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Baby names

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

Original poster

Are there any names that you don't understand why they aren't more popular?

114 replies

TheNameNerd · 06/11/2022 11:13

Which names do you think deserve more love?

I know it's very much a marmite name but I love Ambrose.

What names do you think should be used more often?

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KirstenBlest · 22/11/2022 15:59

Wiki isn't always right. I can think of examples that I've seen, where although it looks convincing, it's not the truth.

Gummibär · 22/11/2022 15:47

Yes, that may be so. I was just objecting to the 'strong willed' meaning you found on a Wikipedia page.

There was a funny story in the news recently about people changing Wikipedia entries - and so many people then rely on that information.

www.inverse.com/input/culture/wikipedia-hoax-alan-macmasters-toaster/amp

KirstenBlest · 22/11/2022 14:40

@Gummibär , did you read this part:'Traditionally said to be from claudus (“lame, limping, crippled”), however, family history relates that the name was adopted as the Romanized form of an earlier Clausus, the Latin spelling of an original Sabine name. A Sabine word cognate with clausus (“shut, closed”), perfect passive participle of claudō (“I shut, close”) seems a more probable origin.'?

Gummibär · 22/11/2022 14:35

Baby name sites are notoriously unreliable. Wiki says Claude means strong willed.

Looks like someone named Claude changed the definition on Wikipedia Grin

The etymology of Claudus is definitely the Latin meaning crippled/lame. Anyone studying Latin will know that.

en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/Claudius

KirstenBlest · 22/11/2022 14:02

Baby name sites are notoriously unreliable. Wiki says Claude means strong willed.

Gummibär · 22/11/2022 12:01

Claudia does resemble the Latin word for "limping", but that could simply be a coincidence rather than the actual origin.

True, but would you like to have a name that so closely resembles the Latin adjective meaning crippled? I would rather not, if I had the choice.

James and Mary are totally different as those names are not directly derived or resemble any unfortunate meanings.

radho · 22/11/2022 09:22

Re: Claudia, I think we need to take name "meanings" with a pinch of salt. It's impossible for us to know for sure what ancient names meant to the people who originally used them because it's not like we can ask them. Claudia does resemble the Latin word for "limping", but that could simply be a coincidence rather than the actual origin.

James supposedly means "supplanter" (and Mary supposedly means "bitter"), but I think people are less inclined to care or think about the meanings of common names.

KirstenBlest · 21/11/2022 19:58

You are more than welcome.
It can be confusing. I'm guessing that perhaps English isn't your mother tongue.
If I'm unsure, the online translate can be useful.
Nathaniel is from the bible, so will probably have different pronunciations, depending on the language. Nathan is Nay-thun in English, but Nath-ann in Welsh, Nat-ann in Spanish and German etc

Gummibär · 21/11/2022 19:36

Thanks for clarifying Smile

KirstenBlest · 21/11/2022 17:29

@Gummibär The Nath bit is like Nat (NatWest) but with a th instead of a t.
The aniel bit is like in Daniel.

Gummibär · 21/11/2022 16:57

I think that Nathaniel doesn't roll off the tongue that easily, and it's long.

I have no idea how to pronounce that name...

Is assume Nathan-ee-el.

owloak · 21/11/2022 12:57

Emma

KirstenBlest · 21/11/2022 11:08

or so I was told. Wiki says it's from Sis

KirstenBlest · 21/11/2022 11:05

@Schlaar , Cyd Charisse was 'Kid Shareece'

KirstenBlest · 21/11/2022 11:01

I think that Nathaniel doesn't roll off the tongue that easily, and it's long. Names like Gabriel or Jonathan seem shorter, and the diminutive is usually the stressed syllable, Jon or Gabe, but with Nathaniel it's the THAN that is stressed, not Nath.

Schlaar · 21/11/2022 10:54

My Gran was named after Cyd Charisse. Never met another Cyd and don’t know why because it’s lovely! Sadly my kids were all boys so I couldn’t use it.

QuiltedHippo · 21/11/2022 10:45

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 07/11/2022 23:17

Second Claudia suggestion- so elegant, yet so underused. I don't think it can just be the supposed meaning - that hasn't hurt James/Jacob, Emily etc but most of the other ending -ia names seem more popular in comparison (even Cecilia/Cecelia meaning blind).

Also Juliet - Julie had a burst of extreme popularity in the 60's/70's, Julia has mostly hovered perennially just in or just outside the top 100, yet equally lovely Juliet is relatively uncommon for reasons I can't guess at.

For boys - classy, literary sounding Nathaniel. Nathan's popular as is Daniel, Michael, Gabriel, Samuel etc so why is Nathaniel relatively underused?

I think the Romeo and Juliet association puts people off, my DH couldn't get past it though I really liked it.

Nathaniel always sounds like a mash up to me, I'd pick Nathan or Daniel

PurpleFlower1983 · 20/11/2022 23:20

Mary - I love the name and would have called DC2 it had we had another girl.

BigFishontheTelly · 13/11/2022 22:49

Justine and Ursula

Mitchell

Isahlo · 10/11/2022 21:46

Astrid

BigFishontheTelly · 10/11/2022 21:36

Gideon

Fireballxl5 · 10/11/2022 17:21

Gummibär · 07/11/2022 20:03

I have a 17 year old Quentin :) Throughout his time at school he's only come across one other, so no it's not too popular.

I also really like Marina

Show quote history

We have a french ndn, he’s mid 20’s, called Quentin.
It’s pronounced Cantan in french.

IJemimaDigging · 10/11/2022 17:16

Caroline
Delphine
Estelle
Melissa
Clarissa
Kaye
Judy
Trudy
Ingrid

Gummibär · 10/11/2022 14:42

There are so many beautiful underused classics on here. I particularly like

Estelle
Marina
Cecily
Antonia

Victor
John
Quentin
Leonard

FrogletandMe · 10/11/2022 14:38

Estelle is another under-rated name.