To call my baby

[NameDilema1]

Horace? It was my dear grandads name and I would love to honour him by naming my DS after him. Nobody has been rude about the name so far but I can tell people aren’t keen. My thinking is it can be nicknamed to Harry?

I considered it but didn’t use it because it made me think of ‘bad Horace’ from the story.

I like the sound though, and I know 2 between 7-12 so it isn’t super unusual round here at least.

Is his brother Brian?

I think your son won't thank you for naming him Horace.

I actually really like it!! Not sure Harry or Ace will catch on as nicknames but it's rather nice

Reminds me of Horace Wimp

I agree with a PP though, if you don't like the name enough to actually call him Horace, then call him Harry and give him Horace as a middle name.

Would you want to be called Horace? Of course you wouldn't. Think of your child. They are the one who will have to live with this name all because you want to "honour" someone they will never know.

Obviously you can name your baby whatever you want, all names are lovely to someone. And I do like the tradition of using a loved family members name for a new baby.

But there is a reason people often honour family members by giving their name as a middle name, it gives the child their own identity whilst incorporating the family name- and also means the poor kid doesn't have to spend his whole life with a name like Horace.

I can't see the child getting Harry from Horace- its a completely seperate name and not a natural or recognised shortening. Can you give him his own regular name and use Horace in the middle?

Why is everyone saying would you like to be called this? Surely Horace is a male name and the op is a woman. Not many women would choose to have any ‘male’ name would they?

Things change and names become dated. It's nice to keep names in a family, but that doesn't mean it should be used as a first name in the same way it was 80 years ago. Horace is definitely middle name territory.

Don't lumber your child with that name. If you love it that much then do a deed poll name change on yourself.

I know a Horace. He's lovely and if you met him I think PP's opinions of thinking it's awful would soon wash away. That's how names are, aren't they?

I'm sorry, I understand that the name has sentimental meaning to you, but it's an awful name. It's old fashioned and doesn't have a pleasant sound to it. There is a reason no one calls their child Horace these days.

If you're going to call your son Harry as a nickname, just call him Harry. No point saddling him with Horace if only time it's used is when he is doing official paperwork etc.

People will assume that Harry's full name is Harry, Henry or Harrison.
I wouldn't use it as a first name but would consider it as a middle name since middle names aren't used as much.

Nope, I know a very nice Norman but still think it's a God awful name to lumber a young child with in this day and age.

Put it as a middle name.

Others will call him Hor for short.......... And you know what that sounds like.........

I personally don't like it, can't imagine child will thank you for it. If I think Horace I think its close to whore, horrid, boris and think of slughorn from HP. Kids are cruel and I imagine horrid horace as a nickname or are you called horace because you're mums a whore would come out.

Then again I also don't like naming kids after family members, I much prefer to treat them as the individual they are and give them an non-family linked first name, but could use family middle names if liked.

Lovely name and nice to honour your Grandad.

Let's hope he likes skiing!

Fuck what people think.

One of my DCs official first name is Terry. Old fashioned and nobody likes it, but let me tell you not one kid at his infants or junior school batted an eyelid at it. People are too judgemental about normal everyday names just because they’re out of fashion. If you ask me it beats some of these god awful made up names!

Awful, of all the names, it's a middle name if you must. If you want to call him Harry call him Harry, Harry isn't remotely a nickname for Horace though, he would be correcting people forever more.

It was my dear father's name. I loed him, but before he died he said if I ever had children NOT to name my son Horace as he had been teased growing up. I used his middle name, which was more mainstream and still reminded me of him.

Harry isn't short for Horace.

And there is a risk he will be called Horace Wimp.

So it's a no from me.

This is a stupid thing to say. I know someone called Candida. She's absolutely lovely, I still think it's a fuck ugly name and would judge anyone giving it to a little girl.

My grandfather was also called Horace - no way on earth would I inflict the name on my child, at least not as a first name

Harry is not a short for Horace (and TBH Ace is also a stretch as most people rhyme Horace with Boris not ending it with the -ace sound)

Yes sounds like horrid. Not nice. Sorry