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Baby names

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

Original poster

Baby Boys Name: Leo, Rory or Joshua?

59 replies

SBC0511 · 01/06/2021 16:27

Hello everyone

My wife and I are expecting a baby boy in the very near future, and we’re really stuck between 3 names - Leo, Rory and Joshua.

We have pros and cons for all 3 but really struggling to decide which one to go for! We’ve been back and forth for week if not months!

I’m interested to gauge some opinions on these names, what you like/dislike about them and why and how you’d rank these names in terms of best to worst etc

Any thoughts to help make our decision that little bit easier will be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

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Serpenta · 01/06/2021 23:37

I think the name Rory would be tricky if you lived in South Korea or somewhere else where R can be pronounced as L but I'm assuming you don't! I'm like a pp have never met a person who couldn't say their Rs

Leo and Rory are both nice.

Joshua is a nice name but I think it should go have a lie down for about 30 years and then come back all fresh and sassy.

sarah13xx · 01/06/2021 23:31

I prefer Rory because I know less of them! All nice names

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 01/06/2021 22:58

I like cool, fun Leo despite it's popularity - and a nn could be Lev? (international variation of Leo).

Although there is nothing wrong with them, I'm less keen on the sound of Rory and Joshua personally- plus Rory feels slightly trendy to me, and Joshua the opposite (as it feels like it was very popular 20 - 30 years ago).

Tillygetsit · 01/06/2021 22:37

I really like all 3 names but in this order
Leo, Rory, Joshua.

inmyslippers · 01/06/2021 21:12

Great name choices! I like Leo best, but I have one so I am biased

RedcurrantPuff · 01/06/2021 21:06

I love Rory and Leo is lovely too

Not keen on Joshua

DramaAlpaca · 01/06/2021 20:54

I love Rory and Leo.

Not too keen on Joshua.

Drunkenmonkey · 01/06/2021 19:56

I love Rory and Leo. I have a Rory and he has only just learnt to say his r's at age 4, so he was Wowy. It was cute and not an issue at all. You can't predict which sounds your child will struggle with. I know a child who says Cirrian rather than Cillian, so he can say his r's but not his l's.
Leo is a fab name but very popular, it is a cool name though and we were tempted but it sounded a bit too lion next to Rory. I'm not keen on Joshua, I dislike Josh and I know lots of Josh's my age.

17caterpillars1mouse · 01/06/2021 19:25

Leo - it's nice, I want to like it but it's too popular for me. I know 3 5 year old Leo's, two of which are in my daughters class then I also know 2 baby Leo's and a Leonardo nn Leo

Rory - I know two Rory's, one 5, one 2. I quite like it

Joshua - I actually know no children called Joshua. This is my favourite from your list, although they are all nice. I'm not the biggest fan of Josh though

KirstenBlest · 01/06/2021 19:25

I know a few who can't say their Rs. Would definitely not pick Rory as it would be Wowy or Vovy.

partyatthepalace · 01/06/2021 19:23

I like them all - Rory is super popular and Leo pretty popular so I’d go for Joshua.

shallIswim · 01/06/2021 19:22

Leo
Rory
Joshua (not keen)

Original poster
SBC0511 · 01/06/2021 19:00

@TatianaBis

I’ve only ever met one person in my life who couldn’t say their Rs.
This is a fair repoint actually. I also don’t really know anyone who can’t pronounce there R’s!
OP posts:
TatianaBis · 01/06/2021 18:57

I’ve only ever met one person in my life who couldn’t say their Rs.

TatianaBis · 01/06/2021 18:56

I like all of them. But there are so many Leos and Joshes that I would go for Rory.

Original poster
SBC0511 · 01/06/2021 18:54

Thanks everyone for your input. Really interesting to see people’s different views and opinions

OP posts:
OnlyTheLangOfTheTitberg · 01/06/2021 18:26

All nice names, Leo is my favourite. My friend’s DH is a Leo and he’s often simply known as “L” as a nickname.

Children’s peers determine the nickname anyway, and with boys it’s often based on their surname rather than first name IME (or something completely illogical which has nothing to do with their name at all - I know a Jack whose nickname is Pep, for some complicated football-related reason I can’t even remember now).

Disfordarkchocolate · 01/06/2021 18:23

Leon (far better than Leo
Leo
Joshua
Rory

LesLavandes · 01/06/2021 18:21

I have a Ruairí and no problems with pronouncing but writing it is more difficult!

KirstenBlest · 01/06/2021 18:18

You can't control what nn your DC get at school.

Watchingthetelly · 01/06/2021 17:37

All good names. Personally I prefer names that you can’t shorten, so Leo and Rory both work for me in that regard.

Original poster
SBC0511 · 01/06/2021 17:33

Thanks for your response. Sorry I didn’t make myself overly clear. What I meant by you can’t shorten/lengthen Leo is I’m not a fan of what you can shorten/lengthen too, Lee or Leonardo etc. So it would just be Leo.

I like the idea of a short snappy (1 syllable) version of a name (Like Josh for Joshua, Ol for Oliver etc.) - not a big problem by any means, but goes in my ‘con’ column

OP posts:
KirstenBlest · 01/06/2021 17:17

Leo - you can’t lengthen or shorten it
Yes you can. Lee, Leonardo. I know a few of different ages. One is a Leonid, the others just Leo. One gets called Leonardo quite a lot.

Rory - Different but not out there
Probably more popular than you think. Names starting with R are currently trendy. Fine unless you can't say R.

Joshua - Josh
Classic but I'm not keen. Seems a 1990s name.

spookybitches · 01/06/2021 17:16

Favourite is Rory. So what if a small majority might not pronounce it right?

Joshua is so dull, and Leo is getting too popular now

Lullabymummy17 · 01/06/2021 17:12

We are having a Joshua in a few weeks so this is my favourite from your list. Grin

Agree with the children pronouncing Rory as Wowey... would still sound cute when they say it though and it wouldn't be forever.

I'm not over keen on Leo.

Maybe wait until you see him. He might just suit one of your names 😊

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