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Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Brave versus safe?

202 replies

horsechesnut · 13/07/2010 08:30

Most people have unusual/ uncommon names which they love but when it finally comes to making that choice just cannot bring themselves to use for whatever reason.

So my Q is - which did you go for - your brave name choice or your safe option and why? And do you now wish you'd chosen the other one?

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Iona06 · 14/07/2010 21:19

agree with the other posts horsechestnut. as long as the names not daft, and jasper is not, go for the one you love! as lets face it you end up repeating/shouting the name alot!!!!

Although i think Ben is a lovely name too.

JJandbump · 14/07/2010 21:31

Go brave! We were umming and aahing throughout my pregnancy with DS, it was so hard to find one to go with our surname, eventually went with the brave option (Alby) and are so pleased we did - can't imagine him being called anything else now! We went through at least four name books cover to cover and it was the only boys name we both really liked with our surname, so we just had to be brave and go for it. Goodness knows what we'll do if we ever have another boy though!!

I did find a table of all the boys names in Scotland in 2009 and ours was the only Alby which made me smile... although I did hear someone on the radio last week with one, almost made me call my mother-in-law to prove to her it is an actual name

MrsvWoolf · 14/07/2010 21:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MudandRoses · 14/07/2010 22:00

Haven't read all the posts I'm afraid; but I think it's interesting to see how many ppl here are saying 'go for brave' when, by and large, the opinions on the Baby Names board tend to be incredibly reactionary and conservative! Almost every slightly unusual name gets laughed at or rubbished as 'posh' or 'pretentious' or one which will lead to the kid being teased. I went with an unusual name for DS and will with DS2 when he's born. I think kids will always find something to tease about - or not - as the case may be. You could call your kid James or Ben and they might end up being teased for their weight or their weird mum!!

Millimat · 14/07/2010 22:22

I went through school hating having to spell my name - its quite uncommon. When DS1 was boen I loved the name Matthew & despite it being popular that was the name we went with. However, I do find it sad that already at nursery there are 2 others and he refers to them all by their full anmes!

SuzysZoo · 14/07/2010 22:40

I think that there is a lot to be said for names you don't have to spell to anyone all the time. so I guess I am a vote for safe! Just watch out for the initials - my aunt didn't check this for my cousin and she ended up with ARS.

Mirabelle77 · 14/07/2010 22:42

I am pregnant with DS1 my first baby the only name DH and I agreed on was William I like it but it's so common , I love Alethea/Layla/Christiana for a girl if that ever happens but I know DH will find them weird. I like Jay/Art/Jude for boys which are not brave but he wasn't keen. I am beginning to worry William will be so common, I have a well known but not common name and it has never bothered me. I was the only one in any school I went too and accepted it and was grateful not to be another Sarah/Rebecca etc which were the Ruby/ Olivia of my day.

seeker · 14/07/2010 22:47

I loathe the idea of having to be "brave" to use a name. It's not you that has to be "brave" - it's your child. And they may not be a brave person. Your son may be slight, bespectacled and spotty, and being called Zeus may just be a burden to him. Look how practically everyone (well, everyone, actually, but I have to assume there's one person who doesn't) sniggers whem the politician Lord Adonis is named! Unusual is wonderful - there are thousands of unusual names waiting to be used. But "brave" - no.

rowingboat · 14/07/2010 22:48

Brave go for it, it's nice to have an unusual name.
I am one of five in my workplace, people even comment there are too many of us.
I can't remember a single child being bullied because of their name at school, there was bullying, but it wasn't about names.
Sometimes first names could prompt children to tease a bit, yes, but the same went for last names, I was teased about my last name. In fact children will make up something even if your child has a common name, so there's no point trying to hide your child by following the crowd.

lowrib · 14/07/2010 22:52

We went brave and I don't regret it for a second. I know I would have done if we'd played safe

BaronessBomburst · 14/07/2010 22:56

I love old-fashioned, medieval, Saxon etc names but felt it wasn't fair to give DS one as a first name. However I suggested Alaric and DH loved it so it's one of DS's middle names. His first name is traditional, although not so common in the UK, and works all through Europe (we live abroad), and his second name is after his grandad (important to DH).

Alaric was King of the Goths and responsible for the sack of Rome in 410AD. I love a good babarian!

seeker · 14/07/2010 22:56

But do you really mean brave, or do you mean unusual?

rowingboat · 14/07/2010 23:01

My DS has Paddington as a middle name, he loves it!

BaronessBomburst · 14/07/2010 23:01

Mirabelle77 - how about Wilrick instead of William? It's a Frisian name. He could just be Wil on a daily basis, and Wilrick for best - on his passport etc IYSWIM.

rowingboat · 14/07/2010 23:11

Mirabelle if you like Will you could always go with Willem, or Willis or Wilson or Willett.

TheFallenMadonna · 14/07/2010 23:21

According to that link, in 2008, 10 boys were given the name Baby. Now that's brave. And not even that unusual it seems. Baby.

meadowlarks · 14/07/2010 23:26

Baroness - I can't believe there's another mumsnetter who like saxon names! My favs are Leofric, Edmund, Godric, Alaric and Alban.

rowingboat - Paddington's a guilty pleasure of mine.

CristinaTheAstonishing · 14/07/2010 23:34

We gave Alaric as middle name to one of ours.

BaronessBomburst · 14/07/2010 23:34

Meadowlarks - I like Leofric and Godric too. And Aethelstan, but that would be cruel. Did you get to use any of them? My DH just asked. He can't believe there's someone else out there as nutty as me.

BaronessBomburst · 14/07/2010 23:36

Cristina - wow!

14hourstillbedtime · 14/07/2010 23:47

Ds's middle name is anglo-saxon (harford)! Tis a family name! First name v boring Jack but I love it and tis family name, too!

DD's name is satan baby (we'll consider a name change when she starts SLEEPING) Margot Elizabeth, which I suppose is slightly unusual?

We chose both the names cos we like them a lot, though aware that we may confuse people as names from both the chavvy and posh end of the spectrum

Coralanne · 14/07/2010 23:53

Friend as a son named Jazper

meadowlarks · 15/07/2010 00:00

Baroness - You need children before you can use names But for future use, hopefully. I know it's pretty dull, but I've always loved Alan, which is of course another Saxon name. There's something very strong about it, and besides, I totally fancied Alan a Dale from Robin Hood

Coralanne · 15/07/2010 00:00

Have also just lately come across a couple of Jaxons'

rowingboat · 15/07/2010 00:01

Meadowlarks it's sweet isn't it!

Baroness I knew a Leofric, a grown-up, he was known as Leoff (pr Leff) .