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Baby names

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

Nameless 2wk old DS!

116 replies

pushmepullyou · 23/03/2011 10:14

OK so DS is just over 2 weeks old and so far is called boy! We've been through every name registered in the last 2 years and still can't find one that jumps out at us as 'the one'. In fact we're rapidly approaching the point where we don't feel the need for him to have a name at all Grin

DD has suggested 'Grandad' or 'Tigermonster' and tempted as I am by the second in particular I'm not sure either will quite cut it in later life!

It's all complicated by the fact that DH has a long surname that is hard to match. Similar to Blenkinsop, but more Germanic.

I think we're pretty much down to 2 names:

Francis, probably with Frank and (possibly when little) Frankie as nn, and
Felix, no nn.

My main reservations are: Francis is a bit wet, Frank is a bit 'old man', which makes me worry it will date as the old man names are so popular at the moment, and Frankie is another 'ie' name like Charlie, Archie, Alfie etc, which I'm not keen on.

Felix is obviously a cat/catfood, but tbh this aspect doesn't really bother me. After all Thomas is a tank engine! What does worry me about Felix is that the only thing that stops it being another Max or Oscar is the catfood connotation. Plus I'm hoping to have William as a middle name, which definitely goes better with Francis.

I just can't decide what suits him. He's fair/reddish haired at the moment and likely to be bald when he's older!

There's a slight possibility we may be over thinking this! Help!!

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NormanNorris · 23/03/2011 10:27

Hmm difficult.

Where I live Frank is used by the Alfie, Archie, Charlie, Ronnie, Stanley types (I'm in London), therefore I do think it will be grouped with these names, especially if he ends up as Frankie.

Felix is the new Oscar/Max in my opinion. In London it is very popular.

How about Fergus, Rufus, Magnus? Or something more timeless like Edward, William, Louis?

Congrats BTW!

kreecherlivesupstairs · 23/03/2011 10:29

Oh, I am so excited. You must use Duncan, that is spelled D U N C A N.
If not, Gavin is an acceptable substitute, but please use DUNCAN.

pushmepullyou · 23/03/2011 10:34

Thanks for replying Smile

I'm not really keen on Fergus or Magnus. Rufus is a possibility, but seems very tied to hair colour and if he goes darker when he's older (DH is very dark but was fair as a child) it may seem a bit odd.

Louis tends to be used by the 'ayden' types round here (north). I like Edward, but on of my best friends has called her little boy this, so it's not really an option unfortunately. William is just too popular I think (there are 3 in DDs nursery already), and will presumably be even more so this year with the royal wedding.

Every time I start thinking about it I end up back at square one!

OP posts:
Pterosaur · 23/03/2011 10:38

Duncan is actually very nice.

Nemo

vaginiasmonalogue · 23/03/2011 11:02

I like Frank and considered it for my dd. I would just have Frank though and not Francis. Not a fan of putting a name on a birth cert when you are never going to even say it!

Felix is lovely too!

meditrina · 23/03/2011 11:16

I think if you were really happy with the names you're considering, then you would't be posting (BTW, I love Felix), so perhaps you'd like some others to consider:

Aidan (which is quite separate from newer -ayden names, especially in the NE), other Ed names (Edmond, Edwin?), or other names which have a similar "feel": Archie, Wilfred, Frederick, Andrew, Theo, Toby, Albert, Cuthbert?

pushmepullyou · 23/03/2011 11:18

Smile Thanks

I think with a different surname I would go for just Frank, but with DH's surname Frank on its own sounds a bit too dour and 1970s trade union! I thought Francis might be better for if he's a barrister or similar

In reality there were only fairly small numbers of Franks and Felixes (or should that be Felices) registered last year so hopefully neither is going to be too stereotyped.

OP posts:
kreecherlivesupstairs · 23/03/2011 11:22

Good, so Duncan it is then Grin. Alternatively, Adrian. Not after my beloved Mr Chiles, but I think it is a good solid name.

pushmepullyou · 23/03/2011 11:27

You're right meditrina, if I was 100% happy I wouldn't be posting! Problem is I've been through about 4000 names and can't find a single one I really like Sad. Girls names on the other hand I have hundreds of!

I think it's difficult because I have a lot of male clients (that sounds wrong doesn't it!) and any of their names are out, which excludes a lot of names I could have gone for like Duncan, Dominic, Toby, James etc

OP posts:
kreecherlivesupstairs · 23/03/2011 11:34

Adrian still in the running then? Grin

rachel1970 · 23/03/2011 12:52

Francis is more classic/timeless than Felix, which has become a bit 'trendy' round here. Frankie is a cute nickname, and he probably won't have several others with the same name in his class.

How about Tobias, Quentin or Patrick?

BlueChampagne · 23/03/2011 12:52

Definitely Felices!

Have you considered Hadrian, given your location? Otherwise here are some names I don't often see while lurking on these threads:

Anthony
Justin

Are you steering clear of Germanic names like Conrad and Boris?

expectingno3 · 23/03/2011 12:58

Tom? And just Tom, not Thomas. You can't really go wrong with Tom.

colditz · 23/03/2011 12:59

What about William francis?

colditz · 23/03/2011 13:00

Oh ok, I see why not, he'd be one of millions.

I'd go for Francis, to be honest.

BrainSurgeon · 23/03/2011 13:07

Charlie is not just another name :( but yes I like Francis too.

gnushoes · 23/03/2011 13:16

liked Calvin for a boy but it wouldn't have gone with his surname...
we didn't name till six weeks, ever. good luck!

mrsdaz · 23/03/2011 13:18

I like Felix :) Although i also like Ronnie, Seth & Sidney

suwoo · 23/03/2011 13:29

My DS2 is Felix and we also have a ridiculous surname. HTH.

Valinor · 23/03/2011 13:29

My grandad was Francis and he hated it. He said it was a girls name. However, I like it. I used Frances for one of my dd's.

Not sure how you work out that William goes better with Francis. I think it works equally well with both names. I also like Felix, so I'm not much help am I?

I think you need to decide what type of name sits the best with you and him - old man (Francis) or trendy traditional (Felix). I'll have a go at some suggestions.

Theodore William (you can use the nn Ted seeing as you like Edward)
Casper William
Chester William
Hugo William
Edmund William
Barnaby William
Jasper William
Cosmo William
Isaac William
Miles William
Henry William
Leonard William
Elias William

Valinor · 23/03/2011 13:30

BTW, don't worry. It took us 6 weeks to name dd3.

rachel1970 · 23/03/2011 14:00

I think Francis William is beautiful.

CPtart · 23/03/2011 14:08

I have a Luke William.
Or how about Lucas William?

pushmepullyou · 23/03/2011 14:57

I'm sorry brainsurgeon. I wasn't meaning that I thought that there was anything wong with any of the names I mentioned, just that they're not ones I would choose for this boy Smile.

Valinor, quite a few of your names were/are on our shortlist. I like Hugo, Barnaby, Henry and possibly Leonard (with Leo as a nn). DH likes Miles, but I'm not so keen.

Luke is a lovely name, but he just doesn't look like Luke to me.

OP posts:
BrainSurgeon · 23/03/2011 15:06

No probs I was joking really

I like Hugo, Henry and Miles very much.

Miles Davis is one of my favourite musicians!

:)