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

Connotations of names Barnaby, Roland or Jethro?

103 replies

goody3shoes · 28/12/2023 10:05

A friend of mine has married an Englishman, actually he is from Devon. They have taken her surname but he wishes to name their first child, a boy, due in 4 months. He is keen on the above three names but my friend is uncertain of how they would be thought of to an Englishperson and asked me, as I have some experience in the English culture. Still, I thought it would be best to get you guys on the case! Any thoughts and suggestions appreciated.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Dearover · 29/12/2023 21:03

Jethro was a Corn8sh comedian who lived on the border with Devon. He was a legend. His most famous tale was " The train don't stop Cambourne Wednesday". I suggest your friend takes a look at Jethro on You Tube.

annabianca · 29/12/2023 20:56

If this child will spend any time in Italy, people will have problems with the th in Jethro and also with its spelling in writing. Having your name misspelled in official documents will cause issues with the Italian bureaucracy, which are a pain to deal with.

GodDammitCecil · 29/12/2023 20:13

Jethro Clampett did untold damage to the name Jethro, it will forever be a Hillbilly name to a generation or more…

Connotations of names Barnaby, Roland or Jethro?
SkylinePigeon · 29/12/2023 20:05

Jethro - Jethro Tull, or American Appalachian mountain name. I'm sorry this is going to sound very snobbish, I'm sure there are lots of Jethros who are cultured and intelligent, but to me it's a name that just screams toothless hillbilly living in a shack in Kentucky.

Roland - Roland Rat. It's a nice enough name but for slightly older Brits it will immediately bring to mind a sunglasses-wearing giant rat.

Barnaby - Quite posh. Midsomer Murders, but that's not a bad association.

GodDammitCecil · 29/12/2023 20:00

HappyBusman · 28/12/2023 10:21

Barnaby is a Golden Retriever, Roland got a half-blue in croquet while reading Greats, and Jethro is a hillbilly.

100% this.

They’re all names for 56 year olds.

INeverForgetAFaceButInYourCaseIdLikeTo · 29/12/2023 19:59

Barnaby - a character from Midsomer Murder?
Roland - Roland Rat (puppet thing from GMTV years ago who went on to have his own programme)
Jethro - a so-called comedian from years ago

KirstenBlest · 29/12/2023 19:56

I might have named OP's friend's baby. Smile Lando is lovely.

Emotionalsupportviper · 29/12/2023 14:43

Our work here is done. 😁

Original poster
goody3shoes · 29/12/2023 12:49

Oh you win, my friend is very taken with "Lando"!

OP posts:
muddyford · 28/12/2023 17:04

Barnaby is lovely. Roland nice as a middle name. Jethro is OK too. Barnaby Roland sounds very good.

StoatofDisarray · 28/12/2023 17:02

Barnaby the Bear, the fat kid from Grange Hill and that Cornish comedian who did well at working men's clubs.

BrimfulOfMash · 28/12/2023 16:56

Jethro is an Old Testament / Hebrew name, like many popular classic name.

Not invented by the band (who were named after the inventor) and not restricted to comedians

Longma · 28/12/2023 16:49

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. at the request of it's author.

Delassalle · 28/12/2023 16:19

I associate Jethro with the comedian- wikipedia.org/wiki/Jethro_(comedian)

Barnaby with the bear -

Roland with the rat - %3D%3D

SkatieKatie · 28/12/2023 16:14

I'm showing my age here but Roland always reminds me of the Grange Hill character (as well as the way Janet used to say his name)

Jitterybugs · 28/12/2023 16:09

Nobody has mentioned my favourite character Roland Schitt from Schitt’s Creek

zaazaazoo · 28/12/2023 16:00

Love JETHRO. I tried to get my friend to call her son Jethro 20 years ago.

KingsleyBorder · 28/12/2023 15:38

There used to be a sandwich shop in Glasgow called Roland Butter.

That’s because in Scottish dialect we talk about “a roll and xxx” to describe a filled roll - “roll and sausage”, “roll and cheese” etc.

BigGapMum · 28/12/2023 13:54

If they will be living in Devon the name Jethro will be associated with a very well known local comedian who passed away a couple of years ago. In another part of the country that association would not be there.
Roland makes me think of Roland Rat.

TheMadGardener · 28/12/2023 13:53

If friend's DH is from Devon he probably knows of Jethro, the famously coarse Cornish comedian. That's my mental association with Jethro - Cornish yokel type telling rude jokes.

I've taught 2 Barnabys in my teaching career - one was delightful and one was really, really annoying, which has put me off the name since.

Never taught a Roland but it's unusual these days, I like it better than the other two.

Forestdweller11 · 28/12/2023 13:50

Jethro Tull - the band

Emotionalsupportviper · 28/12/2023 13:48

Lando is rather nice, @KirstenBlest - almost "Star-Warsy"

KirstenBlest · 28/12/2023 13:46

I would suggest Rolando too. Lando is a better diminutive than Roly.

If the child is likely to grow up not speaking italian, a name like Alessandro P-ucci might give the impression of being completely italian not half-english

Emotionalsupportviper · 28/12/2023 13:44

There was a children's TV character called Orlando in the good old days of B?W TV. He was played by Sam Kydd IIRC.

<off to google>

Edited because buggering autocarrot had corrected Kydd to kiss

Further edit - have googled - it was a series for "young adults". Thank you Wikipedia

GreenLampLight · 28/12/2023 13:42

Orlando is lovely. But is inextricable from the marmalade cat in my head.