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Baby names

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

River

141 replies

heffalumpwoozle · 22/05/2025 07:16

Thoughts on the name River for a boy?

It's a favourite for both DH and me, but a bit worried family might think it's a bit 'out there' or effeminate. Family are quite traditional. I know I shouldn't care about their opinions but as I get closer to birth I'm finding I can't help it.

Alexander is our 'safe' option, we both also love it, but we're both arty/creative and River feels a bit more us.

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Emanwenym · 24/05/2025 20:24

@Butterbly , that trend was about 16 years ago, and they're probably not at university yet
The Momommed spelling is unusual.
Babies called Mohommed in England & Wales since 1996

Butterbly · 24/05/2025 20:11

Emanwenym · 24/05/2025 20:04

I remember thinking it was edgy when a relative called their child brayden type name. Any university is now full of that generation
Highly unlikely.
Babies called Brayden in England & Wales since 1996
Babies called Jayden in England & Wales since 1996

I mean the combination of those type name. Its hard to track in the same way that mohommed is always under represented unless you combine the multiple possible spellings

My neices year 12 cohort has more than one in each class because I imagine it's the right age group for the popularity. I meant that group of adults will also know multiple of that name group, and soon they will be entering the work force so the name that always sounded like an an unusual kids name will be a fairly usual adult name

Not in the 100 most common, but a name people won't register as odd

Emanwenym · 24/05/2025 20:04

I remember thinking it was edgy when a relative called their child brayden type name. Any university is now full of that generation
Highly unlikely.
Babies called Brayden in England & Wales since 1996
Babies called Jayden in England & Wales since 1996

Butterbly · 24/05/2025 19:36

Needmorelego · 24/05/2025 17:03

River is a pretty established name and any child named River now in 2025 isn't really going to stand out as having an unusual name in 2050.
Why wouldn't you take someone named River seriously?

Exactly this. There's far more rivers than there is claires for example in that generation. Its an unusual name for an adult but won't be soon.

By the time he will get to adulthood, the thousands of rivers born before him will also be in adulthood.

Its been a fairly common/ in or hovering near the top 150 for at least the last 5 years.

I don't know any adult evies for example, but know in less than 10 years there will be loads as the current 8-10 year olds age up.

In reverse I can't imagine a single baby called paul, but doesn't mean there wasn't a generation full of them. My frame of reference for evie and river are children and my frame of reference is out.

There's plenty of my generation names that people must have struggled to imagine as adult names, simply because they hadn't reached popularity in adult aged people. Now no one bats an eye

I remember thinking it was edgy when a relative called their child brayden type name. Any university is now full of that generation

Needmorelego · 24/05/2025 17:03

DeSoleil · 24/05/2025 16:42

Awful. Imagine him as an adult and trying to be taken seriously.

River is a pretty established name and any child named River now in 2025 isn't really going to stand out as having an unusual name in 2050.
Why wouldn't you take someone named River seriously?

DeSoleil · 24/05/2025 16:42

Awful. Imagine him as an adult and trying to be taken seriously.

BCBird · 24/05/2025 16:38

Nope. Alexander yes

midlifeattheoasis · 24/05/2025 16:37

Not a fan of river

Emanwenym · 24/05/2025 10:24

You're welcome, @cheapskatemum . I find that many names (e.g. Clare, Marie, Rory, Kerr, Stuart) sound so much nicer in a rhotic accent, and I dislike the linking r that you get in non-rhotic accents with names like Isla Anne (Eye-luh-rann).

cheapskatemum · 24/05/2025 09:31

@Emanwenymyes, thank you. That’s a good point about rhotic/non rhotic accents. DH is from Glasgow, there would be a double “r” sound if he were saying Alexander River.

Emanwenym · 23/05/2025 12:11

Less so with Brook as it seems so 1980s. Lake is also wet.

OurManyEnds · 23/05/2025 11:51

TheBigFactHunt · 22/05/2025 10:27

It is an inherently wet name.
"Hey River, cup of tea please and try not to drip in it"

This is just silliness. Do you think that about Brook?

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 23/05/2025 11:45

I secretly rather like the name River. It would be the abbreviations that would kill it for me - I wanted to name my last baby Rupert (she was girl, luckily for her), but I couldn't bear to live with Ru as a short form. And for all the 'oh, you just give them a nick name - WHICH IS NOT A SHORT FORM OF THE ACTUAL ORIGINAL NAME, a pet hate of mine - friends and family will shorten the name all the time. And, like Ru, I don't think I could live with Riv.

