what would you think if you met a boy called...

Why not call him Alexander, but shorten it to Xander? Then he has other options if he doesn't like it later on?

It's probab'y not the Dad dealing with "precious Maxim" when he is screaming all night in agony.

Clark is terrible (shoe connections).

I have some suggestions for you

Joshua - Josh
Oliver - Oli

Balloon, that's rough that your child has life-threatening allergies. But I wasn't talking about life-threatening illnesses. I'm talking about the kind of person who just loves to talk about little Xavier's eczema, bowel-movements, love of celeriac etc... it was meant to paint a picture of a certain type of mother. It wasn't meant to laugh at children who are genuinely seriously allergic to some substance. I know they exist but there are an awful lot of people who like talking about intolerances blah blah blah...

Anyway, excuse me for trying to be funny. I failed obviously.

White flag?

yes vigo big head nasty ghost in ghost busters

Vigo

PS - wasn't there a Vito/Vigo in Ghostbusters?

On the allergies thing, I completely understand what Maggie means. Some children, horribly, have life-threatening/destroying allergies which can blight their own and their parent's lives. Some children, however, especially here in yummy-mummy ville have huge dietary "requirements" simply because mummy doesn't like the idea of wheat/dairy etc etc. Sadly there are parents who project this unnecessary preciousness onto their children. The number of times I have taught children who have come to me with an "allergy" when actually the food in question makes them belch/fart/feel a bit bloated...

To repeat, this is not to dismiss REAL allergies/intolerances, but those invented by parents to make themselves/children seem a bit "special".

Maggie- this is not about what you imagine a name to be like. Everybody has different images for different names. But that you are suggesting a child with allergies is because they have precious parents. Allergies are real and as balloon pointed out often life threatening. Would you accuse a parent of a diabetic child who has to monitor the child sugar intake as being precious?

Well said Balloon.

What parents loves the fact that it can take years for the hosiptal to find out the your child is constantly vomiting always has tummy ache and has water for poo (sorry tmi)because he is allergic to wheat. It then costs you more money (that you dont have) to buy speacial bread, pasta etc that is very expensive. You have to read ingredients to everything on they put wheat in all sorts even some chocolate bars. Every resturant, cafe you go you have to check and people look at you like you are being precious. Yes I love that

You misunderstand me Maggie.

I do not have an Xavier or a whatever the other one was.

I do however have a child with an ordinary name who has life threatening allergies to, um, well quite a few foods.

And do you know what? I don't "love it." In fact, I hate it. Because my child gets left out, has to take medication everywhere, and oh yeah his life is constantly at risk.

How dare you suggest people "love" their children having life-threatening illnesses? Or that parents of children will allergies are being "precious."

I claim my entitlement to imagine you as an utter fuckwit.

I don't like any of your suggestions.

How about

Benedict
Sebastian
Tristan
Gavin
Patrick?

But, in the end, the opinions of strangers on the internet don't really matter, do they?

BalloonSlayer, can i politely remind you that all names have different images for different people and I'm entitled to 'imagine' a xavier and a zander in any way I want.

The image I personally get from a Xavier is that the parent might be very try-hard. A professional parent 24/7 and the sort of person who loves it when their child is allergic to eggs, nuts, kiwis. The sort of parent who demands a fucking explanation from somebody who doesn't like their child's name!!

Clark is ok - not great but not bad. Different I guess. Yep superman or office clark (or should it be clerk?)

I like Reuben but all the others you mention don't sound particularly manly to me but then I do tend to like strong biblical men's names - Samuel, Tom, Reuben etc.

Sorry clark makes me think of Superman (or shoes)

Like Hugo and Ruben.

If anyone is having a girl don't do what I did and call her Rosie- she's allergic to all sorts of things. We're always up the hospital & I have to cook different dinners all the time. If only I'd called her something else...

Willing to hear 'non allergic to stuff' names for dc3 due Aug..

Love Ruben and Hugo, I think Clark is great but only with the right surname and also has to be worn with attitude and style. Hard to pin that on a baby......almost has to be given in retrospect.

Maggie, can I politely ask you to explain what the fuck you mean by "I can imagine a xavier and a Zander being allergic to all sorts of things. "

I know a bloke called Calrk - he's really nice

don´t like Clark or Oisin.

Like others though-maybe with Clark as middle name?