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Baby names

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

Original poster

Cassidy for a girl?

37 replies

Sez281 · 03/08/2024 23:22

I know it might be shortened to Cassie which we don't mind, but being Irish I love the fact that it means "curly haired, clever or strong one". What are peoples opinions on surnames being used as first? Our other favourites at the moment are Hope or Evie

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BrutusMcDogface · 04/08/2024 09:10

Beautiful, strong name! I absolutely love it.

SossijRoll · 04/08/2024 09:09

I like it. So much better than Evie, please no more Evies. It’s been done to death.

mathanxiety · 04/08/2024 05:00

People get very worked up about surnames as forenames, but they're not all bad across the board imo.

I wouldn't call a girl (or boy for that matter) Parker or Peyton, but Cassidy is nice, and the abbreviations are too.

BeautyPageantDropout · 04/08/2024 03:53

I'm Irish and I can't get my knickers in a twist about people using Irish surnames for their babies.

Personally cannot stand the mimsy Hope.

VaddaABeetch · 04/08/2024 03:08

I much prefer MacGillicuddy or O’Looney

DreamTheMoors · 04/08/2024 03:05

I know a Cassidy.
Beautiful girl.
Dark hair, blue eyes and a happy, brilliant girl.
I recommend it highly.

And nobody calls her “Butch” or “Hopalong” either. Those are just silly.

MirandaBlu · 04/08/2024 02:56

People like to say that the surname as first name trend is "American", and certainly it has a lot of history and traction in the USA, but it also has a long history in Scotland. This is partially historically due to the fact that for a long time, there was a naming pattern (of course not ever mandated, but with considerable cultural force) where children were named after their grandparents, and therefore there were often multiple people in the same family with the same first name.

Of course, diminutives were used to distinguish individuals, but beyond that middle names were used as every day first names much more than was the case in England and other European countries. And many of those middle names were the "maiden names" (original last names or surnames) of the mother or grandmother: thus surname as middle name became surname as first name. I'm not sure, specifically, that this happened the same way in Ireland, but I know that naming after grandparents was common there as well for a time so it seems to make sense.

Anyway, there should not be a stigma about using a surname as a first name if you love it and it has significance to you and your family. But personally, I really love Hope and would use that as a first name in a moment!

AppleDumplingWithCustard · 04/08/2024 02:39

I’m quite old but to me it would be Hopalong Cassidy. I shouldn’t think many on here would remember that TV programme though as it was on decades ago.

Lovemybunnies · 04/08/2024 02:31

People Might think ‘Butch’ when they hear it which is what I did and wouldn’t t be great for a girl.

DramaAlpaca · 04/08/2024 02:20

You're Irish and want to give your daughter an Irish surname as a first name?

You're from the US really, aren't you?

As you've probably guessed, it's not a trend I like.

BehindTheSequinsandStilettos · 04/08/2024 00:29

I like it too

Jeschara · 04/08/2024 00:19

I like it, and the nn Cass.

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