Surnames as a first name

[Moominfan]

I know they usually don't go down as well as Oliver and Olivia on here but I really like the name Hudson for a boy

I have a Hudson, it is actually an old English forename, however is more common as a surname. It is very popular in the US as a forename though xx

Generally I don't like them as they almost always sound very hard and impersonal. They're rarely soft, friendly names, to me. 'Son' ending names are definitely harsh.

Also I always think about the short form- there will almost always be one that ends up getting used! Hudson - Hud? Hudz? Huddy? Sonny? Not a fan.

Not so much edgy, I always thought name threads really brings out classicism. Anything out the ordinary seems to get sneered at. I remeber reading a thread where someone mentioned they liked Hayden and it really brought out the vipers. Hate to give my child a name that people will sneer at so I'd be lying if I said i didn't care.

Our surname is a common first name and both our children have first names that can be surnames. TBH once or twice it has caused confusion but then one of the first names is also often mispronounced and I didn't even think of that when naming! Our surname is also easy to misspell as was my maiden name. Meh. I've more important things to get excited over but I think my kid with the often mispronounced name will call his kids Ben and Joe! lol.

I think that's lovely hippo

I'd be more inclined to use a surname as a first name if there was some family connection. Otherwise it just feels a bit odd to me.

MCC85 my son's name was also originally a forename but is now known as a surname.

I remembered I once had a woman ask me if it was one of these new names people had made up... Her face when I told her it is a middle english name was fun.

We have a surname that is a first name as well. It’s confusing occasionally for other people with one of BIL’s children who has a first name that could be a surname! At schools etc. they always check which is which though.

If your surname isn’t also a first name, I don’t think it would be a problem.

I second it's wanky and chavvy
It's up there with really Americanised names, I know a Oakley, Harley and Austin.

I think Hayden is lovely

I think you should call your baby as you please. It isn't very 'out there' at all. I know a dog called Hudson.

Yep, you’re super quirky and edgy, not like us “mundanes”. That’s what you wanted to hear, I assume?

American Hudsons get shortened to 'Hud' a lot, which is gruesome and enough of a reason to avoid, in my eyes -- personally, I'd class it with US names like Skip, Bud, Chip etc.

And I say that as someone who much prefers unusual names -- my six year old's name was not listed on the ONS stats for the year of his birth, which I think indicates fewer than three born that year...?

Surnames as first names are popular as it's a way of "insisting" on status/authority - there's no first name (traditionally the way to show familiarity/low status) so it compels the person to be addressed by a last name as if they were an earl at a posh boarding school or a rugged American cowboy or something.

Before the squawks of "how ridiculous, that's not why I'm doing it AT ALL, I just have always really liked the idea of calling my son Hawkins/Smithson/Jennings/whatever, ask yourself why this is a trend that is only popular for boys?

Boys names = status, authority, activity
Girls names = pretty, appealing, delicate

I love surname-type first names and like the name Hudson. If you like it, use it and don't worry too much. I would have called one of our dc Fox if I had been allowed (still slightly regret not doing it)
I like names like Dexter, Elliott, Fletcher which are also surnames, as are the slightly more popular Thomas, Oliver etc.

I think they are getting more popular now - I'm in my 50's and only have one friend with a surname/firstname (his name is Ford) and I quite like it - it sounds rather distinguished I think.

anyway - call your baby whatever name you love - doesn't matter what other people think

It's okay as long as your surname is obviously a surname. I've dealt with a Cameron Samuel recently. Very confusing and I'm still not convinced his bank account is in the correct name...

Not a fan of surnames but they aren't so bad if you can get a good nickname from them. Hud or Son don't work so it would be a no for my hypothetical child.

@basilfaulty I have an uncle Austin. He’s 70 and Irish.
My dd has a surname as a forename. I love it because it honours my dad who died when I was little. No one has ever commented to my face about it which is just as well really, because I would be pissed off if someone did, It’s not really anyone’s business.

Very common in Wales to have your surname as a Christian name - eg the politician George Thomas was actually Thomas George Thomas. Less so I think now though.

Surnames as first names is a very old Scottish tradition but it does tend to be family names.

Oliver, Isaac and Thomas etc are surnames, so obviously a blanket ban on surnames as first names would be ridiculous.

I like Hudson, but it would make me think of the butler from Upstairs Downstairs.

I like surnames as a first name. Why not ?

Because it causes confusion and people don't know which is your first name and surname. This happens a lot on databases etc. It does depend to some extent what your surname is though - obviously much more confusing if you are Andrew Thomas / Thomas Andrew than Hudson Wright or something.

I'm not keen on surnames as first names if I'm honest, but 'Hudson' does have quite a nice ring to it, if you don't mind the confusion bit.

Someone up thread suggested sonny as a nn which I really like

I like it, but I'm Scottish!

Not keen on the whole surname for firstname trend although some people have first names for surnames so maybe a surname to balance it out...