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Baby names

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

Original poster

Paul - views please

46 replies

Playdough · 27/09/2008 17:57

Six weeks to go until due date and DH and I really struggling for a boy's name. Our short list is all over the place but one that I keep coming back to is Paul. But is it too 60s/70s? Or is it due for a revival, perhaps? We like short, classic names as we have an unusual and quite difficult to spell surname. So what do MNetters think?

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lolianja · 28/09/2008 15:49

I love it.

My other half is a Paul, and if he weren't I'd strongly consider it for a little boy. I'm recently turned 20 and there were dozens of Pauls at school of around my age, and I know quite a few Pauls of 16/17 but that's where the usage seems to tail off a bit. Don't know too many little Pauls. Time for a revival!

Original poster
Playdough · 28/09/2008 15:46

Thanks for all the views. I think we'll be definitely using Paul for one of the names (maybe with Edward?). It was great to get so much feedback.

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Scotia · 28/09/2008 09:31

I like it.

dibdabscribble · 28/09/2008 09:16

Would Saul be an option?

LynetteScavo · 27/09/2008 22:10

No, no it's Steven and Sarah!

Sorry, not keen on Paul.

Szyslak · 27/09/2008 22:10

Tis loevly.

AbbeyA · 27/09/2008 22:07

Sarah is my favourite girl's name!

Szyslak · 27/09/2008 22:05

The female equivalent would be 'Sarah' I think.

AbbeyA · 27/09/2008 21:59

I don't know why it isn't popular at the moment-I think it is lovely. Due for a revival.(I love the names people often call boring or dull!)

Szyslak · 27/09/2008 21:48

Paul is lovely. Simple, classic and currently not very popular. Is therefore ripe for a revival, you could lead the way!

I like John too, for the same reason (and like Johnny)

and Andrew.

Spidermama · 27/09/2008 21:42

I really like the name Paul. Always have. None of them around nowadays either so it would be nice and uncommon.

Original poster
Playdough · 27/09/2008 21:40

Butterfly Bessie, I do like John (predictably!) but it's the name of a significant ex-boyfriend so, not unreasonably, DH has vetoed it . The easy to spell bit is important as our surname always needs spelling and usually elicits the response: oh, that's an unusual name, where's it from? (To which I have no answer ... must get on Who Do You Think You Are?) It's good to get lots of views, and to know how for how many of you it is just a dull name. That's what I'd worry about: my sister has never really liked her name and has always slightly held it against our parents.

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Mutt · 27/09/2008 21:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TurkeyLurkey · 27/09/2008 21:35

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooo.

Don't do it.

mummyloveslucy · 27/09/2008 21:34

dull and dated, sorrry.

Beauregard · 27/09/2008 21:31

Sorry dont like it

pointydog · 27/09/2008 21:31

due for a revival

ButterflyBessie · 27/09/2008 21:26

Dull, dull, dull

What about John?

ninah · 27/09/2008 21:26

Not for me ...

moondog · 27/09/2008 21:22

Dreadful

onepieceoflollipop · 27/09/2008 21:21

Like it, it is my brother's name. However I do tend to favour quite "middle of the road" names iykwim.

Easy to spell, no one says "ooh that's unusual" but everyone has heard of it and there aren't currently loads of little boys named Paul.

Original poster
Playdough · 27/09/2008 21:17

... and I know two gorgeous Garys! Jellybean, no, I'm not offended at all -- plain and traditional tends to be our family style in a lot of things but I actually think it's lovely that there are so many different choices for names these days and I am glad that there is such variation in today's classrooms. (There were eleven people with my name in my year at secondary school.)

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loobylu3 · 27/09/2008 21:01

Paul is a lovely, classic name. It is my father's name (born 1940s) and it is also my son's middle name after his g/father. I think it may come back into fashion. There is actually a little boy at my son's pre school called Paul.

jellybeans · 27/09/2008 19:26

I actually really like Gary! I hope I didn't offend you about disliking Paul, it isn't an awful name and at least it is normal and traditional. It's purely individual choice, after all otherwise all our kids would have the same names!

Original poster
Playdough · 27/09/2008 19:18

Wow, thanks so much for the responses. The name fits well with my other two children's names and so, newly confident with MN approval, I think we'll definitely use it as either the little one's first or middle name, perhaps with a more contemporary alternative name so he can use that if he prefers.

Jellybeans, how about Gary then ? Actually, our other children have quite '20 or even 30 or 40 years ago' names too! I think they really suit them now, alhough I had wobbles about both names in the months/years following birth. I do find choosing names difficult.

Thanks again everyone.

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