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Baby names

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

Original poster

Thoughts on baby boy Radley?

129 replies

PunkApple · 09/11/2025 15:40

My worry is it will get mis-heard as 'Bradley' and that could get annoying by the 10th time. My other children have unheard of names so anything I choose needs to be fitting.
If its not Radley, we like Kit (worried its getting popular though?), Shepherd, Archer and Cove but not 'in love' with any of them. Any other suggestions that fit this style? Find boys names so much harder than girls.
Last name begins with S and ends in a N.

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user1492757084 · 12/11/2025 05:57

Gerard
Rover
Hector
Zelman
Roland
Craig
Butch
Atlas
Griffin
Basil

RyanFudgingMurphy · 11/11/2025 14:53

I like Kit and Archer.

there loads of better names from Greek mythology and Shakespeare tbf.

HugoYorway · 11/11/2025 14:24

@Calliopespa , it was "Radley is a school and a handbag. It's like calling him Eton or Coach."
Not sure why you needed to MNsplain it to me.

Fanakerpan · 11/11/2025 14:16

Sillysoggyspaniel · 09/11/2025 16:11

Are you American? These are all very American style names, which is fine if you are but if not come across as forced and quite chavvy. I think Kit is the best option.

I do so agree with you, unless from the USA, the names are chavvy. Tacky and whether we like it or not, immediately signals low class and no self-awareness, also saddles the poor child with an unfortunate moniker for life, just my opinion, I agree Radley, what? Handbag, shades of Lady Bracknell!

mathanxiety · 11/11/2025 02:11

OctopusHands · 10/11/2025 18:42

I went to a really good private school in the UK and we didn’t do To Kill a Mockingbird.

This isn’t a solely British website anyway. There isn’t a ‘the school curriculum’.

Show quote history

To Kill a Mockingbird is considered a classic of American and even global anglophone literature, written by Harper Lee, an American, and set in the Jim Crow era.

It was made into a very stirring movie that is itself also considered a classic.

Boo Radley is a reference that would ring a bell for billions of people.

Elephantangel1991 · 10/11/2025 23:14

I really like Kit.

Other ideas:

Inigo
Rollo
Beowulf
Loki
Atlas
River
Wren
Fabian
Gregory
Eden
Julius
Heath
Zeke
Ned

Washingupdone · 10/11/2025 22:49

Coach is a famous handbag make in the USA.

For his own sake please don’t call him a noun, a word of a thing, as school will be hell for him.

I grew up with an unusual name, always having to repeat it because people thought they would double check they had heard right, then asked to spell it.

If you want to be different look at some on the web Unique Boys Names

Calliopespa · 10/11/2025 22:42

VikaOlson · 10/11/2025 22:40

Even so, 17 baby girls called Hero born in 2015-2016 (out of about 350k girls born each year!) and two end up in the same class at the same school. What a coincidence

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I guess these things do have demographic patterns. But yes, it is a co-incidence.

VikaOlson · 10/11/2025 22:40

Calliopespa · 10/11/2025 21:52

Might be born in different years. School year groups cut across two years.

Show quote history

Even so, 17 baby girls called Hero born in 2015-2016 (out of about 350k girls born each year!) and two end up in the same class at the same school. What a coincidence

Calliopespa · 10/11/2025 21:52

VikaOlson · 10/11/2025 20:36

Wow, there were only 8 girls named Hero in 2016 and two have ended up in the same class??

Show quote history

Might be born in different years. School year groups cut across two years.

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 10/11/2025 20:56

I love the name Kit. I know a couple of dogs called Radley so I don’t think Kit for a lad is as popular as Radley for a Dog.

Diddlydays · 10/11/2025 20:47

I like the names. Maybe not Cove
How about Scout? Harris? Heath? Atticus? Lockie

I used to look at film credits for inspiration

Zov · 10/11/2025 20:47

VikaOlson · 10/11/2025 20:36

Wow, there were only 8 girls named Hero in 2016 and two have ended up in the same class??

