is wren a girls or boys name ?

Wren - I'd say it's a girl's name, and a very pretty one. I would put it on a shortlist if I was having any more.

Robin is becoming unisex, I think. I've only heard of male adult Robins in the UK but there are some American actresses also called Robin/Robyn. And I've come across a couple of little girl Robins recently.

It isn't a name.

Wren? No.

It's not a name.

It's avian

"people should perhaps be a little more careful when going out of their way to dismiss names and making assumptions that an unusual name will consign a child to a lifetime of misery"

Maybe people need to be a little more careful when they dismiss the real life experience of posters on here that an "unusual" name can be a burden. It can also be a source of pleasure - but you don't know what sort of child yours will be, or what sort of life experience thet will have. Why risk it?

The only one I ever came across was a boy. Well, a man, actually.

Well, ok - you clearly feel strongly about this, just as I feel strongly that people should perhaps be a little more careful when going out of their way to dismiss names and making assumptions that an unusual name will consign a child to a lifetime of misery.

My dad balked at my mum's suggestion of India when they were choosing names for me ("You can't name a white girl India!" was his protestation, apparently), but as you know, India here is quite an acceptable name - the only reason my dad didn't like it was that he was coming to it from a pretty straight down the line, North American background. In the end, I was named something far more unusual, and as I've said before, I love it (tbh, when I was a kid I felt really sorry for the multiple Katys, etc. at school and wondered why on earth their parents hadn't managed to come up with something more "special" - no offense to anyone called Katy).

I've never had to be "brave" about my name - but those who did have my sympathy.

"don't like the idea of letting other people's narrow mindedness dictate my, or anyone else's, choices - that's all"

What you're forgetting is that by not letting otehr people's narrow mindedness dictate your choice you are exposing your child to a lifetime of dealing with that self same narrow mindedness.

It's like when people say "I love the name xxx but I don't know if I'm brave enough to use it" It's not YOU that has to be brave, it's the child. For maybe 90 years!

It is a stupid name for a boy. It would be like calling him Susan. It's got nothing to do with narrow mindedness. I never said it was stupid for a girl - clearly you missed the part where I said DDs nickname was Wren

I'm not het up at all. I'm simply pointing out that I had a crap time for the first 29 years of my life because my parents didn't think their name choice through.

Well my (female) cousin is Wren - however she is a card carrying member of the "sisterhood" and was actually christened Hilary

No need to get het up, SoupDragon. Personally, I don't like the idea of letting other people's narrow mindedness dictate my, or anyone else's, choices - that's all. And I think it's very easy to go a bit over the top with the negative feedback - Wren isn't "a stupid name which would invite ridicule". Not to your liking, maybe, but it's not exactly "Moon Unit", is it?

Peace and love!

Kwini, if you so weary of this response then you'll know why I would urge people to think very carefully before naming their child. I went through hell.

DD has an unusual name for this area but it's not a stupid one which would invite ridicule.

Girl's nickname or a surname. Not a real name.

That's a cool idea, Nooka!

I don't know that it's a "random" picking of words, necessarily - people choose names for all sorts of reasons, don't they? And lots of names were originally words for objects or even abstract ideas (Willow, Fern, Joy, Verity...Robin...) before people decided to start using them as monikers. Evolving language, and all that...

Nickname territory only, but more feminine than masculine.

However the answer to the question is clearly neither. I have an unusual name, but it is clearly a name. I don't really understand the random picking of words when there are thousands of names to choose from. Why don't you and your partner try it out on yourselves for a few days and see who gets the best response?

There is a huge difference between unusual names and names which invite judgement and covert laughter. Nobody is suggesting that everyone should be called John or Mary - certainly what I am suggesting is that people should think very seriously about the fact that they are not naming just a baby - they are naming a shy lumpen teenager, a professional adult and an old person as well/

Unusual is fine - bonkers is not!

It's the name of a bird.

Yup - let's call everyone Sue and Bob. And if someone suggests something slightly different, let's desperately plead with them to choose something more sensible, because we're the only ones with their child's best interest at heart...

Sigh. I think we've been here before.

Well, you're very lucky, Kwini - a lot of other people do not share your experience. And I feel it is unfair to give a child a name which may be a burden - or even which may make their life a bit more difficult that it needs to be. There are so many factors in your child's life you can't do anything about. You CAN decide not to send a boy to secondary school called Wren!

I have a very unusual name - one which you may well consider "stupid", SoupDragon - and love it...so I don't think one can legislate for these things, really.

There's nothing about it if you've had experience of a stupid an unusual name.

[bitter]

floral tributes to be left at the door please seeker

Do I have to pay for all this stylistic and character analysis or is it free?

Useless Fact: L'wren Scott changed her name for posh points.
Don't think Luann has the same ring to it.