Kai or River | Mumsnet

PC18 · 2025-08-24T10:46:58+00:00

We are having a boy - due December. I have always loved Kai but River is also so lovely!

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Needmorelego · 28/08/2025 00:47

@Emanwenym ok 🤷

Emanwenym · 28/08/2025 00:46

@Needmorelego ,your posts aren't fun.

Needmorelego · 28/08/2025 00:20

@Emanwenym Mumsnet threads are just conversations. Of course not everyone is going to find everything that's said interesting. But that's the fun of a conversation.

Thingyfanding · 27/08/2025 23:32

Needmorelego · 27/08/2025 20:40

The racial link is because the word evolved from a Romany word and unfortunately Romany/Gypsy/Traveller communities do get a lot of discrimination which can be classed as racism.
Anyway....if the word doesn't bother you then that's ok.
What I find more interesting is that if I personally was going to go on stereotypes of who would name their children Kai or River I think of them more as middle class hipster/arty names 😂

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I understand the tenuous link but it’s not racist.
I personally find the name Kai a bit naff. One of Wayne Rooneys children is called Kai - ‘Kai Wayne’

Emanwenym · 27/08/2025 23:25

@Needmorelego ,your terminology could be considered racist.

What I find more interesting is that if I personally was going to go on stereotypes of who would name their children Kai or River I think of them more as middle class hipster/arty names 😂
What you find more interesting is of little interest to anyone else.

Needmorelego · 27/08/2025 20:40

Thingyfanding · 27/08/2025 20:32

It really doesn’t bother me at all. It’s evolved to being used to describe a comical Vicky pollard type character- many exist in Chatham and we can laugh at ourselves! The modern meaning of chav is to be of the lower classes - that has nothing to do with race.

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The racial link is because the word evolved from a Romany word and unfortunately Romany/Gypsy/Traveller communities do get a lot of discrimination which can be classed as racism.
Anyway....if the word doesn't bother you then that's ok.
What I find more interesting is that if I personally was going to go on stereotypes of who would name their children Kai or River I think of them more as middle class hipster/arty names 😂

Thingyfanding · 27/08/2025 20:32

Needmorelego · 27/08/2025 20:21

Don't you think it's gone from the original meaning to one that's a slur - as in the way it's used now?
People use it in a such horrible derogatory way.
Edit: apologies if I am wrong but a quick Google about the word describing certain girls from Chatham doesn't seem to have an actual link to the original Romany word.
It just seems to have evolved and the meanings have come combined.
I am not from a Romany/Gypsy background so I can only go by what Google tells me.
But it is a derogatory word and used that way. It's (in my humble opinion) as bad as using the N word towards certain communities.
If you are fine with it being used towards too then ok.
I personally think it's a terrible way to describe someone.

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It really doesn’t bother me at all. It’s evolved to being used to describe a comical Vicky pollard type character- many exist in Chatham and we can laugh at ourselves! The modern meaning of chav is to be of the lower classes - that has nothing to do with race.

Needmorelego · 27/08/2025 20:21

Thingyfanding · 27/08/2025 20:17

I am and I was born in Chatham.

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Don't you think it's gone from the original meaning to one that's a slur - as in the way it's used now?
People use it in a such horrible derogatory way.
Edit: apologies if I am wrong but a quick Google about the word describing certain girls from Chatham doesn't seem to have an actual link to the original Romany word.
It just seems to have evolved and the meanings have come combined.
I am not from a Romany/Gypsy background so I can only go by what Google tells me.
But it is a derogatory word and used that way. It's (in my humble opinion) as bad as using the N word towards certain communities.
If you are fine with it being used towards too then ok.
I personally think it's a terrible way to describe someone.

Thingyfanding · 27/08/2025 20:17

Needmorelego · 27/08/2025 13:13

Are you actually from the Romany/Gypsy community?
Then you'd know it wasn't a slur originally but sadly has evolved into one.

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I am and I was born in Chatham.

zebrastripesarefun · 27/08/2025 19:15

Two lovely names. Everyone to their own taste. I know a baby girl Caia too

BananaBreadWithCustard · 27/08/2025 13:27

Neither.

Shelteringfromthestorm · 27/08/2025 13:25

NormalAuntFanny · 27/08/2025 13:04

Why don't you Kai me a River?
I Kai'd a River over you.

Ah how cute. Sounds like a little toddler just learning to talk.

Needmorelego · 27/08/2025 13:13

Thingyfanding · 27/08/2025 13:10

I’m a chav and I use the term. It’s really not that offensive and certainly not racist.

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Are you actually from the Romany/Gypsy community?
Then you'd know it wasn't a slur originally but sadly has evolved into one.

Thingyfanding · 27/08/2025 13:10

Needmorelego · 27/08/2025 12:44

Yes....a word steeped in casual racism (look up it's origins).

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I’m a chav and I use the term. It’s really not that offensive and certainly not racist.

Thingyfanding · 27/08/2025 13:06

Both aren’t to my taste but River is better

NormalAuntFanny · 27/08/2025 13:04

Why don't you Kai me a River?
I Kai'd a River over you.

TheCryingTheBitchAndTheFloordrobe · 27/08/2025 12:58

Of those two I'd go for River, if pushed, but I really love Rowan.

Needmorelego · 27/08/2025 12:44

Zodiacrobat · 27/08/2025 12:06

Being so coy about saying chav is making me hoot with laughter, it’s not like we are using cunt, it’s just chav.

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Yes....a word steeped in casual racism (look up it's origins).

Zodiacrobat · 27/08/2025 12:06

Needmorelego · 26/08/2025 01:52

The difference is while I will (like everyone) have stereotype ideas in my head sometimes when I hear certain names, I would never be as rude as some on this thread have been about a persons name choice for their child.
The comments that have used the "C" word about these names are disgusting.
The OP didn't ask if people liked the names - she asked which people like better.
If the names aren't to someone's taste then there's no need for them to comment at all.

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Being so coy about saying chav is making me hoot with laughter, it’s not like we are using cunt, it’s just chav.

muddyford · 26/08/2025 17:53

River Kwai?

Emanwenym · 26/08/2025 16:39

@Needmorelego , they're not comparable. River compares to calling a child Tree or Bush, not Rowan.

Skybluepinky · 26/08/2025 16:39

Neither are good choices, Kai is too common and River just isn’t great. What other choices have you got?

tsmainsqueeze · 26/08/2025 16:38

Kai -common.
River -trying too hard .
There are much better names to choose from.

thesnailandthewhale · 26/08/2025 16:33

Both perfectly good names for a Labrador

BeatingPND · 26/08/2025 16:26

@PC18 i love both those names and considered them but didn’t use them due to worrying about the image. Also Bodhi which puts me in that group apparently! How about Malakai?