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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To intensely dislike the “y/ie” suffix name craze?

343 replies

feelingnotbelieving · 28/10/2023 11:31

Alfie Archie Albie Blakie Bertie Denny Ellie Evie Edie Georgie Lenny Ralphie Ronnie Reggie Vinny.

Today I came across a Jeffie. Why?!

If want to give you kid an old fashioned name, then name it Alfred, Eleanor, Leonard or Vincent. Or Jeffrey.

Added to the naff-ness of it is the fact that when that child starts school, he’s going to be one in at least half a dozen others with the same name.

I just find it it very unoriginal and effortless to give your child a “trendy” name that 50% of parents seem to also be naming their child. I’m assuming they think it’s quirky or cute but I can’t be the only person who thinks it’s naff and tasteless.

I get sometimes it’s to honour a relative. My grandad was called Bernard, but if I wanted to name my son after him I wouldn’t name him Bernie. I’d call him Bernard. As that was my grandads name.

OP posts:
Brexile · 28/10/2023 21:21

Heronwatcher · 28/10/2023 13:40

You should move to France. They have a list of permitted names.

No way would I call a baby Bernard, can you imagine at monkey music, “hello Albie, hello Bernard! Bernie is much nicer. The only way I could imagine this being acceptable is if you said it in the French style, like Bernarrd, which I am sure you also disapprove of!

I do find the baby naming phenomenon where thousands of people choose what they think is a yoo-nique name for their kids only to find thousands of them at nursery very interesting though, does anyone know how/ why it happens? Is it some kind of subliminal influencing or just that we reject names which we grew up with (Paul, Gary, Hayley etc?).

I don't think there's a permitted names list in France any more. The last two babies born locally to me were named Nolann (sic) and Nelyo. Nelyo is apparently Neil with a fashionably Italianate -io ending, spelt with a Y to be original. OP, I think you should save your ire for the French!

funnylugs · 28/10/2023 21:35

I know a young man called Herbert. He goes by Herbie, or Herb. He's also used Bertie once or twice. Having the full name gives a few more options for the diminutives .

Peachballoon · 28/10/2023 22:02

My son is Archie and it’s an old fashioned name that’s been used lots throughout history. Someone said to me it was an ‘old man’s name’. So it’s not exactly new. Same with some of the others you’ve listed, Edie, Elsie etc.

Peachballoon · 28/10/2023 22:10

If you’ve ever watched ‘Monarch of the Glen’ there was a very attractive main character called Archie on it. That was one of my reasons for choosing the name, I always loved the show. I know it’s only a character, but I wouldn’t have said he didn’t suit that name as an adult. Far from it.

Goldbar · 28/10/2023 22:10

Peachballoon · 28/10/2023 22:02

My son is Archie and it’s an old fashioned name that’s been used lots throughout history. Someone said to me it was an ‘old man’s name’. So it’s not exactly new. Same with some of the others you’ve listed, Edie, Elsie etc.

I suppose the OP's view is that, rather than Archie, you ought to have saddled your son with Archibald on the birth certificate.

Peachballoon · 28/10/2023 22:13

@Goldbar
I didn’t like the name Archibald, but I did like Archie…that’s why.

The name on my BC is a longer, more formal version of the name I use (not stating what it is because it’s too outing). I hate my ‘full name’ and sign off all my emails with the shortened version, I actually wish that’s what my parents had chosen for me instead.

Goldbar · 28/10/2023 22:25

@Peachballoon . I'm on your side! Archie is cool, Archibald is dreadful. Except perhaps as a name for a Dachshund or a particularly snooty cat.

But that is, I think, the premise of the thread.

smilesup · 28/10/2023 22:57

CowboyJoanna · 28/10/2023 15:54

Roosevelt

Show quote history

God, sarcasm doesn't work so well on paper...

SwingTheMonkey · 28/10/2023 22:59

Northerngirl345 · 28/10/2023 16:17

Totally with you. I’ve got 2 kids with old fashioned names and I genuinely get annoyed when people name their kids shortened versions of my kids names.

Irrational, I know.

No, wait.

Not just irrational- pathetic and ridiculous too!

Anyotherdude · 28/10/2023 23:06

YABU. Either decide to call your child by the “proper” name, then nickname them with the appropriate diminutive, or name ‘em the diminutive and be damned! Stop judging if you can’t compare apples with pears - as in your OP!

