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Baby names

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

Original poster

Cecily on a boy?

157 replies

AnneBoleyn6 · 03/09/2021 23:25

So my wife really likes Cecily for a boy (usually pronounced Sess-ill-lee, but comes out more like Sess-lee when talking fast).

I love the name Cecily, but I don't know about it for a boy. We both don't really like Cecil. We do like traditionally girl names on boys, though.

I just am not completely sold. What do you think? Can you help me love it?

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Marcipex · 07/09/2021 23:48

I know a boy named Willow and another boy called Stacey. The usual response from adults is pity for the child.
Cecily is much much worse.

Buttercup54321 · 07/09/2021 23:42

Utterly stupid and cruel. You will set him up for a lifetime of ridicule and bullying.
Seth?

AutumnOctober · 06/09/2021 03:32

Please, don't.

k1233 · 06/09/2021 03:20

I went to school with a guy called Stacey. First year in high school he couldn't find his allocated locker - it was in the girls change rooms.

Don't remember him being teased but would think he was to an extent.

RubySlippers123 · 06/09/2021 02:55

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Sue is much better.
🤣
Redsquirrel5 · 06/09/2021 02:38

It would be awful as a boys name. I had a great uncle Cecil and I had a friend at school Cecily it is very much a feminine name. There are other choices. Why do you like traditionally girls names on boys?
So many lovely names to chose from but if your that keen on Uni sex names what about Taylor, Tyler, Rowan, Ashley, Jayden, Charlie, Frankie,Sam etc.

Anon778833 · 06/09/2021 02:20

This reminds me of the thread where the OP wanted to call her girl Christopher Hmm

Anon778833 · 06/09/2021 02:18

No. It's a girls name.

RoseMartha · 06/09/2021 02:15

No

mathanxiety · 06/09/2021 02:13

...the only Cecily I know is Cecily Strong from SNL, so most people wouldn't immediately know it was a girl name?

I disagree. Most people don't live in caves any more.

MsTSwift · 05/09/2021 20:54

Listen to “A Boy Named Sue” by Jonny cash

heythere2022 · 05/09/2021 20:47

hmm... I think you'd get a lot of odd looks naming a boy Cecily...

Hdhdjejdj · 05/09/2021 19:13

Stop trying to prove how cool you are and start being a parent.

headintheproverbial · 05/09/2021 19:08

May as well call him Janet.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 05/09/2021 18:05

Gawd, this is why I wouldn’t trust some people to name a hamster, never mind a child!

That's very hurtful - one of our dear (late) hamsters was called Custard and we always enthused over what a perfect, delightful name that would make for a baby - unisex too Grin

RosesAndHellebores · 05/09/2021 13:02

Don't be ridiculous

There are unisex options although still awful.

Hilary
Vyvyan
Leslie
Evelyn
Robin
Josslin (Joss is quite nice)
Ashley
Francis
Could Lysander work?

FWIW 23 year of dd has lots of Celia/Cecily/Cicely/Cecilia in her age group.

Cecil's, Cyril (Cyril has a nice shabby chic time to it). A new Stanley/Reggie/Albert?

Urghhhhh · 05/09/2021 12:59

@Mybalconyiscracking

Gawd, this is why I wouldn’t trust some people to name a hamster, never mind a child!
Lol, very well put! It amounts to child abuse and the baby is not even here!
WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 05/09/2021 12:54

Assuming this is legit - and isn't meant to be 'satire' - it really does seem to be deliberately looking for a problem where there isn't one. There are tens of thousands of boys' names and tens of thousands of girls' names - why look for ways to make something simple complicated?

Lucked · 05/09/2021 09:23

Nope it is awful, I also don’t even like it for a girl.

Where is this place you live where boys are given girls names and can you give examples of boys you know?

Hillary is a unisex name also ending in a ‘y’

Bimblybomeyelash · 05/09/2021 09:13

I wouldn’t use it for a boy.

What about:
Clement
Gideon
Nathaniel
Jonty
Lucas
Silas
Julian

peanutnest · 05/09/2021 08:52

Absolutely not!!

Elisemum · 04/09/2021 21:22

I genuinely hope this is some kind of joke? Are you bored on a Saturday night and had one pint too many? Or are you really serious? As others suggested why don’t you change your own name to Cecily? Or Rebecca? Or perhaps Lilly? All great names for a man don’t you think? 😂

MirandaBlu · 04/09/2021 20:26

How about a name similar in structure/sound that doesn't skew exclusively female in an English-language context?

For example:
Anthony
Avery
Barnaby
Cassidy
Emory
Geoffrey
Gregory
Hilary
Jeremy
Romilly
Timothy
Vassili
Wesley
Zachary

JaninaDuszejko · 04/09/2021 15:17

Names usually transition from girls to boys - if you want a couple of recent ones, try Shirley (Big Daddy, the wrestler) or Marion (John Wayne)

Fun fact. Shirley was a boys name until Charlotte Bronte wrote Shirley about a girl whose parents wanted a boy and so gave their daughter a boys name. Marion also was originally a boys name.

OP, there are lots of male names that people think of as feminine or are homophones of female names. Along with Shirley and Marion there's Lesley, Lindsay, Florence, Lyn, Hilary, Evelyn, Aubrey, Francis, Ashley, Robin, Caroll, Kelly, Lee, Stacey, Tracey, Jordan. Not to mention nn like Bobby, Chris, Sandy, Billy, Danny, Jackie, Joe, and Nicky.

davidrosejumper · 04/09/2021 14:47

Children are not for experimenting on, or accessories to prove their parents are cool, or to further an agenda with. Children just want to fit in.