Jove | Mumsnet

HaveAThink · 2026-07-29T09:33:54+00:00

What do you think of Jove for a boy?

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HugoThatway · 30/07/2026 22:07

wishingonastar101 · 30/07/2026 15:43

I think the expression is from 'My Fair Lady'.... might be wrong. Silly name anyway.

by Jove - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

It was in use for over 300 years before Alan Lerner wrote the libretto for My Fair Lady.

paddleboardingmum · 30/07/2026 20:49

It's not great.

How about Jobe
Jude
Joe
Joel

DoloresDelEriba · 30/07/2026 17:20

SwirlyGates · 30/07/2026 10:46

God, no!

Exactly 🤣

OP has obvs no idea what it means. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Vaguelyclassical · 30/07/2026 17:17

wishingonastar101 · 30/07/2026 15:43

I think the expression is from 'My Fair Lady'.... might be wrong. Silly name anyway.

You got me doing a bit of research! Actually it turns out Shakespeare deployed it in the late 16th century in Love's Labour's Lost. And it has a lively usage history between then and now.

poopoobarneymcgrew · 30/07/2026 15:45

Absolutely beautiful name!

wishingonastar101 · 30/07/2026 15:43

I think the expression is from 'My Fair Lady'.... might be wrong. Silly name anyway.

maddiemookins16mum · 30/07/2026 15:16

Nope. Go with Joel unless you want your child having to correct/explain to each person that asks him his name for decades to come.

ForDreamyMintHare · 30/07/2026 15:10

Poor kid.

HugoThatway · 30/07/2026 15:10

MoralOrLegal · 30/07/2026 14:53

To be fair to @ResponsiblePopcorn, -ove words can be like move/prove, or dove/shove, or cove/stove. There's no way to guess if you haven't heard it before!

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That would go for most words, and you can easily look up words and names and their pronunciation.

ResponsiblePopcorn · 30/07/2026 15:09

MoralOrLegal · 30/07/2026 14:53

To be fair to @ResponsiblePopcorn, -ove words can be like move/prove, or dove/shove, or cove/stove. There's no way to guess if you haven't heard it before!

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Thats exactly it @MoralOrLegal

Of course I'm familiar with By Jove as a saying but I wouldn't think of it as a standalone name.

@HugoThatway

LoveTheAirport · 30/07/2026 15:00

couch25kagain · 29/07/2026 22:30

I like it! I did think “By Jove” (I’m in my 30s, and not sure what it comes from, but it’s the only faint reference I have). Surely there are worse associations to have??

I think it’s cool, and it seems that it’s another name for Jupiter, whose Greek equivalent is Zeus (if I’m reading Wikipedia correctly). I have met more than one school age Zeus. Why not Jove?

I see I am in the minority but I don’t really understand the strong reaction some are having. Maybe I’m missing a reference?

Most people seem to be reminded of My Fair Lady ("the rain in Spain") but Jo (or someone anyway) used to say it in the Little Women books I think, among others!

LoveTheAirport · 30/07/2026 14:58

Excellentsausages · 30/07/2026 13:18

The most mumsnet approved names seem to be:

Charlotte
Alice

James
Alexander

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Ha! My name and my two children there.

MoralOrLegal · 30/07/2026 14:53

HugoThatway · 30/07/2026 14:45

I would pronounce this Juv, like love with a J and that sounds awful. It does.
Why would you pronounce it like that?

To be fair to @ResponsiblePopcorn, -ove words can be like move/prove, or dove/shove, or cove/stove. There's no way to guess if you haven't heard it before!

HugoThatway · 30/07/2026 14:45

I would pronounce this Juv, like love with a J and that sounds awful. It does.
Why would you pronounce it like that?

ResponsiblePopcorn · 30/07/2026 13:49

I would pronounce this Juv, like love with a J and that sounds awful.

I'd rethink this name OP.

Excellentsausages · 30/07/2026 13:18

Bitsandbobbles · 30/07/2026 02:48

It’s not my style, but it wouldn’t cause him any issues.

Here’s a genuine question. Which names DO posters on MN like? Are there any? 🤔 I’ve only seen majority dramatic negativity and insults on all of the recent baby name posts.

The most mumsnet approved names seem to be:

Charlotte
Alice

James
Alexander

Thechateau · 30/07/2026 11:52

Awful. He would have people making by Jove jokes every day of his life

giddyboo · 30/07/2026 11:44

Awful.

HugoThatway · 30/07/2026 11:42

upupandaway45 · 30/07/2026 10:44

I like it but I’d spell it jovie like on the elf film.

But it's not Jovie, it's Jove. It wilt be like spelling Jude as Judie.

Tablesandchairs23 · 30/07/2026 11:10

Awful.

SwirlyGates · 30/07/2026 10:46

God, no!

PrincessHoneysuckle · 30/07/2026 10:45

Prefer Jovi if you had to but you'd get "are u a bon jovi fan" all the time

upupandaway45 · 30/07/2026 10:44

I like it but I’d spell it jovie like on the elf film.

StrawberryMatchaLatte · 30/07/2026 10:38

Bitsandbobbles · 30/07/2026 10:25

I have to disagree with you. There are always a few positive comments, but they’re usually outnumbered. Most posters tend to overreact and act like perfectly normal names will be life ruining. There was a recent thread on Axel and Justin that received majority negative feedback. There was a recent thread on Julian that received majority negative feedback. I remember a thread some time ago where posters were acting like Fiona was the absolute worst name they’d ever heard. Just some examples of what I’ve seen. These are quite standard (maybe even slightly beige) names to me. They’re really not weird at all.

Most posters act oblivious, like they’ve never heard of anyone being called some of these very common and well-known names and can’t believe that the OP is considering them. It’s bizarre.

Edited

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To be fair, Axel is a horrendous choice for obvious reasons.

Bitsandbobbles · 30/07/2026 10:25

GaaNeen · 30/07/2026 09:18

I don’t agree -
people often offer a long list of the names they love
people often give positive feedback on names suggested

i think there is generally only uniformity with negative feedback for names for the particularly weird ones -
like
surnames for first names
adjectives for names
frakenbite names
names with strange spellings like Eeviee - gives the impression of trying too hard
names that are interpreted / judged as ‘chavy’ e.g Kayden / Jayden / Destiny- Mae

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I have to disagree with you. There are always a few positive comments, but they’re usually outnumbered. Most posters tend to overreact and act like perfectly normal names will be life ruining. There was a recent thread on Axel and Justin that received majority negative feedback. There was a recent thread on Julian that received majority negative feedback. I remember a thread some time ago where posters were acting like Fiona was the absolute worst name they’d ever heard. Just some examples of what I’ve seen. These are quite standard (maybe even slightly beige) names to me. They’re really not weird at all.

Most posters act oblivious, like they’ve never heard of anyone being called some of these very common and well-known names and can’t believe that the OP is considering them. It’s bizarre.