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Baby names

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

Original poster

James, Teddy, Freddy?

56 replies

PlumGoose · 26/08/2024 06:21

Read sooo many of these threads and finally writing my own and hoping for help.
Found out we are having a boy and been stuck on names ever since! Getting close to due date and nervous we don’t have a name…we had a shortlist of 3 but not convinced on any:
like James but really dislike Jay and my manager is also called James!
like Teddy (Ted?) but really dislike Ed/Eddie and not sure how well it ages otherwise
like Freddy (ish) but had an awful grandfather called Fred and would hate it to be seen as a tribute.

any thoughts or other names to consider? No H names please due to surname. Thank you in advance hoping for some inspiration.

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Dustyunicorn · 01/12/2024 19:35

What about Frankie if you're not sure on Freddy?

verabarbleen · 01/12/2024 18:30

I love all these names ! I have a Ted. There are quite a lot of freddies and a few teddys at school but I haven't met a James since I was at school (I'm late 30s) it's a lovely name . Not much help as I like them all. I am not as keen on teddy which is why we named ours just Ted but it's a nice name that could get shortened to Ted when older

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 01/12/2024 14:10

craigth162 · 26/08/2024 10:23

Jamie is not a nickname for james

But it can be if people want it to be?

DuchessOfSausage · 30/11/2024 13:11

They've probably named him by now, @Notagooddaytoday , @Happymchappyface .

Happymchappyface · 30/11/2024 12:21

Personally I love James.

But, you have 3 possibles. Why decide now? When baby is born one might just fit them better.

Notagooddaytoday · 30/11/2024 11:59

James 100%
Teddy sounds stupid and should be Theodore or Edward anyway.
Freddie should be Frederick. Hate abbreviated names as full names.
Can't stand all this Alfie/Archie/Jimmy/Timmy/Bobbie

peaceinourtime · 04/09/2024 15:48

Of the three you listed James or Freddy. Another option is Jerome. Teddy/Theodore really has been done to death, don’t do it

forgotmyusername1 · 31/08/2024 17:38

My kids are called James and Henry

James was Jamie until he was about 8 and now uses James

I failed to avoid the Thomas the Tank Engine names. Even funnier is their cousin is called Percy

okayhescereal · 30/08/2024 12:46

If you're liking Ted and Ed...what about Ned?

Friend of mine has a Ned, it's lovely!

VioIetMoon · 30/08/2024 12:33

Teddy.
I absolutely loved Theodore Teddy for short but couldn't convince DH

noonpig · 30/08/2024 12:32

noonpig · 30/08/2024 12:31

Our surname is the same as yours and we have Joseph.

Sorry wrong thread

noonpig · 30/08/2024 12:31

Our surname is the same as yours and we have Joseph.

BobbyBiscuits · 28/08/2024 00:24

I love Freddie.
How about -
Frank/Frankie/Franklin
Sam/Samuel
Luke
Matthew
Daniel
Jake
Theo/Theodore
Alex
Lennie
Liam
Nathaniel
Joe/Joseph
Keiran

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 28/08/2024 00:19

If you want to try to avoid nn’s then I think James is your best bet - very classic and timeless and most seem to get the full James these days afaik (which is kind of a shame in some ways for me as I really love the old medieval nn for James - Jem).

I like Edward but agree Ed/Eddy isn’t the nicest and find Teddy is a bit cutesy (and will get shortened to Ted when older). If Edward has to have an nn then I personally like Ned best but I think that one’s quite uncommon. Fred still feels “old man” to me personally. I do love Wilfred though but I think Wilf is the more natural nn for that?

okayhescereal · 27/08/2024 17:19

Have never heard of a James called Jay personally. Jason seems to be shortened to Jay/Jayce, James seems to become Jack, or Jim?!

zingally · 27/08/2024 17:13

James is a lovely name. I've never known it shortened to Jay.

Freddy/Teddy are cute when they're little. But sound silly on grown-ups. Especially Teddy. "Hello, I'm Teddy, you're here to discuss your mortgage application?"

Rfthyhuj · 26/08/2024 22:25

Kitkat1523 · 26/08/2024 15:24

They are not classic 🙄…they are nicknames ….baby names ……dog names……c

Show quote history

🙄 Nicknames for entirely classic names then. Many grown men go by Freddy or Teddy. Just as they do Bobby and Jimmy and Johnny and Jackie. Their names appear on a birth certificate but they become grown men with these perfectly adult nicknames/names.

Rfthyhuj · 26/08/2024 22:21

redtrain123 · 26/08/2024 15:05

I’m not sure Teddy can be classed classic as a stand alone name, only as a nn for Edward. I can honestly saying that it’s only in recent times that I’ve come across Teddy as a name in its own right, and had it been used twenty plus years, people would have thought it as strange (and babyish).

It doesn’t really matter whether it’s standalone. Grown men have been referred to as Freddy and Teddy for hundreds of years. They’re not childish or babyish names.

Birmingbacon · 26/08/2024 18:22

James is the nicest of those. I’ve never heard it shorted to Jay. Just use James.

Firebird83 · 26/08/2024 17:55

James

Stainglasses · 26/08/2024 15:56

Love James and Teddy (Edward) - such good boys names. Also love Tom or Tommy

alexdgr8 · 26/08/2024 15:53

James.
don't register them with a baby name.
it's for life, and most of it will be grown up.

Original poster
PlumGoose · 26/08/2024 15:49

definitely food for thought and some lovely alternate suggestions. I think im now fully convinced against Teddy, hadn’t thought of the dog connection and just had a dogs trust email announcing Teddy as the most common male dog name for the third year running so that seals it!! Haha.
if it was Fred I think the longer name would be Wilfred so that might work.
but feels like James is the front runner and we just stick to that without a nickname and hope other people do the same…

OP posts:
Kitkat1523 · 26/08/2024 15:24

Rfthyhuj · 26/08/2024 14:30

Freddy and Teddy are entirely classic and timeless names.

Show quote history

They are not classic 🙄…they are nicknames ….baby names ……dog names……c

Kitkat1523 · 26/08/2024 15:23

Know a lot of James’ ….they never get Jay…..it’s Jim or Jimmy..l.not Jamie either as that seems to be a name in its own right where I am

teddy and Freddy as a name are naff ….fine for a nick name or a name used in childhood…..but not to take through life

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