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Baby names

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

Rupert

30 replies

Roundncircles · 05/01/2021 18:32

I need help as I'm really struggling to move past this. We called our son Rupert as it was my husbands favourite name. It took me a while to come round to it, as I thought it was a bit 'out there' - he is our second child. To me it's quite an upper class, very English name, and I didn't realise until recently that it was a slang term for a bit of a useless army officer 😟. I am from a very working class Irish background, my husband is English and we live in England. I have always wanted to go with my Grandads name if I ever had a son, but my husband didn't think it quite worked with our surname and I was really sad about it. So, as my husband really loved Rupert, we went with it. When we announced the name, a few people laughed about it and it made me feel really self conscious about it. I always assumed we would have another child, and then I could have a name that I loved, but it wasn't until my son was a few months old, with the name firmly embedded that my husband made it very clear that he didn't want any more children. Anyway, cut to five years later, and I very much resent my husband for both of these things and I am finding it really hard to get past them. My son is the most precious thing in the world to me, and I hate that I am self conscious about his name. To be clear, I am very conscious of not projecting any of this on to my son and making him feel anything other than love for his own name.

OP posts:
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Jonahroo · 05/01/2021 21:39

It's a lovely name and I have never heard any slang terms associated with it.

Firebird83 · 05/01/2021 21:02

I agree that Rupert doesn’t have the upper class connotations that it used to. It’s quite mainstream now. I know a Rupert from a working class family.

Horsebox36 · 05/01/2021 20:36

Hi there
Very similar situation myself so I understand how you feel. As time has gone on, I've had to let it become less of an issue. His name suits him and I do like it but I still resent my husband!
Try to let it go. By the way, I love the name Rupert, I think it's greatSmile

FluffyEggsontoast · 05/01/2021 20:21

Just wanted to say that Rupert is no longer so so strongly associated with a particular class
I know babies on council estate called Rupert and Hugo

OloBo · 05/01/2021 19:05

That must be so difficult on both counts, I’m sorry!

Ultimately, it’s you who has to be ok with it, but for what it’s worth, I think it’s a really lovely name and I wanted to use it but couldn’t. Not everyone shares the opinion of the strange/rude people who judged it negatively and felt it appropriate to comment.

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