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Baby names

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

Middle name for River

163 replies

heyitshol · 30/08/2021 10:07

Hi all. After considering middle names for Ada I'm also thinking about first name River. Any MN suggestions? Thanks x

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MintyGreenDream · 30/08/2021 19:47

River Rose

manhattenrain · 30/08/2021 19:39

I love River! Gorgeous on both boys and girls. It's on my list.

River Jasmine
River Juliet
River Scarlet
River Grace
River Hazel

Mousetown · 30/08/2021 19:13

River really isn’t that unusual. I know of 2.
It’s not exactly a new name either. River Phoenix was born in 1970.

CoronaPeroni · 30/08/2021 19:13

@iknowimcoming but Riva's an established name! Grin Ok, more of a longish vowel sound but definitely not a 'quirky' spelling

summerhillgang · 30/08/2021 19:10

Beautiful name I think.

iknowimcoming · 30/08/2021 18:29

@CoronaPeroni

I think I would spell it Riva and followed by a second short name like Joy or Rose or Ann
I'm not keen on River but giving it a 'quirky' spelling makes it 1000 times worse IMO
iknowimcoming · 30/08/2021 18:25

@amillionrosepetals

I bet Tom Cruise's kids are glad they didn't get called River.
Well played Grin
redpickle · 30/08/2021 17:29

The River Adur is in Sussex, so for me River and 'Ada' don't go together. I think River is such a statement name that it should stand alone, without a middle name.

CallMeNutribullet · 30/08/2021 17:23

Throughout this entire thread my head keeps going:
"There's a River that's born to be a giv-er"

CallMeNutribullet · 30/08/2021 17:21

Phoenix?

HoldingTheDoor · 30/08/2021 17:20

When you're using an unusual first name, I think it makes sense to go with a more ordinary middle name to give them options and to balance it out. Also, personally I think it works best with a one or three middle syllable name, though the surname may change that.

Chunkymenrock · 30/08/2021 17:17

Here we go again with the Rose/Mae/Grace dull as ditchwater suggestions. 🙄 Be a bit more original. They are everywhere.

shinynewapple21 · 30/08/2021 17:09

I think River Mae sounds nice

(Please not River Rae though. This is an actual river )

anguauberwaldironfoundersson · 30/08/2021 17:01

It's not a name I'd choose as it just reminds me of Doctor Who

exactly Grin

HoldingTheDoor · 30/08/2021 16:59

It's a preference. There are plenty of commonly used names that I don't care for either.

wincarwoo · 30/08/2021 16:56

@HoldingTheDoor

No. Stop trying to psychoanalyse people who disagree with you. I just think it's a bad name, as I'm allowed to. I'm sure there are names that you don't particularly care for.
Preferences are fine prejudices aren't.
Ingridla · 30/08/2021 16:53

Nile, Deep

No, I think it's a lovely first. name but maybe doesn't necessarily need a middle...

HoldingTheDoor · 30/08/2021 16:53

No. Stop trying to psychoanalyse people who disagree with you. I just think it's a bad name, as I'm allowed to. I'm sure there are names that you don't particularly care for.

wincarwoo · 30/08/2021 16:43

I'm wondering whether the detractors are expressing their own silly prejudices whilst hiding behind concern for the successful future of anyone with a unusual/rare name.

notacooldad · 30/08/2021 16:22

Can you imagine a 50 year old woman introducing herself as River?

I can't. It's a ridiculous name on an adult

My sister has a similar name along the same lines.
I haven't met anyone one else with the same name. She is 53 now.
Nobody falls about laughing when she says her name. She works in law and has done very well for herself so her name hasn't stopped her getting promotion after promotion over the decades. She had no problem with uni however 'ridiculous her name is on an adult'
Perhaps it's your imagination that is limiting you

I also know a lot of people called Brook both m and f, isn't that similar to River? Nothing wrong with that either.

TheWayTheLightFalls · 30/08/2021 16:11

I think one of Jamie Oliver’s kids (boy?) is River, possibly River Rocket. There was a thread on here a while ago that ended with the suggestion of River O’Liver.

CoronaPeroni · 30/08/2021 15:57

@Marimaur

'How stupid. Do parents not have a single iota of common sense anymore?'

Bit extreme Grin

Did you mean ex-stream? Grin

frazzledfragglefromfragglerock · 30/08/2021 15:57

My cousins baby is River Poppy

blitzen · 30/08/2021 15:41

Phoenix

Northernsoullover · 30/08/2021 15:27

@amillionrosepetals

I bet Tom Cruise's kids are glad they didn't get called River.
Grin