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Baby names

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

Original poster

Please help - 2 week old baby boy

67 replies

Wombat222 · 08/01/2023 19:16

Hi, I’ve posted before to try to get to a final decision but I’m still not managing - I get awful baby name anxiety and took months to name my last son. I need to decide between:

Elliot Max William Marshall (concern is the lack of gd nickname for Elliot and maybe it being a bit American?)

Max Elliot William Marshall (several people have said Max Marshall is too grr and in your face due to alliteration).

Have played with Felix, Jack, Arthur too but just not sure - Arthur doesn’t go too well with my other son.

Please be kind but votes welcome, aiming to decide tomorrow.

OP posts:
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larkstar · 09/01/2023 00:48

I prefer William (Bill/Billy) Marshall...
W Max Elliot M - hours together well enough but do you really need any or both of the middle names?

MrsHGWells · 09/01/2023 00:40

Love alliteration there are many Max’s around atm or is Max shortened version of a longer name you would use?

don’t worry about nicknames, children have far more whitty imaginations to make anything up

StampOnTheGround · 09/01/2023 00:36

I absolutely love Max, Elliot is okay but I do also love the alliteration of Max Marshall

mathanxiety · 09/01/2023 00:33

I like Max Elliot William Marshall better. I think it flows very well. Even better for flow would be Max William Elliot Marshall.

I love the alliteration. Max Marshall sounds like a great little lad. I'm Irish though, and I notice Irish people tend to go for alliteration in names to a greater degree than British people do.

If you choose Elliot, be aware that it's a fine Scottish name, and there's a long tradition of family names as first names in Scottish culture. That's how the custom got to the New World.

UsingChangeofName · 09/01/2023 00:09

He doesn't need you to have a nick name ready for him.

Nicknames often evolve from the oddest things - the way a sibling mispronounces their name, or something the child says, or does.

None of my dc are called what I thought their names would probably be shortened to, when we were thinking of names.

uncomfortablydumb53 · 08/01/2023 23:51

Elliot Max William is lovely
You will find the more often you say the name, it will become his.

ScruffMuffin · 08/01/2023 23:43

Elliot. Gorgeous, and he looks like one too.

Max is nice but there are lots about.

Keha · 08/01/2023 23:30

Also just to say now he has the name I wouldn't change it and feel like he is growing into it more and more.

Keha · 08/01/2023 23:28

@Wombat222 my DH preferred a name and it is the name we've gone with partly because at the time I felt we might as well pick a name one of us felt really confident about. I don't think he could say why, just likes the sound. It sounds slightly like Elliot is in the lead but you can't quite settle on it. I went round in circles a lot but over time felt we just kept coming back to the same name, maybe like it chose DS rather than us choosing it. I did like other names and DH would have let me choose but I was just never certain.

pjparty · 08/01/2023 23:28

I know and Elliot and his nickname is Ed for some reason! Only just realised it wouldn't necessarily be a natural one

namechangedforthisone12345 · 08/01/2023 23:13

My DS is Jack so I'll vote for that one 🙋🏼‍♀️❤️

sunflowerdaisyrose · 08/01/2023 23:10

I think Max Marshall is a great name, like it a lot more than Elliot but it is ok. Elliot with one t looks unfinished to me. I also like Jack and William as a first name too.

justcouldntthinkofausername · 08/01/2023 23:05

Both Elliot and Max.. Marshall are both really lovely names so just go with what you wish op.
Congrats ❤️❤️

DevonCream · 08/01/2023 22:45

Eli is a great short version of Elliot

Original poster
Wombat222 · 08/01/2023 22:41

Keha · 08/01/2023 21:41

I really struggled to decide on my recently born DSs name. I honestly think you need to focus on the first name because that is what you will call him. Secondly I felt sad about not getting to use one of the names I liked with both names, if that makes sense, neither felt quite perfect but I didn't quite want to give either up ( and also had other names in the mix). Ultimately we just made a decision and it's feeling increasingly normal to call him by the name we chose but a few weeks on I still sometimes contemplate some of the other names. I hope in future that he likes it because I feel like that is what matters the most. The name we have chosen is quite normal/popular, easy to spell and say etc. I think both Elliot and max are like that, they are both fine names, both good choices. Do you have a partner and do they have a preference?

Yeah he chooses Elliot I think but can’t really explain why!

OP posts:
Mumofgirls2017 · 08/01/2023 22:17

I love the alliteration of Max Marshall and prefer jt as a name!

Keha · 08/01/2023 21:41

I really struggled to decide on my recently born DSs name. I honestly think you need to focus on the first name because that is what you will call him. Secondly I felt sad about not getting to use one of the names I liked with both names, if that makes sense, neither felt quite perfect but I didn't quite want to give either up ( and also had other names in the mix). Ultimately we just made a decision and it's feeling increasingly normal to call him by the name we chose but a few weeks on I still sometimes contemplate some of the other names. I hope in future that he likes it because I feel like that is what matters the most. The name we have chosen is quite normal/popular, easy to spell and say etc. I think both Elliot and max are like that, they are both fine names, both good choices. Do you have a partner and do they have a preference?

DuchessOfSausage · 08/01/2023 20:32

He was funny.

Your friends are just curious - it's normal, but it won't help you.

Tell them you're struggling between Balonz, Kris or Mathers

Original poster
Wombat222 · 08/01/2023 20:16

DuchessOfSausage · 08/01/2023 19:47

There used to be an Arthur Marshall on the telly.

The Elliott I know has a nn not related to his name.

Yes he looks v dull 😂

OP posts:
Original poster
Wombat222 · 08/01/2023 20:15

Kentlassie · 08/01/2023 19:44

Both are great! Fwiw I think the alliteration is fine….and by the way, don’t stress! It took me all of 5 weeks and 6 days (to the day of the registration appt) to name DS last year.

Thanks! The constant messages from friends asking what it is are stressing me out!

OP posts:
PinkSyCo · 08/01/2023 19:59

Elliot’s a lovely name, but El as a nickname not so much. Jack Elliot William Marshall has quite a nice ring to it I think, and Max is a good name too. Congratulations on the the birth of little Jack/Elliot/Max. Flowers

Eastereggsboxedupready · 08/01/2023 19:54

Max Marshall is fab op!!

CastleTower · 08/01/2023 19:49

Both very good names - I don't think you can go wrong tbh.

DuchessOfSausage · 08/01/2023 19:47

There used to be an Arthur Marshall on the telly.

The Elliott I know has a nn not related to his name.

Kentlassie · 08/01/2023 19:44

Both are great! Fwiw I think the alliteration is fine….and by the way, don’t stress! It took me all of 5 weeks and 6 days (to the day of the registration appt) to name DS last year.