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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Need some advice on Jack, James or Laurie

36 replies

Eddie123 · 01/02/2011 21:24

I have shortlisted 3 boys names but have niggling doubts about all of them! Let me know what you think....

Jack .... too popular?
James (Jimmy).....another popular one
Laurence (Laurie).....???

Girls names are Alice or Elsa, both of which I'm pretty happy with!

OP posts:

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hulabula · 01/02/2011 21:26

Jack is too popular (has been in nr 1 spot for many years...), James a little dull, but I love Lawrence.

(Laurence is the female version of Laurent, so I'd use Lawrence for a boy).

IHeartKingThistle · 01/02/2011 21:29

They're all really nice names (you know that!)

Depends how bothered you are about how popular the name is. Personally I really like Jimmy for James and LOVE Laurie/Laurence. DH vetoed it though!

Girls' names lovely too

mumofeach · 01/02/2011 21:43

Really like Jack and James, Lawrence is nice too but seems a little old? James isn't so popular but v smart

BikeRunSki · 01/02/2011 21:45

I love Laurie.

othersideofchannel · 01/02/2011 21:49

Laurence is indeed a girls name in France, the male version is Laurent. So I'd spell it Lawrence for a boy.

Love the girls' names, especially Alice.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 01/02/2011 21:58

If you choose Jack he will forever be know as Jackwhateveryourlastnameis. There is at least 2 in every class at the DC school.

All the others are lovely.

PlanetLizard · 01/02/2011 22:17

I like Lawrence (with a w). Also like James but not Jimmy (Jim or Jamie OK though).

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 01/02/2011 22:21

I have a Jack so naturally I love it. Also like James. Loathe Laurie I'm afraid.

nancythenaughtyfairy · 01/02/2011 22:29

Ooh Laurie is nice, but a much braver choice than James and Jack, both of which are fab.

It depends if you're after a more unusual name.

snowpeas · 01/02/2011 23:07

I love Jack and James, my DS is Jack so slightly biased towards that .

Jack is popular but my Jack is the only one in his class and there's only one other in the school so not always as popular in some areas as people think (and the school is average size).

AllieW · 02/02/2011 09:46

Laurie is lovely! Jack & James are so ubiquitous, I'd definitely opt for Laurence/Laurie.

othersideofchannel · 02/02/2011 10:00

Does choosing a less common name (Lawrence) really require 'bravery' . Imo the whole point of naming someone or something is to identify him/her/it (as uniquely as possible).

Original poster

Eddie123 · 02/02/2011 10:05

Not sure othersideofchannel....I'm starting to think that it's best to go for a name we simply like or has meaning to us, no matter how popular it is! I love 'Jack' because it was my grandad's name, who I was very close to. But should I be put off just because it's so bloody popular?!

OP posts:

othersideofchannel · 02/02/2011 11:16

Of course you have to like the name you choose for your children . But naming someone is about uniquely identifying them and differentiating them from others. Personally I wouldn't give my son the same names as his father or grandfather because they are different people, but I would honour the relative by using their name as a middle name (which is what both of my children have).

If Jack's popularity doesn't bother you, then go for it. But you did ask for our opinions .

TitsalinaBumSquash · 02/02/2011 11:19

I have a Jack and yes there is another in his class, so at school he is known ans Jack.S, but that is school, no one else calls him Jack.S. the call him Jack. He is lovely and as individual as the next person.

I don't get people who don't want a 'popular' name. If you like it, use it. Jack was named after my Grandfather as well.

ditzymare · 02/02/2011 11:20

I like Jack but it is very popular.

I have a James so love it. He is the only one in his school. It is a very safe name though.

Lawrence I think is a bit girly. I don't know why because it is obviously a boys name.

LifeInTheSlowLane · 02/02/2011 11:23

I have a Jack too - see how popular it is! I had no idea when we named him, we didn't look at lists etc, just liked the name. James is also v.popular, but then again you shouldn't let that put you off, because once they grow up and go into the wider world they will be mixing with other ages and cultures etc and it probably won't seem so common then IYSWIM. When I think of all the Sharons and Traceys at school when I grew up in the 70s, I don't know any now

Original poster

Eddie123 · 02/02/2011 12:22

Thanks for your opinions. I'm starting to think that I will select a name despite it's popularity. Every child is it's own little unique person, and that isn't lessened just because they have a name that is liked by lots of people!

OP posts:

JamieLeeCurtis · 02/02/2011 12:29

I love Jack, and funnily enough, I wouldn't choose some other v popular names (Tom , for example), but as you say Jack is just really nice and if it means something to you that's even more reason to choose it.

Having said that, there is only one Jack in my DSs school, so maybe it's not popular everywhere (I'm in London, so maybe there are a greater variety of names than in a smaller place)

bigbluebump · 02/02/2011 14:19

I prefer Laurence/Lawrence - lovely classic name! Laurie is a lovely nickname.

Jack is overused imo. No one is implying that a child is less unique or special because it shares a name with thousands of others. But some of us feel that your ds may not like to have to add an adjective or surname letter to his name to differentiate himself from all the other Jacks.

tammy234 · 03/02/2011 09:21

I like Laurence although that spelling looks feminine. I'd use Lawrence.

James is nice but Jack is indeed very popular already.

BarbieLovesKen · 03/02/2011 10:46

All your names are really, really lovely. Laurie immediately reminds me of Little Women

I adore the name Jack and normally popularity wouldnt bother me but am expecting dc3 and at the beginning we were definate on Jack but the level of popularity of this name has gotton to me, if Im honest and because of this we've decided against it .

That said, You have a lovely sentiment attached to the name, in that its after your grandad, which is really special and lovely (I dont have anyone to connect it with) and that makes it different, IMO.

ThatllDoPig · 03/02/2011 10:48

I think they are all gorgeous gorgeous names. Laurie has the edge as it is more unusual. Just lovely.

poppydaisy · 03/02/2011 11:51

Love Alice and Elsa.

I prefer Lawrence from your boys' list.

allbie · 03/02/2011 18:47

Go with Laurence/ Laurie...my fav.

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