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Baby names

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

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Original poster

The name River...

220 replies

mamah2019 · 19/09/2020 11:48

Hey!

What's people's honest opinions on the name River for a boy?!

Is it too popular/ normal these days?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

whattodo2019 · 28/09/2020 21:11

River Phoenix and his sad passing...
I don't really think it is a great first name for a boy. Especially one who might want to be a professional

DoTheMaccaroni · 28/09/2020 21:02

@movingonup20

No, can you imagine their cv landing on hrs desk for a grad scheme, there's 500 applications and they only have 10 places, so say 30 interview slots, do you interview River or William, which sounds more serious to your clients? River if you must as a middle name but give them a proper name for work purposes

I would absolutely choose River over William! 😂 the more unusual names would stand out about all CV’s and I’d be drawn to read them first if I had loads to get through.

TheChristmasPrincess · 28/09/2020 20:51

It's cool and trendy. Not quite your younique, try hard word name name but maybe one of the more out there nature names. I know a few Rivers (girls and boys) mostly from middle class hipster families. The beautiful River Phoenix makes me love this name even more but I think it will only appeal to a certain type of person (eco-conscious, artistic or slightly alternative types), others will think it's pretentious or overly trendy.

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 28/09/2020 20:10

I don’t think the news about Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara’s baby will necessarily precipitate lots of baby Rivers. From what I can see the overwhelming positive response to the news is in response to their honouring his brother.

PattyPan · 28/09/2020 19:14

Not a fan personally, agree with pp that it’s difficult to see working for a grown man.

ReeseWitherfork · 28/09/2020 19:02

But surely “name I like/want to call my child” trumps “could become popular” when choosing? “Could become popular” shouldn’t even factor into it IMO. And I’m sure if you had called you dd Willow then surely you could argue that you’re a trendsetter, and isn’t that a good thing?!

Just less than 1% of babies born last were called Oliver (top boys name). It’s about one child in just over 3 classes. I think people seem to think every third kid walking around is called Oliver.

0.3% of babies were called Willow. So a year group would need to have 12 classes to include a Willow. Not bad going.

Newname12 · 28/09/2020 18:23

Btw I got pretty much exactly these comments 15 years ago when I was thinking of calling dd Willow.

Newname12 · 28/09/2020 18:21

I don’t think River is likely to become the next George or Oliver. A little spike not enough to put you off surely? Jamie Oliver and Kelly Clarkson both have a River and I’m not sure it’s boosted the popularity that much. If you like the name, fuck everyone else and ignore how popular it is

Willow has gone from not even on the charts to top 20- ish in the last 10 years

Of course that’s a girls name and for some reason it’s more acceptable for a girl to have an “out there” name, but it does happen.

Original poster

mamah2019 · 28/09/2020 16:57

@ReeseWitherfork love your comment! I thought the same about Jamie Oliver earlier actually x

OP posts:

ReeseWitherfork · 28/09/2020 16:49

Original poster

mamah2019 · 28/09/2020 14:58

@Antonin I HAVE JUSTTT seen this too! My partner text me now we are like ahhh man! But we genuinely can't agree on anything else so it just has to be that... I think? Unless something else comes our way to sway us. X

OP posts:

Antonin · 28/09/2020 14:34

Joachim Phoenix and his wife have named their new born boy River after Joachim’s brother. This may result in the name gaining popularity

Original poster

mamah2019 · 27/09/2020 13:50

@TinaTraybake @earthyfire thank you both, we are really considering it, we can't seem to agree on much else at the moment haha xxx

OP posts:

earthyfire · 26/09/2020 22:35

I love it but as a middle name.

TinaTraybake · 20/09/2020 23:53

I love it! It's my son's middle name

Benjispruce2 · 20/09/2020 17:55

@lucymagoo no because I know the origin of Mercedes! It means lady of mercy, as in the Virgin Mary. Bit different to Fiesta princess.

bookmum08 · 20/09/2020 17:16

Kanaloa oh yes I remember the Lost Boys line. I am still sure it came up in a drama like the ones I mentioned too.

ErrolTheDragon · 20/09/2020 17:07

@lucymagoo

Mercedes the car was actually named after the designers daughter. It was a name first

Yes, exactly.

CloudyVanilla · 20/09/2020 17:01

I absolutely love it, it's in my son's name (8 months old). I was going to use it as a first name but I also really loved another name and it was honestly just a toss up as to which we used as a first. Lovely name :)

lucymagoo · 20/09/2020 16:57

Mercedes the car was actually named after the designers daughter. It was a name first

ErrolTheDragon · 20/09/2020 16:20

@CountessFrog

My dd started high school recently. In her class there are:

Berry
Princess
Cayman
Fiesta

I had to have a lie down in a dark room.

Would you have got the vapours over Mercedes?

iloveyoubutilovememore · 20/09/2020 14:03

Omg some of these comments 😂

Come on guys it’s a name. How can you get SO offended by a name. I can’t help but wonder if some of you have very plain named children simply because you weren’t brave enough to choose something more unique.

River is a nice name. In my opinion.

len1234 · 20/09/2020 13:54

If my next child is a boy, he will likely be River! So obviously I love it. It is definitely becoming popular though.

I've noticed many people on here think anything that isn't in the top 10 baby names is awful. I know most people on Mums Net are from the UK, so I'm not sure if it's just a thing there? - Not meaning this in a disrespectful way but names that are completely normal where I am seem to be so controversial on here.

Kanaloa · 20/09/2020 13:46

@bookmum08

Are you possibly thinking of movie The Lost Boys? There’s a line in that movie where someone meets a character called Star and comments that he also had ex-hippy parents and was almost named Moonbeam. Both much worse names than River!

Abracadabra12345 · 20/09/2020 13:24

@Clearthinking

Love it. Lots of Bear and nature inspired names, sounds lovely x I know a Bear and a River brothers twins

I love River. I know a baby called Bear. I work in a preschool and enjoy seeing what names parents have given their small children. There’s a big rise in the “old” names (Ethel, Agatha, Flo/rence and the gorgeous Edwin.). Also one or two noun names like Phoenix which I always loved. One of the children’s brothers was called River. I don’t know how other children would react to it as they get older so maybe he’d need to be confident, but I love it. I do think it is a lot less unusual these days so it’s not weird, but definitely not a common name

If you love it, go for it OP

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