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Baby names

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Original poster

Hugo or Oscar - really struggling

61 replies

Leeloo1233 · 12/09/2024 17:06

We have narrowed down our list to two names, Hugo and Oscar. It needs to work in English, Swedish and French.

We were almost settled for Hugo and have told many people, but now I'm freaking out that it's perceived too posh in the UK and people will think we are pretentious or tory voters or something else that I dont want to be associated with. Hugo is a normal name in Sweden and France and we live in Sweden, I just dont want to rule out us moving back to England to my DH's home country one day.

I had major naming anxiety with my first born and now fear it's coming back again :(

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MerryMarys · 13/09/2024 16:21

Hugo is a great name but yes it is a stereotypical posh boy name in the UK

And why would that be bad? Would people discriminate against those with posh names Confused??

FayCarew · 13/09/2024 13:52

There are probably Hugos at (state) school already - it's been in the top 100 names for about 12 years. Ezra and Louis are already considered mainstream.

OP would probably get a comment like 'ooh, that's a bit posh/out there' about Hugo and Oscar but from people whose children are much older.

I've heard both names called out in the supermarket and I'm not in a well-to-do area (think crocs and sports sock not Green Wellies/Penelope Chilvers).

Comedycook · 13/09/2024 13:27

FayCarew · 13/09/2024 13:24

@Comedycook , it already is mainstream. It's in the top 50 boys' names in England and Wales (2022 stats). (...Ezra is #46, Hugo #47, Louis #48...)

Yes I thought so...I mean as the babies called hugo grow up and start school etc the name will lose the 'posh' tag and no longer be associated as that

FayCarew · 13/09/2024 13:24

@Comedycook , it already is mainstream. It's in the top 50 boys' names in England and Wales (2022 stats). (...Ezra is #46, Hugo #47, Louis #48...)

FluffMagnet · 13/09/2024 13:16

Hugo is becoming very popular in the UK so rapidly losing the posh reputation, especially in our generation. It also works very well on the continent, where as I'm sure you know, it is also very popular (at least in Northern Europe).

Comedycook · 13/09/2024 13:11

Hugo is a great name but yes it is a stereotypical posh boy name in the UK! Hugo is however growing in popularity so perhaps will be more mainstream in a few years time. Oscar is bland and overly popular. I much prefer Hugo.

hideawayforever · 13/09/2024 13:09

Oscar

MerryMarys · 13/09/2024 13:04

Even if it were, what’s wrong with posh?

I'd like to understand this too. I personally have never judged anyone negative because they had a 'posh' name. If anything, I often really like their names and find them quite memorable in a positive way. I don't even regard them as 'posh' but rather as elegant and cool.

So what exactly is wrong with posh, as another poster asked?

Sleepnplay · 13/09/2024 10:27

I much prefer Oscar, and despite its popularity I've never come across one with 2 dc under 7.

Mandarinaduck · 12/09/2024 22:16

Hugo Is a totally fine name and now so popular it’s no longer posh. Even if it were, what’s wrong with posh? Anyway, great name. Oscar is lovely too. You can’t go wrong with these two choices, either one is very solid.

TabiTaylor · 12/09/2024 21:28

Both lovely names. I think they sound sweet and fairly traditional foreign names but not pretentious. Pretentious to me is something that's trying to sound cool.

Tumblingjungleofchaos · 12/09/2024 21:11

Why not just wait until he's born and see which name suits him best?

Either is fine and both are quite popular/normal now so don't worry.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 12/09/2024 20:42

Hugh? If you like the sound but not the implied connotations. I think Hugh is a great name and hugely underrated (lol)

LittleMissDaisyyy · 12/09/2024 20:30

I have an Oscar. & I love the name what I don’t like is when people call him Ozzy 😭

Atishooo · 12/09/2024 20:28

I know at least 5 Oscars, it’s so popular I would pick Hugo.

Hugo isn’t unusual, I’m sure there’s two of them in my DC’s year at school.

Yuja · 12/09/2024 19:31

I prefer Hugo but remember in French they wouldn't pronounce the H so it'll be like oo-go. So I'd probably vote for Oscar if you want it work in French

FayCarew · 12/09/2024 19:25

that it's perceived too posh in the UK It's in the top 50 boys' names in England & Wales @Leeloo1233 . It will only be considered posh by people who think names like Noah and Theo are unusual.

The pronunciation might vary in the countries you mentioned. Oscar is a top 10 name here.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 12/09/2024 19:24

Hugo is a top 50 name in the UK right now. They can't all be posh. And even if they were, who cares? There's nothing wrong with that!

Muchtoomuchtodo · 12/09/2024 19:21

They both sound quite posh and pretentious to me, but they’re also both currently pretty popular so perhaps that will change

Moreteaandchocolate · 12/09/2024 19:19

I think Hugo used to be seen as posher than it is now - it’s a good name. I do prefer Oscar though, personally.

marshmallowfinder · 12/09/2024 18:53

Hugo is dreadful! Oscar, definitely.

MerryMarys · 12/09/2024 18:46

So many names that used to be seen as 'posh' (like Hugo, Sebastian, Henry, Quentin) are now used by everyone so they aren't really posh anymore imo

GreyhoundGal1 · 12/09/2024 18:31

Maybe Hugo used to be seen as posh but now it's a very popular normal name. Was number 47 in 2022 so will be lots of Hugos, I've met some in my baby classes. It's a lovely name I really like it.

babyproblems · 12/09/2024 17:35

I have a Hugo! Exactly like you I needed something that would work in English and french. I don’t think it’s seen as posh in France btw. I don’t think it’s seen as that posh in England either tbh!! I like Oscar too. Congrats!

Abbylikeswine · 12/09/2024 17:33

Hugo seems a bit pretentious.

I prefer Oscar myself.

What does you gut tell you?

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