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Baby names

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

Original poster

Maurice vs Atticus vs Wilbur

69 replies

Bearfriend · 25/02/2023 01:33

These are the top three options and I’m interested to hear some thoughts because I’m a bit torn.

Maurice- My personal favorite honestly, but I asked my mother and sister about it and they weren’t big fans. I like the idea of a nickname being Marcy. Reminds me of the novel by E.M Forster.

Atticus- I love the name kit but feel it would be too short as a first name and it could be a nickname for Atticus.

Wilbur- A variation on William as I find it’s quite popular, however, we already have a Winnifred and not sure if they’re too similar being w names. There’s the possibility of being a Will or Bertie, and also Wilby which I think is quite cute.

Also open to similar classic, a bit old-fashioned style name suggestions!

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sixtiesbaby88 · 25/02/2023 12:17

Vincent - Vinnie
Edwin

BridieConvert · 25/02/2023 10:38

Not a fan of any tbh. Please don't go for Wilbur if you have a Winnifred (guessing nn Winnie?) makes me think of the children's books Winnie the Witch (her cat is called Wilbur)

Stoater · 25/02/2023 10:28

I have an 11 year old boy caked Maurice. I love it. ❤ He gets called Maury, or Moz, sometimes Mo/supermo for short.

MsJuniper · 25/02/2023 10:25

I like Clement too.

MsJuniper · 25/02/2023 10:24

Would you pronounce it Morris or Mor-EES? I do know one child with that name and it does get mispronounced (he is the latter pronunciation) which annoys him.

Also like:
Lawrence
Douglas
Kester

Mueslikid · 25/02/2023 10:20

I like Maurice, I’d pronounce it “Morris”. I prefer the sound of it to the look of it written down, but that’s just me.

Also like Lawrence/Laurence and Clarence, which I think have a similar feel.

Run4it2 · 25/02/2023 10:15

I had a relative called Maurice who was known as Moss

KirstenBlest · 25/02/2023 10:11

The Maurice I know is lovely. I like the idea of a cat called Maurice.

Upsidedownagain · 25/02/2023 10:10

To me Wilbur conjures up the pig from Charlotte's Web.

Atticus sounds like a surname or the name of an official body and I can't see how Kit is an obvious shortening of it. The only Atticus I ever heard of is from To Kill a Mocking Bird.

Maurice is ok. But could be spelt Morris to make life easier. But Marcie isn't the obvious short version? Maurie?

If you like diminutive names, why not just give the child one of those as their first name? Maybe not Harry at the moment though!

Mercurial123 · 25/02/2023 10:04

Maurice is awful.

louderthan · 25/02/2023 09:43

I used to have a disreputable cat called Maurice, pronounced MoReece with the stress on the second syllable. Always out causing trouble.

KirstenBlest · 25/02/2023 09:16

@neverendinglauaundry , Atticus has become a lot more popular recently, and is probably a name that is not very popular, but will have two or three of them at the same nursery.

grayhairdontcare · 25/02/2023 09:05

My friend has a 7 year old Atticus .., Art for NN

COPPER3 · 25/02/2023 08:54

Atticus is nice. Arto for short?

Maurice is not!

neverendinglauaundry · 25/02/2023 08:54

Is Atticus actually common? I've never known anyone with that name. That's my favourite anyway.

KirstenBlest · 25/02/2023 08:42

Me too. I think that some may stem from the olden days where several grandchildren were named after grandparents and aunts and uncles, so you might get cousins Rob and a Bert, both Robert, and Maggie and Daisy both Margaret, and Polly and May both Mary, but far fewer names were in use then.

The ones that puzzle me are the suggestions like Annie could be short for Anna, Stephanie or Evangeline, or that Bertie could coud be short for Wilbur. Wilbur and Bertie are the same length, as are Annie and Anna. Confused

dew141 · 25/02/2023 08:21

I'm slightly bemused by nicknames that aren't shortened versions of the name. Atticus/Kit, Wilbur/Bertie and Maurice/Marcy are in this category for me, apologies.

FettleOfKish · 25/02/2023 08:19

Wilbur on its own I don't hate, but teamed with Winnifred gives me big 'cartoon pig' vibes.

Atticus seems like a bold name to go for just to shorten it. I can imagine it would raise a lot of repeating questions through life 'Ooh did your Parents like To Kill A Mockingbird?'.

Maurice I'd probably my pick of your 3, but I prefer Sebastian as suggested upthread. Nickname Seb or Basta.

Paturday · 25/02/2023 08:14

I wouldn’t know whether to pronounce it Mau-Reece or Morris? Not for me in any case.

I know a couple of Wilburs, it’s a bit porcine.

Atticus - if you want Kit I’d just go Christopher. It would have to be Accitus wouldn’t it?

Theyre all v different vibes really. I like Kit, and Lawrence would have been DD’s name so like that too!

HamFrancisco · 25/02/2023 08:11

Morris is a bit dithery old man in a cardigan and Maurice (emphasis on the second syllable) is very camp indeed. I love Moss as a standalone name. Marcy from Maurice? What about starting at Marcel?

I can’t separate Wilbur from the pig I’m afraid.

Atticus is Islington try hard. Kit is fine.

Albaniarocks · 25/02/2023 08:01

I know a couple of Maurices. One is "Morris" and the other "Mo-rees" pronunciation but they both have the nickname Mo.

KirstenBlest · 25/02/2023 07:59

Atticus is too To Kill a Mockingbird, and Wilbur is sort of retro cute but seems more of a name for a pet pig.

Theraffarian · 25/02/2023 07:58

This may be my age but immediate thoughts,

Maurice , space cowboy, gangster of love
Wilbur , The pig from Charlottes Web
Atticus , Finch , the only one I sort of like

KirstenBlest · 25/02/2023 07:58

I know one Maurice and he is always Maurice (Morris not Mo-reece) AFAIK, but I can think of a Morris who gets his name shortened. I prefer the Morris spelling, but both are OK. I don't like Reece.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 25/02/2023 07:39

Not keen on any of them. I never understand the idea of looking for a cute name for a child. A name is for life. Names that sound cute for a tiny baby may be a burden for an adult.

The obvious name for a child you want to call Kit day by day is Christopher. Or just call him Kit.

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