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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Henry or Harry?

21 replies

Robsie · 27/03/2011 12:22

I have a 15 month old son called Henry. I love his his name and still do but recently I have become concerned that it is a bit too 'formal' to carry throughout life and so my husband and I are considering giving him the pet form of his name - Harry instead. The reason I am hesitating about doing this is because although I really like the name Harry, it is very popular/common at the moment (Henry is relatively uncommon in comparison) and I am worried that I will regret making this change later on (like when he goes to school and finds another 3 Harry's in his class!). Help - do I stick with Henry or start calling him Harry?

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LawrieMarlow · 27/03/2011 12:24

If you prefer Harry call him Harry. In DS's old school there were 4 Bens. Known as Ben A, Ben B, Ben C, Ben D (actually by initial of their surname but YKWIM) and they were happy with it.

Moulesfrites · 27/03/2011 12:27

I have a Henry, he is only 9 weeks old, and a had the Henry vs Harry dilemma at birth because the midwife kept trying to call him Harry but we call him Henry now and I don't en image us calling him anything else. I don't think it is too formal and I have heard of 3 Harrys born recently so if anything I think Harry is getting more popular as a name in its own right. I dont really think people associate the two any more, sort of like john and jack. Stick with Henry - Great choice of name!

Original poster

Robsie · 27/03/2011 12:36

Good advice, thankyou, and I hate this nagging feeling I have about his name. I don't particularly prefer the name Harry, I just want him to like his name as he grows and not even think about it and I guess I am worried it is a smidge too 'posh'. I think Henry is a real classic name....so why do I have this niggle (I didn't have any of these thoughts when I named my other son). The other thing I am not too keen on is that Henry will get shortened to 'Henner's' and 'Hen', this has already started. I am am not too keen. Decisions decisions!

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Moulesfrites · 27/03/2011 13:05

I know it may have posh connotations but so what - just have confidence that you have chosen a great name - it is a classic old English name and I think about to rocket in "coolness" as the rather yummy actor Henry Cavill has been chosen to play the new superman....

mumofeach · 27/03/2011 14:38

I love both names but would stick with Henry, only because he can always call himself Harry, when he's older, as a teenager etc, if he feels it to be too formal

somersetmum · 27/03/2011 14:42

How about Hal?

Ooopsadaisy · 27/03/2011 14:51

Let him decide when he's older.

I think both are nice anyway.

thinkingkindly · 27/03/2011 20:44

Hal is a great name.

Lilyloo · 27/03/2011 20:49

I would stick to his name Henry (i actually have a 9 year old Harry whose great great grandad was called Henry and they called him Harry) he can always use Harry if he wants

Alouiseg · 27/03/2011 20:51

I have a 14 year old Henry who loves his name. If there is a nn used it's either Henners or "H"

reddaisy · 27/03/2011 20:53

I love them both but would go for Henry if DP would agree because it is a bit more unusual. Plus DPs nephew is called Harry so I can't have that. Stick with Henry. It is his name.

TaudrieTattoo · 27/03/2011 20:56

Alouiseleg - snap! But mine's 10!

NickNacks · 27/03/2011 21:19

Can you call him by both? My DS has a 'longer' name which we shortened to Harry and called him by both throughout his pre-school yrs. When it came to starting school it turned out there were two other Harry's in his class so DS has gone by his 'real' name and the others don't have that luxury so are Harry X and Harry Y, but I stil get to call him Harry at home if i feel like it.

Original poster

Robsie · 28/03/2011 08:10

Thanks everyone for your honest comments, I feel so much better and thought you would like to know that we are sticking with Henry! When we called him Henry we did say one of the good things about it was that he had the freedom to call himself Harry later in life if he wants to. I did try calling him Harry yesterday and although I am sure we would all quickly get used to it, it did feel weird (I just don't think calling him both would work for us). He's just my little smiley Henry, somehow changing it now feels like I am trying to change his identity. I think I was just having a bit of a confidence dip about it, I would love him to have a 'cool' name (in my opinion it is), but whatever I can only hope he loves it as much as we do as he grows (anyway if the actor playing Superman is called Henry then it's defo cool - thankyou for that!!). Also my 5 year old didn't like me calling him Harry and kept saying, "why are you calling him Harry, his name is Henry!". Thanks everyone, you have really helped, phew. Ps I like Hal, maybe that will take off. I often call him 'Heni'.

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Bucharest · 28/03/2011 08:19

I actually find Harry posher than Henry!

As others have said, it's all academic as he'll make his own mind up idc!

Original poster

Robsie · 28/03/2011 08:25

You are right, Harry is equally posh (look at Prince Harry - you can't get posher than the royals. But did you know his real name is actually Henry?). I guess I was thinking Harry was the 'safer' bet because it is so popular right now. But then one of the key reason's I went for Henry was because I didn't want him to have a commonly used name! The passage of time will decide and when he is old enough he can call himself what he likes, I will always love Henry

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MrsBloomingTroll · 28/03/2011 12:39

Good thread, thank you Robsie. Harry/Henry is currently our number one choice for DC2 if it's a boy, as it was DH's grandfather's name.

I've been trying to convince DH that his grandfather's name was probably Henry or Harold rather than Harry, but he is adamant. He was also adamant about Prince Harry not being "Henry" (I knew better), so what does he know?

I like both Henry and Harry, but we will probably end up going with Harry, if applicable, because that is how DH remembers his grandfather, and I think it's one of those names that has a life of its own beyond the nickname.

Original poster

Robsie · 28/03/2011 13:03

Oh I definitely agree Harry is a name of it's own these days (rather than a spin off from Henry). I think that's why it felt so odd trying to call my son Harry yesterday...it just didn't work for me because if I am honest I do see the two names quite seperately. I think Harry is probably so popular because of Prince Harry, and I do wander if many people know he is actually called Henry. It doesn't really matter, and I am over my wobble (my DH says I scrutinise these things way too much!). They are both splendid names. Good luck with your new baby :)

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pilates · 28/03/2011 13:20

Henry is a fab name, I would stick with it.

Scholes34 · 28/03/2011 13:39

My Henry is known as Harry, but now he's at secondary school, he's called Henry there, despite our telling the school he "goes by the name of Harry". He's also called Haz or H. He's happy with whatever, and we don't get hung up about it.

GalacticHero · 28/03/2011 14:57

perhaps a typical masculine name, like sophie?? xxx

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