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Baby names

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

Original poster

Just for fun

34 replies

MyNameHasBeenTaken · 04/01/2021 00:13

What baby names/young child names have surprised you recently?

No need to be nasty. Surprises can be nice

I recently met a toddler dean.
Dd did a toddler sport thing with an Arthur.
We played in the park with twin girls called anna and arna
(All pre-covid, no recent meetings)

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ParisJeTAime · 09/01/2021 18:48

Richard, Jenny and at the other end of the spectrum, Sherlock.

BackforGood · 09/01/2021 18:14

I met a little girl called 'Lucky' a couple of years ago.
I was then surprised to find that it isn't, in any way unique in my City.

Original poster
MyNameHasBeenTaken · 09/01/2021 17:55

Some of these are brilliant names.

OP posts:
maddsclairelouise · 07/01/2021 04:22

Meet two brothers a few months back; Banjo & Rafferty. Their names suit them both so well but I had never heard of Rafferty and only knew Banjo from Australian poet Banjo Patterson

LizzieAnt · 06/01/2021 21:36

Dún Laoghaire causes a few problems for visitors all right Robbybobtail Grin

Robbybobtail · 06/01/2021 21:04

Just remembered another of dd’s classmates - a Fanny! She was Swedish and a lovely little girl with long blonde plaits, she really suited the name but it did give me a bit of a giggle when my dd first told me.

17caterpillars1mouse · 06/01/2021 20:49

Dd had a Sandra in her preschool class which I thought was lovely

She now has an Apollo in her class, not so keen

When she was a small toddler there were siblings Jennifer and Laura at toddler group which I thought were quite niceb

Robbybobtail · 06/01/2021 20:27

LizzieAnt

Dh and I once went to Ireland and I did the map reading - we were staying in “Dun Leery”. Took us about an hour of driving around before we realised it was spelt Dun Laoghaire! Blush

Robbybobtail · 06/01/2021 20:24

I know a Zephyr which I love and also knew a Zenith - also really nice I think.

LizzieAnt · 06/01/2021 20:19

The Leery pronunciation of Laoghaire is an anglicised one. It is used in Ireland though - eg when speaking English, as Irish people mostly do, the town Dún Laoghaire that florascotia2 mentioned is referred to as Dun Leery. But it's an Irish language name, and the pronunciation is different when speaking in Irish.

It's not usually used as a first name now afaik, but is the origin of the (again anglicised) O'Leary surname, which is pronounced O Lay-ree in the part of Ireland I live, but may be pronounced O Leery elsewhere. Ó Laoghaire (or Ní or Uí Laoghaire for a woman) is the surname in Irish and is pronounced something like O (or Nee or Ee) Lay-reh where I'm from at least.

PainterInPeril · 06/01/2021 19:58

I spelt it wrong! I thought I might have done. It's Leire, and it is definitely Spanish. I've just listened to it being pronounced and I still can't say it!BlushGrin

VoyageInTheDark · 06/01/2021 10:46

I know of a baby Martin which feels like a very 80s name

florascotia2 · 06/01/2021 10:40

Laoghaire was not the name suggested by the Mumsnetter whose post I was commenting on.

Outlander has many errors.... for example screenrant.com/outlander-history-accurate-trivia/

But FWIW:
Laoghaire is an Irish name, not Scottish.
It's a male name. Name of an ancient high king of Ireland.
It's also a place name - a port next to Dublin
It does not appear in official Scottish Govt. lists of baby girls' names for recent years www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/names/babies-first-names/full-lists-of-babies-first-names-2010-to-2014

ErrolTheDragon · 06/01/2021 00:07

I hadn't realised Stephen had gone so far out of fashion as to be unusual. I had 3 in my primary school class, so I suppose it was overdone then but it wasn't a 'trendy' name like Kevin or Dean were in that era.

The one which surprised us was Elsie.

BikeRunSki · 05/01/2021 23:21

The most surprising name I have ever come across for a child was Polaris, at a soft play centre about 10 years ago. I checked the signing in sheet on the way out. She was definitely Polaris. I wondered if she had a sibling called Trident...

I know a 12 year old Stephen and an 11 year old Ian. Those were surprising for their ages.

BorderlineHappy · 05/01/2021 22:18

Laoghaire

pronounced Leery

Original poster
MyNameHasBeenTaken · 05/01/2021 20:37

Some of these are definitely unusual.
I said I wanted surprises.
I am surprised I have only met one arthur.
Bonhomie.
Bon Hom ee ?
Pronounced h?
Or more bon-um-ee?
Zay I like. Would have to be a short form of something for me.
Zaphod could be cool!

OP posts:
Veterinari · 05/01/2021 20:26

@florascotia2

I doubt very much that Laire is a Scottish boy's name.

Laire in Scottish Gaelic means 'lair' ie a savage animal's home or hiding place. It's pronounced approx 'Lie-ah-ruh'.

Lair in Scottish Gaelic means mare (ie female horse). It's pronounced 'Ly-re' appox.

No one said it was a Scottish boy's name. PP said it was a Scottish name. It is - though uncommon and apparently of Irish origin.

It's the name of a female character is outlander
Its spelled Laoghaire

RosesAndHellebores · 05/01/2021 20:25

Oh I dunno about Ebenezer. DH is a very canny Yorkshireman and DS was born on Christmas Day. Persuaded him to go with and old English name that meant "Guardian of the wealth" and throw in the name of one of the three wise men as well the one who brought the gold.

Lockdownlovernotfromliverpool · 05/01/2021 20:22

Was years ago but I encountered a Jamiriqui in a shop with his dm. She must have said his name about 50 times as of to make sure everyone heard.. Bizarre..

PainterInPeril · 05/01/2021 20:20

I may have spelt it wrong but the little girl's parents are Spanish, and they pronounce it with a Spanish 'r'.

BorderlineHappy · 05/01/2021 19:26

I know 2 Garys .Ones about 8 and the other is about 12,

florascotia2 · 05/01/2021 17:48

I doubt very much that Laire is a Scottish boy's name.

Laire in Scottish Gaelic means 'lair' ie a savage animal's home or hiding place. It's pronounced approx 'Lie-ah-ruh'.

Lair in Scottish Gaelic means mare (ie female horse). It's pronounced 'Ly-re' appox.

ChnandlerBong · 05/01/2021 16:54

Laire is a Scottish name....

when dh was little he had a friend called Stephen - pretty unusual even 16 years ago.....

Calmondeck · 05/01/2021 16:07

Baby boy Maverick!

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