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Baby names

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

Original poster

Is Alfie a working class name?

88 replies

RainCheckMate · 02/09/2022 09:39

What class do you associate Alfie with?

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Louise0701 · 03/09/2022 12:34

@FlySwimmer my grandfather was Charlie throughout his life. Never Charles. Why is Charlie only for a cute baby?

Louise0701 · 03/09/2022 12:33

@Cheeselog missed the point of the thread but are you aware many bricklayers earn more than many lawyers? 😂

SparkyBlue · 03/09/2022 12:30

I would have previously said it was a classic name but it's become really popular recently so I wouldn't use it for that reason

bluebeer · 03/09/2022 11:55

I know of a few, all whom I would say were born into working class families

pinklavenders · 03/09/2022 11:45

Alfie can call himself Alf, Al, Alfred or something else

Sure, he could be known as Steve.

I really dislike Alfie. Not sure why though.

BungleandGeorge · 03/09/2022 11:32

Alfie and Alfred are not particularly tied to one class. It’s the same old arguments but they’re both in very normal everyday usage so who cares. Alfie can call himself Alf, Al, Alfred or something else exactly the same as Alfred can.

Kione · 03/09/2022 11:20

What is working class? There are about 5 Alfie's in my kids school which is not a private school?

BloodyHellKen · 03/09/2022 11:08

Notanotherwindow · 03/09/2022 10:38

Being brutally honest (sorry) Alfie sounds chavvy to me 🤷‍♀️

Same! I just didn't want to be the first to say it.
I don't like nicknames on birth certificates. It's a diminutive, to me it's like naming them Darling.

@Notanotherwindow I agree. I also don't like diminutive versions of a name on the birth certificate. Apart from anything else it really limits the child to a choice of what they want to be called as they get older.

I don't particularly have anything against the name Alfie but if he grows up to have a position of responsibility or even just wants to not have a child's name I think it would be better to call him Alfred or an equivalent so he has options.

FlySwimmer · 03/09/2022 10:57

Ilikecheeseontoast · 02/09/2022 14:05

Alfie, Albie, Archie are all awful in my opinion. No idea what class though?? Don’t really care either.

I don’t like them either, along with Charlie, Freddie, Teddy, Ollie etc. Give your kid a proper name ffs. These kinds of names strike me as someone thinking of and naming a cute baby, not the eventual man they will become.

HereIfYouNeedMe · 03/09/2022 10:47

I'm glad I know what's important in life.

containsnuts · 03/09/2022 10:43

To me the name Alfie is what the name Jamie was 25+ years ago - an informal take on a traditional family name.

Notanotherwindow · 03/09/2022 10:38

Being brutally honest (sorry) Alfie sounds chavvy to me 🤷‍♀️

Same! I just didn't want to be the first to say it.
I don't like nicknames on birth certificates. It's a diminutive, to me it's like naming them Darling.

justaladyLOL · 03/09/2022 10:31

Its a name fgs who cares

HappyBinosaur · 03/09/2022 10:23

Why on earth does it matter? If you like the name then use it!
Also, there is nothing wrong with being or sounding working class. This stupid idea that working class = chavvy is ridiculous (and I hate the word chavvy!)

Comedycook · 03/09/2022 10:21

The name Alfie is quite cute...I imagine an Alfies parents as being a tradesman dad and a beautician mum who have a grey crushed velvet sofa. Nothing wrong with that by the way. Yeah, it's generally wc but if a posh family had an Alfie I wouldn't be too surprised.

Claricethecat45 · 03/09/2022 10:18

I have 2 nephews aged 15 and 7 both Alfies. Named on birth cert as Alfie, no Alfred's or such like

The 7 year old has 3 others in his year group; The 15 year old has a few in his also, and we were discussing this recently. Neither of them mind being amongst several.

I like the name for a Budgie or other small pet....and know 2 dogs and 2 cats also called Alfie. It is a very popular name.

IsThePopeCatholic · 03/09/2022 10:17

I think it is faux working class. Inverted snobbery name. I don’t like it.

HereIfYouNeedMe · 03/09/2022 10:16

What a strange question.

Change123today · 03/09/2022 10:04

It’s just a name. I don’t really think of it either way.

I know 2 Alfie’s and parents one is just a normal family (mums a nurse Dad works in council) & the other Dad is a hedge fund manager!

The first is called Alfred on his BC and the other is Alfie on BC.

Rosiethecat15 · 03/09/2022 09:59

If I heard Alfie I'd just think "Oh it's another Alfie".

ChagSameachDoreen · 03/09/2022 09:56

Alfie is to the 2010s what Reggie is today. Chosen by working class parents who thing they're 'ard.

AceSpades54321 · 02/09/2022 22:48

Being brutally honest (sorry) Alfie sounds chavvy to me 🤷‍♀️

bloominglovelyorange · 02/09/2022 20:16

Classless name. I like it

pinklavenders · 02/09/2022 20:11

Why don't you ask whether people like Alfie? Probably a lot won't.

Asking about 'class' is confusing and irrelevant to many.

Luredbyapomegranate · 02/09/2022 19:10

It's just very widely used.

I guess it was a hipster name originally and spread out.