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Baby names

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

Original poster

Stuck between two

36 replies

hiraethx · 28/12/2022 12:36

Elias or Caleb?

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Twizbe · 03/01/2023 17:16

If you're down to 2 wait until he's here and see which fits best.

With DC2 I was sure I'd call a girl Eleanor. When she was born and DH said 'it's a girl!' I called her Eleanor right from the start. Then I calmed down and looked at her. It wasn't her name. She wasn't an Eleanor.

We decided on our second choice girls name instead as it just fit her so much better.

GoodbyeLondon · 03/01/2023 17:06

Caleb is nicer imo

Penguinsaregreat · 03/01/2023 17:04

Elias is nicer.
I wouldn’t go with anything more far out than than. Lots of parents are choosing more and more ‘unique’ names.

bloominglovelyorange · 03/01/2023 14:36

Caleb is lovely and its numbers have plateaued around the number 70-90 mark in charts for the past 15 years or so!!. It's not on a big upswing.

you need to look at the official numbers OP @hiraethx not just someone saying "getting popular"
the dark greener website is your friend as that has graphs using official stats

names.darkgreener.com/#caleb

Purplecatshopaholic · 02/01/2023 14:23

Defo Caleb. Too many ways to pronounce Elias.

Spidey66 · 02/01/2023 14:19

I prefer Caleb

Clettercletterthatsbetter · 30/12/2022 20:30

In my opinion, Elias is about a million times nicer than Caleb.

Letitrain93 · 30/12/2022 19:27

I much prefer Caleb. I love the nick name Cal :)

user1492757084 · 30/12/2022 15:04

Caleb sounds the best with Theo. The difference is attractive.

RenoDakota · 29/12/2022 11:53

Elias is lovely. With Caleb I can hear twanging banjos.

Luredbyapomegranate · 29/12/2022 11:48

Caleb

Too many El names about

PritiPatelsMaker · 29/12/2022 10:16

Elias James is absolutely lovely Wink

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 29/12/2022 02:49

Both nice, but I lean more towards the sound of Caleb with Theo (maybe it's the two syllables?).

But yes, both Elias and Caleb are more popular than they used to be if that a concern - but I really don't think they'll reach Theo levels as that boomed from Leo's popularity and the trendy "o" ending (Milo, Arlo...) . If you want uncommon, short Biblical maybe Asa or Jared?

xprincessxjanetx · 28/12/2022 23:28

I like them both but swinging slightly more towards Elias

DeadDonkey · 28/12/2022 23:25

I’d go with Caleb.

NotToBeOrToBe · 28/12/2022 22:33

I like them both. Though both are pretty popular.

Elias would be my choice.

Consufed · 28/12/2022 22:26

Elias

Mumofgirls2017 · 28/12/2022 22:07

Elias

Original poster
hiraethx · 28/12/2022 21:34

I've seen a couple of threads on here when I searched the name saying about the 'eb' sound. I feel like it sounds more like 'ub' similar to Jacob, it sounds perfectly normal to me?!

OP posts:
Figgypudding123 · 28/12/2022 16:47

Elias

I actually can't stand Caleb - it just sounds totally weird to have a name ending in 'eb'...

BlueSuffragette · 28/12/2022 16:23

Much prefer Caleb

scottishnames · 28/12/2022 16:18

OP You can check name popularity and trends here (for England and Wales):
names.darkgreener.com/

Elias is rising in popularity quite quickly and is now just outside the top 100: names.darkgreener.com/#elias
Caleb ranks no. 76: names.darkgreener.com/#caleb

HoHoHowMuch · 28/12/2022 16:15

Love Elias! Eli is also a great nick name. Not so keen on Caleb as it ends rather abruptly. There is no such thing as a real name that is also unique, so go with what you like. Plenty of names that were unheard of 20 years ago are now popular and John and Mary have all but vanished.

KirstenBlest · 28/12/2022 15:27

Caleb.

Findyourneutralspace · 28/12/2022 15:22

What letter does the surname start with? Some names roll together better than others