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Baby names

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

Original poster

Would you consider these boys or girls names

118 replies

J3110 · 16/01/2024 20:52

We are currently set on the name Arlo for our baby boy due next month however I also love the names Sonny and Marley. Would you consider these boys names or girls names. I have personally only met one boy Sonny and no Marley's 🧐

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LauderSyme · 17/01/2024 13:06

I've met three male humans named Sonny and one male cat named Marley.

I have heard of a fair few female Sonnys and Marleys in the US but not the UK.

I had Sonny on my shortlist for ds but was worried it was a little too informal.

In the end I gave him a name I thought was lovely and unusual, only to see it become one of the top ten in the following few years!@jm9138 I think we unknowingly absorb things in the ether of the zeitgeist, iyswim.

OP, Arlo is a good, strong name and you know you like it a lot - but it's fine to consider alternatives, right up until you meet baby and firmly decide what suits.

CuriousGeorge80 · 17/01/2024 12:45

Arlo and Sonny - boys.
Marley unisex.
We had Arlo on our list but quite put off by how many there currently are, it’s become very popular. Not sure if that matters to you.

Kalevala · 17/01/2024 07:16

J3110 · 17/01/2024 07:12

I'm not sure what you mean dead to begin with?

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A Christmas Carol

Original poster
J3110 · 17/01/2024 07:12

RubaiyatOfAnyone · 16/01/2024 23:38

I just heard two Mum’s of 1 yr olds agreeing that they both fancied Marley for any future daughters.
all i could think of was “Marley was dead to begin with.” 😱

I'm not sure what you mean dead to begin with?

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Original poster
J3110 · 17/01/2024 07:11

sockmuncher · 16/01/2024 21:37

I would consider them dogs names. Especially Arlo.

Really?? Never met a dog named Arlo lol. I have however met plenty of dogs named Jess, Max, Ben, Bella and they are all pretty common baby names to me

OP posts:
SallyWD · 17/01/2024 06:42

All boys names. I know one female Sunny

Scottyme · 17/01/2024 06:17

I'd consider them all male dog names

Coffeeandcakemum · 17/01/2024 01:07

I'd consider them both boys names

Watchthedoormat · 16/01/2024 23:47

Boys names.
Love Sonny

MirandaBlu · 16/01/2024 23:47

I know a woman called Sonny; her given name is Sonia but she rarely uses it in everyday life. She says people assume "Sonny" (if they see it written) is a man, and people who meet her or know she's a woman before seeing the spelling of her name assume that the spelling is "Sunny".

Marley is a surname, so unisex, but it skews feminine for me - maybe partially because it was super popular as a girls' name in South Africa about two decades ago, although sometimes spelled as Marlie or Marli - drawing from more traditional feminine names like Marlies, Marlene, Marla.

Strawberrycheesecake7 · 16/01/2024 23:44

All boys names to me. If I met a girl called Marley I wouldn’t think it was odd but I prefer it for a boy. Arlo and Sonny are very masculine to me and I would think it was a bit odd if I met girls with those names.

RubaiyatOfAnyone · 16/01/2024 23:38

I just heard two Mum’s of 1 yr olds agreeing that they both fancied Marley for any future daughters.
all i could think of was “Marley was dead to begin with.” 😱

gano · 16/01/2024 23:34

I consider them boys names. I know that people use Marley for girls, but I don't consider it a girls name.

eandz13 · 16/01/2024 23:11

They're all boy names. I like them!

IDontLoveTheWayYouLie · 16/01/2024 23:02

I know Sonny's and Marley's who are boys.

jm9138 · 16/01/2024 23:00

My two year old is Arlo. He is the most adorable little boy and his name really suits him. We thought we had picked a nice name that was easy to pronounce and spell (I have a daft surname), worked in English and German as we have German family and was not too common (I have a name that is so common it is more a description of a generation than a name). Within 6 months we met three other Arlos and we are in a small market town in Northumberland…

mathanxiety · 16/01/2024 21:39

All boys.

sockmuncher · 16/01/2024 21:37

I would consider them dogs names. Especially Arlo.

NewName24 · 16/01/2024 21:36

Sonny - boy
Marley - dog

Starlightstarbright2 · 16/01/2024 21:31

QueSyrahSyrah · 16/01/2024 20:59

Never met a Marley so my only association is the dog from Marley and Me.

Only met Male Sonnys.

That’s exactly what I thought when I read of Marley

Original poster
J3110 · 16/01/2024 21:31

Myglassishalffullish · 16/01/2024 21:29

I know a Sonny and a Marley.
One is a springer spaniel, the other a golden Labrador.
Stick with Arlo 👌🏻 good luck with your beautiful new baby 🩵

Thank you ☺️

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Myglassishalffullish · 16/01/2024 21:29

I know a Sonny and a Marley.
One is a springer spaniel, the other a golden Labrador.
Stick with Arlo 👌🏻 good luck with your beautiful new baby 🩵

Kalevala · 16/01/2024 21:24

Marley has the 'leigh' type ending usually used for girls.

Original poster
J3110 · 16/01/2024 21:24

Arlo is definitely our favourite and atm is the name we are going for. Sonny I I like as a nickname so if we did chose that we would find a first name that could have Sonny as nickname for example Harrison, Hudson etc.

Marley I think sounds sweet but I'm unsure if it's a bit more feminine.

I'm unsure why I keep looking elsewhere for names because I do really love Arlo

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