'Weak' and 'strong' names for boys

Kenneth is a wet lettuce name if ever there was.

Alfred the Great and Henry V were wimps? She clearly doesn’t know her English history…And what about William (The Conqueror) or Alexander (the Great)? I wouldn’t say their names have particularly strong consonant sounds either but they are hardly wussies (and Alfred, Henry, William and Alexander are all top 100 popular too!)

I think what makes a name sound tough likely depends on who you associate it with - whether RL people or fictional or historical ones. The sounds in a name are secondary imo.

Edit: Akk, just realised this was a zombie thread, didn’t check the first post date 🤦‍♀️

Is Adam a weak or strong name in her eyes?

I find the vowel-heavy boy's names weak-sounding.

Otis
Elijah
Elliott
Theo
Arlo etc

Interesting. I do have names that I view as 'weak' or 'strong' (for girls as well as boys), but I wouldn't group the names your friend has in the same way.

The names I view as 'weak' do tend to stand and/or end with vowels or soft sounds. It doesn't mean I view the person bearing the name as weak at all, I just find the sound of the name wishy-washy to my ear. I am someone who prefers harder sounding names in general though, which isn't the current trend.

Names I'd view as 'weak' would be Noah, Theo, Joshua for example. Which I realise are perfectly decent names. I'd also include any girl names in the top 10, especially Isla.

There are also names like Caleb and Jamie, which I categorise as 'weak', because to me they sound like the person saying the name has a bad cold. I don't know why!

@Comerscroft My name is Benjamin, and I am ready to beat up anyone who tries to do the same to me. Does that sound like a weak person to you!? Besides, the name Ben means rich and wealthy. And so far I am on track. So what does that have to do with weak!!??

See, I find Lucian strong (especially the -an ending)

Louie sounds very weak however,

Lucian should be on the soft side surely?

I agree and find names soft or weak that sound soft, like
Noah
Alfie
Timmy
Maurice
Harry
Heath

Whereas strong names are those with hard consonants like
Alexander
Quentin
John
Magnus
Lucian
Nathan

Adrian, Justin, Crispin, Monty, Jonty, Adam, Simon, Robin, Tarquin, Quentin, Rupert, Benjamin, Dale, Heath, Isaac, Jeremy, Ptolemy, Oscar, Toby, Atticus, Leonard, Kit, Timothy, Piers, Albie, Orlando, Jasper, Percival, Damien, Rowan, Moses, Barnaby, Griffin, Harold, Horace, Reuben, Conrad, Lucas, Marcus, Gerald, Graham, Geoffrey, Roland, Desmond

Molly, Matilda/Tilly, Ellie, Mildred, Maud, Freya, Erin, Mia, Mya, Polly, Emma, Imogen, Bella, Ella, Faye, Tabitha, Lila, Seren, Sukie, Indigo, Zoe, Isobel, Imogen, Isla, Laura, Cora, Dora, Jemima, Joanne, Dawn, Celia, Rae, Sandra, Andrea, Cecily, Wendy, Tessa, Thea, Alice, Lettice, Candice, Libby, Lettie, Lottie, Hettie, Hattie, Kitty, Alice, Alicia, Ottilie, Nancy, Patsy, Betsy, Mitzi, Gail, Bonnie, Eden

lets face it if the boy turns out to be buff, six foot plus he can be called precious and will get away with it.

Aah I see. Can't be too careful nowadays on Baby Names. I suggest Collander as a joke and tomorrow somebody trots off to name their son Collander Odin Trouser and I didn't explain adequately that

1 I was joking
2 It's really a girl's name

Anyway, isn't Rufus rather nice VS?

DS's family nickname is Odin...
(he has a 'soft' name but isn't!)

I was answering gooseberry, I kind of guessed you weren't serious

I was joking.

It's all subjective. I would swap round half of the names on the OP's lists.

Not the meaning, the sound.

Personally, I like what I class as 'proper little boys names'

Like Alex, Sam, James, Bobby, Daniel, Ben etc iyswim.

If she likes strong then maybe she should go for something like Thor or Strontium.

owen means fair warrior! Not that soft

I wouldn't say Kenneth was particularly strong, not Fergus, whereas Benjamin, Samuel and Henry I would.

I also think Jonathan, Alexander, Adam, type names are quite strong sounding.

Whereas Blake (Which I love, but didn't use partly because I thought it was a bit wishy washy), Ashley, Christian, Owen etc sound quite soft to me.

I understand what you friend means, we arrive at our preferences somehow.

Theo, Leo, Kai etc are popular now but they sound soft and pretty, a bit like Chloe, to my ear.

I love the name David for a boy/man

a quazillion other people cant be wrong

34 obv

4 would be ok (although my dh tried to leave home at 3!)

I am not liking
David
Andrew
John
Michael
Kenneth
Duncan
Grant

or

Timothy
Benjamin
Stephen
Walter
Maurice
Nigel
Alan
Ian

• pmsl

If my bil Andy is strong how come he lives with Mummy aged 4? And accepts her ban on girlfriends despite owning half the house?

And how come my 'weak' ds1 Samuel is stunning at Gym and was 'spotted' by a west end dancer over whitsun because of his gym and breakdancing (and has a school 1-1 for aggression (not so good obv)

What baloney!

snigger
Henry means 'home ruler' - not very weak really

Grant strong surely only because of the thug in EastEnders? Her 'strong' list looks like a roll call of 80s pop stars

also David is the name of my DH, possibly the sweetest, girliest, mushiest non-gay man you could ever wish to meet

Nevermind, at least she's having fun!