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Baby names

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

Original poster

Walt/Wilf etc?

28 replies

Bunappetite · 06/07/2021 19:19

What do you think of these as full names? Any other alternatives? We want a short one syllable name

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Rubyrecka · 09/07/2021 09:09

Walt is a bit American for me.
I prefer Wilfred to Wilf

Original poster
Bunappetite · 09/07/2021 09:00

Thanks for the input all. They aren't top of my list, just names I hear and think the would sound lovely with our surname and are more unusual and wondered what people thought as standalone names. I agree they would probably need to be abbreviated longer names.

Seth is really lovely. @IamnotwhouthinkIam I'm definitely drawn to that one! We are steering away from any popular names but DH said he does like Hugo but wouldn't use it and I would be the same with the name Ralph. We both know lots of them but think they are nice names if that helps with what else we may like.

OP posts:
Goldenoodle · 09/07/2021 07:48

We have a Wilf 😁

Short for Wilfred. Sometimes we call him Fred, sometimes it's Wilf.

When you said Walt and Wilf together that took me back to primary school. As I remember the We Are Learning Today acronym. I hadn't thought of that in years and it didn't cross my mind when we names our son.

cariadlet · 09/07/2021 06:58

@Cbeebiesrehab

I’m a primary school teacher and I didn’t think of this. I thought of them as names…as the OP asked. Sometimes I think people try and be funny rather than actually offering constructive advice or opinions🙄

I wasn't trying to be funny; it was genuinely my first thought as it will be for a lot of people.

cariadlet · 09/07/2021 06:57

Wilf is ok but Walt has too many negative associations eg Walter the Softy (Beano) or Where's Wally. It's very close to wally (slang for idiot).

cariadlet · 09/07/2021 06:52

@Scarby9

WALT - We are learning to... WILF - What I'm looking for... will be most primary teacher and teaching assistant's Pavlovian response! But both reasonable names, taken separately. I prefer Wilf.

That was my first thought and I had a few moments of confusion when I saw that it was on the baby names board.

Definitely not a good idea to use both names for twins. 😊

Saltyslug · 09/07/2021 06:41

Seth is also a good un

Saltyslug · 09/07/2021 06:40

Wilf is great, I also like Rafe

peaceinourtime · 09/07/2021 06:27

I like the name Walter, use the full time and have seen shorting of Walt of course and Walty with is cute.
I know of someone who goes my Woof as a nickname their name is Graham. Lots of possibilities.

Lisamonwesaa · 09/07/2021 02:05

Both are dreadful sorry

DeedledeDee · 09/07/2021 02:00

Fred
Sam
Ben
Stan
Bert
Sid
Bill
Dan
Greg
Joe
Neil /Niall
Pete
Tom

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 09/07/2021 01:48

@Bunappetite, Seth is a good choice imo - perfect mix of contemporary sounding yet not too popular (since it's hovered just inside/ just outside of the top 100 over the last 15 years) , but it is traditional (Biblical and used by various classic authors) and easy to spell/well known.

Original poster
Bunappetite · 09/07/2021 00:06

@IamnotwhouthinkIam oh, I love Seth!!

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IamnotwhouthinkIam · 08/07/2021 03:03

Sorry but I think he will get fed up saying "No, it's just Walt, not Walter" or "Wilf, not Wilfred" - so I wouldn't do it (it's not like Jack, Max, Harry etc where they are really well used as separate names).

There are a lot of nice, underused one syllable names though - if ones like traditional James, George, Charles, John, Mark, Luke etc are too popular or well known:

Hugh?
Seth?
Heath?
Flynn?
Rhys?
Sean?
Laith?
Joel?
Lev?

SherbertLemons · 07/07/2021 23:33

I really like Walter. Will probably use it as a muddle name if I ever have a son. It's DPs grandpa's name and a family name for me too. I've always liked it. The Disney association doesn't bother me, I like Walt as an abbreviation. Appreciate its not everyone's taste but what name is

SoMuchForSummerLove · 07/07/2021 22:43

Both are dreadfully drippy names. Awful.

MyLifeNow20 · 07/07/2021 22:35

My 6 yr DD would have been Wilfred (Wilfie) and that was way before Boris baby
I love Wilfie

TheNameTheWebsiteForgot · 06/07/2021 21:04

Prefer Ralph.

Cbeebiesrehab · 06/07/2021 20:57

I’m a primary school teacher and I didn’t think of this. I thought of them as names…as the OP asked. Sometimes I think people try and be funny rather than actually offering constructive advice or opinions🙄

IWantT0BreakFree · 06/07/2021 20:44

So, moving on from primary school abbreviation lessons....

You asked what people thought and you got some truthful answers. For anyone who works in a primary school, for primary aged children and for lots of parents this will be the connection they make. I don't know why on earth people ask for opinions and then get snippy when they get what they asked for.

Original poster
Bunappetite · 06/07/2021 20:41

So, moving on from primary school abbreviation lessons....

OP posts:
Scarby9 · 06/07/2021 20:25

Quadruplets:
WALT
WILF
WAGOLL
and ALF

Cbeebiesrehab · 06/07/2021 20:02

Like Wilf. Don’t like Walt (and I don’t like the Walt Disney association…)

Biscuitsneeded · 06/07/2021 19:59

Why not go the whole hog and have WAGOLL?

stellarfox · 06/07/2021 19:46

I prefer Walter and Wilfred but a lot of names are getting shortened at the moment

Frank?