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Baby names

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

‘Wet’ names?!

241 replies

Cbeebiesrehab · 18/08/2018 21:34

I have seen multiple threads today where people have called names ‘wet’-both boys and girls names. What is a ‘wet’ name?! I’m a bit puzzled by this concept.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
buttercup54321 · 22/08/2018 22:53

Aleisha
Jemima
Valerie
Horace
Cyril
Cecil
Percy

shaggedthruahedgebackwards · 22/08/2018 21:32

Disagree Arsenal

I'm same as AllPizza it's not about the sound of the name at all, it's about the type of person the name conjures up in my mind. I would expect a Timothy, Adrian or Walter to be a bit of a Mummy's boy and lacking in umph!

There are fewer girls names that have the same effect

And yes I do know that there are plenty of people with 'wet' names who aren't wet in the slightest, it's just the type of person you imagine when you hear a name

starkid · 22/08/2018 15:52

My favourite boys name has been mentioned many times haha, oh well!

Skyejuly · 22/08/2018 15:40

I always think of the Medical term for Amelia too!

Becky is a drab wet name.

ArsenalsPlayingAtHome · 22/08/2018 08:24

bluechairs I think it's the sound of the name more than anything.

When you say them out loud, they sound...flimsy IMHO.

One of my DD's names was mentioned upthread & I was a bit affronted Grin

wanderings · 22/08/2018 07:23

This thread reminded me of when I was reading "Partial Eclipse", by Lesley Glaister: a central character is Tom, a self-assured middle-aged philanderer. I kept on and on thinking that the name Tom was really incongruous, I kept thinking of it as a "wet" boy's name.

dinosaurkisses · 22/08/2018 00:01

I think I can answer that for @Arsenalsplayingathome

The most interesting thing about Amelia as a name is that it’s the medical term for a congenitally missing limb.

bluechairs · 21/08/2018 23:55

Hahaha @ArsenalsPlayingAtHome what about Sophie or Amelia is remotely wet? They're classics... and Freya is the name of a very angry Goddess

LemonysSnicket · 21/08/2018 23:53

I associate Robins with Robin Hood.

Wet names are Cecil's, Timmy, Teddy and Minnie

LemonysSnicket · 21/08/2018 23:51

Wet means wimpy.

ArsenalsPlayingAtHome · 21/08/2018 23:33

Sophie
Chloe
Amelia
Freya

Itchytights · 21/08/2018 22:30

Not read through the thread but agree with Timothy 100%

I don’t like Sam/ Samuel either and most definitely Rupert. Both are very drippy imo.

There are more but need to think of them.

AllPizzasGreatAndSmall · 21/08/2018 22:26

I think it's strange that people are v much at odds on some of these when it's just the sound of the name rather than people you know or even a personality imagine. It's literally the sound. So I don't get Jack, Daniel as wet at all..

No, to me wet is not about the sound of the name but it is all about the type of person who would have that name, so maybe it is that the sort of women whose son's are wet (I mainly think of wet as a boy thing) choose names like Timothy, Robin, Toby, Justin etc.

ButterflyOfFreedom · 20/08/2018 21:49

Highly subjective but I'd describe the following names as 'wet' - meaning soft, weak; not strong or 'powerful':

Timothy
Jasper
Robin
Elliott
Julian
Nigel
Keith

Lucy
Poppy
Annie
Lottie
Molly
Holly
Dolly

JeremyCorbynsBeard · 20/08/2018 21:42

Sebastian
Lucas
Elliot
Adrian
Ashley
Piers
Quentin
Julian

LeeMiller · 20/08/2018 21:36

True, @pipilangstrumpf ... maybe wet in a more literal way Grin

pipilangstrumpf · 20/08/2018 17:34

Although from your examples I think Lou sounds very wet (Loo!) Grin

I'd probably not shorten Louis!

LeeMiller · 20/08/2018 16:57

One syllable names sound stronger than the longer version or y/ie diminutives.

Sam /Tim /Max /Lou / Tom sound stronger to me than

Samuel /Timmy /Timothy /Maximillian /Louis /Lucian /Thomas /Tommy

For girls, the full name usually sounds less wet than the diminutive:
Millie v Millicent, Mildred
Ellie v Eleanor

It's definitely connected to i/y sounds.

Skyejuly · 20/08/2018 12:23

It's not the name personally. It's the sound of the name that's wet ^

VioletFlamingo · 20/08/2018 09:45

Timothy.. I agree!
Emily
Clara
Peter
Anthony
Maya

Also agree it is highly subjective!

germainegrainne · 20/08/2018 09:17

Russell
Elliot
Tom/Thomas

OutPinked · 20/08/2018 09:10

My name has been mentioned lots as has my Dbro’s- better inform my DM she has ‘wet’ children Grin. None of my DC’s names or the name we have chosen for this baby have though so I’m clearly not as bad a Mum as mine is Grin.

Did laugh at ‘Stalin wasn’t wet’.

MeyMary · 20/08/2018 08:58

Alfie, Archie, Maisie, Millie, Minnie, Ellie, Rosie, Christian, Christopher, Daniel, Lenny, Gracie, name-Mae, Joseph.

Some or these names are great nicknames but thinking of them as someone's full name? No. Wet and wimpy in my personal opinion.

Girlslikeme · 20/08/2018 08:39

I’m thinking of men I have had relationships with over the years and their names put me off -
Timothy
Brian
Julian
Nigel

Also add -
Walter
Quentin
All the posh names eg Crispin

And girls’ names I would hate to be called myself -
Ruth
Rosemary
Wendy
Barbara
Judith
Mary

And those names which are coming back and popular on here which I think are awful -
Olive
Nora
Audrey type names

LeeValley2 · 20/08/2018 08:05

Definitely Lucy, Ellie, Freya, Cecily, Ottily, Timothy, Nigel, Adrian, Alistair, Archie, Ollie.