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Baby names

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

Original poster

Boy names both classic yet not too common?

117 replies

User3056 · 27/11/2025 00:02

Wondering if anyone can advise? I’m desperate for our soon to be ds to have a relatively traditional/classic name and yet my husband would like something that is not popular as he so likes having a unique name himself.. so we are coming at it from completely different perspectives. If I had total free rein I would love an Oliver or Theo and he would probably like Forest or Bodhi.

Our current list is Nicholas(Nico), Raphael(Rafe), Christopher(Kit) or Joseph(Joey). I’ve obviously looked at ONS data for these to see their popularity but can anyone tell me if these names are particularly common or names they hear regularly/have many of in their baby groups etc, as would like to find a good compromise with dh.

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Original poster
User3056 · 27/11/2025 10:41

Thank you everyone for the feedback that’s really helpful, lots of food for thought and good suggestions.

We are in London and as pps have mentioned perhaps it is regional. Personally I also see no harm in having a popular name and think children really don’t mind being one of many (if anything I think they often prefer this to be the case than the very stand out one!) but want to appease dh as this is a concern of his and something he feels strongly about.

I also like the idea of a diminutive and a full name as I have had this and enjoyed having what I think of as a little girl’s name that I wouldn’t still enjoy using now - to be honest I think it’s just nice to choose a longer name and then there’s a bit more scope for choice later on!

Again, thanks and any other feedback very welcome!

OP posts:
SlenderRations · 27/11/2025 09:49

Rollo
Fabian
Lysander
Hector?

I love Kit

DuchessOfNarcissex · 27/11/2025 09:39

Nicholas(Nico) - I know several Nicos including a female one, I also know many Nicholases, Nicolas, Nicoles and Nikitas
Raphael(Rafe) - Raphael is common where I live. Usually screeched across a shop or street.
Christopher(Kit) - I know several Kits and dozens of Christophers
Joseph(Joey) - not at all unusual

I don't understand why you need a nickname/diminutive.

Melsy88 · 27/11/2025 09:30

Lucas
Ross
Reuben
Elijah
Ellis
Orson
Otis
Finlay
Micah
Matteo/Mateo
Matthias

MoveAlongNowDear · 27/11/2025 09:04

My friend has a Christopher,known as Tiffer

Moreteaandchocolate · 27/11/2025 09:00

I love Joseph / Joey - gorgeous name and I only know one Joe who’s an adult and no Joeys - I really like it though!

Christopher / Kit and Nicholas / Nico would be my second choices - I don’t know any little ones - but loads of Chris / Nick adults. I have to say I’m not too keen on Kit / Nico as shortenings myself but I’m sure they’ll grow on me.

I know two young “Raffys” - not sure if they are Rafferty or Raphael. I’m not keen on Raphael myself - it feels a bit flowery for my taste.

Verywindyday · 27/11/2025 08:39

How about
Mark
Marcus
Marco
Mathew
Samuel
Benjamin
Jonathon

CurlewKate · 27/11/2025 08:26

Patrick. Fab classic name with loads of shortenings.

Ghhhn · 27/11/2025 08:25

Alexander. So many ways to shorten, from Alex to Sacha. Works in other countries too.
Raphael
George

Ohpleeeease · 27/11/2025 08:21

Crispin or Christian
Julian or Julius
Tristan or Tristram
Miles
Edwin, Edward or Edmund
Samuel
Daniel
Peter
Ferdinand
Rudolph

Wowsersbrowsers · 27/11/2025 08:18

Unfortunately a lot of this is regional. Do you have any local friends with small kids you can run some by for the playgroup check?

We know 2 kids locally with the same name and it's one of the most out there going.

NerrSnerr · 27/11/2025 08:12

We have a Christopher and in his school there is one ‘Chris’ (unsure if just Chris or born Christopher) and no Kits. We don’t come across many others.

i like Robert, Geoffrey and Michael.

Mumofgirls2017 · 27/11/2025 08:07

I know 2 kits but neither are Christopher. Know 1 Christopher. 1 Joseph. No Raphael’s but 2 rafes. 1 Nico, no Nicholas!

if you want other suggestions….

peter
eric
leonard
vincent
casper
john
rupert
zachary
spencer

Sunflower3000 · 27/11/2025 07:25

Have you used this site? https://names.darkgreener.com/ it gives you the popularity of names over time, so is much easier to check trends than looking at the ONS datasets individually

RosesAndHellebores · 27/11/2025 07:23

Love Nicholas and Christopher and Laurence as a pp has suggested. Not so keen on Raphael.

What about Magnus, Florian, Merlin or Gawain? Or Julian, Jeremy, Tobin, Crispin?

John is classic and not often used now.

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 27/11/2025 07:22

Christian
Dudley
Gene
Clarence (Ren)
Harvey

VenusClapTrap · 27/11/2025 07:06

I don’t think any of your shortlist is particularly common. There probably won’t be another in the class, though you could be unlucky. Other suggestions:

John
Roberr (Bobby)
James
Marcus

Onefortheroad25 · 27/11/2025 07:04

laddersandsnakes12 · 27/11/2025 05:47

We have a Joseph, and I accepted that there would probably be lots of others named that in school, nursery etc… but we’ve only met one other child with that name in the last 13 years. Our son prefers Joey and we haven’t come across any other kids going by that nickname so far. So even if you choose a classic, relatively popular name it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be one of 4 named the same in a school year group. You just have to find a name you both agree on (I know that’s not easy!) and accept you have no control as to whether you will run into lots of others named the same or not. It doesn’t really matter, I was one of 3 same named people in my year group and it had zero effect on me.

I also have a Joseph although he is never called that and has always been Joe and sometimes Joey. I have yet to meet another young Joe. I know one in his 80’s and my older ds21 has a Joey friend who’s 22.
I like Joseph as it’s 3 good options no matter what age he is.

DallasMajor · 27/11/2025 07:00

Paul
Martin
Grant
Simon
Roger
Neil
Derek
Colin
Barry
Jason
Gordon
Gary
Craig
Ken
Andrew
Ian.

Fits bot normal and unusual these days.

Piglet89 · 27/11/2025 06:52

Francis.

centaury · 27/11/2025 06:45

Lovely shortlist. Have met a handful of Christophers and Nicholases but no Josephs or Raphaels.

We liked Rafe too but it seems to be primarily an alternative spelling of Ralph rather than assumed short for Raphael and that put us off.

Adam, Michael match similar requirements I think . Gabriel less classic here but on a similar biblical familiarity. Have a met a couple of Ruperts and Walters (!) And of course
Laurence, Laurie for short. Classic but it's never been extremely popular. I've met more girls called Lori since my son was born!
https://names.darkgreener.com/

This is quite useful for viewing how a name has risen and fallen in last 30 years - it uses ons data

Sinkingfeeling952 · 27/11/2025 06:42

Hi @User3056 - my baby is 7m so we are spending a lot of time at classes and groups! I’m sorry to say that near me (London) there are a few babies called Kit, Nico and Rafe. Not loads but I have come across at least 2 babies with each of those names. There are also a few Joseph’s but they’re currently not being shortened to anything.

Chichichochi · 27/11/2025 06:36

Wynne
Rushton (‘Rush’)
Hadley
Roscoe
Rudy

limetrees32 · 27/11/2025 06:36

Gabriel

Chichichochi · 27/11/2025 06:34

Rudy

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