Dorian for a boy?

IMO this will never be disconnected from the book.

So anyone who has read it/seen it will probably raise an eyebrow.

I always thought Henry Wotton was the "bad guy" in the book and Dorian Gray was the victim because he was too innocent to have a strong moral compass.

I like the name, I agree with hula that it isn't tease-worthy on its own. The parents of his friends might make them notice that it's a different name.

Agree with you hula, I don't see why schoolchildren would find Dorian teaseworthy.

Perhaps some parents have issues with certain 'poncy'/'chavvy' names, and they pass such views on to their children ...

I had a colleague at my last job who was called Dorian. He is probably in his 30s. Even though I am literate enough to know about the book (I am not sure that the youngster's of today will be ), I never though about it when I talked to him. It suited him: a nice straight forward guy.

custardo, why would schoolchildren at a private school know any different than children at a state school - for children a name is just a name. Surely, Dorian or Damian or David are just that, NAMES of their friends.

Ok, some names lead themselves more to teasing than others (Gabriel - Gay-boy etc), but I can't see whats teaseworth about Dorian?

Is it the book connection? Or is it because it's not that common (as Jack or Charlie)?

I really don't understand (and my ds is not called Dorian)....

We called our little boy Dorian, he is 3. I wanted a name that could be pronounced well in French and English (i'm french)
I must say, people's reactions to his name are not always nice and I don't really like the association with the book, which is now worse with because of the film. I think it is a lovely name though. We tend to call him Dodo!

I always thought Dorian was a girl's name as the only time I'd heard it was in Birds of a Feather but DH has a male friend called Dorian (the Welsh pronounce it differently to the BoF character).
TBH I think it sounds drippy for a boy. Similar to Hillary/Lindsay/Vivian/Leslie in that they can be male/female names but I'm not keen on any of them

well i hope dorian goes to private school

cos with a name like that playground will be rough

I wouldnt'.

The only Dorian we know, DH calls Doreen behind his back. (He's a little efeminate). I'm nervous he'll say it to his face one day.

It sounds a bit wet to me - sorry.
How about Damon?

famous General-Joseph Horace Smith Dorian
how about Horace then-Horry for short!

Fatti - there was a boy called Dorry in What Katy Did - and a girl called John (which I think was short for Joanna ) - I remember that confusing me when I was little!

hae a male cousin called Dorian.

he hated it when he was younger - but then we grew up with birds of a feather.... think he's ok with it now.

FWIW i don't think it's a very masculine name, but i am very much of the dreaded 'tom, jack, sam, matthew' type brigade....

I like Dorian. Have never heard of the book/movie, so I doubt many current schoolchildren will...

I have a friend in his 30s called Dorian, he gets called Dor. Never connected it with the book, think it's a lovely name, and suit my friend.

My nephew is Dorian - I like it.

I know a boy Dorian. No one has connected him with the book or indeed now with the film. No one will remember birds of a feather by the time this child is at school.

My family member's name (tries to be unidentifiable! )

He is called 'dodo' by everyone

I secretly like the name, actually, but it did remind me of the female character in birds of a feather when I was younger....

My family member's name (tries to be unidentifiable! )

He is called 'dodo' by everyone

I secretly like the name, actually, but it did remind me of the female character in birds of a feather when I was younger....

It can't really lose its association with the book, because it didn't exist as a name until Oscar Wilde used it for said book (took name from ancient Greek tribe called The Dorians).

Plenty of other names are invented, though, of course - Wendy and Vanessa being 2 that spring to mind.

If you like it, use it.

I think because it's a rarely used name, it will inevitably be associated with the book, which is inevitably a negative association because it's a very unpleasant character!

The only way the association would stop, is if it becomes a sufficiently common name that people just accept it as mainstream. In which case, you probably wouldn't want to use it!

Sorry!

ONe word - NO

I love Dorian.

Great, masculine sounding name. I personally wouldn't shorten it as it rolls off the tongue easily enough imo.

Great choice and a welcome change from all the Jacks and Charlies around .

I think it's gorgeous, and Dorry/Dorri as a shortening is great too.

Wasn't one of the little brothers in What Katy Did called Dorry? He was a sweet, sturdy boy whose main aim at a young age was eating pies and building things iirc