering my family name.
Yours
Jeremy Smith
PS I have it on good authority that my grandfather was a very good man do if you went with that name it's a good start you have given him.

Original poster
Charlie9S · 28/01/2018 19:22

Thank you all. So on balance a fairly positive response to Lincoln. Its not that everyone has to love it. I knew Elijah would be different for my family too but felt more sure about it. Just nice when they do like the name and he's got to live with the name so don't want it to be too negatively recieved. Thank you for the name suggestions too a few there I like. I'd say its not a name i would expect to like or my dh to like especially. But its one he tends to come back to which surprises me. I wouldn't say i like surnames as first names just come across some I like. Some lovely traditional names I just seem to lean towards less popular ones but not too unusual. Think surname has made that more important. Anyway thank you I think Lincoln stays on the list and I'll have to tell family they'll learn to love it!

OP posts:
Rainbowqueeen · 25/01/2018 19:54

I really like Lincoln

I also think you need to stop worrying so much about what your family will think. It's your baby and you are the ones that need to love the name you give him!!!

SilverLinings2014 · 25/01/2018 19:51

And yes, we had both Abraham and Lincoln on our list Grin DS didn’t get either name in the end though.

SilverLinings2014 · 25/01/2018 19:50

Lincoln was on our list for 18 day old DS. You might like some of the other names on our list: Malachi (Kai), Alaric, Zachariah, Abraham (Bram).

NinonDeLenclos · 25/01/2018 19:17

Don't like Lincoln, Spencer or Elliot.

I like Elijah a lot, Joseph, Leo, Jacob, Joshua. They're all classics.

Oliver is too common here.

dollybird · 25/01/2018 19:17

I like it, think it goes well with Smith. There was a boy at school called Lincoln Shaw. I like a pp suggestion of Leonard or Lenny too.

nooka · 25/01/2018 19:09

Lincoln is a surname to me, seems an odd choice for someone who likes more traditional names (but then I see you like Riley and Spencer so I'm guessing you like the surname as first name trend too).

Elijah is cool. My ds had a best friend Eli (Elijah) with a big brother Sol (Solomon). The obvious suggestion instead of Lincoln is Abraham :) Abe and Bram are cool diminutives, and Abraham Smith sounds excellent. Perhaps a bit too Old Testament a combination for you?

Elliot is a bit too similar to Elijah, and 'lio' doesn't really work from it. Better to just chose Leo, or possibly Leon or possibly Leonardo (Leonard usually becoming Len/Lenny rather than Leo).

Yika · 25/01/2018 18:44

Lincoln is a terrific name.

Others you might consider
Linus
Lisle

ladyratterley · 25/01/2018 18:38

Lincoln is a great name! I had a landlord a few years ago called this and I always thought it was a cool name without being too try hard.
I grew up in Lincoln and uphill near the Cathedral and castle is beautiful so I don’t think you need to worry too much about connotations.

PeonyTruffle · 25/01/2018 18:36

I just think of prison break when I hear the name Lincoln

And then I think of where my Nan and Grandad live

So yeah, not a fan Blush

EggsonHeads · 25/01/2018 18:31

Have you ever been to Lincoln?

BikeRunSki · 25/01/2018 18:31

I know a Lincoln, he’s about 3. I actually really like it. A well known place name or surname, easy to spell but used as a first name. I like it.

bluesouper · 25/01/2018 17:49

Fitz not Fits Angry

bluesouper · 25/01/2018 17:49

I like Lincoln!

Miller
Fits
Mika
Cyrus
Amos

IJustLostIt · 25/01/2018 17:44

Harrison
Fletcher
Luca
Albie
Theo
Sebastian (Seb for short)

villainousbroodmare · 25/01/2018 17:39

I like it too. Makes me think of Lincoln Rhyme.

GlorianaBanana · 25/01/2018 17:33

I like it

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 25/01/2018 17:24

Isaac
Gideon
Rafael
Tobias
Asa

MikeUniformMike · 25/01/2018 17:22

The names starting with J are a bit too much with Elijah.
You could go for another biblical name - there are so many. Elliot and Elijah is too much and Lio from Elliot is stretching it too far.

If you like Lincoln, how about Lester?

Original poster
Charlie9S · 25/01/2018 17:19

Anyone got any new name ideas I could add to our list. Honestly been through so many!

OP posts:
WildCherryBlossom · 25/01/2018 17:19

I used to know a little Lincoln so I have wholly positive associations with the name. Unusual but not outlandish. Goes well enough with Elijah without being too matchy matchy (Elliot is a fab name but you're right - too similar)

Original poster
Charlie9S · 25/01/2018 17:18

Elijah wasn't received amazingly, we didn't tell anyone about it and I know they love it now but was a surprise at the time. It's not that everyone's opinion is important. But it's not ideal really if your nearest and dearest really don't like it and he's got to grow up with it so if it isn't well liked it's not great. I am surprised I like it but I do. Leo doesn't seem like a name for us but it's snuck in there. DH was thinking as NN for Elliot ("lio") but although many have thought of that it seems too much of a stretch for most. DH doesn't like Joe. I think we may know better when we see him I just feel more stressed about a name this time as the first time I felt we actually liked for sure a few names and Elijah won. This time I'm not sure there's one winning at all. Ahh!

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