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Baby names

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

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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PuppyMonkey · 06/10/2024 13:46

My work colleague has a DD called Briana.

MouldyCandy · 06/10/2024 13:38

Forest. I met one IRL in the States. I've never met a native one in the UK.

Loads of boys called Harris or Harrison in my neck of the woods.

Transam · 06/10/2024 13:32

Bryan and Kevin for children
Only for the over-65s in UK

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.

Birdscratch · 06/10/2024 13:23

The weirdest US naming thing to me is adding the second or the third after boys names.

Monsterstep · 06/10/2024 13:18

craycray431 · 06/10/2024 13:02

Chad
Tad
Skip
Chuck
Shaynna
Shayla
Stacey
Shauni
Sharna
Cindy
Lori
Brandi
Colt

Using 2 X first name as a first name ie David Michael, I think there was a character in the Baby sitter Club books called this? also Chad Michael Murray, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michael Patrick King et al

Naming sons exactly same name as father/grandfather and putting II, III and jr ie Chad Michael Murray III jr

Using initials ie Chad M. Murray III jr,

Yes and he was always David Michael never just Dave which is what us Brits would end up calling him 😂

Birdscratch · 06/10/2024 13:11

Mateo and Thiago because the US has a large population of Spanish and Portuguese speakers. We’ve adopted lots of common US names like Hudson, Hunter and Beau but I don’t think Colton or Carson are as common here yet.

Weston and Waylon are in the top 75 in the US.

Howmanytimesdoineedtorepeatmyself · 06/10/2024 13:10

Craig pronounced 'creg'

Gigihadid · 06/10/2024 13:08

Jesse for a boy

TeamPolin · 06/10/2024 13:07

Jesse is a very American name that never had much traction in the U.K. until very recently

Also Rupert - never heard of an American Rupert....

craycray431 · 06/10/2024 13:02

Chad
Tad
Skip
Chuck
Shaynna
Shayla
Stacey
Shauni
Sharna
Cindy
Lori
Brandi
Colt

Using 2 X first name as a first name ie David Michael, I think there was a character in the Baby sitter Club books called this? also Chad Michael Murray, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michael Patrick King et al

Naming sons exactly same name as father/grandfather and putting II, III and jr ie Chad Michael Murray III jr

Using initials ie Chad M. Murray III jr,

Anicecumberlandsausage · 06/10/2024 12:58

Harper.

GogAndMagog · 06/10/2024 12:56

Chuck.

It always makes me wonder why you'd look at your newborn and think 'Chuck'

PuppyMonkey · 06/10/2024 12:54

I know it’s a while ago now, but it used to make me laugh that the main teen high school heroine in Beverley Hills 90210 was called Brenda. Grin

SonicTheHodgeheg · 06/10/2024 12:50

Use of Junior or numbers after a name. Like Benjamin III (dad is Benjamin II and Grandad is Benjamin) I’ve never heard female equivalents of this convention though.

Unicorntearsofgin · 06/10/2024 12:49

Britney
Casey
Paisley

Curtis
Wyatt

sugarapplelane · 06/10/2024 12:49

Anonym00se · 06/10/2024 12:23

Brian, Michael and Frank have all been very popular UK names in the past.

Show quote history

I was going to say that too. I know loads of Michaels

Autumnleaveswhenthegrassisjewelled · 06/10/2024 12:45

Skylar
King
Prince
Using your own first name for the baby
Jimmy
Some names which have become outdated here, are popular there e.g. Sean, Bryan.

Lemonadeand · 06/10/2024 12:44

McKenzie
Darby
Cindy (older generation)
Hal

And then of course a lot of Hispanic names.

HundredMilesAnHour · 06/10/2024 12:37

GoodnightMr · 06/10/2024 12:08

Maybe Devin? I know a British one spelt like this.
I think Seth is very American

I know several Devins, all American. The only Seth I know is Welsh.

PurpleChrayn · 06/10/2024 12:37

Bumcake · 06/10/2024 12:25

I like Wanda.

I used to think Kreg was an American name, but then I found out they’re saying Craig.

Likewise Grem (Graham) and Seesull (Cecil).

coldcallerbaiter · 06/10/2024 12:36

Brandi, Shana

Mumofgirls2017 · 06/10/2024 12:35

Ones that come to mind would be

wyatt
carson
landon
easton
weston
braxton
carter
josiah
isaiah
emmanuel

addison
everly
avery
riley
camila
gianna
raelynn
presley
kennedy
brooklyn
kinsley

Daschund · 06/10/2024 12:35

I know two Christies.
Kirsty Alley was pretty famous.

Be4thedawn · 06/10/2024 12:34

It may be changing but for a while I've thought that American girls names seem to be less frilly and a bit more masculine than currently in the UK, Bailey, Blair, Taylor and the like