Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Is 'Isambard' child cruelty?

105 replies

SnuggleBuggleBoo · 10/10/2023 19:59

Ever come across one in real life?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
EmmaPaella · 11/10/2023 00:35

Yes.

Peaceandkindness · 11/10/2023 00:32

Be careful. I know plenty of people myself included that have called our children after much loved grandfathers or great fathers. Very often a shortened moniker can be used.

we have a family name on my mothers side going back 15 generations - I did seriously consider it for a middle name but in the end went for great grandfathers name. I’d prefer that then a made up name or a totally modern and new one - but I wouldn’t criticise anyone else.

we don’t have an Brunel name but I do know a Ezekiel, Zephaniah etc not mine and not in my family - but they are great little boys and great names (and not from very religious families either!). Likewise I know a lovely Ishmael and Bryon …..

TogetherWeLearn · 11/10/2023 00:26

I wouldn't say its cruel but it would be context dependent, on some people and in some places it would work well, others, just no!

Ellmau · 11/10/2023 00:18

I rather like it.

You could use Bard for short.

Runnerinthenight · 11/10/2023 00:14

It's just awful.

GirlFromTheBackstreetsOfNever · 11/10/2023 00:12

RogueFemale · 10/10/2023 23:59

Knew someone whose brother was called Isambard. I can think of many far crueller names, such as Wayne, Peter, Tim, Kevin, etc.

Dwayne
Jason
Haydn/Hayden
Chardonnay

those are my pet hates.

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 11/10/2023 00:06

I think it's a strong name - and I mean that positively!

If the bearer of the name didn't want to stand out, it would be very easy to shorten it to Sam and nobody would think twice about it.

Unless your surname is Zimbardo, like the famous psychologist...

Saschka · 11/10/2023 00:03

There are some people who name their child Richard Head, or Michael Hunt. Those parents are abusive.

Izzy Jacob Brunel Thompson? Totally fine.

RogueFemale · 10/10/2023 23:59

Knew someone whose brother was called Isambard. I can think of many far crueller names, such as Wayne, Peter, Tim, Kevin, etc.

GirlFromTheBackstreetsOfNever · 10/10/2023 23:58

Nah, I think Balonz is much better! 😁

Seriously I actually quite like Isambard, but I expect it will get shortened to Izzy. Maybe have it as a middle name?

Exibstudent · 10/10/2023 23:54

I know one, he generally goes by "is" and peers think it is a cool name.

theduchessofspork · 10/10/2023 23:45

I like it… it’s quite full on but then people call their kids Atticus and Montgomery so I can’t see anything wrong with it. It’s rather splendid.

( Just give him a deeply average middle name, so if he wants to be James when he grows up he can)

smokingcarriageonly · 10/10/2023 20:23

I love it and it has great nickname potential.
I went to school with a Thaddeus (nn Tad) which I thought was a very cool name. Isambard gives me similar vibes.

MrsHamlet · 10/10/2023 20:14

I teach one. Lovely lad.

Nw22 · 10/10/2023 20:13

I had a friend at Uni called isambard. He went by samba

Gardenerboo · 10/10/2023 20:12

Love it. The one I know goes by Bardy.

NuffSaidSam · 10/10/2023 20:09

I quite like it. It's 'out there', but depending on where you live could fit in with all the other unusual names. I think it'd be fine in London.

I like Issy as a nn although usually a girl's name.

Britinme · 10/10/2023 20:09

Sorry but I do think it's child cruelty. My DH has a very unusual first (and middle) name. I'm not going to post it because it's so unusual that you could Google it and out him. He constantly has to spell it and explain it, and that gets old and tedious very very quickly. The shortened version is also unusual enough that it is constantly misheard by people who have never heard this name before, to the extent that in a coffee shop he just leaves the misheard version alone. It is a long-running name in his mother's family, which is why he got it in the first place.

I think Isambard is simply going to get called Izzy at school anyway, and probably at home by everybody except his mother after a while, so think if that's a name you like.

wonderingwhatsnext · 10/10/2023 20:07

I like it. I find that children tend to suit their names. IKB was an incredible engineer.

LulooLemon · 10/10/2023 20:07

I like it

Sexnotgender · 10/10/2023 20:04

I weirdly like it. Brunel is well known.

arcadiamadia · 10/10/2023 20:03

I know a baby isambard! I like it.

bleuclair · 10/10/2023 20:03

Apart from Brunel, no.

Is it one you're thinking of using?

Medlady · 10/10/2023 20:03

I like it

Kilopascal · 10/10/2023 20:02

It makes me think of hobbits.

Swipe left for the next trending thread