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Baby names

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Original poster

Names that are common in the US but not the UK

208 replies

ffsfindmeausername · 06/10/2024 10:28

Just that really, there seems to be certain names that seem very American that you don't tend to hear in the UK such as Chad.
I like the name Chad but no idea why it's not really used in the UK. Can anyone think of any other very "American" names that you don't tend to hear here in the UK or vice versa very British names rarely used in the US?

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cheapskatemum · 08/10/2024 23:08

I think Nancy is more common in USA than in UK.

bilendemas · 07/10/2024 18:29

Boys:

Brett
Brock
Brody
Chad
Chase
Chuck
Cody
Cole
Cory
Hank
Jesse
Scott
Todd
Travis
Trent
Tucker
Wyatt

Girls:

Blair
Bree
Brittney
Casey
Everly
Kendal
Maddison
Megan
Paige
Peyton
Taylor

SpiderDijon · 07/10/2024 17:51

Ira

I know 2 American Iras (both male and middle aged) but never heard this name in the UK.

MrsB2019x · 07/10/2024 17:33

Names like McKinley were the first that came to mind

TwirlBar · 07/10/2024 12:53

Thank you very much @RitaIncognita.

RitaIncognita · 07/10/2024 12:43

TwirlBar · 07/10/2024 09:39

@RitaIncognita
Also, if in your example above John Alan Smith Ii has a son, is he then John Alan Smith III too?

Yes, he would be III.

RitaIncognita · 07/10/2024 12:42

Do both first names and middle names have to be the same to use Jr etc?

Yes. That is actually the case with my husband and son. They have the same first name, different middle names (both family surnames) and of course the same last name. My son is not a junior and he is called by his middle name.

WaitingForMojo · 07/10/2024 11:14

Lori

Sesma · 07/10/2024 10:50

A relatives son is called Bay

SallyWD · 07/10/2024 10:50

I expect someone has said Cindy? I know a couple of American Cindys.

Sanguinello · 07/10/2024 10:48

ImpunityJane · 07/10/2024 08:41

Sarah Palin has a daughter called Bristol and I know of a few small children with names like London, Belfast, Henley and Windsor. Also Paris and Chelsea of course.

Is that because their ancestors were from there, or they just liked the name?

TwirlBar · 07/10/2024 09:39

@RitaIncognita
Also, if in your example above John Alan Smith Ii has a son, is he then John Alan Smith III too?

TwirlBar · 07/10/2024 09:31

RitaIncognita · 06/10/2024 15:50

Also sometimes "Tersh" is a nickname in the US for the third from the Latin "tertius."

By the way, for what its worth, Roman numeral II after a name in the US means named for a grandfather, not the father. "Jr" is the designation for someone with the same name as their father.

John Alan Smith
John Alan Smith, Jr.
John Alan Smith III

If John Alan Smith, Jr. were instead named Robert John Smith, but he named his son after the first John Alan Smith, then the son of Robert would be John Alan Smith II.

Show quote history

That's very interesting, thank you. I didn't know that and would have assumed II was essentially the same as Jr.

Do both first names and middle names have to be the same to use Jr etc? If a father and son have different middle names but the same first name will that do?
So John Alan Smith and his son John Michael Smith...does the son say he's John Smith Jr?

ImpunityJane · 07/10/2024 08:41

Sarah Palin has a daughter called Bristol and I know of a few small children with names like London, Belfast, Henley and Windsor. Also Paris and Chelsea of course.

AmeliaEarache · 07/10/2024 08:36

mathanxiety · 07/10/2024 01:52

Do you live in a very isolated spot with little contact with the rest of your fellow countrymen and women?

The only names I would consider unusual for a Brit there are Lori and Brent.

The Jeffs you know are probably Jeffrey on their BCs.

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Christ, are you this snarky to everyone?

No, I live in a major city, have raise 3 kids through large schools - and on reflection there was a Lauren in the PTA of DS2’s year.
There were girls called Robyn and one boy Robin but not girls called Robin while I’d grown up with 3 of them.

Yes, the Jeffs were probably Jeffrey on birth certificates but they were all called Jeff whereas in North Carolina they were all called Jeffrey.

Princessfluffy · 07/10/2024 08:17

Duke
Baron
Lord
Prince
Earl
Knight
All common first names in USA

UK has Princess and Queenie

nmnmn · 07/10/2024 08:11

mathanxiety · 07/10/2024 01:52

Do you live in a very isolated spot with little contact with the rest of your fellow countrymen and women?

The only names I would consider unusual for a Brit there are Lori and Brent.

The Jeffs you know are probably Jeffrey on their BCs.

Show quote history

Why are you always so snarky? Approx half used, some briefly a trend, they are dated. Approx half rare (DG and BN stats confirm this, a few hundred born ever). No record of a Tad, never been used. I can see why PP thought them unusual, probably never met any or perhaps only one ever.

ShakespeareInTurmoil · 07/10/2024 07:54

What we might consider old man names:

brian
derek
eric

All seem quite common in young men.

MirandaBlu · 07/10/2024 07:31

Randy can also be a girls' name in the US, usually short for Miranda - but as Miranda has declined in popularity since it peaked in the '90s, so has Randy.

Original poster
ffsfindmeausername · 07/10/2024 06:54

beenwhereyouare · 07/10/2024 04:26

Kirstie Alley?

Show quote history

oh yes I forgot about kirstie Alley!

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 07/10/2024 05:36

craycray431 · 07/10/2024 04:42

So if John Alan Smith III had a son called John Alan Smith would the son be known as John Alan Smith III Jr?

Show quote history

He'd be John Alan Smith IV.

Scenicgirl · 07/10/2024 05:33

I know a few children called Harrison in the UK but I always think of it as American.

TinySmol · 07/10/2024 05:15

Krista

craycray431 · 07/10/2024 04:42

RitaIncognita · 06/10/2024 15:50

Also sometimes "Tersh" is a nickname in the US for the third from the Latin "tertius."

By the way, for what its worth, Roman numeral II after a name in the US means named for a grandfather, not the father. "Jr" is the designation for someone with the same name as their father.

John Alan Smith
John Alan Smith, Jr.
John Alan Smith III

If John Alan Smith, Jr. were instead named Robert John Smith, but he named his son after the first John Alan Smith, then the son of Robert would be John Alan Smith II.

Show quote history

So if John Alan Smith III had a son called John Alan Smith would the son be known as John Alan Smith III Jr?

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 07/10/2024 04:34

Waggytail · 06/10/2024 13:27

Briana and Erica. I've never met anyone from the UK with these names but they seem popular in the States.

erica is popular in many European countries