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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Baby name

29 replies

Megan611 · 04/04/2023 20:57

More an "is it odd/weird" than unreasonable but I'm 5 months pregnant and have started thinking about baby names. I love the name Callum but have a younger cousin with this name and we're a close family so see eachother regularly. Would it be odd or likely to cause any drama to use the name?

OP posts:
thegrain · 04/04/2023 21:14

It's fine. Use one L?

Sortyourlifeout · 04/04/2023 21:15

thegrain · 04/04/2023 21:14

It's fine. Use one L?

Or a K!

thegrain · 04/04/2023 21:27

Sortyourlifeout · 04/04/2023 21:15

Or a K!

Kalum? Nice!

PaigeMatthews · 04/04/2023 21:31

PP, What difference will the spelling make? we speak to people, rarely write to them?!

Op, name the child callum if you want. You could say he is named after your favourite cousin.

TomatoSandwiches · 04/04/2023 21:32

What about Cailean, old Irish name.

Thatiswild · 04/04/2023 21:34

There are so many names, perhaps try and think of one that isn't already in your close family, your child would undoubtably be ‘little Callum’ or ‘young Callum’ forever, speaking from two incidences of this within my own and a friend’s family, just not sure I could do that to my child.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 04/04/2023 21:35

Will Callum and Kalum have the same surname?

Curseofthenation · 04/04/2023 21:40

Lots of people are fine with it, but I would personally check in with the parents first. There are so many names to choose from and it just feels quite lazy.

paulinesmithson · 04/04/2023 21:41

nice name but i prefer the spelling kahllum

parietal · 04/04/2023 21:53

I wouldn't use it as a first name but would use it as a middle name if it goes with another first name I liked.

thegrain · 04/04/2023 22:08

PaigeMatthews · 04/04/2023 21:31

PP, What difference will the spelling make? we speak to people, rarely write to them?!

Op, name the child callum if you want. You could say he is named after your favourite cousin.

Because you say ah yes like you but we spelt it with a K and one L.

Makes the family tree look more interesting if anyone looks at it too.

thegrain · 04/04/2023 22:09

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 04/04/2023 21:35

Will Callum and Kalum have the same surname?

Ah yes v important

matisses6fingers · 04/04/2023 22:10

paulinesmithson · 04/04/2023 21:41

nice name but i prefer the spelling kahllum

Are you taking the piss? 🤣🤣🤣

OP, he’s not a Kardashian. Just call him Calum or Callum.

Marymary987 · 04/04/2023 22:15

No I wouldn’t, there’s thousands of names you could use so I’d go with something different.

SquigglePigs · 04/04/2023 22:22

I think in the sense of "can you" then yes, of course you can.

Personally we vetoed any name where someone close to us had the same name. I didn't want DD growing up as "Baby X" or "little X". In reality it only ruled out one girls name but it did make boys harder!

ConsuelaHammock · 04/04/2023 22:25

Don’t use Callum! They’re nearly always naughty 😂
If you do use it please spell it the normal way.

paulinesmithson · 04/04/2023 23:02

@matisses6fingers yeah i was only joking i think the 'quirky' spellings are awful

ImSweetEnoughDarlin · 04/04/2023 23:04

What about Colm?

Notimeforaname · 04/04/2023 23:08

I know a little boy called Callan. That any use?

thespy · 04/04/2023 23:10

SquigglePigs · 04/04/2023 22:22

I think in the sense of "can you" then yes, of course you can.

Personally we vetoed any name where someone close to us had the same name. I didn't want DD growing up as "Baby X" or "little X". In reality it only ruled out one girls name but it did make boys harder!

This - we had a "Bella" and a "Little Bella" in the family - little Bella is now in her 20s and still referred to that way by all but immediate family.

matisses6fingers · 04/04/2023 23:11

paulinesmithson · 04/04/2023 23:02

@matisses6fingers yeah i was only joking i think the 'quirky' spellings are awful

You and me both.

matisses6fingers · 04/04/2023 23:13

Also, not sure if you’re Scottish (wondering since Callum is a popular name here in Scotland) but if you are then he’ll not be called little Callum. He’ll be called wee Callum for all his days. No matter how many K and Ls you put on his name.

Bridesmaidingreen · 04/04/2023 23:16

Calum is actually the more traditional and less anglicised spelling FWIW.

I think you probably could just go with it but I probably wouldn’t. Callan? Colm? Corran? Cai? Cameron?

IShouldGoToSleep · 04/04/2023 23:16

ConsuelaHammock · 04/04/2023 22:25

Don’t use Callum! They’re nearly always naughty 😂
If you do use it please spell it the normal way.

This. My son had to leave his first primary school in year 2 because of a 'Calum' who disrupted the whole year. In his new school the 3 naughty kids are Calum, Connor and Kyle. We always say now that we'll avoid calling any future kids a name beginning with a 'C' or 'K' sound! (That said, we know 3 Kameron's and they r all lovely!) Plus, I'm sure there are some really nice Calum's. But as you haven't already named the child, maybe go with something else!

PurpleAirGuitar · 05/04/2023 00:24

Theoretically I don't think there's anything wrong with this. However if you're close with that part of the family you could just check with the other Callum (or his parents if he's very young) that they wouldn't be offended. I think if anything they'll be rather pleased and flattered! I do prefer the spelling Calum but I think if you live in England a lot of people will assume it's Callum anyway, so there are pros and cons either way.

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