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Baby names

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

Original poster

Claude Quentin or Quentin Claude

143 replies

MumThree3 · 06/12/2023 12:49

Baby name conundrum!

Baby 3 was a boy and he would have always been Vinny but a close friend used it and I’d rather not use the name now, she would rather that too!

so we are down to Claude Quentin or Quentin Claude and the family name will be Bonfrer! French heritage but we are British.

what are your thoughts on Claude as the first name or Quentin as a first name? I like both but have doubts about both. Namely, is Quentin too posh? We are normal income people. My other children are Jasper and Connie.

I also like Raphael/Raphy but my husband thinks it’s too Spanish to use.

I have until tomorrow am to choose between Claude or Quentin!

any feedback welcomed! Or other names but probably will be veeto’d by my other half as he wants me to decide asap!

OP posts:
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Snugglemonkey · 06/12/2023 22:45

I love Quentin. I know a 15 year old Quentin, who us often k own as Tintin. I don't know if that is a common nn, or if it would bother you. It suits him though!

I do not think Claude sounds good with any UK accent I can think of.

garlictwist · 06/12/2023 21:29

Claude and Quentin are both very old man names. Claude makes me think of a sad clown for some reason. Quentin makes me think of the famous five.

resm · 06/12/2023 21:20

I would stick with Vincent if it’s a name you always loved. If you need to convince yourself of Claude or Quentin you may end up regretting the choice.

mafsafanuk · 06/12/2023 20:54

Second one stands out

Scruffington · 06/12/2023 20:49

WaitingForSunnyDays · 06/12/2023 20:17

I really dislike Quentin and was trying to work out why. I reckon it's something to do with not liking Uncle Quentin in Enid Blyton books, so that's a nearly 50 year old irrational prejudice 😀

He was always such a grumpy prick. Aunt Fanny should have told him to sling his hook.

Scruffington · 06/12/2023 20:47

Raphael is so much nicer than either Quentin or Claude.

Notmetoo · 06/12/2023 20:46

wherethewildtbingsgo · 06/12/2023 15:56

It might not be a bad thing in a theoretical sense but I'm generally of the view you should minimise bullying or othering opportunities for your children if at all possible. Having a name like Quentin arguably doesn't do that.

Having said that, I do like the name and I think it's very elegant. I'm just not sure I would name a little boy Quentin when he's from a "very normal" family so is likely to go to school with lots of Archies and Harrys and Albies. I know it shouldn't be that way, and he may be absolutely fine (particularly if he's a strong willed or "popular" type) but it's definitely more of a risk than other names.

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There are so many unusual.names in most classrooms.now that I can't imagine any bullying over a name.
Incidentally I have been in two classrooms this week in a very normal not posh at all school and none of the children were called Archie Harry or Albie.
A Quentin wouldn't be out of place.

GreyTS · 06/12/2023 20:44

Quentin is fab, but the French pronunciation, it's actually v easy to say....Claude is a strange choice, don't think any French baby has been called that in the last century

Notmetoo · 06/12/2023 20:36

I prefer Quentin

ASuitableName · 06/12/2023 20:30

Quentin Claude.

As pp said, Claude doesn’t sound nice pronounced the English way, and it’s a very unfashionable name in French. I don’t know any under seventy.

Raphael is a great name and definitely French! Or how about Hugo, Bruno or Guillaume?

WaitingForSunnyDays · 06/12/2023 20:17

I really dislike Quentin and was trying to work out why. I reckon it's something to do with not liking Uncle Quentin in Enid Blyton books, so that's a nearly 50 year old irrational prejudice 😀

wafflingworrier · 06/12/2023 20:15

RAFFY IS AWESOME

Quintin Claude sounds like a French detective or TV character from sooty and sweet or something, I'm not a fan to b honest.

Nimmop · 06/12/2023 20:11

wherethewildtbingsgo · 06/12/2023 15:42

I said "unusual to the point of unique" by which I meant he may well be the only little Quentin born in 2023 or 2024 in the UK.

Show quote history

There were 23 born in 2021, the last year for which data is available.

Brexile · 06/12/2023 19:23

Quentin isn't posh at all in France. It's a very popular name for 20 something men. The last Quentin I met (harvesting grapes as it happened) was a 26 year old builder. Claude is an old man's (very occasionally old woman's) name, often hyphenated, e.g Jean-Claude. A 79 year old lady I know has older siblings named Claude-Marie (male) and Marie-Claude (female)!

Edited to add: I forgot you said you liked Raphael - that's much nicer. Raphael Claude Quentin? I taught a 17 year old Raphael last year who was an absolute genius and I always thought it was a pretty name. Raffy is cute.

DinaofCloud9 · 06/12/2023 19:15

Quentin reminds me of Quentin Tarantino and that's not good. Ugly misogynist who's sweaty and awkward.

Raphael is much better and Claude is better than Quentin.

LilyLemonade · 06/12/2023 19:13

I like both names but the very different French pronunciation of Quentin would bother me so I’d go for Claude as the first name.

PS both posh to me but I like posh and they definitely go well with Jasper and Connie.

Hugo is another posh name that works well in French and English.

SiennaMillar · 06/12/2023 19:05

Claude is lovely.
Really don’t like Quentin

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 06/12/2023 18:44

Quentin Claude. Simply because Quen sounds like a great shortening, whereas 'Claw'..err... doesn't.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 06/12/2023 18:37

Claude Quentin but Claude reminds me of the dog sorry

LaurieStrode · 06/12/2023 18:29

You know, friends come and go, but your kid will be yours forever. If you want Vincent, name him Vincent.

It's not as though the kids would be living under the same roof. Many people have multiple kids in their circle with the same name, in extended families and whatnot.

If your friend kicks off, she's not really much of a friend and needs to get a sense of humour.

Vincent Claude is a lovely combo.

One of my uni friends' now grown son is named Vincent. He goes by Vinnie. There's also Vin, Vince as nicknames. No one is going to confuse the two children.

Original poster
MumThree3 · 06/12/2023 17:30

Thanks. Vincent was always our first choice but my best friend used it 6 months ago and feels out of bounds! Hence, this predicament!

OP posts:
wherethewildtbingsgo · 06/12/2023 16:45

Sorry...I feel like I'm wildly over invested in this decision 🤣🤦‍♀️ but how about Vincent? It's French, has the classic ring you like and can also be shorted to Vinnie for his mates.

roombaclean · 06/12/2023 16:04

Rafe is a name in its own right or could be a nickname for Raphael. Claude vs Quentin? Claude. I prefer the sound, more masculine and I think it's a less risky choice too.

wherethewildtbingsgo · 06/12/2023 15:56

FuckHonestlyKnows · 06/12/2023 15:53

That's no bad thing, it's still very classic and everyone will recognise the pronunciation @wherethewildtbingsgo

It might not be a bad thing in a theoretical sense but I'm generally of the view you should minimise bullying or othering opportunities for your children if at all possible. Having a name like Quentin arguably doesn't do that.

Having said that, I do like the name and I think it's very elegant. I'm just not sure I would name a little boy Quentin when he's from a "very normal" family so is likely to go to school with lots of Archies and Harrys and Albies. I know it shouldn't be that way, and he may be absolutely fine (particularly if he's a strong willed or "popular" type) but it's definitely more of a risk than other names.

SirChenjins · 06/12/2023 15:53

Raphael

Claude
Quentin