Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Sharing a name with a well-known(ish) politician

41 replies

Dalrymples · 17/10/2020 08:07

We our expecting our first DS and we have a name that we like. Because of our surname, they would share a name with a relatively well-known politician (we have a fairly common surname so there are a few other famous people it clashes with).

Without giving it away, it's not Tony Blair / Boris Johnson / David Cameron level of fame, but they were in the cabinet for quite a long time. The politician in question is more a name from the recent past, but people might see the connection.

Would you name your child that is the same as someone fairly famous because you like the name, or would you avoid it all together?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
MikeUniformMike · 17/10/2020 19:21

Thought so.
I'd use it. It's an underused classic name.
If it is good enough for HRH DoE...

Original poster
Dalrymples · 17/10/2020 18:46

I did, yes. Predictive text on my phone!

OP posts:
MikeUniformMike · 17/10/2020 18:37

Did you mean attested?

Original poster
Dalrymples · 17/10/2020 18:18

Problem is that Philip Hammond is borderline famous / not famous as others have arrested to

OP posts:
Original poster
Dalrymples · 17/10/2020 18:15

As a quick test... How many prime ministers can you name. How many of those were before you were a teenager....

Unfortunately that’s a bad test for me. I could go back quite easily and start getting stuck before Asquith

OP posts:
LadyCatStark · 17/10/2020 17:25

I wouldn’t name my child the same full name as any famous person. You certainly can’t call him Richard Hammond, he’s a household name and Top Gear/ The Grand Tour and his other shows are hugely popular with preteen children, which your child will be before you know it!

If you’re looking for names in that style how about:

Robert
James
Matthew
Christopher
Paul
Andrew
Peter
Michael
Stephen
David

BlusteryShowers · 17/10/2020 17:12

Amber Rudd?

Melonportal · 17/10/2020 16:54

Honestly, it's not a big deal. If you like the name, go for it.

sunflowers246 · 17/10/2020 16:49

I would find another name. There's SO many to choose from.

thisisnotwhatisignedupfor · 17/10/2020 16:47

If you love the name you should go for it. Having a fairly common surname there's always the chance that you pick something you like less and in the future someone with that name becomes famous.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 17/10/2020 16:42

I used to live next too a Tom Jones. The odd joke but no problems really.

As a quick test... How many prime ministers can you name. How many of those were before you were a teenager....

Quercus3 · 17/10/2020 16:36

I wouldn't go for Philip Hammond.

MuserOwl · 17/10/2020 15:05

Never heard of him. I'm not living in the UK but he's not exactly a big name!

2020hasbeenbloodyawful · 17/10/2020 15:00

I just had to google who that was.

Politicians come and go and in ten years we usually have to be reminded they existed in the first place.

Your boy will be absolutely fine and he'll actually have someone to share a name with when he googles himself when he's older.

It's not like you're calling him Jimmy Saville or Adolf Hitler!

Oneandabean · 17/10/2020 14:54

I’m 30 and I have no idea who it is, I don’t see a problem with it

MikeUniformMike · 17/10/2020 14:49

I can think of several people who have 'famous' names, and they didn't seem to mind. I would draw the like at a name that is associated with someone infamous.

MikeUniformMike · 17/10/2020 14:46

I really like the name Philip. Just don't use the same middle name(s), Actually I couldn't find his middle name, so he probably doesn't have one.

Firebird83 · 17/10/2020 14:27

I think it’s fine. It’s not like his peers are going to know who Philip Hammond is.

SBTLove · 17/10/2020 14:02

There are 10,000s of names, choose another

Original poster
Dalrymples · 17/10/2020 14:00

My thinking is that if you have a fairly normal name and pick a classic first name, our child will become that name. There are plenty of John Smiths with diverse personalities and in ten, twenty years, our DS will be Philip (or whatever name we choose). I’m also not sure whether Philip Hammond is quite a forgettable politician. We also had even thought of Richard (of Top Gear dame)

OP posts:
clareykb · 17/10/2020 13:24

I think it's fine, my brother has the name a a famous sports person who was famous before he was born parents just weren't in to that sport. Said sports person layer became famous for drinking and womanising...brother got a slight bit of ribbing but not major. I also work with Dan Brown, Michael Jordon and Andy Murray. .none of whom appear to traumatised.

BabyLlamaZen · 17/10/2020 13:22

@Dalrymples

Ok, outing myself here, then swift name change... Philip Hammond ?
God no 🤣🤣 please op! Middle name?
BabyLlamaZen · 17/10/2020 13:20

@Dalrymples

Definitely not Mark Francois!

I won’t say the name but an equivalent in terms of notoriety and the style of the name is a George Osborne/Andrew Lansley type name. Classic surname and first name

I really couldn't op. There is literally no cabinet person that wouldn't have at least some negative connotation, even if just for the party they belong to.
RuthW · 17/10/2020 10:14

No I wouldn't

My has the name of a famous (ish) singer. The singer became famous after dd was born. People do remark on it.

Please don't.

Nikhedonia · 17/10/2020 09:48

He was Chancellor of the Exchequer, pretty high profile! Based on that, I would go with it. But it's a personal choice. If you really love the name, go with it.

Swipe left for the next trending thread