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Baby names

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

Original poster

Brooks?

37 replies

Rachelhaydenberk1 · 22/03/2019 01:20

I'm not currently expecting a boy but I still have names on the brain. :)

I have a hard time finding boys names I really like. But the name Brooks is growing on me.

I dont like Brooke, as that strikes me a girl's name only, even without the e. And oddly I have a bad association with Brooke as a female name but I feel open to Brooks for a boy for some odd reason.

Brooks seems masculine although the s at the end could be kinda pesky.

Any thoughts? I'm American but I haven't met any children with this name - or anyone. Its ranked around 200 apparently for popularity right now but it's not a name I've heard used.

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GinaJabowski · 23/03/2019 15:59

I know someone with a son named Brookson :)

aliceandkids77 · 23/03/2019 15:58

never heard before OP but I really like it! x

Beeziekn33ze · 23/03/2019 02:31

Bronson could be a mistake!

Original poster
Rachelhaydenberk1 · 23/03/2019 02:20

I didnt even think of that! I love Garth Brooks!!

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MadeForThis · 23/03/2019 01:11

Garth Brooks was my first thought.

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Rachelhaydenberk1 · 23/03/2019 00:50

I dont watch Real Housewives and forgot about Shawshank Redemption!! Its all good. I think I like other names way more than Brooks anyway!! Boy names are just harder to me to come up with refreshing ones I like.

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JaneJeffer · 23/03/2019 00:44

Has anyone mentioned Shawshank yet?

Brooks?
DioneTheDiabolist · 23/03/2019 00:33

I thought of Real Housewives too SuchAToDo.Blush Brooks was a scuzzy, middle aged gold digger who faked cancer. I wouldn't use it.

Original poster
Rachelhaydenberk1 · 23/03/2019 00:30

Omg yes Bram!!! I really love it. Not Abraham or Abram though - just Bram!

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Original poster
Rachelhaydenberk1 · 23/03/2019 00:29

I wish I liked George - seems like a name of so many greats, worldly! It definitely doesnt go with my surname. It could possibly be a middle name option. I've also always loved Vincent.

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Original poster
Rachelhaydenberk1 · 23/03/2019 00:23

Thanks!! Lennox is kinda cool!! Dale is a family name so I love it but it sounds close to Dahlia which I love if I have another girl. I do like Asher and Heath as well.

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Tillygetsit · 22/03/2019 23:38

I LOVE the name Bram 😍

PhysaliaPhysalis · 22/03/2019 21:59

My first thought was The Shawshank Redemption.

But I think in the US you can get away with most names.

IVflytrap · 22/03/2019 21:56

Not sure about Brooks, because it sounds plural, and because it reminds me of the tragic character from The Shawshank Redemption (admittedly, this won't be what most people think of).

That reminds me, I quite like Beck for a boy, now that a pp has mentioned it! It works for the naturey theme (a beck is a stream in northern and eastern England). There's also:

Rowan
Glen
Heath
Asher (if you were British, I'd suggest Ashley, but I'm aware that it's a female name in the US Grin)
Jay
Robin
River
Dale
Bryn
Jasper
Jet
Linden
Leif

Surname type names:

Lincoln
Everett
Dashiell
Jarvis
Quinn
Ellis
Lennox

No idea if any of these are even suitable, as I don't know much about names in America.

DramaAlpaca · 22/03/2019 21:23

RayaJambalaya you are, of course, correct. I had 'brook' muddled up in my mind with 'beck' for some reason. Oops Blush

mathanxiety · 22/03/2019 20:06

Van Morrison is actually George Ivan Morrison.

Heratnumber7 · 22/03/2019 18:29

I like some other non-surname names although I do find naming boys a lot more challenging than girls. But I like Bram, Dean, Fintan, Sawyer and Gerard

I do like other surnames though: Vaughn, Bronson, Connelly and Donovan

Vaughn and Donovan are acceptable first names.

Original poster
Rachelhaydenberk1 · 22/03/2019 12:59

Haha yes a brook is a stream everywhere ;) it's a nature inspired name I'm guessing? Hahaha.

Yes, I'm not saying this is an instantly loved name in the US. In fact, I've never heard it as i mentioned!

I'm saying surnames as first names are on trend in the US. For good or bad Haha. I do like some as i listed. Sometimes I wonder if they sound sophisticated or trashy?? For example Jackson to me sounds kinda trashy. Why wouldn't you just do Jack? Jameson just reminds me of whiskey.

But I do like Vaughn. Oh I also love Hudson. I really love Connelly as well :)

Brooks is okay. Just one I was pondering to add to the list. It reminds me of the country band Brooks & Dunn which I have positive associations with. Although Brooks is the artists' surname.

I think I'm liking Morrison because my dad just passed away and he was a huge Van Morrison fan.

Is Van short for anything? I dont like it as a full name. It makes me think of a mini van! I was thinking Donovan could be a fuller version? Although I have a friend who named her child this and I hate the nickname Donnie.

Sorry - this thread is a bit unfocused. I should change the title to What Surnames as First Names work for Boys?

Or what names that aren't surnames are refreshing?

Pure curiosity :)

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RayaJambalaya · 22/03/2019 08:06

@DramaAlpaca is a brook not a small stream in the rest of the UK too? and the rest of the English speaking world Hmm

mathanxiety · 22/03/2019 05:14

I'm in the US.

Brooks is very dated. There was a Brooks in a class two years behind my oldest DD for a few years in school. Oldest DD will be 29 soon...

Vaughn is a thousand times nicer.
Van is nice. There are a good few Lincolns in my area. Also names like Beckett, Carter, Coleman, Landon, Easton, Austin and Wyatt

You can't go wrong with cutting edge Irish names. Quinn is in, as is Logan (around here anyway).

Icklepup · 22/03/2019 04:41

I think it works.. it's quite nice

mimibunz · 22/03/2019 04:15

I think Brooks could be nice depending on your actual surname, so for instance Brooks Jones wouldn’t work but Brooks Oldman might?

Original poster
Rachelhaydenberk1 · 22/03/2019 03:46

Fair enough! I think in the US we try to find names not overly used and refreshing and that somehow lead to the path of using surnames as first names. I think! I couldn't tell you exactly how that trend started.

I like some other non-surname names although I do find naming boys a lot more challenging than girls. But I like Bram, Dean, Fintan, Sawyer and Gerard.

I do like other surnames though: Vaughn, Bronson, Connelly and Donovan.

What are some suggestions for boys from over the pond. I need more inspiration. Although I'm not having a boy right now so this isn't like an urgency, it's just for fun :)

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Pemba · 22/03/2019 03:29

Hmm it's not really a name over here. I've heard of Brooke for a girl (because of Brooke Shields) but Brooks doesn't really work I think.

Morrison(s) is a well known supermarket chain here in the UK, so I don't think that is going to go down well either! And even if it wasn't, I don't get why people choose names like JackSON, HarriSON, etc. as they are pretty clearly surnames denoting that someone (or rather, their ancestor) was the son of Jack, Harry, Morris etc.

Just to be radical, why not choose names that are not places or surnames? You know, normal names. There are so many lovely ones. But up to you of course.

TigerQuoll · 22/03/2019 03:24

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