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Baby names

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Original poster

Thoughts on Barnaby as a name?

37 replies

armt · 20/06/2025 11:07

Problem is we love Barnaby but dislike Barney as a NN. Any other suggestions or similar names?

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Guavafish1 · 22/06/2025 07:06

Agree with posh vibes

Iloveagoodnap · 22/06/2025 07:04

My aunt liked it when pregnant with my cousin but also disliked Barney. She went with Benjamin in the end.

Orphlids · 22/06/2025 06:49

I know an eight year old Barnaby, and it is never shortened. The concept that the name is somehow so posh it would lead to bullying seems so strange to me. The kid I know is at state school in a not very posh area and I don’t think any of the kids would bully over a name. Variety in names has become so great, and I think any socioeconomic association with names seems to be largely forgotten by many children.

Barnaby does sound incredibly wet to me though. I find it so cutesy. Quite nice for a little boy, but I don’t think I’d like to be named Barnaby if I were a man.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 21/06/2025 21:52

Love it

ButteredRadishes · 21/06/2025 10:09

They'll get called Barney. So if you don't like Barney, avoid Barnaby

Denimrules · 21/06/2025 10:08

Onescoopofmashplease · 21/06/2025 09:44

I do know a Barnaby who is lovely but it makes me think of Midsummer Murders.

Same, although both those actors are great in the role

LilacPony · 21/06/2025 10:00

If you veto Barney as nn, people might shorten it to “Barns” instead. Or as PP mentions “B” is a good alternative. There was a thread recently where quite a few commented their child’s nn is actually nothing to do with their name, sometimes it works out like that too.

doodleygirl · 21/06/2025 09:46

My goddaughters DS is Barnaby, he never gets called Barney, his friends use his full name or B, which is cute. He is 5

Onescoopofmashplease · 21/06/2025 09:44

I do know a Barnaby who is lovely but it makes me think of Midsummer Murders.

Bellaire85 · 21/06/2025 09:42

I have a cousin called Barnaby (known as Barney), and I don’t recommend it. I think it’s one of those names where only a certain personality type can pull it off - so it’s a bit shit for the child/adult if they aren’t that type.

RuthW · 21/06/2025 09:10

Lovely name but I just think of the bear song.

GiveDogBone · 20/06/2025 19:11

Fine if you’re going to send him to private school, and your father is Lord Somebody. Otherwise avoid.

ComtesseDeSpair · 20/06/2025 15:37

It’s the sort of name which, when called out in parks in my part of London, sometimes a child in a duffel coat comes running over, and sometimes a Labrador. Likewise Rafferty, Dexter, Oscar.

My colleague who has a Barnaby also has a Silas and a Reuben. I like those.

Schoolhuntermum · 20/06/2025 15:00

the girl in the show Inbetweeners has called her child Barney :-)

Jackreacherstrousers · 20/06/2025 14:55

I'm sorry but I'm of an age where Barnaby is not a "posh boy name" it's the name of a children's TV bear......
🎶🎶Barnaby the bear's my name🎶🎶

Steelworks · 20/06/2025 14:51

Love it, although older generation will associate it with a children’s programme back in the seventies.

All together now, …

Barnaby the Bear's my name,
Never call me Jack or James.
I will sing my way to fame,
Barnaby the Bear's my name.

Birds taught me to sing,
When they took me to their king.

Thoughts on Barnaby as a name?
Thmssngvwlsrnd · 20/06/2025 14:49

I love it. I went to school with a lovely Barnaby.

cornywalls · 20/06/2025 14:45

I had an English sheep dog called Barnaby we called him Barney.

Saltedcarameltiramisucheesecake · 20/06/2025 14:41

Posh boy names, I like Miles, or Piers or even Pierce.
Barnaby sounds a bit wet to me. Even Barney sounds a bit farm-hand to me. (Not that there's anything wrong with farm-hands) 🙊 I'll get my coat.....

Schoolhuntermum · 20/06/2025 14:33

Hey? I love it! I love a posh boys name.

We have a Theodore and if we have another boy we like

Barnaby
Sebastian
Spencer
Tristan
Elliot
Felix
Jasper
Chester

If you are putting him in private education I would do it! Pilgrim school has a Barnaby on there website he looks like a lovely well spoken child.

If you are putting him in a state school he could get bullied. But then again this generation have all weird names so maybe it would be no big deal?

Some names I don't like: Beau, River, Hunter, Cree, Gigi
Not a fan

Pyramyth · 20/06/2025 14:26

Taught one and never ever, not even once, did I hear it shortened. Child was certainly not posh either.

ByDreamyMintNewt · 20/06/2025 14:23

I really liked it but my husband wasn't a fan. I think it's lovely, but it will inevitably end up as Barney.

Other suggestions:
Rupert
Tristan
Leo
Wilfred
Alistair
Xavier

MinistryofThyme · 20/06/2025 14:11

I don’t like it at all, but that’s irrelevant. The issue is that it will be shortened to Barney, and you don’t have much control over that! So I’d choose a different name if you can’t stand Barney.

DeSoleil · 20/06/2025 14:06

It’s lovely.

Andoutcomethewolves · 20/06/2025 13:58

The Barnaby I knew at school had brothers Benedict, Leopold and Jago if posh boy names are your thing!