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Baby names

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

Original poster

Has Kevin surpassed naffness to enter a new era of acceptability?

141 replies

MrsSeanBean · 23/02/2009 18:57

I would not use the name personally, but it seems to me that a whole new raft of names have come to the fore these days, making names such as Kevin (Gary, Barry, Lee etc) seem almost quasi-respectable.

What do you think? Maybe it still needs a few more years yet.

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chillistars · 26/06/2011 21:34

Kevin McCloud is the best thing about the name! ;)

Clary · 26/06/2011 21:32

I know a 10yo Kevin.

Have to say that I once heard his name get an audieble (I assume from a member of staff) when announced in school assembly. oops!

I think it is pretty dated as a name and well away from being trendy. All the others I know are aged 30-50. Quite popular in US tho I believe.

moondog · 26/06/2011 21:12

'Kweeven'??

No, not unless one was clinically insane or addled with drugs.

harrietlichman · 26/06/2011 21:07

Trevor? Terry? Russell? They just sound odd when you think of them belonging to a baby or toddler...

sorchatallulah · 26/06/2011 21:02

Kevin is lovely! It's a nice sound if you think of it without any context, and although people might think of it as "boring" or "middle-aged" I think a "cool" teenager would be able to carry it off quite well! Or what about the original Irish? Caoimhín, pronounced cwee-veen (sort of, the w is quite faint)

mathanxiety · 26/06/2011 20:58

I know a lot of Kevins under 12 (old school Catholic classic sums it up in Ireland and Irish circles abroad). The one Kevin in DS's class (aged 18 now) was half French, half Cuban.

No Brians or Susans in my neck of the woods.

AlfieandAnnieRose · 26/06/2011 20:48

Befuzzled, Ulrika Jonson called her son Malcolm, and only a couple of years ago :)

ThePathanKhansWoman · 26/06/2011 20:33

I know a couple of Kevin Barry 's so called after famous Irish Nationalist, so i suppose in context it ok.

GrendelsMum · 26/06/2011 20:22

I really like Phyllis as a name. And Mark, and Philip, and Douglas, and all those names which are recognisable as names, not as random collections of syllables.

And what about Kevin McCloud? Surely he could cause a Mumsnet revival of the name single handed?

LemonDifficult · 26/06/2011 19:50

Susan will be back
Brian less likely

superjobeespecs · 26/06/2011 19:38

i know a wee mark and a douglas too makes a change from all the poncy twat names doing the rounds these days, i love darren and stewart but they are my cousins names and thats just weird :)

FellatioNelson · 26/06/2011 19:14

I know little boys called Bernie and Lennie. i would hve pulled a cat's bum face about that five years ago, but now I think they are beyond fabulous.

befuzzled · 26/06/2011 19:12

Kevin, Nigel, Barry not until we are all dead and buried of at all. Wayne, never. I do think a few are slipping through now, mainly people naming kids after grandfathers I assume. I came across a 6m old Malcolm at a baby group recently which is just wrong! Apparently after the dad.

tigermummy35 · 26/06/2011 18:42

No, no, no!!

PorkChopSter · 26/06/2011 18:37

I knew of a baby Kevin. One of those "er, what?" moments of introductions Blush. I also know toddlers called Douglas, Phillip, Stephen and there are two Susans at school.

circlehead · 26/06/2011 18:20

I know a lady who is going to call her baby boy Geoffrey Confused

It is after her late father, so very honourable. But still - Geoffrey?!

pranma · 26/06/2011 17:42

I like Janet
How about Trevor or Clive
Valerie
Christine
Pamela

emmanumber3 · 26/06/2011 17:36

5inthebed - I knew an asian family growing up who had 4 boys - 2 of them had traditional asian names & 2 had traditional british names (Michaell & John if I remember correctly). There was also a daughter but I can't remember what her name was Smile.

suzikettles · 26/06/2011 17:35

See, I think Kevin is actually a really, really nice name. And definitely unusual. Far more so than all the "unik" names people faff about with.

You see all these threads with people wanting an unusual name for their child, something that's not in the top 100, but no-one ever goes for Pauline.

emmanumber3 · 26/06/2011 17:32

There is a Childminder who drops a child off at DS2's school each morning - one of her little Mind-ees is called Kevin, he's about 3 years old. I was sure at first that she must have been saying something else - Kain, Keiran possibly - but, no, it's Kevin Blush. Poor kid.

suzikettles · 26/06/2011 17:12

Mark was in the top 100 boys names in Scotland last year, albeit at number 95 (joint with Mohammed, Jude and Luca).

It's a pretty 70s name though (there was always one in my classes at school and my db was almost a Mark) so I reckon it'll come back in with the Kevins.

catinboots · 26/06/2011 16:51

And what about Mark? My DH is a Mark. About 90% of his friends are also called Mark.

Never heard of a baby Mark......

suzikettles · 26/06/2011 16:21

I think Maureen & Alan will come in before Kevin and Lorraine actually. The former are from a slightly older generation.

suzikettles · 26/06/2011 16:20

I was thinking this week that Moira is a nice name. I wouldn't have been thinking that a couple of years ago.

It's crazy to think that Kevin, Lee, Darren etc won't come back. Their sisters will be called Maureen, Doreen and Lorraine.

mysteryfairy · 26/06/2011 16:17

There is a Kevin at DD's school - think he is in year one. According to DD he is very naughty, not sure if or how that is connected with his name!

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