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Baby names

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

Original poster

My DH keeps shooting down all my name suggestions, are they really that bad?

343 replies

Awhimsy · 12/03/2025 00:28

We may be expecting a child soon, so we have been stewing upon possible names. My recommendations have been Campbell if it's a girl (Not exactly as tribute to our insignificantly small Scottish heritage, more-so because I just really like the sound of it!) and Renn if it's a boy. Are these bad? I've thrown around the idea of Casimir, or Cassidy, but none of them seem to stick with him, is this a me issue?

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HugoYorway · 12/03/2025 11:33

I have a Sloane and always get comments on how nice it is. You're exaggerating. I don't think it's nice.

Bambi is awful.

RosesAndHellebores · 12/03/2025 11:31

Aspen is a ski resort in North America
Glenshee is a ski resort in Scotland

Chewbecca · 12/03/2025 11:30

Your child's name doesn't need to be a homage to you / your husband.
It's a name for a whole new individual, classic isn't bad at all!

Onetotwo · 12/03/2025 11:27

I think people are being a bit harsh! Surnames as first names are becoming very common, I have a Sloane and always get comments on how nice it is. Would agree that Campbell is a boy’s name (im in Scotland and have come across a few) but it is definitely used as a first name (for a boy).

HeadNorth · 12/03/2025 11:23

Campbell would be very appropriate for a boy in Scotland. In the Scottish Borders it used to be common for the mother's maiden name to be the son's first name - so you get Duncan, Graham, Kerr, Pringle, Douglas, Elliott, Irvine etc etc used as both first names and surnames.
Campbell is a shit name for a girl.

MissDoubleU · 12/03/2025 11:22

HugoYorway · 12/03/2025 11:18

@MissDoubleU , i got teased about my name as did some of my friends. Never told my parents or teachers.
They were only 'Simple Simon'/'Georgie Porgie'/''Smelly Ellie' type teasing

@Onlyvisiting ,it might be OK for a pet rabbit

Edited

That kind of teasing can happen to anyone, and any name. Something as simple as Simon. Kids will tease regardless of name. Maybe if you name your child Nefertiti people might question if they’ll be teased, but even Bambi isn’t seen as odd these days.

HugoYorway · 12/03/2025 11:18

@MissDoubleU , i got teased about my name as did some of my friends. Never told my parents or teachers.
They were only 'Simple Simon'/'Georgie Porgie'/''Smelly Ellie' type teasing

@Onlyvisiting ,it might be OK for a pet rabbit

HugoYorway · 12/03/2025 11:11

Probably more popular in Wales, @MissDoubleU .The ones I can think of are ones at school or Bonnie Tyler and Gaynor Morgan Rees. The only English one I can think of is Gaynor Faye.

@LuckySantangelo35 , they do but not in the MNs meaning of NN. Elspeth would probably get Els a lot, but on MN, she'd need to be Ellie, Elsie, Essie, Ethie, Beth, Belle...

Onlyvisiting · 12/03/2025 11:09

Awhimsy · 12/03/2025 02:15

I like the boy’s name Oliver, for girl’s names I’ve discovered I like some tree species names a lot. eg Aspen, or Magnolia.

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I think magnolia is a bit much.
Where do you live? I've heard if Aspen as a name but only in America, I think a lot if your choices are very American tbh.

Juniper isn't horrible, and Junie is a nice nn

MissDoubleU · 12/03/2025 10:57

LuckySantangelo35 · 12/03/2025 10:42

@Awhimsy

not every kid gets a nick name Op @Awhimsy , in fact most don’t…

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Or bullied for their name, tbf.

One of my sons has a traditionally Scottish first name. Nothing outlandish, think Angus, Seamus, etc. A family member tried desperately to get us to change it before he was born. Called round all the other family saying “convince them not to use it” - the rest of the family all said “it’s not even a weird name?” And we all laughed off the concerns.

He’s all grown up, no one could imagine him being called anything else. Never had a single joke made, never once bullied. Never had a nickname he didn’t enjoy. It’s just who he is.

