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Baby names

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

Original poster

Tom

62 replies

sunriseoversea · 21/08/2023 17:57

Baby boy is due in two weeks and DH and I are still struggling for a name!

My favourite is Alex. His favourite is Joe. We both quite like Tom. In all cases these would be the name on the BC (not Alexander, Joseph or Thomas).

Is Tom dated? Or is it common? Is it a bit plain? Or is it cool? I just don't know! Any insight much appreciated. Thank you :)

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SarahJinx · 08/09/2023 22:50

Should’ve said, he’s 12.

SarahJinx · 08/09/2023 22:50

I have a Tom. He’s Thomas on his birth certificate but he chooses Tom.

I’m obv biased but I think it’s a lovely name.

Pushkinini · 08/09/2023 22:47

I have a 24 year old Tom. Birth certificate is Thomas but he prefers Tom. It's a good solid, timeless name.

Icycloud · 08/09/2023 22:22

All of your choices are very common and so many people already have them but if you’re ok with that then go ahead

Daisybuttercup12345 · 08/09/2023 22:20

I know a two year old Tom.
I find it dull personally . Prefer Thomas.
Also known a few cats called Tom.

Talipesmum · 08/09/2023 10:46

Love all of them. We have one of the names mentioned. We used the full name on birth certificate to give him more options when older, and we don’t dislike the full name at all. He’s always known as shortened version apart from sometimes teachers in the first lesson of the year. But it gives him options and some choice over his identity when he is older.

I know a woman at work who always goes by the shortened version of her name but has recently started a job working in quite a senior position in the Middle East. She’s chosen to start using her full name at work because it sounds a bit more authoritative. Good to have the choice I think.

MadisonAvenue · 08/09/2023 10:21

chocolateanddietcoke · 08/09/2023 09:47

I have a baby Tom (not Thomas) and if we have another we're calling it joe if it's a boy (not Joseph)! I love Alex but it's my husbands middle name

Good choices 😉I have a 26 year old Tom and his brother is Joe, those are the names on their birth certificates.

GoodNightJasmine · 08/09/2023 10:11

I love it. Especially love it if the surname is Arto.

HerVagestyTheQueef · 08/09/2023 10:06

Excellent, solid, timeless name.

Thatsmorethanhalf · 08/09/2023 09:51

I like Alex best, it’s a bit less British than Joe or Tom

chocolateanddietcoke · 08/09/2023 09:47

I have a baby Tom (not Thomas) and if we have another we're calling it joe if it's a boy (not Joseph)! I love Alex but it's my husbands middle name

Roselilly36 · 23/08/2023 03:58

Lovely, great choice.

user1492757084 · 23/08/2023 02:46

All three names are perfectly handsome, either as Joe, Joseph, Tom, Thomas, Alex or Alexander.

Original poster
sunriseoversea · 22/08/2023 11:18

Thanks everyone, this has been really helpful 😀

OP posts:
Miriam44 · 21/08/2023 22:48

I vote for Tom but I prefer it as a nickname for Thomas. I went to school with a Tommy and thought it were pretty nice too.

lochmaree · 21/08/2023 21:31

I have a Tom (Thomas) and an Alex (Alexander) !

Lovely names. Either way with full version or not on birth certificate!

Missingmyusername · 21/08/2023 21:17

Good solid name!

JuniperBerry1 · 21/08/2023 21:16

I have a 15 year old Joe and a 12 year old Tom (though Joseph and Thomas on their birth certificates). I helped out at Beavers one evening and the leader was talking to me about Thomas. I said to her that we call him Tom and she said "oh he introduced myself as Thomas" I checked with him and he said "I wanted to be formal" Tuink he was six at that point 🙂

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 21/08/2023 21:13

Almahart · 21/08/2023 20:53

Love it. A word of warning, don't put a full name on birth certificate if you don't also love that.

One of my dcs has chosen to use their full name and I don't actually like it all that much!

This is sort of the point though, isn’t it? Your child may well have very different tastes to you. I love it when the teenagers I work with decide to start going by a new diminutive or the full version of their name. It feels like they are taking ownership of their identity.

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 21/08/2023 21:13

I do prefer Thomas. But Tom is nice as well.

quite classic, well-known without being uber popular. Well done 👍

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 21/08/2023 21:12

Whatsthepoint1234 · 21/08/2023 20:50

@ZoyaTheDestroyer dh’s family is Muslim and I am from abroad. We wanted easily translatable names and the full name would be spelt different back home and harder to convert into different scripts.

That makes perfect sense in your case.

UsingChangeofName · 21/08/2023 21:10

I don't think Tom is dated (to answer your question specifically) and I do like all 3 names, as shortenings but, as someone with a long name, I really appreciate the various options it has given me in different situations over the decades, so I would give that option to any dc.

StampOnTheGround · 21/08/2023 21:06

I'd say Tom, then Alex. I don't like Joe!

Also completely agree with using the short name as a full name on the BC. We have done that with our DC as we didn't like any of the long versions and we would never call him

Louise303 · 21/08/2023 20:54

I love Tom and it is becoming more popular now I know two little Toms.

Almahart · 21/08/2023 20:53

Love it. A word of warning, don't put a full name on birth certificate if you don't also love that.

One of my dcs has chosen to use their full name and I don't actually like it all that much!