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Baby names

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

Original poster

Need help naming baby boy - what’s your favorite?

71 replies

ragnar21 · 02/09/2026 08:05

Continuing deliberations on our baby boys name (due in a few months) and we finally have a top 5!

Here are our top choices:

Christian
Francis
Nicholas
Spencer
Hugh

Middle name will most likely be James, but could also be Jack or John (all family names with equal importance). Surname is one syllable beginning with B.

Please let me know your favourite but please don’t be too negative about the others as I’m very sensitive to criticism and we have exhausted all other name options so it will definitely need to be one of these five. His big sister’s name is Hailey Elizabeth.

OP posts:
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user1492757084 · 04/09/2026 13:20

Inspired by your list, names in preference order ..

Nicholas John
John Christian
Hugh James
Christian John
Spencer John

Helenbelena · 03/09/2026 13:51

Daffodilsinthespring · 02/09/2026 16:10

Christian shortened to Kit.

Kit is awful - Take your Kit off, smelly sports Kit…

Christian is a lovely name though.

Ilovemyfam · 03/09/2026 13:42

I like them all. Nicholas is my top favorite, but I would want to hear the whole surname. I think about the number of syllables and how it rhymes. That would rule Nicholas or Hugh in or out for sure.

At the end of the day you can always put them into a sorting hat!!!

ginasevern · 03/09/2026 13:35

Really solid list of names. I like all of them but not quite so keen on Spencer.

PixieFairySprite · 03/09/2026 12:30

I think that's the best boys name list I've ever seen on here.

I like Christian the most. I actually know a Kristian and really like it spelled that way, too.

LoudPlumDog · 03/09/2026 12:26

I love the first three. Possibly Christian by a smidgeon, but they are all fabulous names.

Firebird83 · 02/09/2026 23:21

Love Hugh, Nicholas and Francis.

seahorsessky · 02/09/2026 23:16

I like them, but would more associate them with 90s babies, which is definitely not a bad thing as you probably don't want to go for a very 2026 one or there'll be loads in the class.

davidraker · 02/09/2026 22:46

I’m biased because we have son called Nick ( Nicholas) we prefer Nick and he’s been known as that since he was born

crazymommaclub · 02/09/2026 22:31

Spencer James

TheOnlyWayIsIlford · 02/09/2026 22:30

Francis.

Great name, and I love Frankie too.

Imisscoffee2021 · 02/09/2026 22:30

Nicholas

Tryingtobenormal124 · 02/09/2026 22:29

Christian is lovely. Hugh in Scotland would get Shug at school!

Giraffehaver · 02/09/2026 22:26

Love Francis but I have a Southern accent so say Fraancis and where we live would say It with a flat A which would bug me!
Also really like Nicholas. It's a crisp clean name to me

Freshrain · 02/09/2026 22:17

Nicholas then Hugh.

I don't like the other 3, personally, but no particular reason, just personal taste.

DramaAlpaca · 02/09/2026 20:01

Nicholas is my favourite, but I think Spencer goes best with Hailey.

Joliloily · 02/09/2026 20:00

Nicholas ❤️

AgentPidge · 02/09/2026 19:59

Daffodilsinthespring · 02/09/2026 16:10

Christian shortened to Kit.

I love that!
Also Caspian. I'm not keen on Spencer or Hugh, but the others are fine. Christopher has the same vibe as Nicholas.

ChocoChocoLatte · 02/09/2026 19:57

Hugh

LilyLemonade · 02/09/2026 19:36

I love them all.

Nicholas is my favourite but you can't go wrong with any from the list.

Nicholas is a lovely classic and not that common.
Christian is similar - well known but not common, quite international too if that is a consideration (as is Nicholas).
Francis - same applies
Hugh - very solid name, suits any age, easy to write and spell
Spencer - different vibe but very evocative to my ears. I like it. Goes well with Hailey

NamingNoNames · 02/09/2026 18:30

Hugh - like and like Hughie
Nicholas - like. Will be Nick or Nico
Francis- like but will be Frank
Spencer - not keen. Gets said as Spentser
Christian - too religious and too 1970s,plus people say it as Krishjun

Middle name
James - like nearly every other boy he'llknow
Jack - doesn't flow with all names (Huge Actman)
John - every man my age's middle name

How the first name sounds with the surname needs to be a consideration.
Hugh probably won't go with the surname (Brown, Bush, Boyle, Burns....), Nick and Frank might be tricky.

I'd choose
First name - James/John/Jack
Middle name - Francis

Mumofgirls2017 · 02/09/2026 18:23

Spencer. Nicholas second

MrsMoastyToasty · 02/09/2026 18:10

Not a J middle name with Hugh otherwise it may sound like Huge. Even worse if your surname is Balls or similar.

The rest are fine saints names and I also like Spencer.

user293948849167 · 02/09/2026 18:07

Nicholas is my favourite but don’t hate any of them

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 02/09/2026 18:00

I like Spencer and Christian. Couldn’t have chosen them for DS as neither would have fit the theme that emerged with DD1 and 2’s names. Would have been a bit random but both lovely names.

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