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Baby names

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

Original poster

Valentine for a boy

56 replies

HolyMusicalBman · 03/03/2021 09:39

First off, no he wouldn't be born in February, more like July. I just want to see your opinions on the name. Maybe some nicknames you'd use for a little boy called Valentine. We're thinking Tino or Vali so far. Thanks.

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IamnotwhouthinkIam · 03/03/2021 18:40

OP, have you considered the Valentin spelling instead? It's top 50 in countries like France, Germany and Austria and slightly more popular than Valentine in the UK too (possibly because that spelling/pronunciation is less obviously linked with' St Valentine).

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 03/03/2021 18:32

[quote Ismellphantoms]@IamnotwhouthinkIam It's an English name used for hundreds of years. It's not foreign or exotic. My DH's family are William, Stephen, Charles and Valentine through many generations. [/quote]
I'm aware of that, but the fact is it's very uncommon now (only 22 boys named it last year in the UK) - so it will sound exotic to many people because Valentine variations (Valentin or Valentino) are much more commonly used in other countries.

Ismellphantoms · 03/03/2021 14:23

@IamnotwhouthinkIam It's an English name used for hundreds of years. It's not foreign or exotic. My DH's family are William, Stephen, Charles and Valentine through many generations.

Pugdoglife · 03/03/2021 14:00

I prefer Valentin or Valentino but valentine is lovely too.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 03/03/2021 13:54

bother not both, sorry!

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 03/03/2021 13:54

By the way, I wasn't specifically saying that people shouldn't use the name Valentine - just that some names will sound more normal or less surprising in some cultures/nationalities than others.

I wouldn't think anything of it if I met an Italian man called Andrea or Nicola, but I'd think it an unusual choice for parents with a 100% British background to call their son by one of these names.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 03/03/2021 13:54

Nice but sounds quite exotic/European to me - I think I'd struggle to imagine it on an ordinary British bloke (are you in the UK?). Maybe that means I need more imagination...

I imagine he'd get called Val though, unless you stick to Vali/Tino from day 1 - would that both you? (Doesn't seem to have mattered for Val Kilmer).

Ismellphantoms · 03/03/2021 13:30

Valentine is a family name of my DH. His grandfather and all generations going back to the 18th century have had this name. Usually nicknamed Val. It's a historic British name and was prevalent in Kent. Time to bring it back!

BastardAnts · 03/03/2021 13:30

It’s a Saint’s name, a perfectly proper name
I think it’s fantastic. Don’t have boys but definitely on the list if I did.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 03/03/2021 13:13

Fair enough if you have a nationality/ethnicity/heritage/a family link to a specific culture where something is a common name, but they can otherwise sound very incongruous.

We're boringly white British for several generations back, so it would seem extremely odd if we were to call a baby Gurminder or Kwame, even though these are far from uncommonly-given names to babies in Britain.

partyatthepalace · 03/03/2021 12:56

I like it, but I suspect he might find it annoying so I wouldn’t

golddustwomen · 03/03/2021 10:40

I really like it!

alsodetoxing · 03/03/2021 10:40

No!!!

He would be called Tintin.

DarcyJack · 03/03/2021 10:38

Ds 26 best friend is Valentin (eastern European) nn Val No problems at all no one thinks anything of it - great name.

KindleAndCake · 03/03/2021 10:22

I really like it.

EssentialHummus · 03/03/2021 10:20

Perfectly ordinary name in the Russian community. I know several, all shortened to Val.

PurBal · 03/03/2021 10:18

I like it, but I wouldn't do it personally. Too many jokes to be made unfortunately.

toomanycremeeggs · 03/03/2021 10:17

Oh goodness awful. Poor child- don't do it!!

Branleuse · 03/03/2021 10:14

I have only heard it as Valentin for a boy.

bananamonkey · 03/03/2021 10:11

Valentino is nicer imo

Beetlewing · 03/03/2021 10:10

Dawn o'Porter has a Valentine. I love it. Vally, Lenny all good

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 03/03/2021 10:10

x-posted with Jake

TheVanguardSix · 03/03/2021 10:10

I love it! One of the nicest parents at DD's former primary school was named Valentine. I had a second cousin too named Valentine Lamb - great name. Val for short. Our neighbour's 7-year-old boy is Valentine.

MaverickDanger · 03/03/2021 10:10

I know a Valentin & really like it for a non Feb baby.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 03/03/2021 10:09

Val Doonican's (he of the jumpers and rocking chair) full name was Valentine. I think the issue is that a three-syllable name is always going to get shortened and the logical abbreviation is Val - which everybody assumes is a female name. Then again, you don't get all that many Vals/Valeries these days - it's quite a 'middle-aged' name.

How are you pronouncing Tino? Presumably to rhyme with Beano? Problem is it doesn't naturally sound to come from the original name, so I don't think people would connect the two or 'take to' it.

Why don't you just go for Valentino (and then obviously Tino for short)? I think that sounds funkier and a bit less old-fashioned.

If you're set on Valentine, I suppose 'Len' could be another abbreviation might make Father Ted fans want to say "Don't call me Len!" though

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