Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Am I boring to be thinking of calling my baby James?

64 replies

Two4One · 26/01/2010 11:48

My baby will be here very soon and DH and I still haven't agreed on a name. I have spent hours poring over these threads about baby names and have come to the conclusion that I might like to call my boy James...

Is this what MNters call a "meh" name? I'm forever reading on here "What about Turquand?" and "How do you feel about Virgil?" and I wonder if I should be making a bit more of an effort. But I think James is a lovely name. Always have. Makes me think of my dear Grandpa.

Is it very important to his well-being that my child has a name outside of the top 100?

Is James ten-a-penny?

Please help...

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
everlong · 27/01/2010 20:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sunshinemummy · 27/01/2010 20:44

I like James although it wouldn't be what I'd choose.

hattee · 27/01/2010 20:26

James is a great name; classic, strong and timeless

crumpette · 27/01/2010 19:44

I have just called my baby James. I am not boring at all

I had reservations about it when DP was campaigning for it because I thought it was boring an unimaginative, and DD's name wasn't ever in the top 100 so I wanted a similarly unique name for DS. But I didn't like any other name more really, and like others have said it's not obviously trying to be different, it won't pre-define him as any class, race, background, whatever. I think it will remain timeless and when he is my age babies will still be called James.

I have to say though I dislike Jimmy and nicknames for it so am practising my look of death for when anyone changes his name!

Cicatrice · 27/01/2010 11:29

James is a good name popular but not trendy and as others have said will not pre define him.

All the names I wanted were similar (John James Alexander David). Not "boys" names but names he could grow into.

weegiemum · 27/01/2010 11:00

sweetkitty - Matthew was our choice of boys name for dd1 and dd2, but for ds (in the middle) we had changed our minds and gone all exotic on boys and girls!

Matthew is lovely. Like James, or John, Andrew, David, Peter etc ... lovely classic boys names that huge amounts of people think are 'meh' or 'boring'!

weegiemum · 27/01/2010 10:58

Wow! A mn name thread asking "should I call my child a lovely, classic, timeless name?"

You don't get them very often!

Yes! James is lovely, and fits in any situation. I would go for it (my dds have kind of girls equv of James, I went a bit more Celtic with my ds!)

merrymonsters · 27/01/2010 10:57

My son's middle name is James and I sometimes wish I'd used James as a first name. His first name is lovely, but really popular where we live. There are only about two boys called James in his school.

thesecondcoming · 27/01/2010 10:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

got2loseit · 26/01/2010 22:24

My dad and brother are both called James. Also my oldest nephew. May be a bit biased but its a lovely name and doesn't date either.

ByTheSea · 26/01/2010 22:03

James is a lovely solid name. DD2 would probably have been James.

FanjolinaJolie · 26/01/2010 22:00

I like James very much indeed.

There is one in DD's reception class.

We do know a few Jamies, but they were christened Jamie from the start.

liliputlady · 26/01/2010 21:54

It's lovely - don't feel you have to choose something outlandish if it's your favourite. When I had my DDs I probably spent days in total researching names and ended up with two very plain and popular ones, but have no regrets!

bronze · 26/01/2010 21:51

Nothing wrong with Matthew or John either

sweetkitty · 26/01/2010 21:48

I was thinking the same thing about our front runner just now Matthew, we cannot decide on anything else DO doesn't like my favourite I detest his

Only know one other Matthew though

snurgy · 26/01/2010 20:43

Sorry to go against the grain but I find James very meh. I'd much rather hear John than James.

mathanxiety · 26/01/2010 19:45

Great name, a classic.

sallyjaygorce · 26/01/2010 18:22

Sweet baby James

Pingpong · 26/01/2010 18:21

James is one of the few boys names I really like. It was on our list for DD and is still on the list for the current bump.
Classic and strong an excellent choice IMO

bronze · 26/01/2010 16:18

I have a James. It has a multitude of nicknames so even if there is another in his class they can have different names. there isnt another in our school though so its not that popular

RonaldMcDonald · 26/01/2010 16:17

lovely name

bruffin · 26/01/2010 16:15

DS has James as a middle name, so has DH and FIL and probably further back than that.

woowa · 26/01/2010 16:03

My DH is MRwoowa James surname, and if our LO comes out boy shaped, he's going to be babywoowa James surname. I know that's only a middle name, but it is lovely, and especially if it's a family thing. Not Meh at all.

CuppaTeaJanice · 26/01/2010 15:58

It's not as boring as Jack!!!

It's just a solid name, that luckily has a number of possible nicknames so three James' in a class can be called different things instead of James A, James B, James C etc.

cece · 26/01/2010 15:54

I like it. I do like a good solid name that is good for little boy and a man.