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Baby names

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

Original poster

Oaken

105 replies

bananamilkshakes · 22/01/2023 14:40

Yes it is from frozen but I'm sure no one will care about that. I know someone with a girl called Oakah, so I'm considering Oaken for a boy.

I really like how it has a nature sound but also sounds quite solid. And can't be mispronounced easily.

Thoughts?

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HoldingTheDoor · 24/01/2023 18:55

It's awful as is Oakley and Oak. They have a very unattractive sound.

Choconut · 24/01/2023 18:34

Broken Oaken was my first thought.

MaxiPaddy · 24/01/2023 17:56

Tygertiger · 24/01/2023 07:30

Please don’t call your baby Thor. He will get laughed at. I know a baby Zeus and there’s a polite, careful silence every time his Mum says his name to new people. Again - ask your DH to introduce himself to strangers as Thor for a week and see how he feels.

There are plenty of established names with strong connotations which won’t run the risk of him getting the piss taken out of him at secondary school. And Thorin is only associated with LOTR so unless you’re a massive fan of the books, it’s an odd choice.

Agreed.

As someone who grew up being mercilessly teased for her name, if you want to name someone a ridiculous name, change yours, don't use your baby to be unique. Your kid will resent you and everyone you know won't think 'omg, they're so cool and unique', they'll think 'wow, what fucking jackasses'.

Oak and Oaken is ridiculous, Thor is a Norse God, either something impossible to live up to or a ridiculous comic book/movie character. And Thorin, though with Norse origins, no one knows apart from Tolkien - apart from you, who thought it was from Game Of Thrones. Despite being told otherwise in the same sentence. 🙄

Tygertiger · 24/01/2023 07:30

Please don’t call your baby Thor. He will get laughed at. I know a baby Zeus and there’s a polite, careful silence every time his Mum says his name to new people. Again - ask your DH to introduce himself to strangers as Thor for a week and see how he feels.

There are plenty of established names with strong connotations which won’t run the risk of him getting the piss taken out of him at secondary school. And Thorin is only associated with LOTR so unless you’re a massive fan of the books, it’s an odd choice.

Aphrathestorm · 24/01/2023 07:08

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Original poster
bananamilkshakes · 24/01/2023 06:00

Thank you @Suzi888 🙏🏼

Ok well Oaken is staying on the list but I appreciate the feedback and I will try to find other more well known names to consider instead. I want a solid sounding name. Maybe Oak on its own.

Also like Thor and Thorin. But maybe take out the h so people don't get it wrong all the time.

OP posts:
MichelleScarn · 24/01/2023 04:00

TakeABite · 22/01/2023 14:59

Ask DP to introduce himself as that to the next 10 people he meets that don’t know his real name and get him to report back how he feels saying it.

Needs to be said on every 'unusual' baby name thread!!

Suzi888 · 24/01/2023 03:35

AmandaMirandaPanda · 23/01/2023 12:38

I'm quite liking the shift from Karen to Helen even though I like the name Helen. Helen seems more like an upmarket Karen to me.

Why, specifically, do you like this? "Karen" was misogynist, rape apologist, anti-black racist nonsense. How does adding classist nonsense to that offer anything to "like"?

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I think it’s called sarcasm.

Outtasteamandluck · 24/01/2023 03:31

Nope.

ashitghost · 24/01/2023 02:02

hideous

AmandaMirandaPanda · 23/01/2023 12:38

bananamilkshakes · 22/01/2023 17:46

Good point re the faces 😬

I'm quite liking the shift from Karen to Helen even though I like the name Helen. Helen seems more like an upmarket Karen to me

Show quote history

I'm quite liking the shift from Karen to Helen even though I like the name Helen. Helen seems more like an upmarket Karen to me.

Why, specifically, do you like this? "Karen" was misogynist, rape apologist, anti-black racist nonsense. How does adding classist nonsense to that offer anything to "like"?

Pemba · 23/01/2023 11:56

@Deadringer I am glad I am not the only one who remembers Oakie Doke! From the 90s I think, my kids used to watch it.

The song pops into my head whenever I hear one of these 'oak' names. Yes they are different from Ash/Ashley, Rowan, Willow etc because those are established names and have a nice sound. 'Oak' is not particularly attractive as a sound, and just sounds like a tree, and Oakley etc like a brand or a place.

Alstoybarn · 23/01/2023 11:45

Paul oakenfold

Deadringer · 23/01/2023 11:38

Maybe Oakie, rather than Oaken op?

Oaken
VenusClapTrap · 23/01/2023 11:02

Having people respond “What?” every time you say your name gets wearing. Sometimes you just want to get your car serviced, book an appointment, respond to being summoned at the dentist’s etc etc without having to have yet another conversation about your name.

SmartHome · 23/01/2023 10:07

I like unuusal names and think boys can handle them just as well as girls. Oaken sounds like a muesli-base breakfast cereal to me though. I think Oakley would be better.

BrutusMcDogface · 23/01/2023 10:05

toastofthetown · 22/01/2023 14:53

Yoo hoo! Big summer blow out.

This! 😂

SirChenjins · 23/01/2023 10:05

Cherryblossoms85 · 22/01/2023 23:29

You know I wish people would ever come on here and say, "should I call him Gary or Paul".

Me too! Now that really would be giving your child an unusual name.

ThomasinaLivesHere · 23/01/2023 09:22

I prefer it over Oakley. I also think it’s better than Oak on its own. It’s not an established name so some people are going to be against it.

Im not in love with it but think it’s ok.

Cherryblossoms85 · 22/01/2023 23:29

You know I wish people would ever come on here and say, "should I call him Gary or Paul".

HerReputationMadeItDifficultToProceed · 22/01/2023 23:26

TakeABite · 22/01/2023 14:59

Ask DP to introduce himself as that to the next 10 people he meets that don’t know his real name and get him to report back how he feels saying it.

This is brilliant advice and should be pinned to the top of the baby naming board.

I'm sorry @bananamilkshakes but Oaken is horrible. I really feel that boys in particular need traditional names- much harder to get away with an airy-fairy name as an adolescent boy than as an adolescent girl. I'm a teacher and I've seen so many boys over the years literally cringing at their own names when the register is called. They always try and make whatever terrible name they've been lumbered with into something more traditional too (I knew a Lennon who took to calling himself Len for example, or a boy I once taught called Urban who called himself Herb because even that was better than bloody Urban).

James, Christopher, David and Henry are all good, solid names. Choose one of those or something like it and get a kitten to call Oaken instead.

ChildrenOfTheQuorn · 22/01/2023 22:49

Oh dear. I thought Oakley was bad enough...

Longdarkcloud · 22/01/2023 21:56

@bananamilkshakes I realise there are plenty of tree names and I suggested some in my post but Oaken is not a tree name but an adjective describing something made out of wood from an oak tree, rather than a living tree.

otherusername · 22/01/2023 21:54

Sorry but i immediately thought of Wandering Oaken's Trading Post from frozen!

BellatrixLestrangesHeatedCurlers · 22/01/2023 21:45

Ahahahaha no