Show quote history
Grin
littlebilliie · 10/11/2025 20:46

Magnus
Jolyon
Swithin
Ambrose
Emil I know one great name
Ewart
Cecil
Clive
Emyrs

VikaOlson · 10/11/2025 20:36

nixon1976 · 10/11/2025 19:38

If your girl is Hero then that’s quite a popular ‘normal’ name - there are two in my daughter’s year 5. So you could go ‘normal’ with your next child and use Kit short for Christopher

Wow, there were only 8 girls named Hero in 2016 and two have ended up in the same class??

Calliopespa · 10/11/2025 20:33

HugoYorway · 10/11/2025 18:57

Radley is a school and a handbag. It's like calling him Eton or Coach.
Is there an Eton handbag and a Coach school?

Wellington would be a good name - a boot and more than one public school.

School referenced first sentence one; Eton listed first sentence two. Handbag referenced second sentence one; Coach referenced second sentence two.

Not quite sure what's so hard to follow - or the point you are trying to make.

Wellington is the name of a womble.

nixon1976 · 10/11/2025 19:38

If your girl is Hero then that’s quite a popular ‘normal’ name - there are two in my daughter’s year 5. So you could go ‘normal’ with your next child and use Kit short for Christopher

Sillysoggyspaniel · 10/11/2025 19:21

falalalalaaaaaaaa · 10/11/2025 19:17

Does it make you feel good about yourself, being unkind about a name that she’s already given to her daughter? You couldn’t just move along if it’s not your cup of tea?

OP, to me Radley is a posh boys’ boarding school (and I think probably does have a real chance of being misheard as Bradley), but I adore Kit.

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Well generally people should at least attempt to learn from their past mistakes, but that doesn't seem to be the OP's method.

falalalalaaaaaaaa · 10/11/2025 19:17

Sillysoggyspaniel · 09/11/2025 21:19

Oh lucky lucky her 🙄

Show quote history

Does it make you feel good about yourself, being unkind about a name that she’s already given to her daughter? You couldn’t just move along if it’s not your cup of tea?

OP, to me Radley is a posh boys’ boarding school (and I think probably does have a real chance of being misheard as Bradley), but I adore Kit.

HugoYorway · 10/11/2025 18:57

Radley is a school and a handbag. It's like calling him Eton or Coach.
Is there an Eton handbag and a Coach school?

Wellington would be a good name - a boot and more than one public school.

Calliopespa · 10/11/2025 18:48

Radley is a school and a handbag. It's like calling him Eton or Coach.

Cove has not great connotations.

I think op it can be helpful to stick to tried and tested names or you run into trouble. It doesn't have to be unique to serve your dc well.

I'd go with Kit and not worry about it being popular.

OctopusHands · 10/11/2025 18:42

HugoYorway · 10/11/2025 12:33

@TheJessops I've never heard of Boo Radley, I don't know who or what that is. It's been explained in the thread. A quick internet search would have told you who it is.
The book was on the school curriculum for many years.

I went to a really good private school in the UK and we didn’t do To Kill a Mockingbird.

This isn’t a solely British website anyway. There isn’t a ‘the school curriculum’.

HugoYorway · 10/11/2025 17:22

@TheJessops , my apologies. it was tactless of me to suggest it. FWIW, we didn't do TKAMB, R&J,1984, TIOBE or handbags at school.
I did a 10K in the grounds of a moderately well-known public school once, so I'm obviously a snob.

TheJessops · 10/11/2025 17:01

HugoYorway · 10/11/2025 16:29

@TheJessops , it's one of those names that people know, so it seemed a bit like you'd never heard of Room 101 or Montagues and Capulets or something.

Not everyone has the same cultural, and educational experience as everyone else, some of us went to some fairly shit schools where it's more fire fighting and breaking up fights, some of us went to elite private schools with after school tutors on top . Although I have heard of and know the other 2 things you've mentioned, I can't believe you'd be surprised that not everyone would. In fact I only know Room 101 because of the TV show, I couldn't actually tell you what it comes from, I'm going to guess 1984? (sorry I should Google it before commenting!).

HugoYorway · 10/11/2025 16:29

@TheJessops , it's one of those names that people know, so it seemed a bit like you'd never heard of Room 101 or Montagues and Capulets or something.