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Baby names

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

Original poster

It’s between these three…

36 replies

LOISJ · 15/09/2021 00:26

Husband and I due our first baby end of the year and having a boy 💙

Typically we had decided on a girls name easily 🙄but torn between 3 for our son…
It’s between Finley, Max or Connell.

We both have some Irish heritage but live in the UK. Surname is Mc….

Not sure if we are having a middle name but if so it’s likely to be James.

Any advice?

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sqirrelfriends · 15/09/2021 13:29

Max is my favourite.

I really like Finley bit it's so popular around here that I would never choose it.

Janedamaz · 15/09/2021 13:22

Love all three with a preference for Connell and Finley
I like Max but not as a full name, I would choose Maximilian with Nn Max
Agreed that Max Mc is not the best.
Congratulations!

LizzieAnt · 15/09/2021 13:15

It depends on the surname. Max McSweeney sounds silly, but Max McGuigan is ok.

Yes, ILoveShula is absolutely right. I never thought about it before, but the Mc part of surnames is pronounced a bit differently depending on the name. It's said fully as 'mac' in names like Mcsweeney, so that doesn't work very well with Max as she said. It's pronounced more as a short 'muh' sound in names like McCarthy or McGuigan (at least where I am in Ireland) so Max works much better then.

Dinosauraddict · 15/09/2021 13:09

Out of the three names I prefer Max but don't think it goes well with a Mc surname. I know a lot of Finleys who have been born in the last couple years so that would put me off, and around here Connells is an estate agent! Don't think I've been much help here!

ILoveShula · 15/09/2021 12:56

It depends on the surname. Max McSweeney sounds silly, but Max McGuigan is ok

Not keen on Finley or Connell but both ok

LizzieAnt · 15/09/2021 12:15

Connell isn't much used as a first name in Ireland tbh, it's too similar to the surname to be popular, I suppose. Conall, or its variant Conal, are used more, but are still fairly rare. (In 2020, for example, Conall was ranked at no.165, Conal at no.324 and Connell at no.496 in boys' babynames.) I'd personally never come across Connell used as a first name until Normal People.

LizzieAnt · 15/09/2021 11:58

No, it's definitely not CONE-al!! It's CUN-al Smile

Original poster
LOISJ · 15/09/2021 11:32

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. A mix of responses! We don’t like Finn so much assumption is if Finley he’ll have it shortened lot. The good thing about Max is that it’s short and sweet.

@LizzieAnt thank you for that. Definitely going for Connell then rather than Conal. I had no idea it was pronounced CONE-al. I was thinking Connell like the character in Normal People

OP posts:
LizzieAnt · 15/09/2021 11:17

[quote LOISJ]@whatausername yes I think I that’s the traditional Irish spelling but as we live in England we’d likely spell it the Anglicised way. Same pronunciation though (I think)[/quote]
Conall and Connell are not actually pronounced the same OP, as you can hear in the link below. (I prefer Conall.) Max is good too, but I prefer Finn to Finley.

forvo.com/word/conall/

ADreadedSunnyDay · 15/09/2021 09:36

Finn would work

MurphyBhoy · 15/09/2021 09:33

Max
Conal (spelt like this)

Don't like Finley at all but love Finn.

ADreadedSunnyDay · 15/09/2021 09:32

No to Max and Connell with a Mc surname - it sounds contrived and possibly quite difficult to say depending on the surname
If you are in Scotland there will be loads of Finleys, Finlays and Findlays in the class / school

I would rethink to be honest.

Lemonlemon88 · 15/09/2021 09:27

I think Maxwell would be better with a Mc surname. Finley would be my next choice, I like Conor more then Connell and prefer Conor overall.

RumblyMumbly · 15/09/2021 09:26

Max Mc hands down winner!

But yes say it out loud with your surname to check it works.

TwinsandTrifle · 15/09/2021 09:21

Maxwell. Maximilian. Shortened to Max.

bloominglovelyorange · 15/09/2021 09:19

Finley gets my vote too. I love it

StrawberrySanta · 15/09/2021 08:04

Max McDonald doesnt go but Max McKenzie would so Mac could possibly work. Finley is okay. Never heard of Connel, not keen. I quite like Fin as a NN for Finley

Elisemum · 15/09/2021 08:03

Sorry lots of spelling mistakes there but you get my point I’m sure

Elisemum · 15/09/2021 08:02

All names are lovely to be honest. I don’t know how people say a name is “boring”. Does every name has to sound made-up and makes you scratch your head in thinking how to pronounce it? Your names are simple, straight forward and normal- all very nice so pick the one you like. I’ve picked Sean for my baby to be born next week and I also heard some comments that it is “boring”. To be it’s normal, simple and class

Wole · 15/09/2021 08:01

Finley

Max Mc is a no go for me

Didydani · 15/09/2021 07:42

First of all, congratulations op! :) and secondly, I like max the most out of those names 😊.

MaverickDanger · 15/09/2021 07:26

Connell.

We had all three on our list but went with Lachlan. I’ve since met two Finley’s the same age as DS & glad we didnt go with Max as every other dog where we live seems to be called Max!

BeKindBeYou · 15/09/2021 07:17

I’d say Finley 💙

Scarby9 · 15/09/2021 06:59

Finley for me.

OrangeAndYellowAndBlue · 15/09/2021 06:56

Max Mc... is a very cool sounding name!