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Baby names

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Duncan, Simon, Daniel, James, Joseph, Jack, Harvey, Miles, or Luke?

70 replies

danascully96 · 22/09/2026 21:35

EDIT: Forgot Robert.

Which is the best? Is it better to go with names everyone likes, or to go with underused names that are well-established but more divisive?

OP posts:
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Purplecatshopaholic · 23/09/2026 03:55

Luke is my fave. Classic, and classy and defo under-used. Miles is second but quite far behind. The others I am varying degrees of not keen on, especially Harvey or Duncan, just no, lol.

UnderMirkwood · 23/09/2026 03:57

I think you should go for the names you and your partner really like. Fashions come and go and you can't please all of the people all of the time, so don't tie yourself in knots trying to.

Personally I like all the names on your list except Harvey, with Jack, James and Luke being my favourites.

LivingTheDreamish · 23/09/2026 04:04

I agree, you sound like you are naming by committee. You have to love the name and be confident enough in your choice that you don't care what anyone else thinks. For what it's worth, I love Duncan. It's solid and masculine.

Smallpoxy · 23/09/2026 04:28

Miles or James.

user1492757084 · 23/09/2026 04:34

Duncan, Simon and Robert.
All manly, handsome and not over used.

HoraceCope · 23/09/2026 04:39

i like Duncan
Simon is good
in fact i like them all

SixAndJuliet · 23/09/2026 04:47

danascully96 · 23/09/2026 02:56

Duncan, Simon, and Harvey are probably the most “risky.” Are they super dated, or are they ghastly because the sound of each one is unattractive? I’m genuinely curious as I have gotten this reaction in real life from friends too!

Simon is very much dated and ‘of an era’ ie 70s/80s. Duncan and Harvey are just not very nice.

The rest of your names are all great though. I think they all featured on my boys names list.

I like the J names the best I think…Jack/Joe/James.

Helenbelena · 23/09/2026 07:33

Duncan is really ugly sounding. It also reminds me of Duncin Donuts.

ExplodingSmittens · 23/09/2026 07:36

From your list I like James and Joseph.

Duncan is dated and Simon was our school bully.

Luke depends where you live. In our accent it’s pronounced the same as Look.

Winterizcoming · 23/09/2026 07:42

Simon or Colin

ExplodingSmittens · 23/09/2026 07:48

Winterizcoming · 23/09/2026 07:42

Simon or Colin

Colin used to make me think of my old DFriend’s creepy brother. Now it makes me think of Colin from Accounts Smile

MummyOre · 23/09/2026 07:52

Miles or James, I have a Myles (he was never teased about his name) if I had, had another boy, he would have been James.

luckylavender · 23/09/2026 08:06

Not Duncan or Harvey

User454545454546565 · 23/09/2026 08:17

Simon. It's a really nice, underused name that sounds good at every age of life.

Thezookeepersneice · 23/09/2026 08:31

Robert, Simon, Daniel, and Duncan do all feel very dated to me.

I personally really like Harvey - I love names with a V sound. But I guess it’s a bit divisive.

I think James is nice enough - classic rather than dated. And I like both Luke and Joseph.

Butterflybluebell · 23/09/2026 14:18

I love the name Miles. And with that spelling too, not Myles.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 23/09/2026 14:52

I love Luke.

Daniel, James, Miles, and Joseph are also nice. Not particularly keen on Dan but Daniel and Danny are both good. For Joseph I would shorten to Joey

user293948849167 · 23/09/2026 15:04

I like them all apart from Harvey.

I would probably choose James or Robert

danascully96 · 23/09/2026 15:16

@LiquoriceAllsorts2

I agree! I’m not a fan of Dan. I don’t hate it, but Daniel and Danny seem much more charming.

OP posts:
Empress13 · 23/09/2026 15:22

Please don’t go for simple Simon and Duncan and Harvey are hideous ! I like Jack, Joseph and Miles good strong names

Marycontrarygarden · 23/09/2026 15:22

danascully96 · 22/09/2026 21:35

EDIT: Forgot Robert.

Which is the best? Is it better to go with names everyone likes, or to go with underused names that are well-established but more divisive?

Is he going to be in a boy band?

GoodGirlFaith · 23/09/2026 15:24

Miles
James
Joseph

All such great and handsome names! <3

Spidey66 · 23/09/2026 15:29

In order of preference
Joseph
Jack
james/Daniel/Robert/Luke/Simon
Harvey
Miles
Duncan

Gobbledegoo · 23/09/2026 15:35

Put all the names and more on paper into a bowl: Pick out three and see if they fit with your family name saying them out loud. I have several friends who chose 2 names for each child and ended up calling them the second name that was on the Birth Certificate!

SatinHeart · 23/09/2026 15:48

Some people are much more bothered than others when it comes to how popular names are. But I would say there there's eleventy billion little boys called Jack where I live. It's head and shoulders above everything else in your list in terms of popularity round here (which I find odd as I'm not a fan).

My favourites are Duncan, Daniel and Joseph from your list.

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