Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

Is Alfie a working class name?

88 replies

RainCheckMate · 02/09/2022 09:39

What class do you associate Alfie with?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
RedWingBoots · 02/09/2022 15:38

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.

They are nicknames.

I expect the person to have a full name e.g. Alfred, Albert, Archibald.

Then again certain groups of US citizens frequently use last names as first names.

RedWingBoots · 02/09/2022 15:36

FayCarew · 02/09/2022 12:50

Not all princes are classy.

Exactly some - which Harry isn't - are no.....

Anyway back to the topic of this thread.

TheWayoftheLeaf · 02/09/2022 14:54

No. Alfie has been for a long time upper class but this name has now become popular among middle and working class ppl. So I don't think it points to any class really.

If you're worried don't be. People can figure out someone's 'class' within about 20 minutes so it
Doesn't really matter.

pinklavenders · 02/09/2022 14:46

I agree that Alfie, Archie, Albie are pretty awful names. But I hate the class argument!

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.

Sandysandwich · 02/09/2022 14:02

I don't associate it with class, its a plain standard name, too popular to be tied to a class.

FayCarew · 02/09/2022 13:17

Alfie Boe. He and AA and AG were named before Alfie was a top 10 name, and names tend to move down the social strata.

Redqueenheart · 02/09/2022 12:58

It depends it can be also associated to the London lovies creative types, as in Alfie Allen and Alfie Goffey.

I prefer Alfred to be honest.

MsMariaReynolds · 02/09/2022 12:51

Best way to see if a name is regarded as working-class is to create a mumsnet thread asking for general opinions on a name.

If numerous replies just say ‘Awful.’ with no explanation as to why then you know it’s probably regarded as working-class

FayCarew · 02/09/2022 12:50

Not all princes are classy.

pinklavenders · 02/09/2022 12:49

Marrying someone does not make you classy!

FayCarew · 02/09/2022 12:45

Would you say that all wives of princes are classy, @thisisit77 ?

Alfie peaked about 11 years ago.

thisisit77 · 02/09/2022 12:29

pinklavenders · 02/09/2022 11:13

I do think it is more WC to give Alfie/a nickname as the name on the birth certificate, though I was surprised that Harry and Meghan put Archie on the BC

But Meghan isn't exactly 'classy' is she?!

No, she only married a prince 😂can you get more 'classy'?

PurpleWisteria · 02/09/2022 12:22

The only Alfies I know are dogs. A westie and a cockerpoo.

RedWingBoots · 02/09/2022 12:19

EleanorShellstrop28 · 02/09/2022 11:47

A few of my friends have Alfies. They’re mostly working class although one family is maybe middle class? I’m not great at the class system. I only know the working class families are working class because in my hometown there’s a lot of pride about being working class so people tend to discuss it a lot.

Then a good proportion of them will be MC.

Actual WC people don't need to prove and discuss it.

FrownedUpon · 02/09/2022 12:19

Yes

OriginalUsername2 · 02/09/2022 12:15

It depends what tone of voice you say it in. Don’t screech it across the playground, add “darling” and you’re good 👍🏻😂

RuthW · 02/09/2022 12:10

Alfie, yes

Alfred or similar is classless and lovely

EleanorShellstrop28 · 02/09/2022 11:47

A few of my friends have Alfies. They’re mostly working class although one family is maybe middle class? I’m not great at the class system. I only know the working class families are working class because in my hometown there’s a lot of pride about being working class so people tend to discuss it a lot.

Cheeselog · 02/09/2022 11:38

pinklavenders · 02/09/2022 11:13

I do think it is more WC to give Alfie/a nickname as the name on the birth certificate, though I was surprised that Harry and Meghan put Archie on the BC

But Meghan isn't exactly 'classy' is she?!

Not being British I wouldn’t expect her to appreciate the intricacies of the British class system, no. But presumably the name was mutually agreed by the two of them. I guess no one is going to mistake him for WC whatever his name!

mogwa · 02/09/2022 11:29

I don't like it, but it's incredibly popular, and has been for years, so I'd assume it's used by people of different socio-economic groups.

pinklavenders · 02/09/2022 11:13

I do think it is more WC to give Alfie/a nickname as the name on the birth certificate, though I was surprised that Harry and Meghan put Archie on the BC

But Meghan isn't exactly 'classy' is she?!

Libre2 · 02/09/2022 11:12

Yes

knittingaddict · 02/09/2022 11:10

Any class can have an Alfie. One of our pets was an Alfie and we are lower middle class. 😀

Cheeselog · 02/09/2022 11:10

I know two young Alfies. One’s parents are a SAHM/on benefits and a bricklayer, the other one’s parents are both lawyers.

I do think it is more WC to give Alfie/a nickname as the name on the birth certificate, though I was surprised that Harry and Meghan put Archie on the BC not Archibald, so maybe it’s changing.