I have many friends that have used perhaps very hippy dippy names (think like Sage, Pixie, Juniper) and lo and behold, their children are also all grown and doing great. Each love their names.

So I guess OP, if you really love it and it feels right - fuck all of us, right? But within that, your husband should also love the name chosen. You need two yes’s.

WhatIsCorndogs · 12/03/2025 10:57

HugoYorway · 12/03/2025 10:31

I know several Gaynors. It's the anglicised form of Gaenor, which is a form of Guinivere.

Guinivere is lovely!

LuckySantangelo35 · 12/03/2025 10:42

Awhimsy · 12/03/2025 01:23

Perhaps that was incorrectly spoken, my apologies! A better criticism would have been that Elspeth is a bit harder to find NNs for, the P sound seems a bit harsh to me too, but that might just be the way I talk

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@Awhimsy

not every kid gets a nick name Op @Awhimsy , in fact most don’t…

MissDoubleU · 12/03/2025 10:40

HugoYorway · 12/03/2025 10:31

I know several Gaynors. It's the anglicised form of Gaenor, which is a form of Guinivere.

I do now but I’d never heard it in all my 40 years of Scottish living! In England it seems to have been quite popular, which makes sense of course.

unlikelywitch · 12/03/2025 10:36

Lumbering a wee girl with the name Campbell is unspeakably cruel. It’s primarily a surname, sometimes the first name of a middle aged man and just plain ugly sounding, sorry.

Wren is better than Renn. Why on earth would your child’s name need to ‘pay homage’ to your husband’s job? Bizarre.

Aspen is nice.

Bonnie just reminds me of the now infamous Bonnie Blue.

MissDoubleU · 12/03/2025 10:35

HugoYorway · 12/03/2025 10:34

Princess Bubblegum | Adventure Time Wiki | Fandom

She’s a princess and a scientist.

HugoYorway · 12/03/2025 10:34

Princess Bubblegum | Adventure Time Wiki | Fandom

HugoYorway · 12/03/2025 10:31

I know several Gaynors. It's the anglicised form of Gaenor, which is a form of Guinivere.

FurzeNotGorse · 12/03/2025 10:30

ICanTellYouMissMe · 12/03/2025 10:16

Bonnibel. Jesus. I'd have been at the deed poll office the minute I was old enough.

It sounds like a miniature processed cheese. Or a mobile dog groomer who specialised in poodles.

GoldDuster · 12/03/2025 10:30

MissDoubleU · 12/03/2025 10:13

Short for Bonnibel as a full name, which I think is French? But Bonnie for short as a Scottish nod makes for a very bonnie name.

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Blimey, Bonnibel sounds like the Lidl version of a small round mild cheese coated in red wax.

MissDoubleU · 12/03/2025 10:28

Which incidentally, is another name I would have thought to be wildly unpopular? I found it decades ago, when naming my own kids, and thought “that is NOT real” but I now know 4 Gaynor’s in my personal life! Each of them incredible women.

MissDoubleU · 12/03/2025 10:26

Needspaceforlego · 12/03/2025 10:25

Ok I'd forgotten about her. I don't even know how I remember the footballer.

What was her actual name?

Edited

Gaynor

Needspaceforlego · 12/03/2025 10:25

Ok I'd forgotten about her. I don't even know how I remember the footballer.

What was her actual name?

MissDoubleU · 12/03/2025 10:23

Needspaceforlego · 12/03/2025 10:20

The only two Bonnie's I have ever come across are Bonnie the Blue Peter dog 🐕 (one of Golides pups if you are a certain vintage)

And Bonnie Ginzburg who Ive just looked up and was Israeli not Egyptian actually named Ben Zion.

No Bonnie Tyler? 😆

Bonnie Tyler GIF
Needspaceforlego · 12/03/2025 10:20

The only two Bonnie's I have ever come across are Bonnie the Blue Peter dog 🐕 (one of Golides pups if you are a certain vintage)

And Bonnie Ginzburg who Ive just looked up and was Israeli not Egyptian actually named Ben Zion.

ICanTellYouMissMe · 12/03/2025 10:16

Bonnibel. Jesus. I'd have been at the deed poll office the minute I was old enough.