Is 'Isambard' child cruelty?

I didn’t grade the names of the people I went to school with on how “good” or “bad” they were. They were just the names of the people I went to school with. Kevin was a really common name, there were two Kevins in my maths class alone, and as someone who grew up in the North East Kevin Keegan became something of a local hero when he signed for Newcastle, he was a role model for football-loving boys.

Of course as I’ve grown older I’ve developed likes and dislikes for certain names, and in some instances that’s influenced by the character or behaviour of people I’ve known with that name, including at school (I never knew a nice Wendy or an unkind Sarah, for example), and I can recognise now that many of the names of my generation - including my own - are seen as unfashionable, even comical. (And a generation ago many people felt the same about Elsie or Wilf and look at how many little ones with those names are running about now.) But growing up…no, I can’t say I did judge Kevin, Wayne, Colin, Paul or any of the other 70s names around me as “a shit name”. That only came with age and perspective, and is subjective to each of us anyway.

This is an interesting article - had no idea there were French Kevins! The is/was class prejudice about the name in the UK too.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/05/kevin-french-name-national-mockery

I only knew a couple of Waynes though!

There were a lot of Kevins around. Lots wouldn’t have chosen it but it wasn’t unpopular. Didn’t Joan on Mad Men call her son Kevin? I assumed that was around when it came ‘in’.

Wayne and Kevin have NEVER been fashionable. People might like them, but they've never been fashionable.

Honestly if you were growing up in the 70s and 80s did you ever think that Wayne or Kevin was a good name? They were shit names even then.

I had a colleague 11 or 12 years ago who was going to call her baby Isambard, Sam for short. I thought it was a great choice. I hope they went through with it.

I suppose we all have our irrational prejudices. This is an odd one, given how many famous men have been called Peter who are/were very definitely not limp and beta male, e.g. Peter O'Toole, Peter Sellers, Peter Lorre, Peter Cook, Peter Capaldi, Peter Gabriel, Peter Jackson.

Depends on where you live.

No-one in London and parts of the SE will think it is odd.

And miraculously, the 50 something Kevins, Nigels, Peters, Christophers and Timothy that I went to school with in the 1970s/80s, or who I work with, or an friends with, or am related to - they are largely decent people.

(It's the Carls you need to watch out for 🤣)

Peter / Pete: it's very 'limp' and beta-male. I could never find a man called Peter attractive.

No.
Nigel would be my choice if I deliberately wanted to be cruel. Wouldn’t bat an eye at Isambard.

Another vote to use it - I like it

I think you are being mean and snobby to snigger at Chardonnay. I know one lovely girl.

Nobody is criticising the girl herself, who may well be the loveliest, most amazing person in the world - for right or wrong, they're criticising the name that her parents chose to give her.

Oh come on, naming your child after a bottle of alcohol is tacky. Not the child’s fault of course, but the fact the girl you know uses a nickname says it all.

Wayne or Kevin are cruel and honestly they were awful even growing up amongst them.

Let's not rewrite history. I grew up with several Kevins and a Wayne at school. There was nothing wrong with these names at the time they were fashionable and the boys with those names weren't teased or sniggered at for their name in school. It's only with a combination of 70s names falling out of fashion and becoming used ironically for dog/horse names, plus comedy characters like Kevin the Teenager and Wayne & Waynetta Slob becoming part of popular culture that make them less suitable for babies today.

I’m not sure I like it but if he doesn’t too it can easily be shortened to Sam

😂

Peter? Seriously? WTF is “cruel” about that? It’s just an inoffensive, slightly dated but otherwise entirely normal name that everyone knows how to spell and would raise very few eyebrows.

Nothing at all wrong with it in an English-speaking country... I wouldn't use it if I lived in France, though

I wanted it for DS! DH and the midwives talked me out of it. Still cross about that 15 years later.

It was perfect. I'm a civil engineer and we wanted a "Sam" name. Samson was also vetoed whilst I was full of drugs.

I know someone who has an Isambard. He goes by Bardy.

I quite like the name but not sure I'd use it for a human child (it's on my list for a future cat). It seems there are a few kids with the name, judging by this thread. I think it depends where you live and your circle and what names they're using.

Tim or Peter are unusual now but not offensive
Wayne or Kevin are cruel and honestly they were awful even growing up amongst them.
Oliver and Harry are dreadful in their conformity.

Isambard will be remembered in a way that Oliver isn't. Brunel makes it memorable in a way that Ignatius or Thaddeus wouldn't be.

Isambard is unusual but not awful for that reason. I don't see the difference between it and Christopher which always got shortened. It's just the spelling issue that's problematic.

For me the trick is to nail unusual but have a simple spelling and if it's long to have a decent shortened version.

I think that's where Isambard falls down. On the spelling. Once you know it, it's easy but it's not familiar enough to definitely get it right.

I think it's quite wicked really. Ditto the poor bugger Horatio who got a mention on radio 2 this morning. But each to their own. I mean some kids have what it takes to carry off such names, but not all of them do.

It wouldn't be my choice, but it's got nick name potential.

I wouldn't say it's child cruelty, but I think with more unusual names it's worth considering what's typical around you. If your social circle has lots of Atticus, Montgomery, Bartholomew, Persephone style names then it's unlikely to stand out much. If your social circle is all top 10s Oliver's, Amelia, Isla, Noah then it might.

*that name for him, not it 🙈🤣

My husband has a cousin in his early 40's with that name! I often wondered how they came up with that name for it! It's very rare, shall we say!