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Baby names

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

Original poster

Finley Otis Barney or Zachary

89 replies

Clownfish123 · 21/09/2019 08:20

I might be posting a few threads in the next few months as we he have found out dc2 is likely to be a boy!
These are our current top 4 names but they change a lot. I like Barney but DH can't help feeling it is a bit of a joke name so it will probably get vetoed. His favourite is Otis which I like but don't love.
We both like the other two names but again neither feels perfect.
Baby will be half Irish which makes Finley quite appealing and DS1 has an Irish name. Also likely to be blonde and fair if that makes any difference!
Loads of names are ruled out as DH is fussy and we have friends who have already used names. DH doesn't like anything royal, posh or old manish (although he does like Leonard) I'm more open minded.
Thanks

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OhMsBeliever · 30/09/2019 22:05

My Barney is Barnaby on his birth certificate but I rarely use it and most people don't even know he's a Barnaby.

Original poster
Clownfish123 · 30/09/2019 20:56

I'm not certain. The last scan I had the sonographer said very likely a boy but I should find out for sure in a weeks time.
Thanks for all your responses, really helpful.

OP posts:
MissHenty · 30/09/2019 20:45

How certain are you that DC2 is a boy @Clownfish123

Sparklypurpleunicornsaremyfav · 30/09/2019 20:45

My dad's family were Irish, if I was a boy I was going to be Sean Patrick liam followed by a very Irish surname!!!!
We know a shae, never had problems with spelling or pronunciation
Kieran is another traditional Irish name
Dermot is cute

MissHenty · 30/09/2019 20:37

@Clownfish123 just seen your message I love the name Lenny by the way. Prefer Jacob though x

MissHenty · 30/09/2019 20:34

@Clownfish123 re: Jacob vs Finley - it’s because there’s no other names very similar to Jacob. With Finley there is Finn/Finlay/Flynn etc. If you add all of them up then the name would be way higher than number 11 on the names charts. Still no where near as many as Harry though.

What I would say is these things are quite regional. I go to many playgroups over the past 4 years and have met 1 Jacob and 1 Finley and 1 Flynn. That’s it.

Jacob is falling in popularity. Check the graph out featuring ONS data. On current trajectory Jacob will be outside top 20 in next couple of years

Finley also seems to have reached its peaked in popularity and is now going downwards. See the graphs below

names.darkgreener.com/#jacob

names.darkgreener.com/#finley

AxCap · 30/09/2019 20:17

We have a Finn and there's not been another one in nursery/school/groups yet so I don't think it's too popular despite what the stats say. It was much lower down when he was born right enough. We considered going with Fionn but stuck with Finn.

Others on our list:
Aidan
Ciaran
Conor
Max

ProperVexed · 30/09/2019 18:53

I have a Barnaby but have always, unless I'm very cross, called him Barney. It is a name that suits all ages. My Barney is now at university. When he was doing bar work this summer a mum introduced her young, perhaps 10 year old, Barney to my Barney. Little Barney went quite pink when big Barney told him that such a name was really cool and attracted the girls!

sorrythisusernameisinuse · 30/09/2019 18:34

Also- all the shays I know are girls and it's not a very nice for either sex. Much nicer names out there

sorrythisusernameisinuse · 30/09/2019 18:32

Otis I really like. No a fan of Jacob/jake

Original poster
Clownfish123 · 30/09/2019 18:12

I'm also warming to Jacob, I like Jake and Jay too for a teen. It is number 11 though in the name stats. I find it hard to understand why Finley is considered so popular when it is way lower down.

OP posts:
Original poster
Clownfish123 · 30/09/2019 18:09

Is he a Barney or Barnaby @ohmsbeliever?

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Lily2811 · 30/09/2019 17:49

Absolutely love Jacob, think it's such a kind gentle name.

Lily2811 · 30/09/2019 17:46

Finley is very common but okay. Flynn is nice.
Zachary is nice. Zach is nicer.
Rudy I don't like and it reminds me of Rudy Guede the murderer (sorry!!) I really dislike both Barney and Barnaby. They just sound jokey and clumsy. And it reminds me of that purple dinosaur. I like Rory.

TamarindCove · 30/09/2019 17:43

I love the name Shay.

Finlay/Finley is ridiculously popular where we live, there’s 3 in my child’s class alone (along with 3 Harry’s).

Barney was on our list but since we got our dog I’ve realised how popular a dog name it is! Same for Otis, although not as much as Barney.

OhMsBeliever · 30/09/2019 17:40

Barney is a great name, I have one, he's great. Grin When I was expecting him the only other name on my list was Finley.

They are great names.

Original poster
Clownfish123 · 30/09/2019 17:36

Noone - it's a hard name to beat isn't it!! (Obviously biased) it's traditional, cute and strong all at once. I really don't want a compromise name for number 2!

OP posts:
NooneToldMeItWasRaining · 30/09/2019 06:24

My son has the same name as your first born (best name EVER). We loved Finn for a second boy and also had Zac on the list (also Kit and Theo).

If we did have another boy I would like to go with Finn, but I would worry it would date I think, as others have said.

Hey1256 · 29/09/2019 20:21

Zachary. Not keen on the others

Original poster
Clownfish123 · 29/09/2019 12:56

@misshenty he thinks it's a bit posh. He thinks it comes over as even more posh in Ireland than it does here. He is pushing hard for Leonard (Lenny) which I'm warming towards (started a new thread).
I've still kept Barney on the list though.

OP posts:
Lavenderblues · 29/09/2019 12:53

Barney is great!

MollyHuaCha · 29/09/2019 12:43

Barney = dinosaur
I like Zachary

MissHenty · 29/09/2019 12:29

@Clownfish123 keep on saying the name Barnaby/Barney to your DH

Maybe he’ll come round? What’s his problem with that name

TheVanguardSix · 29/09/2019 11:32

Otis over Otto.
I was going to name DC3 Otto but My parents are German/Czech and I speak the languages.
Otis is a nicer name in all honesty.

TheVanguardSix · 29/09/2019 11:31

Barney! I know a gorgeous Barney.
Otis comes in at number 2.
I know a Barney who never goes by his actual name of Barnaby. So you could do Barnaby on the birth cert or just go with Barney.
Congratulations!

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