Strawberriesforever · 23/05/2025 11:42

I like ´River Alexander’ a lot. If your child decides later that ´River’ isn’t getting him the reaction he wants in professional situations, he can swap to using ´Alexander’.

Yellowcakestand · 23/05/2025 11:40

I'd go with River Alexander. It flows better. He can choose then later on to go by his middle name if he wants to. I know a girl River who is an older child. I don't know anyone else with DS name and he likes this as is the only one in the school.

Emanwenym · 23/05/2025 11:35

suits a particular personality type - arty, bohemian, eccentric, a bit wild and romantic. I'd think it appealed to less aspirational parents, or to parents who thought it was bohemian...

@cheapskatemum ,I think what you mean is that in a non-rhotic accent there is no r in the -er ending.
Riv-uh & Alexand-uh

@MrsKateColumbo , I like Alec too.

cheapskatemum · 23/05/2025 11:05

@heffalumpwoozle it’s not a double r sound, though, in Alexander River. It’s an “er” sound followed by an “r” sound. Sorry, my linguistics knowledge is long forgotten. I’m sure someone will be along soon to explain this better!

Unicornmama12 · 23/05/2025 10:56

You asked for opinions so my honest one is River has become popular and overused. If you are artsy and creative and want something to show creativity and uniqueness I wouldn’t use River. However I don’t actually dislike the name, and if you do not care about popularity then I say go for the name you love - who cares what your family says at the end of the day!

MrsKateColumbo · 23/05/2025 09:20

Imo it's dated and sounds better on a girl. The nature type names have moved on a lot since River.

I like Alec for Alexander.

Snakebite61 · 23/05/2025 09:14

heffalumpwoozle · 22/05/2025 07:16

Thoughts on the name River for a boy?

It's a favourite for both DH and me, but a bit worried family might think it's a bit 'out there' or effeminate. Family are quite traditional. I know I shouldn't care about their opinions but as I get closer to birth I'm finding I can't help it.

Alexander is our 'safe' option, we both also love it, but we're both arty/creative and River feels a bit more us.

Sick of these daft names.

Butterbly · 23/05/2025 08:00

AnneMarieW · 22/05/2025 23:15

I do know a River - no one comments on it but he’s still a toddler so it’s hard to know if that will change or if he’ll hate the name when older.

It’s a toughie as I do really like the sound of River, but imo it’s the sort of name that suits a particular personality type - arty, bohemian, eccentric, a bit wild and romantic. But we have no idea what our childrens personality type or interests will be - and it’s hard to have any preconceptions for a popular international timeless classic such as Alexander (as everyone knows a few).

Personally I think it’s our job as parents to try to make our kids lives as easy as possible if we can - and a name like Alexander can have big benefits as no-one can make assumptions about his age, social background or nationality. Whereas rightly or wrongly I’d guess a River to be from an English speaking heritage, from likely middle class “arty” parents and born in the last 10 years or so.

Personally for all those reasons I’d go for Alexander (maybe with River as a middle?). If he wants to fit in, he can be Alex, Al or maybe Xander. If he wants to stand out he can be Lex, Xan/Xand, Sasha etc ; so many possibilities to make the name his own/suit his personality. River will be cool on the right kid, but it’s potentially more limiting.

Edited

Interestingly around here it has none of those assumptions

The rivers I know via working in a primary school tend to be working class, and quite rough and tumble.

I'd almost assume the opposite

RedBeech · 23/05/2025 07:52

I like it. It's strong.

eastegg · 23/05/2025 07:52

Needmorelego · 22/05/2025 09:08

Avon makes me think of Blake's 7 😂

Makes me think of the Avon lady. Ding Dong! Showing my age there.

It also sounds far too much like Yvonne for me. And yes there’s Blake 7. It’s one of the worst name suggestions I’ve heard and that’s saying something. River is better.

Ouse? Severn? Actually Severn! That’s not bad.

Washingupdone · 23/05/2025 07:47

Instead of River, which personally I don’t like, go for Avon or the Welsh form Afon

Tbrh · 23/05/2025 02:11

Calliopespa · 22/05/2025 08:44

I guess the association with fatal drug overdose at a very young age is seen as a tragic one.

Fun fact: I think River Phoenix was originally River Bottom! Not quite the same ring to it! Presumably Bottom was not considered a good stage name …

Yes definitely. It's got tragic associations for me @NeedmorelegoFunnily, I like it more for a girl