Blackandwhitemakesgrey · 28/10/2023 23:11

They aren't my cup of tea either OP but you must realise that so many people call their children these names, that they will be frothing at the mouth at the suggestion they shouldn't /aren't nice names so for that reason YABU.

Spottyhousecoat · 28/10/2023 23:23

I know of a Milleigh not an ie or y but so much worse in my book.
Both my dc have ie names on birth certificates as I have a long name which never gets used and i get fed up telling folk my names long version but you can call me short version.

Thedogscollar · 28/10/2023 23:35

duchiebun · 28/10/2023 14:20

It’s chavvy.

Are people still using this word?

Bloody hate this word but couldn't give a monkeys about Albie Alfie n Co.

GasDrivenNun · 29/10/2023 00:24

PotOfViolas · 28/10/2023 12:06

Have to say I prefer Ronnie, Reggie and Archie to Ronald, Reginald and Archibald.

I don't like those names short or long versions.

Floatlikeafeather2 · 29/10/2023 01:10

elliejjtiny · 28/10/2023 12:49

Names that are spelt with the ie or y changed round just to be different give me the itch. Like Poppie, Kymberlie etc. Lucie, Mollie, Aimee and Sophy are ok because they have been around for ages and lots of people call their children those names. My dc have always used their full names, they hate the shortened versions.

Aimee is actually correct though, because it's a French name, meaning Loved. We spell it wrong here, though I think that was actually started in the States a couple of centuries ago. At the end of the day it really, really doesn't matter.

HolidayAddict23 · 29/10/2023 03:03

Get a life!

VintageTuppence · 29/10/2023 04:02

Not to mention Tony Blair, one of those dreaded shortened “y” suffix names!

Do you mean ‘Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair’ ?

00100001 · 29/10/2023 06:06

AgathaAllAlong · 28/10/2023 16:13

My name's Ruby so I guess I'm on your blacklist.

How do you know they're not nicknames?

Your parents should have called you Rubella, a nice proper, complete name

Clafoutie · 29/10/2023 07:38

feelingnotbelieving · 28/10/2023 12:07

@Itwasamemo3 yes but they were most likely christened/named on their birth certificate as the full names. Kenneth Charlotte Archibald etc. To be the alfies and Archie’s of the country should be oldies. As they are old names. There were no Alfie’s or Archie’s or albies or Reggie’s when I was at school.

But the old names that were fashionable than, have simply come back round to be in fashion now. Isn’t that the nature of fashion?

Goldbar · 29/10/2023 08:55

Clafoutie · 29/10/2023 07:38

But the old names that were fashionable than, have simply come back round to be in fashion now. Isn’t that the nature of fashion?

Show quote history

Regardless of the fashion, Archibald is a step too far imo. I have met several adorable Archies but I'm not ready for a baby Archibald!

Saschka · 29/10/2023 09:00

feelingnotbelieving · 28/10/2023 11:55

@NuffSaidSam if it’s the full name on the birth certificate, that’s better at least. Unless it’s like those people who say “it will be Henry on the birth certificate but he will only ever be known as Harry”. But that’s a whole other pet peeve 🤣

But why is that a problem either?

My grandad was John on his birth certificate but everyone knew him as Jack, and he was born in 1911. This isn’t a new thing.

DiscoBeat · 29/10/2023 09:07

One of mine ends with the that sound. But they're named after a grandparent and it's a classic name. Sorry to upset you!

TheKeatingFive · 29/10/2023 09:23

but I can’t be the only person who thinks it’s naff and tasteless.

Why would anyone care what you think though? There will be people who think your children's names are hideous and tasteless also.

There is no 'right' here, just call your kids what you want and don't assume anyone gives a stuff about your opinions.

Shouldbehoovering · 29/10/2023 18:10

I’ve given up trying to read all the comments, but isn’t a Jeffie/jeffy a condom?

Sennelier1 · 29/10/2023 18:35

You say Molly and Lucy are full names in their own. They're not. Molly (also spelled Molli or Mollie) is a diminutive of the feminine name Mary. It may less commonly be used as a diminutive for feminine names that begin with M, such as Margaret, Martha, Martina or Melinda. Lucy is an English feminine given name derived from the Latin masculine given name Lucius with the meaning as of light. Alternative spellings are Luci, Luce, Lucie, Lucia etc. I don't know what your problem is.