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Baby names

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

Original poster

Thoughts on the name Vincent

40 replies

FLTN · 14/02/2020 09:56

Hello everyone,

I’m due later this year with my first child, a baby boy. The inevitable name discussion has begun. DH has a long Dutch surname and we want to pick a first name that is international & would work well in both countries. The forerunner is Vincent (nn Vince, not Vinny) but I’ve made the mistake of sharing this with friends who hate it! Casting the net a bit further to see what the general opinion is?

Thanks!

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Bigearringsbigsmile · 14/02/2020 10:33

Really dont like it.
It always seems like a ' tough boy's name to me.

Lailaha · 14/02/2020 10:32

As pp said, Vince is a wannabe hard man name: a low level Liverpool gangster who's not as hard as he thinks he is.

As you can tell, I utterly loathe it, though I do know it's popular with very Catholic Catholics (rather than cultural ones) and really, it's whether you like it that matters.

SugarStealer · 14/02/2020 10:32

Its awful sorry

Chimchar · 14/02/2020 10:30

Love it. It's a great name!

Original poster
FLTN · 14/02/2020 10:30

Good point! It’s not a ‘van’ name, though it’s still 2 words and 6 syllables! Other names I like are very British & I think would sound odd with such a unique surname.

OP posts:
OnABeachSomewhere · 14/02/2020 10:30

I like Vincent, it reminds me of Van Gogh. Vinny is OK, but Vince sounds like mince and reminds me of the whiny Vince Cable.

puds11 · 14/02/2020 10:26

I get the nickname thing. I purposely named my daughters things that could be shortened and thought I’d thought of every possible version but missed one for my most recent DD and this is what her grandmother calls her and I hate it 😱

Vince makes me think of Vincent Vega from Pulp Fiction and I love that film!

ColourMeGreen · 14/02/2020 10:21

I have a 3yo Vince, wish I'd gone with Vincent. PPs are right though, everyone calls him Vinny. I also have an Ollie who is regularly called Oliver Confused so I don't think it matters what you hope they'll be called. The name Vince did seem a bit too 'old' on a tiny baby, but now he has some active personality his name suits him perfectly.

Motacilla · 14/02/2020 10:19

I like it. You can't control an nickname when he is older but you can certainly decide what he is called when he is little.

Does the dutch surname start 'van'? People might think painters if it does, not that that would matter.

kenandbarbie · 14/02/2020 10:15

To me it's an older mans name, but that might just be because I don't know any young ones. It's a bit east end gangstery.

Original poster
FLTN · 14/02/2020 10:03

Thanks for your reply. I’d be interested to know what connotations you associate with the name?

Re Vinny, it’s not my favourite but I suppose there’s a risk with any name that people will create nicknames you’re not fond of. We’d go with Vince ourselves at the start but of course be happy with however he decides to refer to himself when he’s old enough!

OP posts:
Whatsyourflava · 14/02/2020 10:01

I think it’s a good choice

Crabonastick · 14/02/2020 10:01

I love it, but you can not police what a child and his friends will ultimate call him. My DS has a name that we shorten to the first syllable, but his friends call him by the first syllable with an I on the end with no prompting from anyone else!

puds11 · 14/02/2020 10:00

I love it. I also love Vinny though. I know a little Vinny and he’s a cutie!

halcyondays · 14/02/2020 09:59

I like it. But what if he decides to shorten it to Vinny himself?

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