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

Marlow for a boy?

103 replies

Samzzz · 23/11/2023 16:58

What are your thoughts on Marlow James for a boy? Looking for an unusual but gentle boy name beginning with M. I already have a boy called Ezra.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
LeonardWoolf · 23/11/2023 19:00

A lot of people will know of Marlow … it's mentioned in Three Men in a Boat

I so love that you wrote this 😂 True faith in JKJ.

(I love Three Men in a Boat.)

FayCarew · 23/11/2023 18:54

@TeaKitten , because it's sounds ridiculous to some of us.
It would be like calling a child Henley or Beaconsfield. Lovely town but not a boy's name.
A lot of people will know of Marlow - Steve Redgrave is from there, it's mentioned in Three Men in a Boat, it often gets mentioned in Food columns...

ThickSkinnedSoWhat · 23/11/2023 18:42

Awful, along with the similar variations that are popping up everywhere I.e. Arlo, Harlowe, Marlow, there is probably more. Becoming common yet increasingly cringeworthy

Berlinlover · 23/11/2023 18:32

I really like it.

Whalewatchers · 23/11/2023 18:28

Malachy? (Mala-key not Malar-key).

honeylou42 · 23/11/2023 18:27

Harlow is better

TeaKitten · 23/11/2023 18:26

FayCarew · 23/11/2023 18:26

@TeaKitten , does it matter? Arlo isn't the name of a town.

Why does it matter so much that Marlow is?

FayCarew · 23/11/2023 18:26

@TeaKitten , does it matter? Arlo isn't the name of a town.

TeaKitten · 23/11/2023 18:14

FayCarew · 23/11/2023 18:06

@TeaKitten , but Arlo isn't a well-known town. Arlo isn't my kind of name but it does go with Ezra.

Admittedly it does sound like 'Arlow. The name meaning you have is probably from a baby name site. The one I saw said Arlo is a unisex name, which is news to me

Also it’s not a random made up thing from a baby’s site, Arlo meaning fortified hill dates back to the Middle Ages.

Libertyy · 23/11/2023 18:13

Arlo, ok maybe but Marlow sounds like a dog’s name

TeaKitten · 23/11/2023 18:12

FayCarew · 23/11/2023 18:06

@TeaKitten , but Arlo isn't a well-known town. Arlo isn't my kind of name but it does go with Ezra.

Admittedly it does sound like 'Arlow. The name meaning you have is probably from a baby name site. The one I saw said Arlo is a unisex name, which is news to me

Arlo is a well known home security company. I’ve never heard of the town Marlow. They are very similar. Ezra isn’t my type of name either to be honest but it’s better than Arlo and Marlow I guess.

WWGDD · 23/11/2023 18:11

FayCarew · 23/11/2023 17:53

Arlo goes well with Ezra.
Marlow is a town on the Thames - seems a bit like calling a child Reading or Maidenhead.

The problem with calling a child Reading is that it's always mispronounced

CorporaINobbyNobbs · 23/11/2023 18:09

It’s my cat’s name 😃

kneehightoacat · 23/11/2023 18:07

It's a town. And surname

James is a fabulous name

Marlow isn't

FayCarew · 23/11/2023 18:06

@TeaKitten , but Arlo isn't a well-known town. Arlo isn't my kind of name but it does go with Ezra.

Admittedly it does sound like 'Arlow. The name meaning you have is probably from a baby name site. The one I saw said Arlo is a unisex name, which is news to me

TeaKitten · 23/11/2023 18:00

FayCarew · 23/11/2023 17:53

Arlo goes well with Ezra.
Marlow is a town on the Thames - seems a bit like calling a child Reading or Maidenhead.

Arlo means ‘fortified hill’ so I’d say it’s not much better than a Marlow. Marlow would probably get misheard as Arlo though.

FayCarew · 23/11/2023 17:59

youcandanceifyouwanna · 23/11/2023 17:56

Only if your last name is Barlow.

If your surname is Barlow, then Gary, Peter or Ken would better.
If it is Farlowe then the name should be Clayton

TeaKitten · 23/11/2023 17:57

Sounds like a place, and like you are trying to be ‘cool’. I don’t like it

youcandanceifyouwanna · 23/11/2023 17:56

Only if your last name is Barlow.

FayCarew · 23/11/2023 17:53

Arlo goes well with Ezra.
Marlow is a town on the Thames - seems a bit like calling a child Reading or Maidenhead.

zurala · 23/11/2023 17:25

It's just down the road from me, so no. It would be like calling him Worcester or Watford.

FlamingoHels · 23/11/2023 17:13

Yes I also just think of the town and find it an odd choice for a person

ginandbearit · 23/11/2023 17:13

You could try Marlon instead...I went to school in Marlow 😬

youreonmute123 · 23/11/2023 17:09

It’s a town in Buckinghamshire, nice park though

Floopani · 23/11/2023 17:08

I love it!