What's happened to boys' names?

OP, those names your friend suggested the names of Wayne Rooney's kids or Britney's kids.
I'd stick to Ben personally.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 at my Daughter's private school lots and lots of children have what mumsnet consider 'chav' names.

Oh yes and Harry. So many Harry's

Almost all the kids I know are called "boring" names. Most common ones I've heard are Ollie, Alex, Arthur, Jacob, Max...

I hope you strode into your school reunion in boardroom bodycon and killer heels, maybe accessorised with a barrister's wig and a PA, and sneered at the Waynetta Slobs with their downmarket children and Primark leggings.

My DD is 4 and most of the boys in her class have fairly common names. More than one Oliver, Charlie and Harry

Here too. We actually have 3 Harrys in one class . Same surname initial too...

[quote merryhouse]@mumofEandE where would you put Tristan? (born in 2003)[/quote]
Tristan?
This would have to be an educated guess as I have never had one - but I would say he would be friends with Ben and Matthew!

I'd go with what @mumofEandE says. She knows her onions.

So you don’t like the names your friends have chosen, and they don’t like your chosen name🤷‍♀️ Personally I’m not a fan of the names you’ve said your friends have chosen and I also think that Ben is thoroughly boring. None of the names are as unpleasant as your benefits Britain comment though.

You like Ben, go with it.

My DD is 4 and most of the boys in her class have fairly common names. More than one Oliver, Charlie and Harry

Shall we skip the discussion of the sociology of names and just congratulate you on having clearly made far better life choices than your former school mates, with the whole 'prioritising your career' and giving your child the ultimate middle-class beige 'goes with anything' name?

I hope you strode into your school reunion in boardroom bodycon and killer heels, maybe accessorised with a barrister's wig and a PA, and sneered at the Waynetta Slobs with their downmarket children and Primark leggings.

As someone on Benefits, so in your snobbish manner, part of 'Benefits Britain', I have to say your comment is disgusting.

My beautiful daughter is a Freya, which is not a Jordan - Jayden type name as you suggest. Ironically, I have several companions who are not on benefits, very well off, yet have double-barrelled names for their kids of the 'Jordan - Jayden' type you mention.

I feel like Aiden/Kayden/Jayden/Hayden are very '15 years ago' already.

@NeverDropYourMooncup [Tristan goes] to Mount Kelly or Devonport Grammar School for Boys, mostly

You'd think, wouldn't you? Every time we talked about S2's classmate Tristan I had to add "no, it's not what you're thinking"

He was quite bright but definitely the toughie of the class, the bit of a handful in YR. Solidly middle of the more deprived part of the school's demographic. Uncle spent time in prison* and parents were not especially supportive of the staff (took his sister on holiday the week of her KS2 SATS, then moaned when the head got her to sit them separately but didn't include her results). As an older teenager Tristan played in the team considered aggressive by the local football community (apparently).

*tbf, the same could have been said of me...

Jordan-Jayden? Kayden-Kai? Jesus. I'd be mortified introducing my baby to folk with those names! Ben is a classic name, timeless. I'd go for traditional over any of these modern names.

Ben is super boring... like Steve or Mike yawn..

I would put money on the fact you could plot the popularity of Jayden, Kayden etc against declining incomes.

Yes, but why is that in any way a negative factor?

I don't like the Chavy names either but Ben is a bit boring tbh

I don't like Ben as a name, so thankfully we all have different tastes.

your comment about “benefits Britain” does make you sound like a snob, very condescending.

This!

I don't like any of the names your friends have suggested but I also don't like Ben I find it rather dull. If based on the names they like your friends are Benefits Britain then you must be Magnolia-walls Megan.

Thinking about it, if you assume that most Benjamins are called Ben and combining Benjamin's popularity with Ben's then it would have been the #1 name in the UK for quite a few years in the early 2000s.

I don't mind popular names. Just something to consider. Lots of boys a bit older than him.

I really like the name Benjamin and have to say I've never taught a horrible Ben - they are usually lovely boys! I don't really agree with you on the names Kian and Kai in particular. I have well educated, "professional" friends who've used those names, along with similar, more modern/on trend names like Jenson and Ezra. I think some of it stems from not wanting to name your children the same names as people you went to school with e.g I went to school with a few Bens, Jamies, Daniels - these all sound dated to me as a result, even though Benjamin, James and Daniel are all classic names. And as I'm now mid 30s, associations with school friends are fading: I could definitely see myself using Benjamin or James for example, but in my early 20s I'd not have dreamt of it as school wasn't that long ago then!

I’m not a fan of the Jayden type names, but I also don’t like Ben either. I do generally prefer more traditional names, but to me Ben is very boring - sorry. However that really isn’t important, if you like it, use it.