Apparently my sons have ‘naughty boy’ names…

I've known a Lewis who was head boy of his school and a Lewis who climbed bookshelves and swore at teachers.

I've known an Aaron who almost got expelled twice and an Aaron who looked and behaved like a little angel at almost all times.

All four were at private schools too so not a class thing. Children are children

Those are both beautiful names, I don’t know any other Arrans but all the Lewis’ I know, young and old, are lovely, successful and not in the least bit naughty. It’s a very strange comment for your friend to have made and I would have asked her what she meant by it and given her a very quizzical look that would have made her feel pretty silly.

Apparently my little boy has a naughty name, I've seen it mentioned on these types of threads a few times. His name is Callum and I love it. As it happens, he has autism and is the sweetest, gentlest little boy who LOVES to follow the rules. He has meltdowns at times when he can't cope, but they are very different from being naughty.

I don't see them as naughty boy names.

I realised early on that two of my boys have naughty big names. Sadly they were aptly named!

@Calphurnia88 I think I agree with you - it's not the name itself (a collection of letters) that determines someone's character. Rather it's our association between a name and that person's character. If we meet enough 'naughty' people called X, we start to associate the name X with someone naughty.

And going a step further, perhaps certain types of people prefer certain names. And if those parents have a certain parenting style, perhaps there IS a correlation between names and character/behaviour?

@FreyaStorm

There’s literally no point. These people don’t want to be educated. All you’ll get (all you ever get) is a bunch of coy comments if ‘I’m just saying every Jayden I’VE ever met was naughty. Of course it’s not a judgement, just all the ones I’ve ever met, it’s just MY experience.’

I once saw a teacher on one of these threads talking about how her and her TA have a ‘good giggle’ over the lists while they judge children on their incoming classes based on their name. I was definitely judging, but not little kids called Jackson and Nevaeh. I was judging grown adults who sneer and smirk at others. Normal people don’t need to make others small to make themselves seem bigger.

This ☝️

Please start a thread as a lot of people need to get educated.

Anyway, your friend is nasty, op. I don't think I'd bother with her anymore.

I don't mean that it's true American children with those names are naughty just that those might be the names that are judged/sneered at the most in the USA.

Eleanor is on the American naughty list there whereas in the UK it's a very mumsnetty type name.

Quite... This is what I'm saying (that the name doesn't determine someone's character, but someone's character can lead you to have negative associations with a name).

Not sure if you're agreeing or arguing with me here 😅

That's an American article so maybe it's not bollocks there.

There are certain names I consider to be 'naughty' but it has nothing to do with the name; it's entirely down to my experience of the person

And if you meet several naughty Xs then you associate X as a naughty name.

Of course it's not the name itself that determines someone's character!!

Why do people feel the need to bring others down with nasty little snide comments?
Gets on my goat.

Personally think that Arran and Lewis are lovely names, op.

Oh wow, didn't realise other people had mentioned Dylan too 😂

Tis a load of nonsense- i remember being told that Dylan was the naughtiest name (although I quite like it!)

It’s racism and classism.

@Kanaloa completely agree.

It disgusts me that the bigotry and discrimination that my Irish ancestors first faced when they migrated to the UK over a century ago is still evident in 2022. And the fact that many are completely oblivious as to its existence. But that's a whole other thread!

There are certain names I consider to be 'naughty' but it has nothing to do with the name; it's entirely down to my experience of the person (school bullies, bad flatmates, etc). For that reason I wouldn't have called my child any of these names, but I wouldn't bat an eyelid if one of my friends chose one for theirs. If anything it would create a lovely new association.

Agree with other posters that on Mumsnet 'naughty names ' usually means working class or chavvy.

Anyway, Lewis and Arran are lovely names, with a sweet backstory.

yes @Kanaloa I agree, I think there is far more fear of ''foreign'' in the uk than in other countries. I feel a bit sorry for the ordinary people in the UK still treading that tight rope so carefully. There's a lot of travel in and out of the UK so although it's an extremely diverse country, it's still a place where there is one establishment at the top really. One correct accent.

In Ireland I feel like there are at least three, the traditional political or catholic establishment, academic or intellectual elites, and the artsy /wealthy / well known elites. There's less sense that there is one right way of doing things. One way of speaking. ONE ideal to idealise.

Also Scottish and think they are wonderful names! Pretty classic and definitely not weird in any way! I know many many boys named Lewis here, there were at least 3 in DS year.

I have seen snobby remarks on forums before about names but they've been of the Kayden/Jayden/Nevaeh/Chardonnay type.

@SeanChailleach , Why? The threads usually ask for opinions. IRL people say things like 'oh that's nice'. Not are you sure you want to call your child Ian or Sean with no scottish or irish connection, because in 50 yrs time those names will have dated badly.

What nonsense from your friend.

Thinking of the top of my head about people in the public who were fined recently, for being naughty, the first two names that come to mind are Boris and Rishi.

I love those names! I would love the name Skye for a third.
Inis is an Irish Island too, ''INNish'' we'd say. I like it.

I think England is a very classist country still and there's a lot of fear among people who are terrified they'll give their child a name that doesn't revere the one and only accepted culture. ie, kings and queens' names. If the name sounds wrong with Prince or Queen before it then it's chav! Or maybe it's, you know, spanish? or Indian or Irish. Nope. It's chav.

Princess Beatrice named her daughter Siena which I don't think would have passed the very high bar on mumsnet. So ironically when you know that nobody is judging you for being chav you can go ahead and use whatever name you like.

Both lovely, strong names with a connection to their heritage.
Ignore silly friend

They're not what I'd think of as naughty boy names!
Not that there is such a thing officially but I think of names like Nathan and Kane as naughty boy names but I probably because of the boys in my class at school 😉

She doesn’t sound much of a friend. I wouldn’t bother too much with her. I mean what next - your sons have ‘geeky kid’ haircuts? Or ‘toff looking’ clothes? It’s rude. You don’t make disparaging comments on choices your friends have made.

It’s a common thread on mumsnet. Usually about perfectly normal names. It’s especially prolific if the name is not traditional English, and especially if it is popular among the working classes. It’s racism and classism. Nothing more. I mean look at the ‘Layla’ thread running right now. Laughing posts about how it’s a ‘stripper’ name or a ‘porn’ name. It’s an Arabic name. Same with any Irish name. It’s a horrible ‘naughty’ name. No, it’s just Irish. Or American, African, anything that isn’t William for a boy and Olivia for a girl is disgusting and horrible.

I would count yourself one ‘friend’ down and enjoy your lovely boys who aren’t defined by or influenced by their names in any way.