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Baby names

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

Original poster

Short-ish boys names

36 replies

Bearcub01 · 29/11/2020 13:20

We are finding boys names so difficult. My OH doesn’t like anything but Arthur which I have ruled out. Surname is Milligan so I think we need something one or two syllables maximum!
These are some I’ve suggested, any thoughts or options on shortish names please?

James - classic family name I’d love to use but maybe more as a middle name
George - another option as a middle name
Jack
Rory
Jude
Carson - a slightly more uncommon one OH actually likes.

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littlejalapeno · 29/11/2020 21:01

Shortish boys names?

Kurt? Grin

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 29/11/2020 20:58

@Bearcub01 - I think Jacob (Jake) is a popular enough name that unless they were best friends that you saw very regularly and/or their son was the same age as yours (so would be in the same class or groups), then Jake is very still useable.

(I'm also not sure if you're aware that the name Jacob comes from the same root as James, so would be a lovely subtle link to a popular name in your family!)

TrixieHeliotrope · 29/11/2020 20:56

Matthew is quite short, better than Bartholomew (the only other one I can think of) anyway

Original poster
Bearcub01 · 29/11/2020 20:40

@IamnotwhouthinkIam I do like Jake too! We have friends with a Jake but they’re not close friends so wouldn’t be put off using that.

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Original poster
Bearcub01 · 29/11/2020 20:38

@IamnotwhouthinkIam agree with everything you have said actually. I love James but it is definitely used much more as a middle name. My only issue is my brother is also James and my mums new partner is James so is it too confusing with too many of them!

I’m in Scotland so I don’t think Rory is too popular here. It’s definitely still one I’m considering.

OP posts:
IamnotwhouthinkIam · 29/11/2020 20:38

Other short/shortish classic or biblical boys names you could consider : - John (Jack), Hugh, Seth, Jacob (Jake), Caleb, Henry, Asa, Ezra, Joseph (Joe).

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 29/11/2020 20:22

James Rory sounds lovely to me - I love James as a first name (it's the ultimate classic boys name, but is steadily falling in popularity - now out of the top 20 for the first time in years, so there will be less James's about in future.) It's also one of those one syllable names that has a good few nn's if you/he wanted (I like Jem myself but Jamie's nice too). But I think it's the most popular boys middle name so I find it overused in the middle name spot personally.

Of the others- Jack is also lovely (but very popular), George is classic but I've never liked the sound of it personally, Rory sounds a bit trendy to me in the first name spot (unless you are in Scotland? then it feels more classic), Carson is too surname for me, sorry.

NameChange30 · 29/11/2020 19:49

[quote Bearcub01]@NameChange30 will be partners surname which is Milligan. He suggested Arthur and Carson and that’s it. Doesn’t like anything else, doesn’t mind James. He did say he liked Lewis but his friends baby is called that .[/quote]
So he's dictating surname and first name, then? Never mind the fact that you're gestating, birthing and share half the DNA of this baby?

Give baby your surname. Don't let him bully you about the first name choice. He can't just veto every name you love, and needs to come up with more suggestions.

FWIW, DH and I both wrote a list of 10 names each, and then made a shortlist together which had names from both our long lists.

Original poster
Bearcub01 · 29/11/2020 19:44

Carl is a definite no as we are Scottish and can only pronounce it as Carol!

OP posts:
emmathedilemma · 29/11/2020 19:22

Ross
Scott
Rhys
Ben
Tom
Sean
Cole
Flynn
Drew
Carl

FawnDrench · 29/11/2020 19:16

Ralph / Rafe
Clive
Dale
Guy
Wade
Lee
Mark
Kai
Jude
Carl
Dean

popshops · 29/11/2020 18:58

[quote Bearcub01]@popshops I quite like Ray![/quote]
My ds would agree with you 😀

Original poster
Bearcub01 · 29/11/2020 18:58

@Carouselfish I love Jack and Rory! I quite like Ralph too but it’s my friends dogs name so that puts me off it. I seem to like names then remember someone’s cat or dog has that name.

I like Oliver but that was OH’s cat when he was young so he says no. I don’t think it matters. Quite like Oliver James

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Original poster
Bearcub01 · 29/11/2020 18:56

@NameChange30 will be partners surname which is Milligan. He suggested Arthur and Carson and that’s it. Doesn’t like anything else, doesn’t mind James. He did say he liked Lewis but his friends baby is called that .

OP posts:
timeforanewstart · 29/11/2020 18:40

Jake
Sam

luckylavender · 29/11/2020 18:37

Edward Arthur Milligan
David George Milligan
Anthony John Milligan

Carouselfish · 29/11/2020 18:00

Jack and Rory were on my list.

Joe and Ralph were too.

ShanCa · 29/11/2020 17:33

How about Art? Short, Irish, and similar to Arthur?

NameChange30 · 29/11/2020 17:01

Whose surname will baby have? Both or just yours or just his?

What first names has your partner suggested? Or is he just vetoing yours and leaving it to you to come up with suggestions he finds acceptable?

Original poster
Bearcub01 · 29/11/2020 16:59

@popshops I quite like Ray!

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Original poster
Bearcub01 · 29/11/2020 16:59

@Tartyflette Haha my dog was called Seamus! Great name but prefer James.

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Tartyflette · 29/11/2020 15:54

Arthur Milligan sounds about 85.
Carson Milligan is just ....odd.
I think with an Irish surname an Irish first name would sound good.
How about Seamus? (If you like James. )
Or Patrick?

popshops · 29/11/2020 15:49

Ian, Ray, Lee

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 29/11/2020 15:44

I think Christopher Arthur Milligan is a great name - plus you can always give him Spike as a nickname!!

topcat2014 · 29/11/2020 15:41

Troy